Final Piece?

This week I have been continuing to work on this last piece for my exhibition. I am reasonably happy with it but can't help feeling that something else has to happen, but what I don't quite know at this point in time. I am having family staying for part of this week so this will give me space to remove myself from the piece. It will be interesting to see how I react to it afterwards. Its working title is 'Tree House' but that could change too.

Here it is, full size.

Detail of the tree house. I keep feeling it needs more definition, somehow......

This week I took one my grand-daughters (15 years) to see the film SEPTEMBER ISSUE, it being school holidays. It is a documentary-type film about the preparation for publishing the biggest Vogue issue for the year, ie the September issue (2007). Behind the scenes with the larger-than-life Editor, Directors and publishing people, as well as the models, photographers, the dramas and lots and lots of fashion! Fashion as an art form; the dramas and decisions so relevant to the whole of the art world. I loved it, grand-daughter loved it, she is into computer graphics as well as fashion.

20 dayssssss.....

Latest, and final, piece

Firstly, a decision to put this piece through a thiox discharge bath reduced the strength of the colours and made them much more pleasing.

Looking much better! Colour and patterns looking rather like camouflage.

Because of the somewhat foliage-look I decided to add a simple tree shape and a tree house. I now need to give this piece more definition.

And this week our local weekly newspaper included the two photos below. The first is of the Overall Winner in this year's WOW (David Walker, from Alaska). It is called Lady of the Wood. Wonderful! This garment is made from wood, and the hair from wood shavings. And below that is my piece.


23 days and counting.....

Exhibition Preparation

When preparing for a solo exhibition, there is the initial determination to complete a number of pieces to fill the given space. When one gets nearer to the opening date a whole lot of other needs come to light.

Everything has to be priced, titled (and in some cases re-titled), and a statement written about each piece. There is an exhibition title to decide, as well as the artists' statement, update of CV and a mailing list for invites to the opening. If working with a professional gallery, they will prepare the invites, dispatch to their mailing list (and your mailing list which needs to be supplied to them). The opening function will be organised by the gallery too. Then there is artist floor talks to organise and deliver, and possibly a teaching commitment or two to promote the type of work you do. Who says that any of this is easy! Not so, I am still not sure what the title of my exhibition is although I have published at least two versions so far. It will be confirmed only when I see it printed on the invites!

To make life a bit easier further down the track, when I complete each piece of work, I add data about it into my Provenance computer file. By doing this I have a full record of information about each piece and its possible life's journey. This avoids scurrying around trying to remember, re-measure and checking details etc. I have a standard form which I use for each piece, with headings as follows:

Title of Work:
Date Completed:
Size: Both cm and inches
Sale Price:
Artist's Notes: Description and thoughts about the piece
Provenance: Which exhibitions, galleries it may have been involved with,
and purchaser's details, if sold
Location: Either my own collection or perhaps elsewhere
Materials:
Techniques:
Mounting: How the piece is mounted or displayed
Images Available: Both JPEG's and TIFF's
Photographer: Professional photographer's details

I have now made a start on my 15th, and hopefully final, piece for my exhibition. A couple of soya wax applications on a pre-dyed piece. I have no idea where this is going...

I have used a silk / linen blend fabric. This is the linen side....

... and this is the silk side.

Only another 26 days to go now to my exhibition