Symmetry

Quite mesmerising! Just playing around with editing apps on my phone. First pic is originally of an image of paint dripping down fabric. The second one is of a texture on the surface of a stone which was interesting just as itself but this symmetry editing, it takes on a whole new image. 

Free time and free space

Was up at the college today and played around with some fabrics, paint and bit of heat press. Been a while since I've handled any creative materials! 

Thinking my space is very Halloween-esk, very black and white and eery. 

Massive scale projections

There had been thoughts of using projection for some of my video works within a space - this has all been discussion and mulled around on the back burner with no real thoughts to the logistics yet - 

Had been on Instagram and had a notification from a new follower, well a company double take projections who specialise in massive scale projections. I've seen projections in Edinburgh before and it looks like the work of these guys. It's a cool, eye catching medium and has so many possibilities. Here is a link to the website - http://www.doubletakeprojections.com

Draft is submitted

Got reference work sorted and achieved my target of 6,000 so that's another ticked box. Await feedback now to tweak working before pressing on for the last 2,000 words or 3,000 depending on how well it flows. 

Dissertation draft

Draft has to be submitted tomorrow but I will be working so no be a chance to work on it so will be submitting by the end of today. Currently at 5,700 odd words so want to round up to 6,000 before I submit. Over and above the 4,000 mark I set myself to aim to achieve 6 weeks ago, so I have stuck with the 1,000 a week pace, which I have surprised myself about! 

However, I need to concentrate on getting my references clearer and construct my bibliography on to the end of my dissertation. 

I am fully aware the feedback will state more theory will needed within the writing- they always want more! - but I am happy with the shape it has taken, discovered new artists who will no doubt inspire me further in my creative practice when I get round to that again properly. 

Oh, and here is what my table I sit at writing all these words, looks like! 

I work better when I have visuals surrounding me, so when I stop to gaze away from my page at least it's to something relevant and hopefully keeps me to task...not always but does reduce the amount of irrelevant daydreaming! 

Voices from the Cillin

This was an exhibition at the Orkney Museum, had seen various advertisements for it on Facebook and looked interesting. I have been to a few exhibitions in there and it's been of the same style more or less, so I went there expecting the same hanging pieces of work against that horrible dark green walls. (been perfectly OK as background for a museum space but now that there is more and more mini exhibitions in there just white walls would be more suited) But when I turned that corner from the Orkney room, I was soon to discover this was not the standard! 

There was light projections all round the room, from a central adapted light box of their own construction. It was a hollowed out plinth with clip on desk lights on the top with their designs (in reverse) placed as a box on the top. There was sufficient a gap between the light and the paper, as from using those lights myself, I'm aware of how ridiculously hot they get. 

It transformed that room. A completely different atmosphere was created. 

The main piece was the video, which was projected against the far corner of the room, the far left one as you entered into the room. 

The plinth had a shelf where the projector sat. And there was no light projections to interrupt the film projection. The power cables were taped to the floor and also there were speakers linked to this central plinth. Again everything kept flat as possible on the floor, and was all black to avoid distraction. 

The piece is based on the secret burial of infants on un-consecrated ground. They were buried in secret due to the extreme poverty in Irish families and with infant mortality being so high in the 19th century it was the only option, although not the easiest. 

The whole installation was hauntingly beautiful, I got goosebumps sitting there while watching the film on my own in that room. 

There was also a few extra pieces which to be honest I hadn't even noticed as I entered the room, it was only when I went to leave I seen them. But perhaps that was the idea..? I liked the long narrow shadow boxes framing the poems. 

Merry dancers

These were taken on Thursday night,a lovely clear night with plenty of stars to see. Me and my Mum went driving down some dark tracks before stopping, not really sure where exactly we were! These are the best 'dancers' I've seen this year so far....

Dissertation milestone

Passed the half way point, reached the peak and downhill from here...so they say! 

Plenty of work still to go but feeling positive. 

What catches your eye

I have noticed this a few times on my routine evening walk. It's weeds growing beside an old stone dyke (wall) which in the wind, have wafted back and forth pivoted by its roots and has created a semi circle in the dirt and stones.

 I think it's quite simplistically beautiful. 

Yes I know, it's weeds blowing in the wind. But I am an artist, beauty comes in many forms! 

I do think there is something in this about investigating time and exploring seasonal change or an outdoors installation perhaps? Something to note for now and reflect on in the future. 

Chocolate zoetrope

A food and an art form 

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/10/andre-duboscs-newest-animated-zoetrope-cake-melting-pop/