Yesterday I filled a freezer bag with plaster and here are the results:
Unfortunately with this design of bag, the plastic has got stuck in the fold but apart from that I like the shape it has created. Shall experiment with different bags.
Cast of time
Recently I have been messing about with plaster to make brooches, collage and now sculptures. I had an idea way back when to make physical sculptures out of PVA glue, but quickly discovered it wouldn’t dry in large quantities in my lifetime! When making brooches, I fell in love with the instantaneous nature of plaster. I was experimenting with adding different materials to the plaster and then laying plaster on different materials. I poured a bit into a plastic bag to see what shape it created. It made a cast of the bottom of it, with the creases and seam details on show.
The idea of making a cast of time was born. I am currently waiting for a bag filled with plaster to dry and am very excited indeed. The next thing for me to work out is how I measure time using the material. I think the measuring of time will be done using the water, which will then be mixed with the plaster, but have some thinking to do!
11.11.11 11 Hours, 11 Minutes and 11 Seconds
Yesterday was a day with a moment that will not happen again in my life time. Regardless of that, I missed it as I was at the printer at work. Disappointed I text my Dad who consoled me with the genius idea that I could experience the American version of this moment. So at 4pm (11am New York time) I sat in front of my camera, which was set up facing my laptop to capture this second of history via an online clock.
I like the idea that if you miss a certain time in a day, you can just gatecrash another time zone.
Types of time
I was having a conversation this week about the different types of time and how it becomes increasingly more difficult to make time for everything. I have been musing over the different types I think there are all week and categorised them as follows:
There is obligatory fun celebratory time, Weddings, Birthdays, leaving parties. There is fun time ‘just because’ which often happens without too much planning, like a trip to the pub on a Friday night. There are breaks away and adventures, camping, festivals, holidays. There are catch ups and chats, this usually involves drink or food as the centre point, pub, cafe or cups of tea on the sofa. There is inbetween time, usually on the way somewhere, to the shop, to work, on the train. Necessary time, work, life admin and sleeping. Relaxation time, watching TV, cooking, reading, sitting, going for a walk. There is also development time (couldn’t think of a better word for it!), learning, thinking, making art, trying something new. This list is not exhaustive and obviously everyone is different, but for me at this point in time these are the main ways I spend/organise my time. On Thursday evening I spent my favourite type of time, the fun type!
Me, Amy, Haydn and Al drove to a pub near the river Trent which was super lovely as one minute I was sat on the sofa watching one of the many terrible programmes I watch and the next thing I knew I was going for a drive. It was so good to get out into the countryside; there were beautiful reflections in the water and a very nice looking bird.
String, the next chapter
This week I’m not at work and shall be attempting to make string sculptures again, without ruining my feeble excuses for wrists. After having problems with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I am giving it another go and am really looking forward to it! I think I might have to slow down a bit though, but as long as I decide the pace they will all be relative.
How I used to make string pieces
I am going to be wrapping the string around objects, rather than my hand this time so hopefully they’ll be less pressure on my wrists. I shall keep you up to date with my progress! Wish me luck!
Life admin
I find life admin such a chore and it becomes a real bone of contention. Whilst looking through a briefcase of documents (it’s full to the brim of things that were once important and now could be done with being shredded), I came across a folder where I had stapled onto lined paper the receipts you get from the cash machine. Not only had I saved all of these but I had written in biro what I had spent the money on that I had withdrawn.
This was probably the start of my investigation into time vs money. I was working at Tesco on the check outs at the time and as they say ‘every little helps’. It’s quite an interesting folder to have after all these years (although the records are limited as it would have been a real pain to keep up!). It’s almost like a very specific diary. When I went to New York I wrote down everything I spent whilst there, and it tells the story of my journey. I like the fact that these prices will have changed by now so it’s a record of a certain time.
My d(r)aft rantings
Writing about the idea that I can’t seem to make work about wasting time whilst wasting time not making art about wasted time. I always want to suffer for my art. A cliché, I know. The idea of wasting time enjoying myself has never occurred to me. All this time I could have been making work by eating my favourite foods, meeting my friends for tea or jumping for joy.
No, that would be pointless, meaningless and I dare say it, enjoyable. NOT. THE. POINT.
What is the point? Why is it that time wasted has to involve an element of the mundane, the drab, the boring and end with a yawn? I think it’s because the things I enjoy are categorised as useful, valuable, exciting moments of time so even if the occurrence of these events is to put something else off, it somehow feels acceptable.
I would not get that sense of nothing from doing something. I would not have that feeling of being at my wits end, of giving up, sometimes of deep despair. I might feel…happy? God forbid. No suffering is better. The act of doing something you do not want to do, is so much more cathartic. It clears your mind.
If I just sat in silence and decided I was going to make art, I would fail. If I go to work and my mind wanders, or I’m on a train without a pen or listening to the same story that they told me yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, my head will flood with ideas. Why?
How do I make art?
I am having a constant battle at the moment. I want to make art. I know what art I want to make (which I have been told is half the battle). I was recently reminded that at college I worried that I had forgotten how to paint. (I’m not convinced I ever knew how!) I am now worried that I have forgotten, full stop.
.
I think the filing system inside my brain has lost its administrator to the day job. I shall organise my thoughts, make lots of lists and make writing about this ‘stuckness’ part of the idea…or I might just need a sit down and have a cup of tea!
Cardboard mechanics
I have just found a super great video of Cardboard Mechanics which is made by 4 students of the Utrecht School of Art and Technology, Saskia Freeke, Fin Kingma, Davy Jacobs and Sonja van Vuure
Print screen from video ‘Cardboard mechanics Installation.’
I would like to create a mechanism that makes my time pieces for me for two reasons. 1. To regulate the wrapping time, because a regular rhythm from human hands can differ depending on lots of factors. 2. I have developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which means that repetitive actions using my wrist are currently far from ideal.
Last weekend I made my living room into a cardboard cat city as we had six cats in the house. Too much fun was had! It reminded me how much I like making things out of cardboard. I think using cardboard boxes, tubes, string and maybe some metal as a pivot could work. I am going to start with drawing such an invention right now!
To start again
I have been finding it increasing harder to get put my art hat* on and have decided to start again. I am going to be starting a new work timetable which, all being well will allow me to have every other Wednesday off. Yippee!! I am under no delusions that every minute of this day will be used to its full potential but even if I spend the day hoovering (unlikely!) at least it will free up other time.
*If I had an art hat I would like it to look a bit like this; across between a satellite dish and a clock.
I have been tidying up my studio space today and I had done some before and after shots, which to my horror look very similar to one another. I am sitting in my studio as I type, and that would not have happened this morning. This bank holiday has been a pure crafty delight!