WE ARE THE MINORIES

I am really excited to share with you all my involvement in We Are The Minories as they repurposed the old Laura Ashely store in Colchester Town.

My involvement has included designing and creating the signage for the front of the store, plus some temporary site specific work which will be installed in the windows and building. 

I have created a series of blog posts to document this journey which will follow in the coming weeks. 

Thanks to We Are The Minories for inviting me to get involved!

Here is a little taste of what is to come...

Throwback: The Waiting Room - RUPTURE

 

Words with Found Letters - Part Two

 

Some writing about my practice.

Some writing about my practice, with a focus on the automatic.

In short:

My practice explores the use of text/site. The work produced is usually temporary, drawing on notions of time and place, duration and mutability. This is echoed in the use of language, as that too is affected by these factors. Nothing is fixed and my practice focuses very much on nowness.

In Long:

My practice is heavily involved in the use of language and linguistics, I rely on the notion of a shared public language which can be accessed and interpreted in an infinite amount of ways by the reader. Art allows us to elevate the everyday, making people consider these things, such as language in new ways.

I have been using automatic writing for many years and find it a great way to kick start my creative process. The words that emerge are often nonsensical – something that I find refreshing in a world that depends on us being sensible. However, everyday themes tend appear too – bring the work back to reality and making it relatable to an audience. I have exhibited automatic writing in numerous ways and am always struck by how other people find their own connections in something that has been created in my world, highlighting our connections to others and the importance of community/communication. The connection between language and time also interest me as it is fleeting and ever-changing nature.

The intention of my practice is to engage the audience and creating a dialectical relationship between the art and the audience and the art the its surrounding. I work both digitally and with installations to achieve this. I have always considered the installation and the removal of my installations as performative. However, these are usually performances without an audience.

Examples:

2020

2019

2015

Some thoughts on 2D / 3D

I work in both 2D and 3D, below are some thoughts on why I like working in both (and why I could never just pick one...)

Benefits of working in 2D

• Allow for immediate response to research with quick sketches
• Note taking (a largely 2D task, I am always with a note book)
• Provides a foundation to build on (where most of my ideas start)

Benefits of working in 3D

• Enables visualization, I am thinking making thinks as models, testing out ideas 
• Depends understanding of shape and construction (very important for installation work)
• Allows for experimentation and development, there is usually lots more to play with when working 3D - you can try the same idea in unlined numbers of materials 

By switching between 2D and 3D, I find I am able to develop my ideas and practices. It also allows me the freedom to use the right kind of outcome for each idea. I have always said that the only constant in my art is the use of language, the outcomes pictured above prove this to be true!

I would encourage anyone to leave a little room for playfulness in their art practice, and just play with different techniques and materials. Don't tie yourself down too much!

Words with Found Letters - Part One

The images below are from my sketchbook, I have been using found letters to create reflective pieces of writing.

The words or phrases produced come from the unconscious, I pick a letter in the first instance and then think about the first thing that comes to my mind, then look for the other letters I need. This process is meditative, slow and does not require all that much brain power. 

I have been adding to the collection at the weekends, since starting my PhD. The pages are not dated. A conscious choice to keep the project as free as possible. A collection of thoughts, not pinned to a specific time of date. 

The book is intended to be able to be read randomly, rather from cover to cover. 

Get SMART, Start 2021 right!

Being organised is key to getting things done, if you struggle to keep on track try a SMART action plan.

I use these when I need to break down large tasks or when I need a little extra motivation. 

SMART Action Plans are a great way to set yourself clear goals with clear deadline. You can use them to breakdown tasks and make them less overwhelming. While setting yourself a deadline gives you something to aim for.

Specific Target a specific area for improvement
Measurable How will you see the progress?
Achievable / Attainable Can it be done in the time frame? With the resources that you have?
Relevant / Realistic How does it relate to your end goals?
Time-based When will you achieve this by? Set yourself a deadline

*Remember that these are your plans and can developed and changed in accordance to any changes to your priorities and commitments*

References

Doran, G. (1970) There's a SMART way to write management goals and objectives. Management Review, 70(11), 35-6.