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Don’t touch ur face. 6.4.20-6.5.20.

One month of mirrorless self portraits made in lockdown. Based on touch rather than sight.

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6.5.20 Returning to the still life.

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Daily portraits in Biro, marker pen and oil pastel.

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Thoughts from Crit with Rosie Snell 27.5.20

-Discussed how my current practice links to my experiences of these strange times. From the stockpiling still life I started before the pandemic, to the repetitive daily portraits I’ve been completing in isolation and how these are a diary of the repetitious days spent in isolation. A documentation of passing of time, Rosie referenced tallying days on prison walls.

-Discussed my doubt about continuing these daily portraits as they have been starting to feel lifeless and too familiar some days. Was encouraged to keep it going, potentially bringing in new mediums to inspire the work. Something so simple yet I hadn’t thought to do this myself and look forward to trying out the mirrorless touch portraits in a variety of mediums and colours.

- I am hoping to finish my current WIP paintings over the next month. I am starting a new painting in response to isolation and am looking forward to potentially continue my uncanny Staffordshire dogs paintings once Im back in the studio.

Artists that came into discussion: Claude Heath (in relation to daily portraits), Jim Lambie (his figurines in relation to Staffordshire dogs), Rose Wiley (in relation to playful drawings)

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6 weeks of isolation. 3 weeks of mirrorless self portraits.

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Collaged some random discarded little sketches from throughout isolation.

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I was feeling very overwhelmed and trapped yesterday. I decided to sit at my bedroom window ledge and draw some things that I could see, Including my feet hanging from the window, four floors up. I don’t have a garden and am feeling anxious about going out alone - so I’m not getting out for walks as often as I’d like but this really helped me to remember that the outside world is still there, and to feel connected to it for a moment.

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Beginnings of my first Staffordshire dog painting.

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First ten days of touch self-portraits.

(I am on day 14 tomorrow so will post a two week update then)

I have been Isolating since the 16th of March, just over a month now. During this period I seem to have lost sense of time. Sometimes it feels like only hours have passed since I was sat on my living room floor in my pyjamas as I watched Boris’ lockdown announcement. I felt so sick with anxiety for what was to come. Then it feels as though Isolation is all I’ve ever known, like I’ve forgotten how to socialise at all and living life through a phone screen is second nature to me.

I am so glad that I decided to make this drawing exercise a repeated daily task. It has become an entertaining way of documenting the amount of days passing in isolation. Committing to this daily exercise also means that even on more testing days (which is most days at the moment), I am at least able to say that I have made something.

This body of work certainly contrasts with my usual practice, and isn’t something I could ever have seen myself making outside of isolation. Usually i’d do anything to avoid a repetitive task, shelf stacking the same dairy isle in Waitrose for over three years was an ordeal I must say, However this repeated activity feels so necessary to me right now. I am becoming more invested in it as the number of portraits grow daily.

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Some initial sketches in response to Victorian Staffordshire Dog’s from the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath. Paintings on the way!

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The Uncanny and Victorian Staffordshire dogs.

I visited the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath a couple of months ago and absolutely fell in love with these funny antiques. Their human-like faces are strangely familiar, somewhat unsettling and evoke feelings of ‘uncanny’.

This new area of focus in my work links back into my previous project on childhood and The uncanny. The concept of Inanimate figures coming to life is tackled in Freuds Essay and I am excited to revisit the concept of ‘The Uncanny’ from this new angle in my next body of work.

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Section of a current WIP painting.

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Don’t touch ur face.

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Social distancing.

Sketches from FaceTime stills with my younger cousins. Being able to connect virtually has been a huge comfort whilst having to remain physically distant from loved ones.

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DON’T TOUCH UR FACE

‘DON’T TOUCH UR FACE’ Self-Portraits days 1-4. (All 29.7x40cm)

Mirrorless Self-Portraits based on touch rather that sight.

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I have been engaging with the content posted on @ isolationartschool on Instagram for inspiration. There are a few lovely videos from Quentin Blake which have inspired some quick pen sketches.

And this drawing exercise shared by Nell Brookfield - a mirrorless self portrait based on touch rather than sight - has helped so much to get back into practicing everyday. Even on more difficult days this task is far more approachable than getting out my paints. It’s a fun and quick task with each outcome being unpredictable. And whilst we’re being told not to touch our face, why not do just that everyday to make art? I promise my hands are clean!

Setting myself one touch self portrait, and at least one quick pen drawing each day has been catalyst to making with regularity and reinstating a sense of routine.