Studio Proposal

Proposal title: rocks, time, deep time, imbued time, geological time, flow, immerse, mass, encapsulate, time capsule, ‘fake’ rocks (explore other words for fake?), interior/exterior, space, bodies in space

Summary: My work looks at rocks as objects imbued with time; how can we, with our comparatively tiny lifespans, begin to understand the geological timescales wrapped up in these unassuming objects? Can we use them as a way of accessing deep time or will they prove too impenetrable, unwilling to yield their secrets and vast histories? (this was my artist statement for my digital portfolio)

Previously:

• Making ‘fake’ rocks to contrast with real rocks and draw attention to their differences, the timescales involved in their creation
• Drawing ‘rock landscapes’ – zoomed in, cropped ‘landscapes’ made from rock faces, exploring the idea of immersion in small objects
• Flow and mass around rocks through drawing

Goals:

• Continue where I left off – particularly with the ‘immersive’ drawings and the cast/sculpted rocks – I’d like to build up more of a collection of these
• Perhaps find a use/respond more specifically to the objects I have collected over this past year in my studio space
• Conceptually again pick up where I left on but hopefully moving forwards – move away from rocks?
• Produce a larger quantity of work through playing, experimenting, making more – I can then be more selective and critical of what I’ve produced, and there is almost less pressure on each individual piece that is created

Form and materials:

• Drawing – this is an easily accessible way of working and one that I can do from anywhere so will help with encouraging me to be looser and more spontaneous in my practice. I can also use this to continue the ‘rock landscape’ drawings
• Casting – I’d love to push myself to use the workshops more and play around with casting more – the problem I often feel with workshops is that you need a clear idea of what you want to make going in whereas I often would just like to play around and experiment
• Clay/ceramic – again logistically a bit difficult now brickworks has shut (I think?) but can get air drying clay and/or look around for alternatives. It would be good to look more into the materiality of the clay I’m using, build up a knowledge of where the clay has come from, how it was formed etc
• Printing?
• Books/zines? As a way of collection

Risks, challenges, outcomes:

• Trying to critically investigate the materiality of an object/the time associated with it – making it clear that this is what is being investigated without me having to critically explain this
• I could begin to explore a more human history as a comparison/new area of research. I feel like I do potentially need a new area to explore so as I don’t end up stagnating. This could be archaeological (Neolithic/palaeolithic etc) or more folklore/local history – the work with rocks did start from walks exploring the local area and considering its history so this could be an interesting new angle to look at this from – also landscape history/archaeology – look at aerial perspectives, free fall
• I want to push myself to work in the studio and workshops, creating lots, and then reflect on this critically afterwards to identify what I need to do moving forwards
• I’d also like to get better at talking about my work to a range of audiences – perhaps having a clear question/set of questions can help me do this – this is something I could look to have achieved in the next two weeks
• Exhibition? Digital portfolio – think about documentation

Research, context:

• Again, this is something I want to broaden – I spent a lot of last year researching Antony Gormley as he has a lot of similar themes running through his work to mine but I’d like to research other artists in similar depth
• I have a list of artists recommended from last year that I’d like to start researching in these upcoming two weeks
• Look at artists who research time through sculpture, who look at history, who look at rock?
• Go out walking, exploring
• Visit art galleries

Resources, planning your time:

• I want to produce more work in a day, get into more of a routine of, e.g. studio 9-4, then reflect on the day’s work, research at the weekends/evenings (as a very rough example!)
• I’ll also need to establish a good balance between working at home and in my studio – I can book maybe three of four days a week in my studio and then leave home for more theoretical work/drawing?
• Read more! Get into a routine
• Start with making
• Learn adobe?

Week 1: establish a routine/good balance of research, studio time and working from home. Book out slots in studio and workshops in upcoming weeks

Week 2: establish a routine/good balance of research, studio time and working from home. Book out slots in studio and workshops in upcoming weeks. Finish off work in preparation for studio session

Week 3: some casting/workshop use? Moving beyond initial ideas and getting back into the swing of things