Been neglecting my blog so chance to catch up and post a lot of photos (evidence of busy-ness). My current commissions for Godiva Awakes and ECB are really hotting up now hence the absence from my blog. Been busy meeting other members of the huge team of makers and engineers for Godiva including Nick and Frank and the fabulous people at Artem who are charged with making the huge 6 metre Godiva marionette – it was a real privilege spending time with them in their studios and workrooms – traditional crafts and new technologies working side by side and lovely people to boot.
I have now screen printed all 36 mtrs of the top coat (silk dupion) with prints that feature images and text from the West Midlands industries both past and present – we had 17 screens in total and then I repeated the process in other colours for the lining fabric which I will be specifically working on – I actually just can’t wait to get sewing, BUT I have decided to be cautious and make a full size toile of the coat so will begin to cut the pattern and sew up the calico toile in next week or so. At the end of July we get chance to try the toile on Godiva – can’t wait (best take my bodger tool kit just in case of mishaps!)
Thanks to Coat Team for help and inspiration: Rachel Grant, Julie Johannides, Debbie Squires, Maggie Dunne and Adam Hussain.
ECB is my other commission – the new and fabulous Engineering and Computing Building for Coventry University – as well as attending the topping out ceremony in May, I have been sampling in my studio and now preparing to spend a few days back on site filming and collecting sounds – weather be good!
Other bits in between:
Couple of months back I did fab workshop on Handsworth High Street – ‘Curious about Craft’ with Craftspace and their mobile craft studio – it was a glorious sunny day and the people who came and stitched with me were truly wonderful.
Saw retrospectives of Susan Hiller (LOVE her work) at Tate Britain in April, Annie Albers at the Mead, Warwick Arts Centre and then the wonderful collection of Ben Nicholson and Alfred Wallis paintings in June at Compton Verney.
I also squeezed in a talk for the WI ladies from Harrow Barrow and Metherell in Cornwall – what a nice night that was – great chance to talk about my practice and they paid me in buttons and lace – the best currency in my eyes.
July sees another night of intrigue and infamy with the brilliant Pecha Kucha in Coventry. http://www.pkncoventry.posterous.com/
A chance for artists/designers/general peeps to talk about the curiosities of life in 20 slides no more. If you’re near Coventry, UK on the 26th July its at Taylor Johns and well worth a look. (For those in London – Cov is now accessible via Virgin Trains in under 56 mins)
Julia O'Connell 