Observations
I begin by allowing thoughts to emerge, often through the process of drawing. Always questioning and attempting to analyse my perceptions and assumptions. I explore these thoughts through the written word in journals and sketchbooks. This space offers a window into my observations and my ongoing process of reflective practice. Each is related to a wider field of research and feed me with possibilities.
Photographing myself
Website
I wonder at why this is important to me, is it just a place to get my thoughts down or is a place to communicate? With the prevalence of websites, blogs and podcasts it seems many feel their voice needs to be heard. I was struck by the idea that imagining connecting with one person rather than many would erase doubt. Suddenly it made sense. It is not about communicating with humanity via the internet which is overwhelming and quite frankly daunting, but directing the ‘conversation’ to one person. If someone reads my work and are in some way changed or moved then that is significant.
Communicate
Who am I addressing, one person, or just myself? Am I anything activating anything? Selecting material for this website is in a sense a distillation of thoughts and images, I am revisiting writing and am able to make new connections I did not see before. I think the website allows me to activate myself without responsibility. Others may or may not be interested, without direct contact it releases the pressure on people to interact. They can make the decision to communicate or not! I can explore ideas without interruption. Is anyone listening and does this matter?
Curating my work
How do you begin to sort ideas and images? Why is it important for me to make this website? I like to be organised, but recognise that in trying to make an order possibilities and new connections can be stunted and this is not a reflection of how I work. I consider how labelling and making sections may also limit understanding of the complex links I see within my work.
I am interested in notions of curation. How and why I select and deselect images and text for the website leads me to deep self reflection. I become increasingly aware of how we are all curated within the societies in which we live. There is an interesting relationship between curation and indoctrination. I enjoy putting the disconnected together to see what occurs, but realise that this can cause confusion in this context.
Shadows
Something that has passed, movement and light, a fragment with a sense of what has gone, but also space to imagine. By looking back we somehow open up new possibilities. A subliminal place we all hold. The step taken and then passed, the moment captured, the shadow of passing time. The blurred footsteps fixed by the shot and also half lost, I question the way we perceive the photograph and how it pretends to capture a sense of permanence. We are easily duped by the image.
Rock
I notice where the earth is laid bare, visible strata and construction of our world. Then I notice the cost of our earth being sold in boxes in a DIY store and I wonder at how we used it without thought. A finite resource on which we depend. If we hold one pebble or jewel they become significant both priceless in their different ways and our perception changes.
Exposed
Whats under our feet? How often do we walk and consider what lies beneath, wires and pipes transporting electricity, internet, gas, oil, water, phone lines, trains, cars, sewage. This is the soil we depend on to survive, we cover it with concrete, tarmac, even our footprints compress the ground. We forget the insects and animals that need this land to burrow, tunnel to ensure our land remains productive. We rip the land apart and then cover it up, but we can use the land, rock and earth with greater empathy.
Protection
These rocks are selected with care and placed with respect for their shape, size and relationship to each other. Understanding of the material is required to engineer this wall. Spaces are as important as the stones themselves, they allow air to flow through, for dust and earth to accumulate; things to grow and live, a habitat. I am enthralled by the richness of the colours and this wall offers protection.
