Here is a photo of two of the most recent artwork I have been developing. The photo lacks quality as they were taken on an old phone of mine...
The object is a muslin cast of a cardboard box. The drawings in the previous post demonstrate the technique further developed with drawings on the muslin pre casting
Here are two of the cast boxes stacked next to a pile of cardboard boxes - the image doesn't show a lot, except possibly the contrasting qualities of the of cast box to a 'normal' box.
The project has been difficult - aiming to develop a new work over 6 weeks (all the while in full time emplyoment) and 'in public'. As it happens the last six weeks have also been characterised by two insurance claims (one buildings and one car!) which are time consuming (and stressful) and the death of my boyfriend's grandmother (heartbreaking) amongst other things. Needless to say, progress has been slow.
Nevertheless, I know where I'm going with this project and thanks to the YMCA gained funding which allowed me to run a workshop at a New Hope Trust day centre. Totally exciting to involve participants in the making of this artwork.
Now I've to finish making the rest of the work and prepare it for exhibiting. As per usual, I'll have a number of components (the cast boxes) and as yet don't know how I want them to come together to form a whole. That will be a big decision.
In some ways, I feel that the progress I have made has been appropriate to the time frame. Having a 6 week 'deadline' (thank you NHT and Sophie Ronson for being flexi with that) has meant that I've developed a new work from start to (not quite) finish in a much shorter space of time than I ever have before.
It has been hard to reassure myself that progress has been (nearly) on track. I feel accountable and responsible to NHT/Mike Hewitt and Sophie to reassure them of the progress also and am feeling as though my communication on that front has probably be fairly stunted. I'm grateful to be working with understanding and positive people, to say the least.
Tomorrow and Thursday will be spent in the shop 'finishing off'. The hardest part is getting there...
...it's daunting!
