New Life

Amy is my friend who wrote the amazing soundrack to the "One Hundred' Film. One incredible lady.

We have given the opportunity to work together through a residency at Suffolk's leading contemporary music and arts venue, Snape Maltings.

Our work is a multimedia performance project which explores the relationships we have with the places that we live, our history and heritage through the media of moving image and music.

First things first though...an Easter VW trip away for all of us and a new baby on its way for Amy, Matt and the girls!

Relief

I have been working with digital stills from my film ‘One Hundred’ Using an image transfer process onto Fabriano paper – I have been working over the top of these textured images using yellow emulsion, foiling and white vinyl stickers.

I am interested in surface relief so have been punching holes and stitching too.

It has been a back to front process; starting off with digitally made images and working them through into handmade and one off pieces.

And it feels good to include my dad in my work too.

Listen to the Quiet Voice

(This the explanation of my film - a personal comment that I have decided to share...)
Unexpectedly, life went very quiet for me in my former years. Silence, in a once boisterous family home, deprived me of a sense of security and sanctuary. I was frightened and deeply affected by it. However, with the silence came the gradual acceptance of a new sense of home: one that that has continued to nurture me and keep me safe.

I lost a valuable consistency in my life and in that chasm, it has only been in recent years that I have been able to create my own sense of stability. I have come to be dependent on quiet, if not silent, time to work things out. The need to be on my own listening to my inner world is essential and at times, urgent.

Since the long silent days spent in my childhood home, I have been following my quiet voice, my inner compass. I have been led, at times unwillingly, through the quiet to tumultuous storms, fortuitous adventures, and the fulfillment of personal dreams.

Having built a stronghold for myself, my internal dialogue is now concerned with the strengthening of my creative practice with meaningful association. The significance of establishing a home life, both internally and externally is at the heart of all I do.

The film is a timeline of a complex journey and the recognition of our own quiet voice. It honours inner adversity and its potential for growth, and my reconciliation with the past.

http://www.asdmedia.net/tate/onehundred.mov

Quiet Voices

I had wanted to make a film for some time to celebrate the life of my father who, if he had lived past 1986 would have been 100 in 2009. This was an important thing for me to do but unworkable if my husband Jim hadn’t agreed to make it following my direction.

We were given the opportunity to submit a film for consideration for the ‘Late at the Tate’ series of evening events back in January. ‘Quiet Voices’, curated by former Big Chill visuals resident John Rixon, was to be an ambient audio-visual feast, celebrating 'Quiet' and the understated.

With Jims expertise and an incredible soundtrack written by my friend Amy Mallett, a five minute film was created over a weekend. I was thrilled with the results and even more excited when it was actually selected to be part of the evenings showcase!

Back in the 1960’s, Dad would take my Mum on dates to Treasury events at Tate Britain. It was an important place for them. It was truly special knowing the film was going to be seen there.

The night was magical. A packed venue, close friends, amazing projections on the walls and a soundtrack by Jon Hopkins made this an incredible evening for all involved. Seeing my tribute to my dad played to a full auditorium was magnificent and will never be forgotton.

With very special thanks to John Rixon who not only gave us this opportunity but also inspired me as a student and set me up on the original blind date with Jim.
xxx

Finding the return key in the darkness

Welcome back Lulu.

With some important things in life out of my control, I have had no choice but to return to the things that keep me afloat in times of uncertainty and disappointment.

Why is it that the things we try very hard to invoke elude us and the things that are off our radar come to fruition?

Almost without trying, I have had some pretty amazing things come into place already this year:
a film at the Tate
a show in Birmingham
acceptance into an online textiles store
featured in a pattern compendium

It feels good...and its been a while.

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