In the summer that just ended I exhibited at Generator Projects as part of their Summer Programme. I will be writing here about the work and process behind the show. I firstly want to thank Generator Projects for being so supportive and offering me my first solo show.

My stay at Generator Projects was a week residency with an open studio night where I exhibited a series of plywood “Maquettes”. These “Maquettes” framed, hosted, collected or created objects (e.g. a piece of PVA tube or small craft paper rolls), as well as, a suspended acrylic tube with iridescent paper and a circle photograph of a soap bubble. Previous works like Icespace, Collection of cut outs, Spectacular studies and (Show) and the universe raised the main questions I explored in these works.  I will write mainly of Maquettes to be brief.

I refer to them as Maquettes, because structurally (and this is deliberate), they resemble them but in no moment is this their official title. They are like proposals, yet also the “final” (shown) work. The objects inside them are made mainly out of recycled or cheap materials, partly out of an interest to explore the ‘readymade’, but also to keep expenses low and create work that holds hands with my living finance. I consciously work-with-and-state-this, for I feel there is this Great Force that is adored by venues and drives creatives to make each time larger and more ambitious works which are, inevitably, more expensive too. The art world each time with more confidence justifies such expenses and I am weary of its impersonal swelling. All the above, none-the-less is also sometimes sexy and challenging.

My materials are specific leftovers or art materials that caught my attention because they reminded me of something grand. Through main dissection cuts, the Maquettes’ insides are directly exposed and through smaller cuts, windows, cropped views of the hosted objects are created. These windows were made to highlight the specific feature in the object that originally raised my attention. It is here, that the themes of my research (the sublime, spectacular landscapes, celestial bodies, immersive fields, science fiction…) can be most directly noticed. Unlike with Icespace (shown in my degree show), which also created an “image” (wrinkled cellophane that looked like ice) though it’s single aperture; Maquettes are also open, so a notion of the magical is reduced and with it too much imposition from my behalf.

Like with proposals, these works carry temporality and changing facets. In no moment were they registered as final or limited.  I wanted to embrace through them an in-process mentality. They aim to hold no specific future projection or represent fully realistic constructions. What I like of maquettes or blueprints, in general, is their capacity to appear like grandeur before becoming grand and permanent (superior, intimidating, inaccessible).  The latter being something that bores me. They felt like minimalized romance. Where I explored imagery that felt iconic, rich, figurative and atmospheric (the subjects of my research) whilst at the same time presenting and working with banality, simplicity and reduction (my concerns behind the production of art works).

In my proposal to Generator Projects, I insisted that for me it was very important to not only arrive with work, set it up, show it and leave; but to arrive with work, discuss it and present something we had all contributed towards. I wanted to exhibit something I had no possible way of previously envisaging. This truly happened! I care about the influence of curation and I was happy to see that the exhibition resulted out of its genuine questioning, doubting, and not from pretend or recycled caring.

All the Maquettes required specific lighting to lift the hosted objects to that realm where they became part of a constructed mini environment. Leading up to the open studio night, private view, after trying various mechanisms that felt all wrong; we all had a small moment of panic. We knew that the awkwardness of our proposed solutions (ultra complicated ideas) compromised the simplicity of the Maquettes. Still, Generator Project’s members were so kind and calm, that I felt no pressure to make rush decisions. I went to bed and woke up thinking: “If I truly want this show to be the result of my work in dialogue and alignment with the space, I should work with what I have. I am not going to build any extra lighting, that’s crazy and expensive; I am going to place the plinths with their works where they get their exact lighting. All this, using only the lights already installed in the space.” We moved all the work over and over again until each one was placed precisely. Chasing reflections and avoiding clumsy shadows we came up with an unpredictable layout. The lights determined the show’s curation, taking a weight off our shoulders, and saving the work from rigid placing. Some were tightly close to each other, some isolated, space was ‘wasted’ by leaving empty gaps, and a show I know I could now never reproduce came about.

In the following days, I spent my time documenting the work under the same mentality with which it had been installed. Aligning the camera frame with the angles of the works and the room, cropping the works again and again like the windows did, and approaching the works and the space with similar movements I saw visitors had. I left Dundee with an archive of images that like non-conventional documentation is now a separate work in its own manner. I see them as material that allowed me to have no-finalisation of the works and as the main body of a new project, a publication. I will be working on it with graphic designer Tomas Carlile and Generator Project’s Members.

Where to find out more:
Website | Twitter

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Want to take a look at more suggested blogs by artists? Look here.

Doodlers Anonymous celebrates doodling. It is aimed at people who have a need to draw, sketch and doodle constantly on moleskins, napkins, torn bits of paper, anywhere you can make a mark – even whilst they should be doing something else.

Their website is a permanent home for spontaneous art, featuring artists and their work and other projects regularly, running themed submissions and competitions, and publishing blogs about anything relating to doodling.

Take a look at Doodlers Anonymous’ inspirational website, find them on Facebook & follow them on Twitter.

Image ‘Hand Drawn’ is cover of their 2012 Calendar (Drawn by OKAT).

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For more creative delights we’ve Spotted on the web take a look here.

Anna Bruce is an Edinburgh based artist who works in a variety of mediums including film, sculpture & photography.

What’s in the blog:
Anna’s blog is a mix of documentation of past exhibitions, as well as posts about her current work. It’s a very clever resource of Anna’s work and who she’s worked with.

Why we like it:
As well as being a visual delight, we like that Anna’s artist statement seems to evolve. There are insights into what she as an artists, and as a person, is learning through her research and collaborative projects. It’s a nice touch.

Hidden treasure:
Tucked away in one of her posts, Anna mentions a participatory project she runs called STREET-SIDE, which essentially is a collection of photographs of interesting roadside attractions (or distractions). Its well worth a look.

Where to find out more:
Read Anna’s blog here.
Follow Anna Bruce on Twitter.
Contribute to STREET-SIDE here.

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Want to take a look at more suggested blogs by artists? Look here.

Ande Murdoch is a Glasgow based photographer. Focused is his blog.

What’s in the blog:
Mostly posts by Ande as he goes about his business, mingled with thought processes about photography & his work.

Why we like it:
Posts come with some beautiful photography, generally of views of Glasgow you haven’t noticed before (even if you know it well).

Hidden Treasure:
Ande has been working with pin hole techniques – both with traditional and with digital technology – for his Time project. Interesting stuff.

The girl with her head in the clouds (pinhole image)

From inside the GOMA to Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow

Where to find out more:
Read the blog here.
See work by Ande Murdoch on flickr.
Follow Ande on Twitter.

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Want to take a look at more suggested blogs by artists? Look here.

Cassandra Harrison is a print and textile artist based in Edinburgh. Originally from Nebraska, USA, Cassie creates artwork which experiment with textures, textiles and printmaking.

As well as an account of current commissions or personal projects the artist is undertaking, This is how I roll also features reviews about exhibitions Cassie has been to, and links to interesting artists she comes across in her outings. There are also some very good hints and tips interwoven in the posts about being a working artist.

Whether you are a fan of Cassie’s work, want to find out about the art scene in Edinburgh or need a bit of motivation to start your own project, we recommend you bookmark this blog.

Read Cassie’s blog here.
See more of Cassie’s work on her site here.
Follow Cassie on Twitter here.
See more work by Cassie on flickr here.

THE ADAM AND EVE PROJECTS is a new web based broadcast bringing together the most exciting and important shapers and definers of our cultural landscape in one location. Here the most iconic and emerging creative people / the most respected institutions / and the most progressive brands worldwide, are all in a direct conversation with a global audience hungry for all arenas of cultural production.

Ranging from the informal and spontaneous to the meticulous and long term, exclusive cross disciplinary collaborative projects curated by The Adam and Eve Projects are announced weekly, with ongoing live discussion from these and other esteemed creatives.

Only the most respected and new emerging creative people worldwide, from fields as diverse as Art, Film, Music, Architecture, Fashion, Literature, Design, …. take part. These projects, created across a broad range of media including, video, photography, product, written and spoken word, and illustration are seen alongside direct correspondence from the worlds most progressive and respected brands and institutions.

Browse through the pages of Adam & Eve here.
Find Adam & Eve on Facebook here.
Follow Adam & Eve on Twitter here.

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For more creative delights we’ve Spotted on the web take a look here.

Michelle Alexis Newman is a photographer and mixed media artist based in Los Angeles.

A combination of blog and portfolio, Michelle’s site is a comprehensive showcase of where to find her online as well as giving you a glimpse into her style. There a links to a few of her projects, such as photographic series The North wind blew South (see example above) and Screams (which need little explanation once you’ve browsed the images). We particularly liked Michelle’s ‘Open Mic‘ portraits of comedians and their best/worst joke (see below).

Anthony Calderon – Open Mic

Screams

Visit Michelle’s site here.
Follow Michelle on Twitter here.
See more of MIchelle’s photography on flickr here.
Buy some of Michelle’s limited edition prints here.

Pavement – Barrowlands by jennysoep1

55_4937202787b03b43ab53b.jpg by KarinSoderquist

Bush radio by Careless-designs

Lith Organ print by lcmackay1

ÅPEN (OPEN) RADIO by Pete F

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See more of our Top 5 selections here.