On the A30 driving back from Falmouth on the 11th of March, following the
Illustration forum
it occurred to me that I could use my next illustration project to explore 'where this book has come from and what it is there to do'.
To expand a little, it would be - a book which says somthing about itself, it's personal and particular history and it's reason for being - a bit like a diary, a bit like a family tree, a bit like a biography, a bit like a map of a supply chain, or a piece of genetic code, or a bit like a letter to a friend. It would illustrate a network - become a hub for a network and a token of connection and belonging. It could explore subtly, the reasons how and why it exists
It makes sense for a variety of reasons (and I always like it when stuff makes sense :-) )
- I'm doing an illustration MA partly as a way of exploring how to produce published illustrated material - so, an exploration of the book's supply chain would help me to understand that process better. As part of that MA, I will have to produce a 'diary' or 'notebook' which creatively and conciously maps the progress of the work. So, it seems to me to make sense that a similar logic exists within the record and the work itself.
- Understanding parts of the supply chain for the organisation I currently work in ( Regen SW) is vital to our ability to understand what to do in helping develop the sustainable energy sector. This sort of information can be very helpful to businesses- so it seemed that as I've had some experience of that, that it would make sense to follow this type of process in an illustration project.
- In Thailand, Alicia Page told me about 'the story of stuff' and I could see that there is potential in this sort of illustration to communicate something political
- I really liked the film Catfish because I like the documentary feel, and the road trip / social networking vibe; which has the sense of authenticity, & adventuring into the unknown and using an art project as a process of discovery
- I watched a talk on TED the other day about 'when ideas have sex' by Matt Ridley. This talked about how innovation has changed society so much that we now live in a completely interlinked world and none of us knows everything about anything. None of us is self-sufficient - and I found myself thinking that very few of us really understand the value of the connections that we have with others....it makes us somewhat unappreciative of the value of each moment and the extent to which we could be grateful to the many many others who directly but unrecognised play an important part in our lives.
- This links very closely with the thought ' None of us is as smart as all of us' which I heard at the Pegasus NLP course which I blogged about earlier.
- I really need an adventure and I have always had a particular facination with treasure maps, my husband and I have recently completed the game 'Lego Indiana Jones' for our new xbox (a new foray ... I've never really played computer games before) - it seemed to me that this sort of project would give me a very clear and defined set of perameters for exploration which I'm sure defines any good adverture. (I wonder whether or not I could ask WCTF to pay for any of the travel)
- At one stage a few years ago, thought it would be fun to do a map of marmite - It always seems miraculous to me how stuff gets to be what it is and how many people and processes are involved in it. It seems like a very human and playful desire to take stuff apart and put it back together again.
- To me, books are symbols of themselves - they represent much more than what they are. and yet, they can also seem so 'throw away'. I think I could make somemthing which would highlight the preciousness of books and play with symbols, but also to be really grounded in direct experience. I want to create a story which is aware of the symbolic, but is grounded in reality (I really can't bear stuff when it's too 'meaningful')
- Somehow I need to create a network of people who are interested in this work and it seems to me that one of the best ways to do this is to make the work relevant to them. Many of us are interested in how we link to others, where we sit in the world and in relation to others, so something that is personal and actively builds a network would have integrity
Other thoughts
Aesthetic - explorer / treasure / trails and maps / the internet / forwards and backwards in time
Aesthetic - my granny's trek diary and outfits / victoriana vs contemporary
People - printers, makers, suppliers, manufacturers, farmers,
Materials / resources - paper / leather / glue / thread / ink
Processes - marchinery / manufacture / travel / companies / recording
Places - journeys
The point / messages
Degrees of separation
Fluke / chance / serendipity
Self determination
Intrinsic links with others
Comfort and encouragement
Wonder and amazingness and learning
The dangers
- Even though this is defined, it could get too big, it could get exponential- I will need to plan it clearly
- Maybe I'll get lost in the reserach and not do enough illustrating - I will need to make sure I have enough time
- Maybe my style won't suit it exactly - I might just have to be okay with that!
- Maybe it will be too dull - I will need help editing
- Maybe it will be a challenge to interest people - I will have to find a way of exciting the people who I engage in the project
- Maybe the travelling could be too expensive - I could explore funding options (WCTF) or I could try and raise some money - perhaps find sponsorship for the people and companies involved?
