As part of the opening – and I must admit it was unlike any I had been too – not the traditional private view. The Art Walk was so people were moving from venue to venue. People also tended to cut through the foyer – which is where many of the works are – and go straight to the studios. At 7 i did the now de rigeur artist talk. This was fine – there were even a few faces in the audience i didn’t recognise. One of the questions asked was if i am moving to be producer cleaner- crisper work – referencing my recent foray into vinyl. I am enjoying playing with text and vinyl, but i remain of the view that i will produce work which fits the location, space or word the best. I still like being able to see the marks of the process which contributed to the execution of the work. My two new vinyl pieces are in the lift and main corridor of the art house.

Continuing my theme of communication, dialogue and the view that the more connected we are the more disconnected we become – the whole digital/social media diaspora then I am showing ‘Solitary’ in a paired down version without any additional text on the nature of lonliness.

There is always that element of how the work is going to breathe on its’ own. I think there is a good mix or old and new, things in the gallery space and thos site specific and installational elements. I guess that’s my work done on it, I’ve done all I can. Now I am waiting to hear the feedback, see what people think.

Glass

I had been doing a short course at the National Glass Centre, Sunderland. Glass is an amazing material – of course you could spend a life time exploring it – but I have just woken to its’ possibilities. I feel similar about glass as I did when I discovered letterpress. I know neon is a typical way of using glass and text, and yes, one day I shall do my first neon piece – hopefully in the not too distant future – but there are so many processes and ways of using glass and combining that with text that it leaves the years open for endless exploration. If only my current richness of time was equalled by cash as it’s a pricey do playing and experimenting with a new material. So this is my first glass/text piece – a naiive primitive affair.

Hurt

Hurt (Detail)

Hurt (Detail)