This collection of proposals is aimed at providing an insight into the interests and intentions which lay behind them, and potentially stimulating others to produce work towards similar ends
Trig Point Topographical Series
To produce for exhibition a series of ten topographical panoramic drawings on or in the immediate vicinity of trig point pillars within a ten kilometer radius of the current location over a period of ten months. In response to the immediate topography, atmospheric conditions and history of the locations, whilst developing an economical and engaging method of recording perceptual phenomena from an array of experimental techniques.
A desire to explore, to understand and to engage with the local landscape constitutes the chief motivation for this series. A series intent on producing closely observed but broadly handled pictures, employing a range of experimental approaches in both methods and materials.
Topography neatly encapsulates the principal thematic concerns of this project. From the Greek, topos - place, and graphia - writing, referring, originally to what is now known as local history.
Research and speculation about the types of activity, the traces of which are still borne by the land, turns a space into a place, bringing landscape to life through both observation and imagination.
This closely reflects the process by which landscape acquires a personal significance. Only through the sharing of stories and pictures can personal significance ever hope to become culturally significant.
Graphical surveying, or decisively determining the relative positions of features within the landscape occupies the larger part or the meaning of topography.
Techniques of surveying and cartographic projection are used extensively in my work, making the selection of trig points as locations a fitting one.
Trig points themselves, rendered obsolete by advances in aerial and GPS surveying stand as testaments to man's legacy of attempting to comprehend the space we inhabit through direct observation and measurement.
That the locations are uniformly distributed along well conditioned triangles, each with commanding views provides a revealing variety of character. That they mutually inter-refer, with at least two other locations visible from each lends cohesion to a series of works, creating dialogues and potential for narratives between the works.
This project was conceived to combine the interests and experience derived from past work while opening new and exciting avenues. Utilising resources which North Wales has in abundance; history and scenery, as seen from a compelling contemporary perspective.
Trompe l'oeil Anamorphic Total View
To produce a mural scheme utilising trigonometric relationships to transfer a total view of any other significant location or even the same location from a different position onto any or every surface of a domestic interior.
whereby the conflict between the dislocated projection and the projection surface itself would generate an experience of anamorphic translocation, that is, of appearing to be in two places at once.
Plane Table Surveying
Beyond the Horizontal
To study, develop and document a method of applying a non horizontal plane table survey to the recording and description, on location and by eye of suitable interior subjects.
Art as Argument, The propositional content of art
To research and assess the validity of the arguments and deduce implications inherent in the view (held by the artist) that drawing constitutes a form of propositional logic.
Register of Buildings at Risk Series
To produce for exhibition a series of on site panoramic visual surveys in or including listed buildings considered at risk in the county of residence.
Exploring and raising awareness of issues surrounding the preservation of heritage structures.
Care & Confinement
To produce for exhibition a pair of extended plane panoramic drawings as the result of a residency in the paediatric and geriatric wards of a local hospital.
Exploiting the affinity for extended plane gnomic projections with altered states of consciousness such as near death encounters. While implicitly investigating effects of the institutionalisation of birth and death.
Contra-Jour, night & day
To produce for exhibition a series of time limited 720° panoramic paintings documenting the procession of the sun from megalithic sites in North Wales. Recording a segment between the zenith and nadir of 15 degrees across the horizon per hour, for 24 consecutive hours,
as 360°/24=15° per hour.
Visual Antonyms, Restless meaning in still life
To produce for exhibition a series still life images exploiting the latitude in overlapping definitions of contrasting perceptual qualities identified in the thesaurus. In pursuit of reconciliation between conceptual and perceptual approaches to making and understanding art.
proposals /