A Penumbra of Spirits
Perseverance is the key in any chosen pursuit, this foundation year has brought to light many a challenge that I face in my artistic travels, but with each roadblock, tube strike, or cancelled plane journey, a veritable amount of determination has arisen from these trials and has continued to propel me forward to the tackle my next inevitable foe.
As a naturally independent person, I often ensconce myself in situations and persons of a similar nature to my own; rather then be led by a guiding hand throughout my life, I enjoy general guiding hints to assist with any possible walls I might run into, this is why Fine art-with its positive attitude to self driven work and abundance of like minded people to my self, appeared to be the best pathway for me.
My current art practice involves the use of delicate materials (hand cut cotton ribbons with a triangular pattern cut meticulously into each, an exact cardboard replica of a vintage projector from the 80s or 90s complete with minor mechanical function (also know as a mirror)), manipulated into intricate installations of varied scale. I’m also exploring the oil paint medium further, by painting on materials other then canvas (off-cuts of wood at them moment).
Plaster and wax materials will be the next notch in my utility belt of cheerfully cheap (wonderfully discounted) Chelsea art store materials. My focus for the next project is, associated with the human body, specifically the face. The concept stems from a recent experience of mine, while working on a former piece (left as a work in progress, so that I might focus on my present idea). A plaster mold was made of my neck and when I observed the cast after removing it, I was overcome with self-consciousness at its appearance. When I returned home, sparks flew, and new idea emerged, one revolving around personal perceptions of one’s self. It evolved into a much grander scale installation; using plaster bandage to make molds of the faces (as the face is often the most scrutinized part of the body (much more so then say, the neck)) of everyday people (friends, associates, family) and then pour paraffin or bees wax into the mold to create almost exact likenesses of the models (if wax does not achieve the correct effect then other materials will be explored, such as a combination of coating the mold with Vaseline to create a stick proof surface for plaster of paris or other cement like material). Their reactions and attitudes to their doppelgangers will be documented and cataloged in a logbook, also containing photographs of each wax sculpture and it’s owner. The book will be on display along with the faces at the exhibition. Each “face” will be hung on a white wall to portray the indifference in the appearance of each individual.
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