24 March, Focus on curation and catalogue information and testing ideas, painting.

     

   

Got some tester pots to see what colour i wanted the walls. Decided on a dark blue. I also need to test how well it will cover and I wanted to add some witchmarks.  Looked back to some of my primary research and the information about the marks and meanings at Cresswell Crags.  It'll be good to include some of this information in my exhibition handout or an online information page - I could set up a blog page for this with a QR code.

This also reminded me that 'evil spirits' were believed to not be able to leave straight lines - maybe this is something I could consider for the curation.

 

 

Took some more images of work to ensure that there was no shine from wet patches and used a good area of the studio with no shadows or glare from lighting. These are the final 3 (not cropped etc yet) for the degree show. I was going to go with one image for full impact but there's definitely a dialogue between the pieces I'm proposing and adding the witch marks to the walls kind of completes the exhibition for me because it'll confront the audience as something that looks quite "witchy" but then will hopefully open up a conversation about them being christian symbols - there's an element of superstition that will be exposed and then the conversations about the artworks should open up quite a lot of dialogue - I'm hoping to get feedback because then I can really steer my practice from here. 

                    

Renewed my Adobe subscription with uni as it wasn't accessible and was struggling to get the images I needed for the degree show marketing form. Casey had offered help as she had access but the images lost quality each time they were shared. Got access really quickly which was great - so edited and submitted the marketing information. 

The final statement for the catalogue is below and the title is Apple of my eye.

Lorna is interested in domesticity and the maternal, nature versus control. Her handling of oil paint is intended to create relatable, atmospheric artwork. Apples and witches’ hats form part of a feminist exploration of iconography. Apotropaic marks known as “witch marks” reference a co-existence of belief systems.

I tried to edit it into a clearer public facing blurb but was struggling - it didn't feel very public-friendly.  Had a look at last years degree catalogue to see how clear they were and ran it past Laura who edited it - Great to have another pair of eyes on it  -  I now have something that I think makes sense to anyone. 

Lorna is interested in exploring relationships, with a focus on family and the concept of nature versus contemporary society. Her artistic practice utilises iconography including apples, witches hats, and apotropaic marks (known as ‘witch marks’) to create relatable, atmospheric oil paintings that reference a historical co-existence of belief systems. 

Spent some time discussing lighting and curation in the studio and helped Laura to position canvases to explore spaces. I wasn't sure about the lighting of the space she's opted for but we've both approached the exhibition space we want from different perspectives - I see why Laura wants the space she does now and she has a very clever idea for a removable false wall. 

  

tested the Black gesso - is there still time to make a witches hat and instead of apples should I just cover it in witch marks?

  Tested some black gesso and witch marks to make a witches hat from.

Had a go at some filler photos for marketing ... hmm... not sure..

 

Did some more of this but it needs to dry - I'm just making mud and I don't think the chalk is sitting well underneath 

Anthropocentrism...so thats a thing.. but I can't put that in a public-facing statement.