29 November 2009
Tulip
02/Dec/09 13:01
Very exciting, choose lots of materials yesterday ready for a series of women’s workshop. So went, on the recommendation of Sophie, to Just Fabrics in Burford, a very posh curtain material shop for the ladies who shop. I told the assistant that I wanted fabric to make a giant rag book with a group of Muslim women, and that I needed material to reference their group name of Tulip. Her eyes went all wide and shiny. But minutes later we had scrabbled around and found a beautiful sage green and pale yellow fabric with tulippy pattern. That and some muslin, calico and thread is the beginnings of a garden theme. When I asked the still softly staring assistant if she knew where I could get my hands on some jewels, she said the Pound Shop. But I thought, no, these ladies are going to be treated to some gorgeousness. So I dashed off to the next most expensive place in the SW which is Burford Garden Centre and like a kid in a sweetie shop ransacked the Xmas art deco stuff. I came away with a tiny glass like bird, a silvery butterfly, a papery bag and a real silk tulip. Sorted. I just hope to goodness some of the ladies can sew, because I can’t to save my life, and I will need more than the peg dolls that I am taking along as part of the collection to get help with creating a rich visual gardeny delight.
I am murderously .....
30/Nov/09 19:10
John,
I am murderously cheesed off, so may need to borrow the knife. The BBC refused to show the film I made with twenty students of a local school, simply because the school are in the midst of a legal case regarding an incident some time ago. I had been commissioned along with other three other artists by SACRE / Swindon Borough Council, Community Cohesion team & Mobile Media, to make a series of films that explore community cohesion and the subject of RE, how it was taught in schools and whether the students found the principles helpful and relevant in their daily life. My group experienced a series of activities, including creating a shrine, a prayer wall and using a beautiful old chinese yellow box in which to put and take away negative feelings. There was the vision of a quiet garden. The activities were diverse and full on, with tears and laughter, a space to share real life experiences and true feelings. Viewpoints were exchanged and art stuff made which considered the nature of difference and conflict, unearthed worries about loved ones and their own vunerability. I showed images of places and peoples of different cultures from my travels. The process was challenging and enriched understanding of each other. The resulting films demonstrated diversity of approach - the other filmmakers had worked in small groups and used materials of plastercine, paint, performance, dance and music. Our film used real life wisdom and quotes from the young people, themselves directing and leading live actions, dressing in clothing and storyboarding themes and symbolic objects representing different religions and spiritual philosophies. The process was documented with photography, film, cartoons, writings, and i-stop animation and the 7 minutes of textural imagery was weaved together and enhanced with the beautiful music of young Aidan. The works were shown on completion at the Arts Centre and received positive feedback. The work, called The Texture of Peace, is, apparently now not allowed to be shown in the town as part of inter-faith week. Bloody bloody hell, so much for community cohesion. We are becoming ruddy risk averse. So, John, go ahead with your knife found in the landscape and present it in the off white box and know that life is vunerable. And, yes, I shall watch the bloody Saatchi thing and get further lavvered up if they show that handle with a whistle again!
jx
I am murderously cheesed off, so may need to borrow the knife. The BBC refused to show the film I made with twenty students of a local school, simply because the school are in the midst of a legal case regarding an incident some time ago. I had been commissioned along with other three other artists by SACRE / Swindon Borough Council, Community Cohesion team & Mobile Media, to make a series of films that explore community cohesion and the subject of RE, how it was taught in schools and whether the students found the principles helpful and relevant in their daily life. My group experienced a series of activities, including creating a shrine, a prayer wall and using a beautiful old chinese yellow box in which to put and take away negative feelings. There was the vision of a quiet garden. The activities were diverse and full on, with tears and laughter, a space to share real life experiences and true feelings. Viewpoints were exchanged and art stuff made which considered the nature of difference and conflict, unearthed worries about loved ones and their own vunerability. I showed images of places and peoples of different cultures from my travels. The process was challenging and enriched understanding of each other. The resulting films demonstrated diversity of approach - the other filmmakers had worked in small groups and used materials of plastercine, paint, performance, dance and music. Our film used real life wisdom and quotes from the young people, themselves directing and leading live actions, dressing in clothing and storyboarding themes and symbolic objects representing different religions and spiritual philosophies. The process was documented with photography, film, cartoons, writings, and i-stop animation and the 7 minutes of textural imagery was weaved together and enhanced with the beautiful music of young Aidan. The works were shown on completion at the Arts Centre and received positive feedback. The work, called The Texture of Peace, is, apparently now not allowed to be shown in the town as part of inter-faith week. Bloody bloody hell, so much for community cohesion. We are becoming ruddy risk averse. So, John, go ahead with your knife found in the landscape and present it in the off white box and know that life is vunerable. And, yes, I shall watch the bloody Saatchi thing and get further lavvered up if they show that handle with a whistle again!
jx