I’ve donated this work to Blank Media www.blankmediacollective.org for their January sale which is happening on Saturday 28th of January. I exhibited for the first time last year in their group show Blank Expression. Blank Media are a fantastic organisation doing a massive amount of work to support artists in Manchester and beyond, and bringing a huge amount of energy to the arts scene in the city.

The work I’ve donated – ‘Danger’ (Edition 1 / 5) is a photographic digital print from the series Walking Holme, a commission I worked on last year for the Holmfirth Arts Festival. The main piece of the commission was a multi media installation in the parish church, which was created, with artist Dan Fox during a four day walk from the source to the confluence of the river Holme. This work was exhibited as part of a series of still photographs at Back Lane Art Space, also in Holmfirth.

Please get along to the sale / auction tomorrow to pick up some great contemporary art and support an excellent organisation.

Whilst trying to focus on the current chapter of study for my OU “Art and its Histories’ course: ‘The Work of Art – The Work of Psychoanalysis’, I’m also still thinking about ‘Minotaur’. Having been given a tatty pair of dungarees (thanks Ed) to use for the ‘costume’ (although this doesn’t seem to really be the right word) I’ve been thinking about embroidering the dungarees with words – as yet, I’m not sure what these words might be, but there seems to be a strong sense of writing, or the written word creeping into this project. The image of embroidered words and / or symbols which the Minotaur wears or carries with him is becoming clearer. Red embroidery thread, shiny.

In the course work I’m looking at the work of Eva Hesse, and trying to think about ambiguity and bodily association in terms of her sculptural practice. I recently bought a book called ‘The Book of Symbols’ and look through it for any reference to the symbolic meaning of ‘box’. Meanwhile, I turn to the page headed ‘Thread’ and of course a reference (in an illustration of a Burne – Jones painting) to “Unwinding a ball of golden thread, which will show him the way back. Theseus descends into the labyrinth.”

It all starts to add up somehow…….

This lantern is part of an installation to celebrate Chinese New Year at the Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester. Made from tissue and pea sticks, lino cut figures. I’m going to be making similar lanterns with students at Accrington Academy next week in conjunction with a visiting teacher from Korea.

Another project that has been flitting around for a while. Some time ago I noticed the numbers on plastic tags attached by a nail to each of the trees in the local parks. Again, with the starting point of a simple visual image, had the idea to document these photographically. Having just been out this afternoon to do a quick test (partly because the sun is shining, and the sky is blue) realised that I’ll at the very least need a step ladder, plus someone to hold it. I kind of like the contrast in textures, and can visualise a whole load of these images grouped together, as quite graphic B&W images. Anyone fancy coming over to hold the ladder?

I thought I continue drawing onto photographs, based on how i felt about the last Minotaur drawing. Not exactly sure where he appeared from, and I find him ever so slightly scary. Maybe there are other people waiting….

thanks to Lemn Sisay

First day back attempting to work, and a fair bit of futility floating around. Have been trying to picture what the Minotaur looks like, before I can meet with Stephen (who will BE him) and we can look at what we need in terms of costume and the like. Feeling pretty positive after producing this towards the end of today. It feels like I’m getting somewhere, and wondering if making more drawings will actually inform the finished work, or if they are just of themself. Either way, this feels like a small step forward.

A couple of times in the last few months I’ve used the idea of drawing around my body whilst trying to film the drawing. Somewhat awkward and jerky, but the last results seem to have informed this project in some way. I’m continuing to play with the film which hopefully will give me some kind of idea or suggestion of what HE looks like. More to follow…..

Having not posted anything (again) for ages, I’m now pretty stuck into The Polari Project (working title) looking at Polari and using it as a starting point for research. We are still really at the beginning of the research process, looking for funding, and thinking about what the outcome(s) is / are. Looking at the picture above, the research looks like its going to be fun!

“Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we’ve been. If process drives outcome, we may not know where we are going, but we’ll know we want to be there.”
Bruce Mau

Having no idea who Bruce Mau was, went straight to Google and his beautiful site. He’s head of a design and innovation studio in Toronto. I especially liked his ‘Incomplete Manifesto for Growth’Incomplete Manifesto for Growth – Bruce Mau

Quoting John Cage: “Begin anywhere”