'How did we swallow so much sheep?'

A successful music memory film, from my series 'Hear the world through my eyes...'. 

It encompasses a year and a half, the three times I've seen the lovely band Bombay Bicycle Club live. Original footage from Alexandra Palace, and my sister's recording from Troxy. I'm transported back to the euphoria of each of those gigs whenever I hear the song, espeically the live version. I hope my audience can layer their own experiences and memories over the top, remember that one amazing time they saw a favourite live. 

The title alludes to the first track from A Different Kind of Fix, and the shaking bleat of Jack Steadman's wonderful voice on Cancel on Me.

See How did we swallow so much sheep here: https://vimeo.com/54787481

'Vulpes Sapiens'

I have some gloves with Foxes on them. Kristofferson, they're called, after the character from Fantastic Mr Fox. From this (and perhaps walking through eddies of wind swirling crispy leaves around on the way past the Arboretum), I had the idea to make a documentary about a girl who thinks she's a fox.

See an early version of the film here: https://vimeo.com/55692667

Sunset songs

Arctic Monkeys - 505

I remember driving back from Bristol with my mum once. I had been listening to music on my own, because I think Mum was a bit tired of hearing songs I wanted to listen to on the long drive. The sun was going down, and that golden light you get in late winter was laying over everything. It's the nicest light for anything but driving. We came down a hill with a huge puddle at the bottom. 505 by Arctic Monkeys was coming to an end in my ears. It's an overwhelming song at any time, but then I turned my head and looked right into the sun. When it's that low, through a few branches and the haze in the air, it doesn't burn your eyes too much. It's just a huge sphere, just pure gold. I didn't know what to do except keep staring, letting the song play out. It was perfectly matched. Of course, the magic goes, the song ends, no one else heard it and I don't know if anyone else will ever hear that exact part of the song, sitting in a passenger seat, staring past someone into a setting sun. I tried to put a ceiling on it, write it down, but it's just never going to happen again. I hope I'll always remember it. I can see the gold laying everywhere when I hear that song.

'Hear the world through my eyes'

Having wanted to explore the mystery of the Macs in the Orchard here at university, I'm going to begin looking at video and filmmaking. Our course is very open and independant; it's easy to pass several months in your own bubble having not actually learnt anything. Thus, I am going to learn the entire Adobe Suite. Ambitious, and very unlikely. To begin - Premiere Pro, Audition, and After Effects.

As an artist, the search for how to immerse your audience is elusive. I have discovered that an increase in scale and volume can turn a viewer away as much as draw them in - for the moment, my planned piece featuring mulitple speakers in a dark room is on hold.

I have always myself most impressionable under the influence of music, and thought I may as well look into it. For some songs, I can't listen and not be reminded something, often mundane - a small video clip plays in my mind's eye. I'm going to London in several weeks to see the ATP tennis finals - handy for research too! - and plan to film the journeys and experiences I see when I hear certain music.

Mostly, I'm reminded of insignificant bus journeys or snippets of conversation, but I want to try and find out why I seem to remember such little things. 

Arctic Monkeys - SIAS - Tottenham Crt Road, Fopp Charing Cross, London adventuring

Foo Fighters - Walk - the excitement of preparing for Reading Festival

The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition - escaping Camberwell for a day with my coursemates

The Strokes - Barely Legal - 36 bus from Vauxhall to Camberwell

Tennis

The completed list for my tennis booklet. Can you guess what they mean?

Sports memories

I'm in the process of compiling several small booklets that will feature alongside my 'sportwork', including one listing initials pertaining to each of the four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis. Along with the obscurity of the watercolours, which depict my view of each tournament, the initials won't appear to make any sense. I am considering not giving anything away to the viewer. For example, Roland Garros - 

FO, RG, PC, CC

French Open, Roland Garros, Philippe Chatrier, Clay court.

Name of tournament - venue - principal court - surface.

I am also listing quotes from commentators, athletes, presenters, people I have interviewed, and even lyrics from songs unrelated to sport, that instill in me the feeling I want to help people to feel through my work (image).

A Monster Calls

After a lecture on Chiaroscuro, and stumbling upon Jim Kay's wonderful illustrations in A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, I have spent the weekend painting story scenes. Very unrelated to my current practice, but I've been wanting to make a little book about Firework night for years. I've also been reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower (of which I was a fan before the new film, please and thank you very much good sir), which has resulted in my writing a roman a clef about my life on the backburner. Very self indulgent, just you and the words. 

Sportwork

Inspired by the Olympics here in London (and who hasn't been?), among other things I have begun to incorporate the atmospheres and passion experienced during sport into my practice.

My first step into the obscure world of sport in art is manifested in watercolours inspired by James Townsend's Olympic Posters (bottom). I begin with tennis - what was better than Andy Murray's gold after the Wimbledon final? I painted what I see in my mind's eye when I think of tennis (top).

I have also started to interview everyone and anyone on their sporting memories. I want to create that atmosphere, that euphoria, that the nation felt for a few wonderful weeks this summer - because I know no one is ready to let go of it just yet!