Meetings, meetings and more meetings...

So another Friday another meeting, organising a show isnt as easy as you would think lots of discussion needed to iron things out. Sitting around the table today discussing what people are considering putting into the show it was hard to believe everything will fit (litterally) into the space available, but then maybe this is something to wait and consider during the actual hang.

In other news my final shipment of magnets arrived this week, really pleased with them great solution to wall mounting my pieces, so spent most of today while not in meetings down in the wood workshop cutting and shaping thirty odd mdf discs of varying diameters to fit behind my plaster discs. Feels good to be moving into the final stages of preparing work. Also myself and Sander Schoonbeek have been discussing the possibility of collaborating on a small print which I think we are both up for, we have been discussing this ever since our project space together in october 2011. This will likely be a conglomoration of imagery from our own practices Sanders interest in old and ruined cars playing with my own interest in the inbetween nature of vacant industrial spaces as well as sections of text which is also prevalent in my own work.

Framed submission

So framed up one of my finished plaster discs (7" size) and submitted it to Aberdeen artists annual exhibition this morning. fingers crossed.

Degree show committees

So haven't been blogging as much recently mainly been busy banging out plaster discs at a rate of about ten a day then printing them up which takes longer and costs infinitely more!

Anyway do thought I'd do a wee update on the committee stuff that I'm doing for the degree show. So part of the publication team which has meant endless time in meetings with Tom Nolan who is laying out our publication for us and organising the printing etc. This has been a great process being involved from the start means more is invested than simply supplying a very standard blurb to the college for them to then print up a generic catalogue also being a printmaker it is an opportunity to develope a relationship and understanding with the publishing and commercial print market which will help with the production of my zine for the degree show! Anyway so have also found myself helping out with the practical side of other committees most recently the PR and advertising committee by printing up tote bags to raise funds for the show.

Mid process shot of bag printing

Anyway much and more to tell but not enough time just now safe to say we are all busy as hell with various committees and meetings as well as our own individual works.

Tutorial blues

Had a brief tutorial with Kenny Hunter on Friday, went ok was left feeling slightly confused as after arranging the tutorial/ chat I realised I had no idea what I wanted to discuss really, which as myself and Kenny haven't really ever had an in- depth discussion of my work or where it comes from meant the discussion was a little forced. Anyway wanted another point of view as the only person tutor wise I have had any contact with over the past year has been Graham Todd which while being greatly beneficial and interesting it is always nice to get another perspective.

From the whole discussion Kenny seemed more interested in the carved door than my plaster prints which is nice though led to me questioning the relevance of this new work and whether it really is an organic continuation of the door piece though he did mention that there definitely was a connection between the two pieces, whether this was a bad or a good thing in his opinion was not apparent. Anyway we discussed turning the door into more of a sculptural object having it displayed mounted on supports in the room rather than wall mounted as I had originally thought. All in all it was an ok meeting though more questions than answers.

blowing hot air

Having spent most of the past month and especially the last week making objects and putting together images it has got me to thinking about my practice again what it is that I actually do and why I do it. As im aware my fascination with found objects and imagery is the driving force behind the making of the work, I cant help but ignore what is maybe the hardest part of the work and that is without doubt the "making" choosing to produce works on plaster is really labour intensive and makes me jealous of people who can just make anything a work no matter the effort involved in production etc. Why do I feel that I would be short changing people (not least myself) if  I didn't put as much physical effort into the making as I do the thought? Thinking more along this line the production of work as in the physical making and producing of "artefacts" is possibly more important to my practice than anything else, putting my efforts into making objects to me invests them with a certain fragility or personality and history that would be lacking if I didnt go through all the process involved in the making personally right from the the mould making to the casting and cleaning to the printing and image composition.

The more I make these objects and prints the more I am slipping back into being an image maker and producer of "things" which feels good but in a way seems to undermine the past year or so of research writing and talking. Maybe that is being a bit harsh?

Discography

Some mid process 7" plaster discs. Just waiting for text to be added then finished.... For now.