The postie was just collecting when I got to the box: not the last post (we are seeing a performance of that, a play performed in a mobile sorting office van by Kilter Theatre on Saturday at Bridport Arts Centre).
Today’s piece re-approaches some work I did a while back and I want to re-explore in that area again soon so it was worth doing something for #Letter365 in that vein.
I know it’s a madness but then that is what this is all about: oddness, obsession and madness. It is madness because to post this piece I went out of my way on my journey between my studio and Bridport Arts Centre for the AGM and Polly Gifford‘s leaving do. But I had already put the stamp on so what could I do?
The piece itself revisits a recurring and constant theme with some more recent vocabulary.
And the story is that I was going to be at Bridport Arts Centre tonight for Story Cafe (to be followed tomorrow by a mini story festival tomorrow) and since the special #Letter365 box is broken at present Beki at the bar had to take delivery. I pondered for some time about how Beki spelt her name as I was certain it was not the ordinary way. I almost didn’t use her name because I didn’t want to get it wrong! But then of course as an artist it is good to use my eyes and read the name badge she is wearing in the photograph!!
It’s a first day of issue for the stamp but I almost forgot to do this post on the blog. My daughter rang as I was starting it. She is off to South Africa tomorrow for a holiday with friends who live there. Then it was time to get some food for our meal and tend to Bramble and we were out this evening at a gig at the Arts Centre. So it all got forgotten until almost the last number of the show and I started worrying. No problem in the end as I had loads of time.
I was thinking that I hadn’t delivered one by hand recently and thought Thursday would be good because we are at a gig at Bridport Arts Centre that night. Then I realised that there was a new stamp issue and it would be good to do a first day cover. So I thought I would wander round there and take a last look at the Greta Berlin show before it finishes. So imagine my surprise when I saw the box was missing! I don’t know: Polly Gifford, the Director, is leaving soon to take up a new exciting role in Hastings and already the place is falling apart! Lovely Jill took delivery and certainly makes a much more interesting and colourful photo than my hand holding an envelope by a box! She said the box had broken. The question is, “how?” When Rothko’s painting was vandalised at the Tate it was in all the Media. My work is removed without a how-do-you-do let alone a splash in the local press!
We are really lucky in Bridport. For a very small town we have loads going on. The flags in Bucky Doo Square for the Hat Festival today proclaim us a Britain’s Eventful Town. We have a film festival, a book festival, a literary festival, three performing stages and a number of pubs and other venues for music and events. One of the key arts sites is the Bridport Arts Centre where this project will be installed in March 2014. LIke all public arts venues the Arts Centre, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is always in need of funds. We are lucky to get people willing to give their time and performances to aid the cause: on of these was Mark Knopfler who appeared in conversation with Polly Gifford, the Arts Centre Director, to talk about his career and music. I can remember him talking about how he needed to have a little riff to let the audience know what song it was but that mostly he just improvised and it was different every time. He was playing guitar as he talked and a number of times said “I’ve never played that before”. Well I can honestly say about today’s piece, “I’ve never done that before”. The combination of surface treatment, format, materials and even the style of the marks and structures are totally new – and yet it sits in the flow of my work in a way that you can tell it is by me even though it is quite radically different to what I have done in the project before or even through all my work. Oh, by the way, I really rather like it!
Acclaimed sculptor Greta Berlin delivered today’s piece through one of her sculptures. It was the Preview Evening of the combined show of three generations of the Berlin family at Bridport Arts Centre. Alongside Greta’s sculptures and paintings areworks by her father Sven, while downstairs her daughter Zennor Box is showing her puzzling and witty paintings. Greta kindly agreed to the last leg of the delivery and it was her idea to post it through her piece to Arts Centre Director, Polly Gifford. By the way it is a very interesting show and well worth a visit. I’ll certainly be popping back to give it a lot more concentrated time.
I am still not organised properly at my new studio. I have only part moved in so that I can do some much-needed work and photography that needed a bit more space, but my computer and printer are still at home. Earlier I had created the envelope but forgot to stick a stamp on while at home. Fortunately I noticed this fact and didn’t pop it in the box sans stamp, thus avoiding the embarrassment of a postage due. I worked hard on this piece to ensure that it was less than 5mm thick and as it turned out I didn’t need to worry as I walked past Bridport Arts Centre on my way home and popped it straight through their letter box. Must take some stamps to the studio.
I forgot to mention that yesterday we passed another milestone, I have completed 40% of the project – well that is to say that I have got through two fifths of the days, I suspect there will be more work involved in the second half what with marketing, selling and arranging the installation.
It’s all a bit exciting today. This was not only the first #Letter365 that I created at my new studio, but also the first artwork of any kind created there by me.
It was also the first day of issue of the new WW1 commemorative stamps so I wanted to get it hand-stamped if I was in time, which I was: not at my usual Post Office 3 doors away from home in Bradpole, but at the main Post Office in Bridport. So while local postmaster Peter is good in front of the camera I think you will agree that Abby here does a great job! It’s just a pity that her nail varnish clashes so much with the green on the envelope! Unlike Ann who used to work in the Bradpole Post Office shop who (as you may remember from an earlier post) had a flair for clothing that matched the shelving, Abby has not chosen to blend in with her environment. I think she is a bit of a rebel who thinks it would not be cool to have nail varnish that matched, say, her name badge or the posters. Quite right too Abby! Abby clearly thought I was raving mad but said she couldn’t wait for the next time. Clearly Abby is a master of ironic wit too. Thanks for playing, Abby.
Now of course Abby is right to question my sanity. Had she looked at the address she would have advised me, I am sure, that it would be more economical and better for my health to just walk round the corner to Bridport Arts Centre and pop the letter straight in their letterbox. I will have to think how I will manage the delivery of #Letter365 now that the Arts Centre is actually nearer to my studio than the Post Office and its post box.
Another exciting thing is that I seem to have captured, accidentally, a personal reflection in the photograph. Anyone who knows me or follows me will be aware of my Personal Reflections series of self portraits.
I was quite anxious about making this first piece in the new studio but it worked out just fine even though I had to improvise a bit as not all my stuff has made it to the new venue yet. Of course reaching No144 is only gross in number: there is no unpleasantness involved at all.
No music today but you of course want to see the back of the envelope:
Would you believe this man is just about to demonstrate Troll dancing having only minutes before this picture been demonstrating the effect of fiddle music on a grumpy man’s skeleton. Accomplished storyteller Martin Maudsley takes a break in his barnstorming performance tonight at Bridport Arts Centre. Accompanied and illustrated by ace fiddle player Fiona Barrow, Martin told tales of fiddles, fiddlers and fiddling (I mean fiddle music!) from around the globe giving a modern edge to traditional themes. Anyway, he kindly took a moment out to post today’s piece into the special box at the Arts Centre