Watching everyone’s presentations was amazing, Abid’s talk of the importance of visual record and Isaac’s cutting out of some weeks and concentrating on details in others were things I’d never considered! You learn so much from each other.
While reflecting on the project I realised this notebook had become as much a work of art as the actual animation is! The checklists and how I explored them was really another project that I was completing subconsciously.
The presentation was really enjoyable and the checklist worked well. My notebook entries were substantial, so it was difficult to decide what to take out, what to talk about. I learnt so much each week I’m still not sure how I would managed Isaac’s timing? If I were to explain through visuals, as Abid, I might use a flow chat to show my development …
Doing the PechaKucha next semester will be exciting and a new learning experience for me.
Timing is difficult especially when I’m not doing the scrolling so I’m going to have to think how I can technologically manage that; there must be a way and I need to find it!
Last week, for the PDF, my script in rehearsals was timed at 8 mins which I hoped would allow a 2min contingency for scrolling but it wasn’t quite enough and I felt rushed.
This week the rehearsals went to 4mins talking, the Final Cut film is 2. 36mins which gave me plenty of contingency time to scroll and switch between notebook weeks …
Issac, however, was slick on the scrolling so it romped on home with enough time to show one of the research films which was the brilliantly abstract clip of Robert Downey’s art film, Chafed Elbows (1966) which neatly ‘drew the line’ under the project…..
….The project …..
What started as a contemporary dada performance/ performance film project.
Turned into a social media research and response and eventually an Animation Short.
The characters came about as a story board to a live action film. Their childlike qualities communicated some of the darkest aspects of Wrestling with Everyday Pain as a disabled person. In a way that enabled people to relate.
Through the semester I learnt basic animation, something I’d never done before. I knew that animation was work intensive, that certainly was the case here, but it was an opportunity to horn my skills and character development in over a thousand drawings and 40 short videos including other presentations within the seminar and notebooks.
The characters can now pretty much animate any issue or circumstances and I feel confident in that respect.
My editing was very basic at first and over the semester my timing and sound performance changed dramatically and the need to pace, especially if the image is captioned, was honed.
Music layering and foley sounds have started to develop into a conducted performance which is satisfying.
The Eleanor Worthington competition came a little too soon in the semester but it made me push and I learnt so much from both the animation side but also the written application process.
I was absolutely delighted to be placed 3rd and I’m already making new art connections with the other artists from around the U.K. and Italy.
The notebook writing really helped me distil my thoughts and have an insight to the thoughts and inspiration of my fellow artists…..
…. No artist is an island…
It has been a very successful semester for both myself and my art practice.
For the first time I really felt my art made a connection and made a difference.
I’ve experienced that in tattooing and once with a painting I sold at the Woodstock show in 2007, where the buyer said I communicated with him what it meant to be an alcoholic. My mother was an alcoholic and I think that came through with that painting.
That connection I believe comes about by exploring a truthful inner self, not holding back and although I always work hard at whatever I do, the real work of self discovery is always hard graft … it’s never easy.. However, this semester for the first time, perhaps in my artistic life, I felt it was a safe space to explore. That exploration process became extremely compelling and flowed… as if it had to come out….
I’m going to leave you with this msg I received this week from a nurse who has been following my art practice on social media. A lot of nurses have commented on my artwork, maybe they really do Wrestle with Everyday Pain….
…I just wanted to express my admiration for your work, Everyday Pain…I think your openness and honesty and forthrightness are admirable and chime so well with our various experiences…. this visceral piece is quite astonishing….. thank you for making clear that this grappling with daily pain (I recognise it and it’s frustrations only too well) does not make us weak, does not condemn people to failure and despair….thank you
If that is all that ever comes of my art it was worth it…
