We had an agreed making day, where each in their own space, would spend time on a project, and meet up virtually to report and check progress, give feedback, etc. This was my initial proposal, basically to play around with papers I have, and see what I could come up with:
I would like to take this day to do something different from current activities. Although it would be gratifying to finish off something within one day, I probably will start or explore something more open-ended, which I will pick up and continue another time.
I have a start of an idea which has been waiting for such a day – for some time, I have been collecting the patterned interiors of envelopes. These checked, repeat patterns sometimes a have corporate theme. They are mostly blues, and are also somewhat reminiscent of origami papers. I have a folder of such scraps.
I am interested in using this overlooked resource, of making something precious out of something unlikely, and with a limited, already prescribed palette. The initial idea is cut out, or draw with scissors, outlines of people in motion. So far, the idea would be to film or animate them shuffling around on a lightbox.
People, motion, interaction, and pattern which denotes a current or contemporary substance. So far so something, but in practice, films or pieces start with such bones of ideas, and will take other directions. On the day I plan to play around with them and to allow these other directions to occur to me.
..........
I spread out the papers, and cut some into regular shapes. I had some ideas about what to do with them, and decided to cut out 50 each in 3 sizes. The whole idea was that I would come up with a viable idea once I immersed myself in the day. The process, all the cutting out, was also a process of thought. I decided to concentrate on the hand-held playing card size, and so made more, laminated them so that they were double sided, and cut them out again. The result is like a set of playing cards for a game, but with patterns, codes and clues that are impenetrable. I got my son and his friend, both 15, to invent a game with them.
I knew I would come up with something, and once I had the idea, I was determined to complete the making within the time.
It always felt like it might be an interruption to contact the group as time seemed to pass quickly, but it was good and enjoyable and positive to touch base. It wasn’t so much about feedback as keeping in touch and reporting progress.
It was a little unexpected how enjoyable it was, and how much it sparked ideas about doing similar projects.
Actually I made no changes to my work or even my thinking according to what others said, and I don’t think it would have been more successful if it had. I like influence to come in more obliquely.
I found it very natural to talk about the process of creativity with the group, and related areas of more philosophical thought. I didn’t feel like talking about or hearing about specific processes of making. I thought it was much more interesting and conducive for making to talk indirectly. However, this contact really punctuated the day, and it was somehow enriching to know that it was a shared experience.
Magnus and Wilf
I also made cards using stills from my Moving Image. I always keep misprinted copies, things accidentally printed the wrong size, or disc covers upgraded for some reason. It seems such a good resource to spark new ideas and formats, especially for a day like today.
The day sparked ideas amongst the group about similar or related projects. It's not often we give ourselves the time to see what happens. I really like the idea of an abstract game. I latterly realise that I have done this before in different forms, recently with layered frames in the MA Mapping the Territory project, with Paradigm. I hope to revisit these ideas more thoroughly.
9th February 2012
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