The start of the beginning of the end

It's been a busy start to my last year at art school and i apologies for my lack of commitment to this blog. Thank you to the followers, my audience, who legitimise me putting the time to write bad english and show you attempts of an 'Art' practise.

I've been looking for an opportunity to sell or display the prints i did over summer (5th June Modulation post). I received a phone call/email asking me to install some drawings in a coffee shop near George's square, Freshhh. Although it was late notice, maybe a day, i thought it would be good to grab the opportunity and just accept.

I didn't really have a clue what the space looked like, how bigger space i had, whether it was in the coffee shop or if there was a gallery space etc.

I'd just finished work. Taxi - Home. Pick framed drawings up. Art school to pick up tools for installation and other drawings to optimise space if needed. Susie (help needed). Coffee shop.

The space was nothing what i had in mind, a small basement space with off peach walls covered in marks. This is not me complaining, simply admiring the fact that i thought this might be some Hugely glamours first artists like start to a 'real' career.

Susie was very kind and helped me decide how to display them. The final out come as shown.

Since it was the week of the Merchant City Festival and there was also a big opening of some sort in the coffee shop, we had the option to advertise/sell the work.

I didn't get any takers.

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Meet my Studio wall.

The drawings are the back bone to my current work. Drawing as previously stated, have never been my forte. However times change and so do artistic inhibitions.

There's still no conceptualism to my work.

I feel due to the type of course I'm studying it involves me to have some sort of conceptualism around my work - but i don't, and i'm not going to panic about that.

2D to 3D

(Models)

These models are from the drawings done earlier on in the year, (again see Modulation Post).

To really muddle all this up, as i was drawing and making models, i also decided to organise a group exhibition for 4th year - any one could choose to be part of the exhibition or not.

I wanted the exhibition to be a good opportunity for the year to once again work as a team, show some work, drink some cheap wine and have a good time.

Compared to a previous exhibition i had organised last year "All of a Sudden", i wanted this exhibition to be coherent and lucid. I wanted it to feel like an opening. Not just a bunch of students throwing work together.

"All of a Sudden" was badly put together, more so just in terms of where the work was placed around the building - it all felt exceptionally displaced and had no real bond with any of the works.

"A Working Way Forward" Exhibition poster

I new in my head exactly what i wanted the exhibition to be like. Sounds corny but i could feel precisely the atmosphere i wanted during the opening.

Everyone who new what they were doing had been given a wall or floor space, those who hadn't were willing to work with others to come to an agreement as to where their work would be placed during the final few days.

My priorities for the exhibition were not the art work. It was simply everyone having a good time.

Lighting and background music were essentials for the event to be spot on.

Thanks to everyone who contributed, helped or came along to the exhibition.

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It was a pretty manic week, organising the exhibition, preparing my sculpture and amongst that my brother came up to glasgow after coming home from japan so i had quite a had full to entertain.

I have big ambitions for my next sculpture/installation, and it's nice to be once again excited by the work i'm creating.

Summer efforts...

As i realised summer would be mainly based around work work and more work i felt the need to attempt to achieve something sustainable for the final year of art school.

Carrying on similar ideas from where i left off i simply decided to draw.

Drawing, as I've previously mentioned, has never been something i have been good at or enjoyed. Usually i would try everything in my power to find some sort of way around it but for once I've found a good strong point in my work to carry on and keep going with.

Like the last post, the drawings i've been focusing on have all been in adjacent to music, modulation and sound patterns.

I managed to throw some work up at the Flying Duck, Probably the most random place I'd think to house work but it was nice just having it on public display for all the dunked people to view.



Also some more substantial framed works hopefully to be housed at The Drawing Rooms.

Modulation

mod·u·late  (mj-lt)

v. mod·u·lat·ed, mod·u·lat·ing, mod·u·lates

v.tr.

1. To adjust or adapt to a certain proportion; regulate or temper.

2. To change or vary the pitch, intensity, or tone of (one's voice or a musical instrument, for example).

3. Electronics

a. To vary the frequency, amplitude, phase, or other characteristic of (electromagnetic waves).

b. To vary (electron velocity) in an electron beam.

v.intr. Music

To move from one key or tonality to another by means of a melody or chord progression.

I feel modulation is a good word to describe my work at the minute. Recently i've been struggling to maintain an anchor on a specific theme in my work. 

So to try and refreshing things a little i decided to go back to the drawing board (literally). 

With sound/music still in mind, and something i feel i can no longer get away from, i decided to scratch at these elements of noise and go back to the foundations, Musical notations. Or rather simply manuscript.

By playing about with score or manuscript i think i've touched on some really interesting features of 'modulation' through drawing.

Public Art Project ( The Rise and Fall )

Meet Clive.

Clive is the sad state of my public art project. After continuously attempting to get a site, GMPU Building and pound land, i had to resort to alternative last minute options.

Clive comes from a small yorkshire A.S.D.A. store where he was purchased for my 18th birthday.

After so much negotiation with no good out come i re

alised all are efforts had gone to a complete waste. I suppose the learning curve was, be persistent and start the process as soon as possible.

Me and Richard Martin had desided we were going to venture on this conquest as a duo as it would help ease both our minds with two people working to get one site.

Pound-Mart on Sauchiehall street - 

Incredibly helpful and very friendly, in the first stages all that was required was Public Liability which the school of art could cover us under.

Ecstatic we were, 2 weeks before we need to show work we felt like we were finally getting some where.

The store manager receives confirmation from the people above him saying the liability didn't cover enough, something along the lines of they wanted the cover from their insurers and not the school of art.

Gutted.

The GPMU Building. 

This building had always been our first passion, Disused, Character and enough space to house the work of the entire Fine Art department.

This was the one.

We went into the bar to try and get some information as of whom to contact about getting access and beginning the negotiations. 

Winston was the janitor of the place, checking for mail and just having a general look about to avoid break ins etc.

Luckily Winston drank in the Morrisons Bar below.  we both decided hanging about and waiting for Winston as it would be our easiest option of getting inside and taking some photos.

When winston arrived he was more then happy to give us information about the building and let us gain access. 

The place was fantastic, huge conferences areas, old decrepit rooms with holes in.

It was perfect.

One thing we never took in was with it being a Union its practically owned by everyone one whose part of it. I.e contact with anyone was extremely limited.

We had no look trying to get in touch with any one who could even have a conversation with us so we had to resort to GSA contacts. Our tutor said we should get in touch with another member of staff as they may know some one who might be able to help.

To cut along story short. she was very little help what so ever. 

Which is why Clive evolved. 

Clive essential became my alter-ego.

Enough said.

A.R.T. [ Arranging Restriction's Temperamentally ]

Short Post...

Following on from the last post i decided to carry on experimenting with light and how the viewer entered and moved around a sound installation. 

Drawing isn't usually something i enjoy however as of 1st term i realised it was really helpful in the progression of moving work forward.

"Triple Tonguing Explained"

"Arvas Development"

"Take a Seat"