Tag Archives: WorkinProgress

NEW STUDIO – Week Two

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This week has been about catching the installation back up to where I was at the Wheatley studio.

On Monday I had to finish building the space, which took the morning, and then thread the fishing line and hang the leaves, leaving me at this point by the end of the day.

From the video and the picture below you can see I had to build myself a rudimentary ladder to access the top of the boards.

Build your own ladder

Build your own ladder

On Wednesday I got notification that I’m almost official to move in. The agent says the forms should be across to Axisweb soon.

Shadow from projection, inside the space

Shadow from projection, inside the space

As you can see I got the ceiling on the space and set up the speakers and projector. The space presents some profound differences to the Industrial Unit, it’s a lot darker for instance.

This clearly presents problems with the painted space and the degree of visibility required to read its intention.

A view inside the space, lit by the projector

A view inside the space, lit by the projector

The video inevitably, for one as inexpert as me, appears darker than the eye. The photograph gives a better idea of the look of the space. By the end of the day this was the position.

So Friday was about finessing the space and continuing to tidy up downstairs.

Upstairs room with the installation in place

Upstairs room with the installation in place

Even darker with the roof stapled down and the webcam moved to give a better view of the door.

In the afternoon I spent two and a half hours hoovering the shop.

Shop floor view from the window

Shop floor view from the window

It looks much more acceptable now, although I wouldn’t be happy with it if I lived there.

Shop floor view towards the window

Shop floor view towards the window

At the moment I’m thinking of a workshop space at the back and an exhibition space at the front.

New Studio – Week One

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Got the opportunity to move into the shop I mentioned in my last post although the landlord has not yet provided the official OK. The agent says go ahead and move in and Axisweb left it to me to decide so I’m taking a chance, the most it might cost is my time and effort and the cost of one extra trip moving my equipment and materials.

So these are the first progress shots of the space, the shots I took when I first saw it last Friday, 24th January followed by shots taken after one day of clearing up. I’m counting this week and next together as week one, my gear is moving in on Wednesday 6th February so I should be rebuilding the environment by then.

Ground Floor, Shop, first viewing

Ground Floor, Shop, first viewing

This is the shop floor, off the street from about halfway down, I forgot to take it looking back.

Ground Floor after a day tidying

Ground Floor after a day tidying

This the same view after a day tidying, and below the view looking back the other way.

Ground Floor Towards window (day one)

Ground Floor Towards window (day one)

Still a lot of clearing up to do but the bulk of the big stuff that can be moved has been moved. This is the space I intend to use for exhibitions and projects for as long as I can.

Above this is the first floor that will be the studio and workshop.

First Floor first viewing

First Floor first viewing

First Floor (window) first viewing

First Floor (window) first viewing

The right hand side of the building, above the shop floor, and the window that faces this.

After shifting stuff this side now looks clearer.

First Floor after some tidying

First Floor after some tidying

First Floor window side after some tidying

First Floor window side after some tidying

The kitchen is on this floor too, on the left of the building as you look at it and actually above the shop next door.

First Floor Kitchen

First Floor Kitchen

This doesn’t look that much different to be fair but the ‘after’ picture gives a better idea of the layout.

First floor kitchen, 'after' picture

First floor kitchen, ‘after’ picture

There is another window, obviously, facing the kitchen.

First Floor (second window day one)

First Floor (second window day one)

I’ll probably keep the carpets down for some noise reduction but put plastic over them to make cleaning easier when I leave. The last occupants left a lot of stuff behind that I’ve had to clear up.

Above this floor there are two others that are essentially not usable due to decoration and wiring issues.

Second Floor

Second Floor

This is the second floor.

Third Floor

Third Floor

And the third, although the second floor now looks a bit different as It’s where all the stuff has gone.

Second Floor (storage)

Second Floor (storage)

So once the rest of the unwanted stuff is shifted up here I’ll seal the floors off as they were when the last occupants moved in.

Wednesday 6th February.

Moved out of the Unit in Wheatley and into the shop with all my stuff. It took half an hour to load the van and then a good hour to unload it. The morning was spent organising space and then the afternoon sorting the jigsaw puzzle of the installation, it now looks like this.

Ground Floor Wednesday

Ground Floor Wednesday

And the upstairs like this.

Friday 8th February:

Today spent reassembling the installation, lots of carrying things up stairs. The space just about accommodates the installation.

Installation First Floor towards Window

Installation First Floor towards Window

Installation First Floor from window

Installation First Floor from window

And here is a short walkthrough.

Painting Diversion January 2019

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On Friday (26th January) I went to view a potential new studio through Axisweb. It’s a town centre shop with four floors that would be ideal for a studio/gallery. The last occupant was a charity, the Doncaster branch of The Real Junk Food Project, and the place is a bit of a mess. Lot’s of tidying up to do and rubbish to dispose of, but I was so taken with it that I asked when I could move in and was given the keys.

Subsequently Axisweb contacted me and told me the Landlord had not yet given permission for the shop to be rented to them so I’m holding keys for a place I can’t access. Fingers crossed that agreements are reached as I envisage some really interesting projects coming through the space.

As I have no reason to go to the sculpture studio until I shift my gear I’ve been finishing off some paintings I’ve been working on in my attic on the days I’m not at the studio. My working practice has been to spend some time painting on each day I’m not building and I have nothing else to do.

I made a series of paintings on a small scale, a mixture of 10cm square and some 13cm x 10cm or 12cm. I also have some A4 ish canvases and off cuts of MDF that I’m painting on.

The paintings tend to be landscape based, drawing on imagery I’ve been using from the garden series and the views through the window, treated abstractly, working on colour balance and dynamism.

balbylandscape_jan19_003

balbylandscape_jan19_003

I’ve also experimented with coloured backgrounds painted directly onto unprimed, and primed, hardboard.

balbylandscape_jan19_001

balbylandscape_jan19_001

Toying with formats, so the first pairing is presented on a background cut to the golden ratio and the one above is cut square, as is the one below.

balbylandscape_jan19_004

balbylandscape_jan19_004

There is occasionally some pencil work in them as well, to pick up textures implied by the painting and glazing.

balbylandscape_jan19_006

balbylandscape_jan19_006

There are also a series cut to landscape format like the one below.

balbylandscape_jan19_005

balbylandscape_jan19_005

Paintings on MDF off cuts like the one below

balbylandscape_jan19_007

balbylandscape_jan19_007

and paintings on small canvases, about A4, like these two.

balbytreescape_jan19_001

balbytreescape_jan19_001

plantstudy_jan19

plantstudy_jan19

These are some examples from a total of around forty small paintings.