An overview of my Fine Art work so far

My work in art last year was based on the concept of ‘trace memories’ which, as an inevitable result of human interaction, are left on the world around us. 

The works explored the history of everyday objects.  In the case of the above, the simple marks and words of the occupier leave an imprint of time upon the bench.

I really enjoyed working on this project.  However, I felt that this year’s work needed to take a slightly different direction in order to allow me to utilise and develop some of my other skills whilst continuing the theme of trace memories.

I began this year making observations of specimens within the natural history collections at Corsham Court and at Bristol City Museum, as well as of few specimens I had collected myself.  The drawings created formed the basis for this year’s work and got my hand into drawing once again.

Yet although I was enjoying this process, the underlying concept I wanted to achieve in my work was not there. 

I asked myself – how could I take my interest in these small unnoticed specimens, and develop them so that they could convey the idea of trace memories?

At this juncture in my thought process I was fortunate to attend a lecture by Tania Kovats.  I was inspired by the starting points for some of her work, which Tania referred to as ‘marks of time’.  I realised that this was the definition of what I was trying to achieve in my own work.

Tania Kovats

Two hundred and eighty two, 2009

During the talk Tania also spoke about her use of drawing.  Whenever she experiences a block in her creativity, Tania uses drawing as a way of emptying her head of ideas and thoughts, allowing her to move forward within her art. 

I used this method to try and work thorough my own artistic block, which I was experiencing at the time. This seemed to work well: it generated new ideas without my being worried about meaning, and focused my attention on to what I really wanted to look at, which were the objects themselves.  It also allowed me to enjoy drawing again, which had sadly become absent in my working practice.  
So I set out doing more drawing, discovering my own ‘marks of time’ whilst trying to maintain the link to my initial studies of specimens.

My drawing style is slow, detailed and methodical.  As a result it took me some time to work out where I was going with it.  Perhaps because of my slow and deliberate style, I found that I really enjoyed doing these drawings.  They record the small, almost forgotten elements of today’s natural world such as the effect of insects on our environment. 

I always worry that my work needs to say something really important about politics or the environment or the like, and I find it difficult to let the work just speak for itself and let the audience engage with it.  As a result, I felt that I needed to develop my drawings further.

Whilst experimenting with various fabrics during a textile workshop I discovered that I could create a paper like material by heat treating a certain fabric with a high heat.  

I experimented with different times and numbers of layers.  A variety of results immerged – even when using the same timing and number of layers the results would be different, adding a pleasing random element to my otherwise very rigid and precise work. 

Although these works are random and as such are uncontrolled, they seemed to visually echo the patterns I was finding within nature, although these are often based on mathematical patterns and controlled movements.

I decided to utilise these heat treated papers and incorporate them in my work.  Looking further into science within art, I came across the work of Michelle Stuart, who studies themes of time, ecology and natural biology.

Michelle Stuart

White...Moon Minister in the Marriage of Earth and Sea, 1985-86

Stuart said about her work that “It’s the depiction of the passage of time that is the most salient characteristic of my vision… [T]hat started out with an interest in what is visible about time in nature.”

Stuart’s work is created using compositional grids and natural materials to create organic textured surfaces.  These textured surfaces inspired the next progression within my work as the paper I had created had a lace-like, perhaps exquisite quality which was both tactile yet fragile, like the wings of an insect.

I set out to understand how I could use this further.  To develop my work based on the tactile quality of my heat treated paper, I made a series of rubbings from them using layout paper and graphite pencil.

Although I do not like the general appearance of the rubbings I can appreciate the marks made from this method.  In some ways, the work looked even more 3-dimensional than the original, and wanted to recreate this using another technique.  I chose to make a soft ground etching.  Soft ground is very sensitive to its environment, and will pick up markings from anything that touches it.  A soft ground was applied to an etching plate onto which I laid my heat treated paper.  These were then passed through the press.  I put the plate in the acid bath for about 20 minutes to etch the plate.

A mix of Matt Black RSR plus transparent white ink was used for this print, allowing me to create a more subtle contrast compared to one I printed using just black.

In addition, the ink combination appeared to give another positive outcome as its consistency allowed a greater concentration of ink to remain in the solid areas, producing darker open areas alongside the finer detailing.

Interestingly, Michelle Stuart has said that she thought of her early works like etchings, the dirt and rock-scored paper holding the pigment as if the sheets had been pressed onto an inked plate.

I am really pleased with the result of my print, but it seemed to say little to its audience, and I felt that it needed to take on a new dimension in order to bring life and character back into the work.

I looked at the print and my heat treated paper for inspiration, and noted their lace like qualities.  Deciding to investigate this, I did some research into paper craft.

Noriko Ambe

Tracking II, 2010

Noriko Ambe’s organic structures built from meticulously hand cut and layered paper really attracted my attention. 

Her non mechanical approach creates natural distortions that convey the nuances of human emotions, habits or biorhythms.  I find that these distortions and inaccuracies create a drawn quality within this 3D work.  I therefore decided that I would like to combine these two elements when developing my own work.

Looking at the scale of Ambe’s work I wanted to see what my prints would look like on a larger scale.  I scanned in my print on a high resolution then got them printed onto Somerset Satin paper, to give me an idea of what the print could look like when enlarged.  The resulting piece was exciting: the new scale gave the print a new lease of life, drawing the viewer in and allowing them to look more intently at its finer details.  One of my samples had been printed onto acetate and so decided to project this print onto a large piece of Fabriano paper taped to the wall, so that I could reproduce its fascinating markings.  

As I began to replicate the large scale image by hand, my progress reminded me of my earlier drawings and the effect of insects on our environment.  Realising this I decided not to redraw the entire image but just small sections to resemble paper is being eaten away, much the same as the traces of a bookworm with a book. 

Susan Hiller continues to be an influence my working practice, both in terms of her use of materials and of her interest in the forgotten and unnoticed in the world around us.

She says ‘My starting points were artless, worthless, artefacts and materials – rubbish, discards, fragments, souvenirs and reproductions – which seemed to carry an aura of memory and to hint they might mean something…’

Not unlike Hiller, I believe that too often everyday objects are taken for granted, so I decided to look at the actions of insects upon nature, and found not only interesting photographs of wasps nests and similar structures, but the work of Soo Sunny Park.

Soo Sunny Park

Vapor Slide, 2007

This sculpture by Park evokes the idea of a paper wasps nest, which is the current direction I am looking to take my work.

Her piece has been created using many everyday items including chain link fence, plastic cups and paper clips.  One of Park's greatest strengths is her ability to create astonishing effects out of simple everyday materials, without transforming the original materials altogether: We see what they are, yet accept the illusion they create.
I mentioned earlier of my wish to record the effect of insects on our environment.  

This image shows my work-in-progress of the construction of a wasps nest as an attempt to convey this message.

It amazes me how such a feared creature can create something with such a calm and unassuming presence.

I have used plain white paper for this maquette.  The template used here has worked well for the shape, but the construction was tricky and I am not happy with the joins at the back.  Therefore I am currently working on a slightly altered template to test.  I intend to use what I have learnt through the process of making this to create a larger than life wasp’s nest, using my heat treated papers.

The thought of combining this fragile material with the strength of the wasp’s nests structure is very appealing to me.