Thursday, April 30, 2009

A companion...

Working independently in the studio sometimes leaves me feeling unable to converse on any intellectual level with another human being - the shift from within my own head space into a public one leaves me feeling stunned at the best of times. Perhaps the daily interactions I have with my one wee companion do not aid in my abilities to feel 'grounded'. When a visitor comes to the studio, their presence shocks me back into the physical space my body is occupying, much like when I screw down my puppets foot to animate her every articulated movement...

no wonder she is looking a little stunned and apprehensive...

the beginnings at st[art]

An empty space needs some lovin' so that's exactly what I'm giving this one. The way I love many spaces I hold dear to me is to embrace the material explosions which occur in them by leaving things to pile upon things until it is no longer bearable. After a few weeks into the st[art] residency, the empty space I was handed is fully loved and now occupied by 'stuff'. 'Stuff', as in materials of plenty from wood, paint, paper clay, thread, and screws (just to name a few)...are being transformed from something into something else. This is an experiment to create a site specific set for a stop motion animation that will unfold frame by frame next month in the space.

This is what it's all about - finding ways to bring new life into old materials, new dimensions into abandoned spaces, fresh smiles onto tired faces...

Monday, April 6, 2009

a thought on empty space


Experiencing an empty space can be a little intimidating. You encounter details you may have otherwise overlooked had the paint on the floor been covered with carpet and the holes in the walls been hiding under picture frames. Perhaps standing alone in an empty room allows one to identify with these small imperfections that lay naked before us. Similar to an emotionally intense conversation in a familiar room, you find yourself scrutinizing the door hinges and the wood grain of the bed frame in hope that focusing on something tangible will anchor you to the world.