evolving work

I've been quiet about new work because I wanted it to get somewhere before I could share it. Its not the only reason. But its a big part of it...
I've decided to make a series of images for print - I imagine them printed on to aluminum almost like tiles or notelets... they are made with iphone apps and are layered photography and writing.

sample of new work layered photography, text and colours
Roisin Markham © 2012

I wonder does this give enough of a flavour? I have three completed and want six or eight. They start as photos of plants and then I write and journal over them, layering colour, filtering until I get the complexity I'm looking for.
Here is another process example

experimental iphone app art
Roisin Markham © 2012 

I like the tonal range in this and the result of laying in different typefaces and size of lettering. years ago you could only do this with Photoshop in fact it ties back to the Marlay Park Series 2007. Where I developed a photographic digital editing to give semblance to my work in the vain of screen printing and photographic etching, which I learned in college. My skin & earth friendly no chemical version of screen printing and etching.
I may push these images to traditional print yet...

making work in 2012 personal

Semi natural habitat for a feather. Roisin Markham 2012

I've taken Christmas off did you notice the social media blackout? The only thing I've really done is doodled a bit. Did you take a good break over the festive season? How did it effect you?
When I put down the paint, the pencil, the textiles, snip the thread, turn off the computer and only pick up a camera to take happy snaps well what happens is I create some space for myself. When I give my brain stopping time from physically making work... I start to dream of work, I think about ideas in new ways, my associations are different and my musings more measured.
This holiday season I think I've had some insight around the theme of what is the texture of my map? a question I have been sitting with since the summer and meeting Con Conway. More on that in a while.
Themes of identity are an important component in my work. The elements start with oneself, to family, to community, clubs, associations and then into the landscape of geographical community and national identity, race, belief systems and before we know it themes of displaced diversity, economic migration and cultural contexts.

We are all different, we are all the same. Roisin Markham 2011

For a while now I have been wanting to make a project and arts residency around the theme of identity with people living and working in Gorey, Co. Wexford, it is the town near where I live. In the last two years I've been building relationships with people and groups in the area. I've been thinking about how to start? How and where to establish a project - where to make that space? ...space for people to question what it means to live, work or study in Gorey.
How do we relate to the people around us, the geographical location and what exactly is our cultural context? 
Space, questions, time and people to explore, share and realise what is the texture of ourselves and cultural identity in North Wexford. I'm not necessarily talking about transformation. I think we have to have reality and acceptance and then see where that takes the conversation.

blow in, outsider. Roisin Markham 2011

My involvement with Bluedrum's think tank during the summer and the follow up in November lead me to think about a cultural compass. So in November during the session in Dublin I shared what I had been thinking about - how to bring the conversation back to a local level while maintaining a bigger cultural vista and being relevant? My thoughts of a cultural compass had pivot points around identity linked to four directions; rural, urban, national, local. This is specific primarily in an Irish context however our European context would be considered also. Research is forming around a project context and framework to explore the texture of our maps both socially, geographically and culturally.
I have a larger project in mind for this work., Gorey would be the Irish hub of the project. Initially I'd like to have two other pivotal sites in Europe and develop further research in other locations. The work may or may not be artist lead but always context lead. It would be very exciting to develop a unilaterally project working with other artists where we would pool resources research, methods and critically our work with others would inform the development of our arts practice and the further work of the project. Each of the artists would work in all three locations over a period of time. We would migrate, integrate, communicate and make space for new ways of work bringing different elements to each cultural location.
So this idea of outsider, insider that arose during the summer as a direct result of my mini installation in the studio it comes to mean more then just feeling it - I want to express it clearly.
I took a long walk on the beach New Year's day 2012; I came across all this stuff that I questioned "does this really belong on a beach?" Because the stuff is often found there, the stuff has developed a semi-natural or associated habitat with the beach. Feathers on the sand, fishing nets not in the sea, wood where no forest or trees are near by. They are blow-ins to the beach, swept up on the shore. There they remain until nature or someone changes something. It becomes the habitat, we accept it as is. It seemed very symbolic to me. So I do what I do with a camera not touching observing. Editing with the lens. The picture of the stones the reddy brown stone is from a red brick not natural to the area but shaped and curved by the sea and thrown up the beach with the rest of the stones. Notice the circular space near by.

...so the clarity I got in the last few days Con, the texture of my map... I've known for a while the work starts with me but now I now where to start.

Of word and stitch Exhibition open

Of word
and stitch

Roisin Markham, Artist
An exhibition of handmade textiles,
writing and mixed media
part of the Wexford Fringe
at the Irish National Heritage Park
till 6 November 2011.

by what do you set your compass? Roisin Markham 2011

I'll be there the next two Sundays 12 - 4pm. Plus other artist dialogue days to be announced. Looking forward to meeting you there.

Location: The Irish national Heritage Park is situated approximately 3 miles from Wexford Town off the Dublin (N11) Rosslare Road (N25).  Eleven miles from Rosslare Europort.

"Footprints in my heart"

This was the title of a solo show I made in 2007. It was a pivotal moment for me as an artist
"the exhibition became a dynamic fulcrum that caused me to change how I approached my arts practice" from this blog posted SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2009.

Detail of felt used on exhibition invitations. 2007

I refer to it seldom now but the quote that the title of the show came from sits near my desk still, a fridge magnet delivered to me via M.I.L.K. products,

"Many people walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." Eleanor Roosevelt 

It resonates deeply with me and continues to link my work from past to present.
I mentioned the quote during a conversation with Rose Hughes, she loved it so I decided I'd write about it here. Actually that conversation generated lots of connections and links, clarity and ideas, see my facebook page for more about that.

Threaded stories commission. Roisin Markham 2011

The reason I mentioned the exhibition and quote was that the handmade felt used in "a stitch in time" I made in 2007 for that solo show. Amazingly I made that felt around themes of community, friendship and kinship and they were a last minute inclusion in a bag of material I was taking to the stitch workshop with St. Brigid's community group at the Family resource centre. Nearly everyone choose to work with the felt... and I love that layer of meaning is within the finished piece of work that now hangs in Waterford.
The reason I decided to blog about this is that the product is by a company called M.I.L.K. they have excellent photo and make great cards. If I see there cards I buy them. But trying to find them online has been difficult I wanted to post Rose a link because I really like their products.
But this is what I discovered and it's great M.I.L.K. means

Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship - (M.I.L.K.)

There is an unofficial Facebook page and then I found the site http://www.milkphotos.com it seems PQ Blackwell now owns M.I.L.K. publishing and licencing (a New Zealand-based publishing and licensing company specialising in originating illustrated books and associated licensed products worldwide.).

I think that adds something even more and I simply delight in that.

Over brimmed

Over Brimmed. Roisin Markham 2005.

This morning I am laughing. The sun is shining into the studio and my brain is writing, creating solving for several community groups that have approached me to apply for the Wexford County Council funding deadline to work with community artists. The deadline is tomorrow.
Sometimes we need to say "I am empty - this is me, this is all there is" by staying with that and allowing the uncomfortable to just be so, by staying present all is as it is meant to be and we are held in all that we are or are not. Just in that moment.
By being empty we allow in flow to our lives. When we are full nothing else can be added.

creating for oneself; process and words

Process, start somewhere. Roisin Markham

Sometimes I get in a muddle. My head gets jammed with thoughts, ideas all a clutter - aspirations, frustrations and unrealised ambition, in my mind and opinion. Then I get frustrated disillusioned and need to process. This often happens at busy times when my studio becomes a transitional space for working with others, materials go 'in and out' boxes stacked, lots of two-ing and frow-ing. It happens when things don't work out the way I thought they were going to and when that impacts on work or proposed projects.
It happens when I do not spend time making my own work and the snatched five minutes no longer satisfies. My brain, mental head space demands I make time to process and the best way I know how is creatively.
So yesterday I decided to paint. In fact what I decided was I would spend time in the studio alone, door closed, phone and computer off.
Painting did n't wash or at least not in the sophisticated ways I demand as a painter. Process woman just process if you have n't painted for weeks, months how can you expect to sit down and paint masterfully? It is like drawing you have to maintain a daily practice.
I normally start with writing as my in but the paint too long in its tubes still did not want to play or stretch across the paper or canvas.
Instead it was the words that poured out in a bile like process of anger, frustration and sadness. That was where my emotional state was yesterday afternoon. Strangely a pile of paper bags caught my eye. The words expressed onto them demanded to become a mini installation in my studio.
The photo is bad on purpose.

Mini installation in studio. Roisin Markham

By the time I had taped them all up what ever was going on was being teased out. Yes a particular experience did tip these feelings over the edge. I have often felt like an outsider and my personal experiences through life have re-enforced these feelings of never belonging.
Sometimes being a Mum to three boys & being married to a man emphasis this too - testosterone pha! But this was about where I live in rural isolation and how I work.
In saying that their is a positive edge to all this from this place of outside. I view things differently, I am unconventional being on the fringe allows me that place from which to work, invent, positively disrupt and in a bizarre turn of fate that is something I value. Yes I know contradictory and conflicted.
But on days when I feel off or the world does not sit quiet right it feels good to go with the anger and express it in health ways. Processing through creativity is a powerful form of expression. That everyone may have equal rights to access...

Today process continues... installation ii. Roisin Markham

Today the words are still there but they vie for a positive expression and meaning in my own life and work.

Words are words, expression gives meaning. Roisin Markham

EXCLUDE - INCLUDED

not part of - part of

remain outside - join in

rural - town

isolation - inclusion

A project to explore with others around these words would be interesting and I have spoken to some groups where this would be relevant recently. But for now I continue to use them as words to process what is going on - graphite and ink and paper. Where do these word go next? Paper planes? fabric sinking in the canal or under the sea. They are but words but their expression seems the best way to process my response to these feelings that fleet and flit and yet again become submerged.
Sifting through draft emails this morning I came across this lovely apt quote
"Sometimes stepping away from something brings a clarity you never knew you were missing."
I am clear that through expression I get clarity, life is not all roses. We all have to find our own meaning.

This blog post further clarifies things for me and in the process perhaps someone else may find solace.

None of us are alone may we find the support we need and the tools to equip us to express ourselves.

I remain positive, unconventional and an outsider I just feel differently about it today.

Thanks to Barbara Greene in NY, @emoticomma for her lovely words on twitter today and through saying 'hi' prompted me to enquire "so how do you keep you spirits up?"

So let me finish by asking "How do you find clarity? how do you process?"

Happy International Labyrinth Day.

Process labyrinth.

 Why I'm interested in labyrinths?
They are an ancient symbol, a motif of mysticism,
they represent pathways of discovery, destination, reflection.
I love their use in gardens design, heritage and monastic sites.
I love the potential of their use in land art, community art and playful engagement.
They represent journeying.
When you draw or make a labyrinth you work with negative and positive space, the walls and pathways.
When you walk a labyrinth you can use it as a mindful meditative walk.
I found labyrinths to be a powerful symbol to work with in my visual art and land based art projects.

Other posts on Labyrinths you might like to read or discover some of the imagery

July 2010
Labyrinth making... Land art
Labyrinths for your fingers!
September 2010
Labyrinths and process as my creative pathway,
what a relief,
October 2010
Labyrinths and your creative or mediative process,
Labyrinths and other forms of mazes
more tactile labrinth making,
December 2010
A winter solstice snow labyrinth Land art

Snow Labyrinth Land art

Altered book labyrinth. Roisin Markham 2010.

After school art program: primary colours

The second of eight classes for Gorey Educate Together After Schools Art Program looks at how to mix colours. Children between the ages of five and six years don't want a formal approach they want something to prompt learning and curiosity. A colour wheel would just be the wrong approach.
Starting the class with a scribble session with two different coloured crayons and letting the children loosen up with a good scribble also introduced the idea of when colours layer over each other they change.
For the main part of the lesson I wanted them to explore primary colours, red, blue, yellow and how mixing them produced secondary colours, green, orange and purple.
So the three main colour were put out into clear plastic drinking cups and a brush placed in it. The children naturally gravitated towards their own age groups and shared paints. I cut white cartridge paper into A6 size (A4 cut evenly into four). Each of the children were given three sheets of A6 and one sheet of A3 white paper.
The instructions were take one small sheet and paint it completely with the first primary colour , then print the small sheet on to the big sheet. Take another small sheet and paint the next primary colour and the third primary colour until the children had painted three sheets and printed the three primary colours in layers.
An A3 sheet was used as both backing paper to paint on the left side and printing paper to print on the right side.
There are some very good examples I'll get some more photos of them. Of course being in the thick of the excitement I was focused on the children rather then documenting the work.

Love the texture on this painted, printed A6 sheet, artist 6 years.

It was great to see them explore colours through print making. The printing also hight lighted great textures.
I love that when you give children an idea or a task and once they grasp it if there is space for them they will take the idea and make it their own.
When I work with children I try to ensure that space is there for them to flourish, experiment, play, engage, test, watch others, learn, introduce the learning, test it further, admire the results.I think we all deserve space like that.
This proved to be an excellent way to get young children to explore mixing colours and I thought it useful to share. The first half of the lesson they learned the process and really looked at what they were doing, observing asking questions and exploring. Instead of the colours all ending up a mucky brown mix which can happen very quickly with this age group when mixing colours the layers kept vibrant and introduced variations of shades both on the prints and the printing page.
Look at these amazing rainbows painted first then the print taken off.

Snow labyrinth

As promised here are some more photos of the snow labyrinth I created on the winter solstice during the phenomenal snow in December 2010. 

I'm on the look out for opportunities to make a permanent land based piece in Ireland. In a private garden, OPW site, with plants, gravel, flags, etc. Also quite like the idea of some temporary ones made with very alternative art materials.

Snow Labyrinth, Wexford 2010

Snow Labyrinth, December 2010

Snow Labyrinth at dusk

Original blog on my winter solstice snow labyrinth land art, mediative practice, the large sand labyrinth on Old Bawn Beach Cahore Co. Wexford, simplicity in a beach sand walking labyrinth, finger labyrinth 2D, idea for making a finger labyrinth.

#GGPP and Labyrinths connect

If you've been following me on social media or reading my blogs you will know that Julie Ann Turner and I have a Global Gratitude Postcard Project #GGPP over on http://consciousshift.posterous.com/ and out there in the real world. People have been making postcards with intent and sending them in love and gratitude.
Julie Ann is an amazing woman and you can read more about her creative arc's and how she works on her website http://www.creatorsguide.com/. She also has a weekly radio program where she did interview me for the #GGPP project and yes if you have n't listened to the audio it gives you a good insight into the intentions behind the project and how Julie Ann and I got connected via Twitter. The itunes listing for ConciousShift Radio can be found here and there are fanstastic interviews that I have really enjoyed listening to.
My great discovery yesterday - and thank you Julie Ann - was SARK, Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy. Listen to the interview it is wonderful. I went to SARKs site and was really enjoying having a look around. SARK has just published an new book and she is standing in the middle of a fabulous labyrinth right beside the sea, go look http://www.sarkjournal.com/.
So I asked her where it was and Julie Ann, Lands End in San Francisco I found out. Yeah.
For gorgeous photos look here at this photographers website.

I have a brother in SF a visit has been on the cards for a few years.

Would n't one of these look great on Cahore Point...

So you see work is all connected in the end #GGPP connects to my obsessive labyrinth behavior and land art projects this year. I look forward to making more labyrinths in 2011. I'd like to make them with groups and some as permanent structures too.
Do you know of other labyrinths around the world I could visit? or where would be a good spot to build one.
July, August and October I blogged about labyrinths if your new to my blog do go and have a look. Or start with this beach labyrinth project which also has links to further information and local places to find labyrinths.

Walking labyrinth

I went to the local beach today to see what damage had been done by the storm. The tide was out so far and had obviously come in very far last night. The beach looked like it had a good clean.
This week I've planned a land labyrinth at a local forest but might prove tricky with the weather and other commitments. Think leaves and mucky decay.
But today I needed a walk on the beach could n't resist walking a labyrinth path.

I did not bring my camera as I wanted the exercise not a photowalk! so the photos are n't great as they are taken with the mobile.

What the sea washed up

 

Where the horses turned I turned there too and headed back...

more tactile labyrinth making

You can only teach by creating an urge to learn.  

Victor Weisskopf

Knowing that the participants left the workshop yesterday curious to work more with labyrinths and willing themselves to find out more reassures me that the workshop worked!

Linking up some strands in finger labyrinths and the tactile work inspired by the buttons and painting being too flat I commissioned a local crafter to make the tactile finger labyrinth out of wood this flow of work continues into making a finger labyrinth which I started at the workshop yesterday. It is also an an altered book project.

I wanted to make a finger labyrinth and came up with a plan. 

A few weeks ago I went hunting for a large second hand childrens board book, I knew roughly the size I wanted but I had some difficulty locating it. But found this at the Gorey indoor market second hand book stall (which by the way is a real treasure trove). It is roughly 29.5cm squared. it has a nice bumpy top and right hand border. Perfect but did n't really want to pay €4 for something I was going to cut up. So I did and it has been sitting patiently waiting in my studio to be transformed.
Yesterday during the labyrinth workshop I drew and cut out the shape - wall and path of a finger labyrinth - within the book. 

Beginning altered book finger labyrinth. Roisin Markham

I am debating should I put velvet or sandpaper or some contrasting texture for the cut out wall?

My original idea was to glue the stencil of the labyrinth to the back page and paint it white. But as I continue to work on it the ideas evolve I love that. I shall be exploring, questioning, asking, sharing and looking for your opinions.

What do you think of it with tinfoil in the background? I like the idea of it as a template or a stencil. Where children can trace the shape on to paper with crayons. originally I was thinking of something more sophisticated and grown up but I kinda like this too. It is playful. I might introduce two pages one on either side for different textures.

The path is to be placed on another page

Wall cutout and path relief. Altered book project. Roisin Markham

The plan is to work on this project in the exhibition space 'of earth and soul' on the third floor at 96 South Wexford Main Street over the weekend. I look forward to your input and having playful fun with this one.

Labyrinths and other forms of mazes

Thinking about my blog post yesterday and Rose Hughes comment about

"I also find it intriguing how a motif may capture us in our youth and continue to move and grow within ourselves throughout our lives"

I thought about all the other avenues and interests that I know now link into this area of interest: landscape mazes, potagers, parterres, garden design and the places I had to visit like Chateau de Villandry in the Loire Valley, the beech maze at Russborough House, the labyrinth below the fountain in the centre of Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo. The corn maze that I loved just outside Dublin in the 90's.
I feel like I have finally given myself permission to full engage with this motif. What was it Dorothea Lange said

Pick a theme and work it to exhaustion... the subject must be something you truly love or truly hate.

Here are some pictures of the completed labyrinth made during the workshop this morning. It now awaits interaction in the exhibition space at 96 South Main Street in Wexford. Come and explore.

Labyrinth in situ 'of earth and soul' expo 2010

 I also started working on easy make finger labyrinth that I will blog about tomorrow. I'll take more shots of the detail of the Labyrinth at the weekend. Be interesting to see how people respond to it.

Labyrinths and your creative or mediative process

Tomorrow I am looking forward to sharing some of my work on labyrinths at the workshop.
The shape has been dominating my work and its presence can be seen in my current exhibition online preview here.
At the opening of the exhibition a friend commented on the fact that as a teenager I was always drawing mazes and this is indeed true. I love that our connection and her knowledge of my creative work can see the link to the labyrinth and how far back it goes in my creative consciousness.

maze doodle circa 1985
Roisin Markham

As a teenager I was fascinated with Celtic knot work in both manuscripts and metal relief work reflected in such Irish treasures like the Book of Kells and Ardagh Chalice. Perhaps this is where my love of typography came from too.
After learning how to do celtic knot work I developed my own take on it for my portfolio for art college. It too evolved and became my doodle that I did idly everyday everywhere. A maze doodle that is linked to this labyrinth work even now.
Amazingly I did come across some examples of the doodle after being handed a crusty biscuit tin of old letters and photos. I love that I can share this with you so that you can see how old my link is to this topic.
For the workshop tomorrow I plan on teaching people how to draw labyrinths, and explore the idea of what it holds. I'll speak a little on what this work has brought me to insights into process, discovery and reflection on my journey living creatively every day.
Have you got an image or motif that you use, collect or it catches your curiosity?

Tactile art for 'earth and soul'

You know at exhibitions there are often signs saying "Don't touch" I've long haboured a passion to make work that has a sign that says TOUCH, PLAY, Discover... an exhibition about full on engagement and tactile discovery for the sense of touch. I think that is why I originally learnt how to make felt I envisage large wall hangings of interactive art.
My exhibtion 'of earth and soul' is exactly where I am right now. But work has been evolving I'm exploring 3D. It has started with paper, photography and has moved as far as film but not quiet into 3D...
Although I have been saving a sheeps fleece to work on at the exhibition and make a felt tactile labyrinth to explore with hands.

Labyrinth path freehand drawing

For this exhibition I asked a local crafter John Kenny (you'll find him at the Coolgreaney farmers market the first Saturday of every month) who works in wood to explore and collaborate on making my designs.
I gave john the drawing and some photograph's along with a glass marble. The idea was that the blue line was to allow a third depth of a finger into the smoothness of the wood. A small glass marble to be able to roll around.
I am delighted with what John created, a carved shallow groove into sycamore wood. The piece is 31.5 x 28.5 x 2.5 cm and will be offered for play at my exhibition but will it be offered for sale? there is a question.

Finger Labyrinth