Well, I have a great deal of enthusiasm after Saturdays meeting and a new found freedom that comes with my youngest beginning full days at pre-school, so I have been able to start experimenting. This is my 'studio' (aka the dining room table)....
After Saturday, I felt strongly that I wanted to create a 3D piece using a theme of layers reflecting the culture and image of Slough as a whole, and incorporating key influences in the area. No mean feat! I like a good challenge...
I began by thinking about the pre(mis?)conceptions of Slough and managed to felt a fairly bland 'map' of the town onto scrim - the green splashes being the key parkland, as seen on a printed map of the area. I also tried felting wire (which I have never attempted before) to create a network effect as an upper layer. I plan to texturize this layer with other embellishments and incorporate textured silk fibres into the layers to add depth and create more 3D feel to each layer itself. Further layers will hopefully incorporate more of the textures seen in the dolls corsetry, for instance.
I have also been experimenting with perspex and rusted objects to create the impression of a rather tough and almost industrial outer layer. For example, I loved the patina on this slightly rusting Horlicks tin, photographed at the meeting on Sat. . . .I haven't formulated the ideas for the layers below or how I will put it together yet - acrylic rods, akin to those used with tiered cakes, are likely to form the four points at which each corner will be supported but how I toughen it up so that it doesn't become floppy in the middle of each layer, well, suggestions welcome!!!
If it all sounds very organised, then I apologise for misleading you! As I am sure the infinitely more experienced of you already know too well, things can change and usually do.....as a relative newcomer, this is my biggest learning curve!
One thing I found very interesting is this web page, which details all the poetry found in various languages across the town, along with their translations (apologies if I am repeating a previous post) : www.slough.gov.uk/services/13997.aspx
Looking forward to hearing about all the other projects. . . . .
Looking forward to hearing about all the other projects. . . . .
Hi Vicki - Thank you for posting your ideas and progress so far. I love the idea of 3-d layers to draw in the layers which you perceive in Slough, and using the Horlicks tin to inspire the industrial, tough, layer.
ReplyDeleteI'll post the Poems link in the Useful links too.
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ReplyDeleteI am rephrasing my deletion! I found the link to the poems most rewarding &, following on further, the whole regeneration project for Slough to be inspirational.
ReplyDeleteIt is brilliant to see what a town so maligned that John Betjeman's denunciation was recently quoted in a court case can do to inspire its residents.