This week has been primarily based on one artwork, as a development from the wall hanging fabric piece I made last week. Once again I started by making a textile base, sewn together on my machine. Then I started painting till a memory surfaced, at which point I continued to develop this narrative within the work. I ended up thinking about a lullaby my mum sang to me when I was little:
“You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine,
you make me happy,
when skies are grey,
you dont know how,
much I love you,
please don’t take,
my sunshine away.”
Working with the base that I’d already painted I decided to create a bed to one side, paying homage to Rauschenberg’s Bed, whilst also creating a domestic scene, where my mother would have sung me to sleep. Then slightly off-centre I painted a yellow circle to represent the sun, with drips to the right creating a grey sky.
I built up the dripping paint and layering to create more impact, enjoying the way they mixed in to one another. My colour palette was mainly focused on blues, purples and pinks with occasional yellow to act as a contrast. The mauve tones not only added to the idea of a stormy sky, but were colours that reminded me of flowers around my house, as well as purple being my favourite colour as a child.
I cut out sections of fabric to create a pillow for the bed and a window where the rain was falling, as though we are looking out from inside the house. I painted a pink square in the bottom of the composition to create more balance and harmony, but also to allow for me to embroider on the actual lullaby. I felt it was important to incorporate the text as the song, for me, is the most nostalgic and sensory part of the memory. I have yet to complete the embroidery but aim to do so this week.
This week I was also asked to start considering how I might display my work within the exhibition space. Would I want one piece, or multiple? How would this effect the impact on the audience and the overall feeling my work presents? I’m not sure I have an answer to these questions yet but I did look up some artists who’s presentation of similar works I feel is effective – these being El Anatsui and Sam Gilliam:
Next week I will try to experiment with the hanging process of my work, looking at formatting, size and whether the fabric is hung or stretched. But one thing I do know is that I want to keep this creative momentum going, and allow myself to be expressive and just have a bit of fun.