Friday 17 May 2019

EDAM Term 3 Week 3 " Meanwhile..." Making Connections

 I'm still doing my daily drawing  in A6  sketchbooks  and am beginning to use it to 'capture'  ideas  for EDAM "Meanwhile …"  project  such as fold out maps using photocopies with drawings on the back  ( above )  and stitching on  acetate  using my sewing machine ( below) , in this case testing out the effect of the different  stitches. I may well use  a similar technique for  next CQ Journal  Quilt as   for the next 4 we're  encouraged to use  materials other than cotton .   

And while I had my  sewing machine out, I sewed copies of photos onto graph paper ( above)  and painted papers with maps on the back ( below)  to make into accordion  books.  
 Unlike last  week when we had photos of  different artists approaches etc,  this week , with a different tutor Annie Attridge  we were just doing our own work.  We have a 'WhatsApp' group and before the class started there were messages pouring in with apologies for absence  from various  members of the group.  Those of  us that had turned up were  discussing  our  feelings of panic and inadequacy   (  like  pre exam nerves when you think you haven't done enough)  but Lucinda reassured us  that was what it was like for artists, it's normal  !   With only half the group , we had plenty of room to spread out ( I had 2 tables and  a large section of wall) and  we talked more among ourselves about  what we were doing  and  there was time for each of us to have a  useful tutorial with Annie. 
 I made the most of the wall space and opportunity to make a mess  and  thinking of the large scale drawing  session with Tony did 3 simultaneous  A1 charcoal drawings.
      

  On each  sheet of paper I drew a quick sketch from a tiny photo of the view from the train, rubbed it down  and did a second  of a different  view over the top  and then a third . I then  drew the interior of the train carriage , the edge of the window or the seat . After talking with Annie, she suggested  using a much darker line in ink   and more use of eraser to introduce a lighter tone , to define the difference  between interior and exterior.  
Definately something to explore further even if  none of them are finished works in themselves there are elements I like , eg the use of eraser to introduce idea of reflections  in glass  or  the speed of lines of wires  rushing by, the contrast between static  interior and motion of exterior . And those curves  are becoming a bit of a signature for me !   





 I also had the space to put up the  work I produced last week which I discussed  with Annie.  We agreed  the quick collage with  charcoal drawing over the top  ( below)   definately has potential   so I'll be doing more of those next week  ( minus the timetable, that element didn't work so well)  


 

 On a different scale , we discussed   the accordion  book structures I'd made with my stitched papers  ( above) ( and also the idea  of using the Moleskine planner)  but  she thought they were  bit  obvious, what she really liked was  the simplicity  of the  ink  drawings I'd been doing  based on drawings from maps.   


 So I've brought these home, cut them into  thinner strips and pleated them , ready to take on the train to  write in , draw on, stitch into.  There's obviously  something about the  strip  format    that I can't let go of at the moment , from 'Wind Me In the Sea"   to  my 'Grasmere Cloths'   ( below)  so I'm going with the flow ! 











Monday 13 May 2019

EDAM term 3: ''Meanwhile..." First explorations


  In the second session of EDAM this term looking  at theme of 'Meanwhile....', after  going through the slides of  different approaches by various artists to research ( see previous blogpost ), I had a discussion with Amanda  about  my initial thoughts and ideas .  After  taking lots of photos from the train and having an initial stab at a 'mindmap'  , I was in a lot better position to talk about it than the previous week.  As usual ,  too many ideas  but we discussed  what could be done at home and what to focus on  while in the class.  I  thought I'd like to do more monoprinting but that was something to do quietly at home ( or review what I had already) and what the classroom offered was opportunity to be messy with charcoal and  work large!   




 She suggested   working on a collaged  background  of maps / squared paper -   until I could get to the photocopier all that was available was copies of a map of India  but it served it's purpose  in combinations with sections of the rail timetable.  and I quickly  drew in charcoal over the top to indicate the seat and window and some of the   scenery flashing by



 At home, I   did some different versions  in Photoshop .  It occurs to me that the curves remind me of  the influence of  the catenary paintings of Jasper John  on my paintings based on collage .

After lunch and a session  with the photocopier  I used  collage of the map for the train route in combination with photos taken out of the window  with drawings in  ink of the seats and their reflections  in the window when in 'Tunnel Land' . Too much  going on  and I over-thought it  but it has possibilities  for further exploration , perhaps on a larger scale or cutting it up and reassembling ?





 I also had a go with tracing onto acetate   the section of the map around Gravesend and Ebbsfleet where the train goes under the Thames .I then used the overhead projector  to draw it A1  size ( below) , getting a different quality using graphite stick.  When I posted it  on Instagram , there was a comment    saying it looked like bones  and was I considering archaeology as part of the brief . So now I'm re-reading about the Ebbsfleet Elephant!  




I've scanned the acetate and been playing with different filters in Photoshop ( above) 

Also on acetate, I traced  on a different scale the  whole route from Faversham to St Pancras  ( above) and scanned the stitching  on acetate I'd done with Ruth ( below)  - I like how you can see  both the front and back at the same time. 

 I showed Amanda  the 2010 Moleskine 'Pocket Project Planner'  notebook I bought  cheaply in 2011  to modify as  a sketchbook (  realising the demand for such  items  they now  sell 'proper'  Japanese Accordion albums ). During  our discussions  we realised it's potential  with its printed details of charts  etc of  considering 'Time ' as one  aspect to consider  further - exciting!


  The  'Zine'  book I produced  using photocopies of monoprints   was something I wished to explore further  in any case.

After all this thinking and cogitatating , tomorrow I'm planning to have a 'play day'  in my studio sampling  different  approaches, including getting my sewing machine out! 








EDAM Term 3 : Further thoughts on 'Meanwhile...', techniques and artists to explore

 During the course  of 2 terms of EDAM I've been pushed well out of my comfort zone in the variety of  drawing techniques. Now in Term 3,  when we're working on our own projects, I need to consider which of these  will be useful for  me to use to explore the theme of ' meanwhile...' ( initial thoughts here )
 Large scale drawing with Tony Hull, starting with  object, blind drawing, mark making with long stick. wrapping object ,  inserting sheets of paper to disrupt composition , making linkages across surface,  layers, responding to what's there.

 Bookmaking , copies of monoprints, change of scale,  formats, concertina
 ( also ideas  from   monoprint  sketchbook project -  backs of work different to front, interaction of pages,, juxtaposition ,

 Paper manipulation and stitch - lots to explore here, take on idea and try different methods: pleating, distortion , ripping layers , stitch on acetate

Space and Light with Anne Teahan, feeling the form

 Lessons from 'Large Scale Sketchbook' :

 Interest in layers - in cloth, excavating old  quilts, what's beneath , how to  try this in paper?

Some  first thoughts on artists  of relevance:

Michael Buthe 
 Junko Oki ( Looking forward to  going to see her exhibition in Brussels in a couple of weeks time !) 






Paul Feiler - I spent some time looking at layers and composition at the Redfern Gallery 






 And 'mining'  my  own blog for artists that have influenced me over the years - interesting to make connections.
 Richard Long
David Nash  Tree  Quaryy
David Nash Cork Structures
David Nash
Sue Lawty
Cornelia Parker 
Tania Kovats 

Our homework  from the first  class was to read an article from Contemporary Drawing 1960's to now by Katherine Stout and research  ' expanded notion' one of the themes 


We started  the  next session  looking  at  artists using these different methods :














( for his use  of frottage, monoprinting  'activating the surface' 




 'Psychogeography'  writer ( well worth downloading the pdf's) ,  ' Travelling Blind'   shows  fascinating interpretations of the tube.  
Cosmopolitan city  shows different scales ( above) and I like' patterns and perspective' ( below) linked with her essay on ornament and memory

 Nancy Spero  for her use of text 


 William Kendridge' s interdisciplinary  work covers so many different media , it was a privilege to see the rehearsals for the 'Head and The  Load' last year . I  have a copy of his  '6 Drawing Lessons'  somewhere, must track it down.

My own  research, linked to my interests in  mapping walks,  was in ' walking as art' ,  so I was interested to find the catalogue for exhibition ( which can be downloaded on ISSUU)  
 Walk on-WALK  celebrating 40 years of 'art walking' 

Those that caught my eye  were  Tim Knowles ( whose '7 walks from 7 Dials, Covent Garden' is featured  in the inspirational 'Drawing Projects' book 




 Also Jeremy Wood  who pioneered  drawing  with GPS ,the  3d physicality of his piece  ' White Horse Hill'  I found   exciting.

"We cannot understand where we are on the ground without first looking up at the stars. The chalk figure from the Bronze Age was made to be seen from the heavens and today we use space age technology from the heavens to tell us where we are.
The Uffington White Horse was chosen for its mysterious dialogue between the ground and the sky; a relationship it has in common with the magical properties of satellite navigation technology.
The original shapes have eroded over time along with their meaning. They are signs, not entirely visible from the ground that are projected towards the skies like symbols on a map to be seen by the gods."