Artspace Micro Residency

In July I was invited to stage a Micro Residency at artist Susan Williams Artspace. The we had discussed the possibility of making a temporary installation in during the Sculpture Network New Year Brunch January. I was intrigued by a building that had been a Victorian brick gardeners building with attached pigsty. As it was due for imminent renovation time was of the essence.

The Residency took place over the course of two hours and you can see more of each piece by following the links to the Flickr Set after each title.

Artspace Artist in Residence - Baby Bunting Flickr Set

I had already made parts of the piece now known as Baby Bunting, initially for a temporary installation in a disused church.  The Gardeners  Building seemed a perfect space to test out the bunting.

Each pennant has either a screen printed bird or a free machine embroidery portrait of long gone members of an imagined community. They are rural folk, timeless yet touched by the impact of both World Wars. They are present yet missing, gone yet remembered.

Pottery shards in glass jars were placed on the shelves in the shed - preserved damage kept for inspection or protection. The bunting was loosely laced across the internal space and documented from various angles and viewpoints. 

Memory, tribute, layers, time, a celebration of life, a reference to our ability to endure, our connectedness and separateness as members of a community are the themes that inform this piece.

Artspace Residency July 2014 - Nursery Flickr Set

The second piece made was Nursery - utilising the small, rusted fire grate, a vintage child's tea set with original nursery rhyme decals, small bed structures, glass sweet jars, a glass cake cover & stand and pottery shards. During the making two of the tiny unbroken plates fell from their position and this damage in action added to the air of everyday menace. It was also a reminder of how quickly situations can alter and damage can occur.

Artspace Micro Residency July 2014 -Tea and Trade Winds Flickr Set

Tea and Trade Winds was a continuation of the travelling Shards Intervention featuring almost complete items of Spode's Trade Winds crockery which had been made specifically for the American export market. It features Tea Clippers and sailing ships and connects with ideas of hame and away, travel and adventure, meetings and departures. The Travelling Shard Intervention was originally intended to reflect compass points but it was relevant to the Artspace Residency as Carole had noticed references to both tall ships and the scallop shell inside the main house.

The time to install was short but the thinking behind it was long, happily all the necessary elements came together in this brief moment - space, inspiration, encouragement to create freely, light, weather and energy!

Many thanks to Susan Williams and Artspace making this installation possible. Artspace Residencies are by invitation only.

Thanks also to Carole's Right Hand woman - Maureen Walvin who had the arduous task of sewing binding round the 50 pieces of bunting!

Crumbs From The Word Table - Books and Papers

Phiona Richards and I first discovered Crowland Abbey on our travels in Lincolnshire last year and during our Transported Phase 1 Engagement Activites in the local garden centre. To whet your appetite for this very special place you can see photos of the Eleoquent Fold exploring the Abbey with Back To Books in this Flickr set

We also had the opportunity to explore the town itself during our research for this project. We have now realised a cherished ambition and gained access to The Mainspring where we Transported the shop owner with tales of our Transported adventures. We also learnt much about both keeping and repairing time.

Inspired by this box I imagined us Time Travelling

Phiona taking time to talk to a local library user about our collaborative pieces.

While they talked I took notes as many interesting stories flew in around us.

Phiona put together another unusual book

to be held in the hand and installed in a Word table

Phiona piercing one of our bird prints.

I was also busy, clicking, talking and sticking

You can see the progress of our work Crumbs From The Word Table at Crowland Library on Thursday 19th during the afternoon or in this Flickr set  come and share your stories with us whilst we work there again on June 25th. In the afternoons during our Residency you will find us in the foyer where we will be delighted to talk to you about what we are making and about your hopes for the arts in Boston and South Holland.

Transported is a strategic, community-focused programme which aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities, funded by Creative People and Places from Arts Council England.  For more information visit www.transportedart.com.

Creating the Origami Fleet

For our second Transported Art public engagement day Phiona Richards and I were Eloquently Folding in a walkway in the Springfields Shopping Centre. This was a challenging venue as many people were from outside of Lincolnshire and were set on shopping and it took all our inventiveness to encourage the passing public to engage with us! 

Before arriving we decided we need eye-catching head gear so Phiona bedecked a straw hat with flowers and I made a very loud, very large floral band. To draw people in further we sat on the Transported deck chairs or stood folding origami boats, gradually building a small flotilla in front of out stand. As the day progressed people became intrigued rather than alarmed by our colourful presence.

Whilst folding our researchers were able to ask

"How would you like to be Transported?"

Participants with their hinking caps on!

This was a difficult pitch but as you can see, by the end of the day we were 

swapping hats and stories, creating boats, sharing laughter and ideas. 

Phiona demonstrated just how skilful her paper folding is 

with these delightful, tiny paper boats!

We wanted to create a fleet of origami boats, which would hark back to ships, sailing, export, import, exploration and adventure, all elements we associated with the history of the area. 

The boats were installed on a reflective surface the Transported Pop-up Shop in Boston. Participants had a range of delightful materials to work with, many of which had had another life or purpose. 

We included maps and stamps in order to draw out memories and reflections of travel, place of origin, destinations and dreams, all of which we saw as being at the heart of Transported.

There are times when we all feel stuck but access to the arts offers people the opportunity to take the imaginative journeys, which can transform lives, enriching our interaction with the world and each other. The boats are a symbol of the journeys Transported Art hope to create and that the community can join with.

You can see Flickr sets from this activity here and here