Thoughts from the Bike Ride

I went for a 26 mile bike ride with Maurice today.  This is the first time I have ridden for 3 weeks - my cold has lain on my chest for the last 2 weeks.

However, as usual, the exercise enabled me to come up with an idea.  As I am thinking about doing a sampler about 6 ordinary women, it occurred to me that I should create a sketchbook about each one.  I had a trial run at last art class where I made a little sketchbook about swimming, using my goggles as the object.  But now, I have decided to interview Sharon and Anita about their respective Mums and  see whether each is ok with me using her Mum as a subject for work.  This will require an ethics form to be completed from uni, and I will stress that they can withdraw consent at every stage.   I hope they don't, as I intend to be respectful and celebratory of what these women were.

I have thought quite a lot more about a suitable venue for this collection to be exhibited.  I love the NPG and this is where I have been so inspired by Grayson Perry's work.  But let's face it, I am never going to get exhibited there!  But while out pedalling this morning, it occurred to me that Mrs Evans, Mrs Konieczny and Miss Evans (my old headmistress) all lived in Ilford.  It is possible I could approach Valentines Mansion, National Trust property, in Ilford and see whether they might want a display that celebrated local women?

I had a tutorial with my tutor, Lewis.  One of the things that came up was that I produce quite a lot of work.  Another student does heaps of research and analysis, and makes one choice item.  I am the opposite.  I do a lot of research, but then do quite a lot of work.  For my BA, I had 5 collections.  Ihave been thinking about other formats for celebrating female achievements.  I think the banner is symbolic of campaigners - this might fit well with suffragettes, unionists and other campaigners.  So this might be a second collection.

I have been thinking about scale.  Samplers are small, and choice.  Banners are larger and attention seeking.  I was wondering about going really big - I remember seeing huge images of Eleanor Simmonds and Tom Daly on the side of Westfield Shopping Centre.  I wonder whether an artist could get their work portrayed that way?  You would need to fit your artwork to a corporate agenda … and equality is on most large organisations mission statements. Hmmm!

Another thing that has been exercising my mind, is that I am interested in under-valued people.  I am not anti-men.  I don't want to alienate men who might be part of my audience.  Have not finished thinking about this one yet.  I might pose this as a question for the group presentation I need to give in early December.