Shadows in the studio...

Since catching the shadow on our hall wall, I have become increasingly aware that at every given time of day, everywhere you look, you will be able to find interesting shadows. These photos are a selection from about 20 or so which I have taken around the studio on several days. I really love the idea of ‘catching’ shadows, of capturing the precise moment that they exist in that given state – their shape and the intensity of the darkness of the shadow is constantly changing every second, which I think opens a whole wealth of possibilities for development.

Perhaps the thing about the shadows which I have become most fond of and attracted too is their transitory, changeable nature – indeed all is fleeting in the world of shadows. This could lead to tracking shadows across a set amount of time, through drawing, photographs or perhaps film (many time lapse films could look into as instruction) or trying to build structure which would cast my own shadows by whatever means and seeing the shadows which are made throughout an hour, day or week. Could possibly experiment with the overhead projector, layering shapes and shadows with that? Also one area which I am quite interested in would be the juxtaposition of ideas if I was to somehow create a 3D realisation of a shadow – this could be using the shapes that the shadows cast and then making them into some kind of 3D sculpture, that you could walk around, touch and would be (unlike actual shadows) permanent. The confliction between the transitory nature and then fixing it in time is something I find very appealing.

Tracing paper windows...

This is going back to the post with the shadows and light on the glass. Again, instead of trying to show anything remotely natural, like the branches on the photos on the originals, I used the same straight lines as throughout I have been using pretty simple forms (which exaggerate the architecture and window frames of the gallery space). Opted for that again, if for nothing but ease when trying out the new addition of tracing paper on the window. I do quite like the effect, the window of bright light against the muffled - and this is an even further step towards the ideas of interference and control. Think the overall effect if I filled the whole set with this would be very different to last term, and quite interesting, but on the whole to develop this project I really think that it would be beneficial to move away from the limitations of the window frame...

Cut –out Lampshades...

After the previous post, I decided (once and for all) to do a few experiments with artificial light and the effects of the light and shadows cast on the surrounding walls. With a plain paper lampshade I decided to stick with the straight lines that I have been looking at since I used them on the windows last term. The overall effect I thought was rather nice – the star-like sunburst pattern on the ceiling directly above, and the lines of light almost draping or dripping down the walls around, the light getting less intense as it goes down and eventually fading out.

In the third photograph, I like the relationship with the rays of light and the bars of the stair banister, almost bridging the gap/difference between the intangible light and the tangible banister, the lines and shapes echoing each other. This relates back to Lucy’s work, making something which isn’t actually 3 dimensional into something that you can touch; so in her work that was literal space and in this case it would be light. The nature of the light, the varying intensity, the rays of light all around you when you stand in this space, is of course a completely different experience to looking at the photo – this is something that I will have to think about when it comes to formulating something for the end of term exhibition.

23.01.12

Noticed this on the wall as I came in this evening – was first attracted by the strong triangular shapes which reminded me of the first Richard Tuttle pictured I looked at last term. Also thinking about the light and shadows that I saw at YSP, apart from this is coming from artificial light rather than natural light from outside.

Feedback...

Had a very (long!) but interesting morning discussing everyone’s work which had been influenced by another member of the year. Didn’t get the chance to talk to my influence, but had a wander into my normal studio space to find Lucy who had made a piece that was in response to what I did last term (shown here). We’d had a good chinwag about what I had been doing earlier on, so to see what she had come up was absolutely wonderful, and will be something that I will bear in mind when I go back to thinking about what I am going to do next. I loved what Lucy had done, taken what I had been thinking about incredibly literally, and creating an actual physical representation of the studio space, amongst others – so it was indeed and quite literally a ‘projection and definition of space outside of itself’...but then still in the space (because it was scaled down). The fact that it was the space outside of itself, but existing still in the space is a very intriguing line of thought, as is the notion of making the space three dimensional.

Starting the spring term...

Over the first few weeks of the Spring term, we have been asked to complete a piece of work which is influenced and inspired by the work produced by another member of our year group. My influence, Caroline Widdop, whose piece I had to look at, as well as everything else wonderful she is up to, can be seen here on her page found by clicking the link at the bottom of this post.

After always always avoiding projects in which the subject is myself, and avoiding at all costs painting self portraits (not one of my great talents!), I was initially rather daunted by the thought of both of these aspects of the work. However, there are individual parts of the work which I find very intriguing – most especially the fact that the piece is named ‘Mulitple Personality Order’, instead of ‘disorder’. I decided to take this word ‘order’ in relation to personality very literally, thought about the different sides of my personality, and ordered them, into matchboxes. After messing around with trying to do some small drawings and paintings, I thought it would reflect my character more if I was to use some kind of writing. In each box is an extract from a novel, a poem, a play or an article which all relate to some kind of aspect of my personality. The fact that the matchboxes are slightly open, but you still can’t tell what is written, is something that I quite like – there is an invitation for people to perhaps open and read, but I doubt that people would in a studio exhibition. Like my own (and everyone’s personality) there are light and dark qualities which we can’t show all at the same time – so the idea of control and order, revealing and hiding all had a great part in this work. Overall I was happy with the final outcome, and found the whole process useful and very thought provoking. Can’t wait to crack on with the work I begun last term now!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Berkshire-Artist/323181218038#!/photo.php?fbid=10150341817813039&set=a.330871713038.126276.323181218038&type=3&theater

Light, Shadows & Glass...

Whilst looking through the photographs I took at the YSP for the previous post, I came across these three which show wonderfully the effects light creates when forming shadows. I love that there are so many shapes made - from the art on the glass balcony edge, the art hanging from the ceiling and the shadows of the shutters on the windows opposite. I especially like the bold straight edges made by the shutters and how they echo the architecture - and in contrast to the twisting smoke like curls of the hanging art. Although all this is obviously unintentional (I think), it really does show the possibilities that there are for playing around with light and shadows. Rather like the shadow of the branch on the area of frosted glass, a layer on top of the glass window - could play around with this idea myself? ...