Conversations about motherhood, Art Talks and painting progress

Dimensions of Contemporary Practice -  20.10.23

Begain looking at Sophie Brock Considered a conversation with her around the maternal. I'd like to ask people for a photograph of them that represents how they feel about 'the maternal' and feel that Sophies response may be interesting considering her social field.  

Spoke to Poppy, she suggested that an image of her searching Google may be appropriate as she spends so much time on there in an effort to live up to an expectation of what she should be and in order not to make any mistakes.

We talked a little about what we expect of our own mums and what might be a " proper mum" 

Are we all trying to live up to unrealistic ideals of motherhood -  and judging our own mothers by the same measures? 

25.10.23

Painted some more of this - figuring out what control I want over the tones and brush stokes and the decisions I'm making here, whilst working with the photograph. I have a small study of this, where the layout is true to the photo but I want to keep working with this too.

I'm enjoying this more than I thought I might - I get put off with doing a scene - it feels similar to a landscape whereas I want to paint some things but not everything - but actually, I'm really enjoying the composition and blurring/pulling out details. The audience and the people in the window are interesting.. Made a new canvas and may do a larger one and see if I can keep the same approach/values with bigger brushes.

Really interesting to put up together to dry as they're next to the older painting of me in the kitchen from level 5- its interesting to see and to be able to acknowledge the social/cultural connections.

This is progress on the Out Loud exhibition piece - I'm not loving it at the moment ..its not quite right and I'm not liking the white so may have to get a rag and some thinners out...

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Had a studio shuffle to make some more space - and took delivery of a spanking new wheels studio chair. 

26.10.23

Kite and I have had a few chats with Anna Francis around organising artists for the visiting artist talks. Deceided on the name Art Talks, and started putting together some new coms with a view to design posters and insta coms and put the talks out as public. Met today to firm some details and sent our first invite off to Katrina Wilde. 

Contacted Dr Sophie Brock   Will see if she responds..and where it may lead.