Embrace the mistake is one of my inner chants. I used to be a control freak. (I probably still am in some respects!)
But, I’ve found that life is too short to stress out over the things that we can’t necessarily change. Maybe a more mellow attitude comes with age and experience. I have found my most important lessons have been born from the times when things don’t go exactly to plan. Serendipity has a chance in these moments of panic.
These prints are a serendipitous mistake. I messed up my chemical solution, (it was the end of the bottles so I just chucked it in). This might be a fine way to cook a stew but chemistry needs more finesse.
My favoured mix is a 1:1 ratio of the 2 cyanotype solutions. A capful of each. But, I know fine well I was loathed to dispatch of the tiny extra bit of solution. Anyway, the upshot is that the mix created a less vibrant blue in the cyanotype, and also meant that the exposure times on my uv exposure lamps jumped from 8 min to around 30 min!
So, rather than throw it away, as it was prepared for my new commission #wearexperimenting I took my time and created these rayograms of a weed that I found outside of my art studio. Waste not, want not, and all of that.
I also took delivery of a new book that I have created to have a tangible document of my working process. I really enjoy using this format to record my participatory work, as they are lovely things to hold on to, and great for explaining the work beyond the limitations of written language.
And, they help me to organise my thoughts to consider and reflect on the direction that the work is moving in.
Other than that I checked out a few new locations for #wearexperimenting to pop-up. Please go to the website, and come along to a workshop or two or three…
I’m ambitious. I want to work with as many people in my home town of Sunderland. My home City. What it means to be us, now, here. I can’t, and wouldn’t dare to be arrogant enough to paint this picture on my own.