My Portrait of Mark...

Was in the studio with Mark today, who is currently embarking on a project in which he asks people to do a portrait of him to be displayed at a later date (think this is also his idea for the exhibition too! Should be good!) Anyway...he asked me to do one and I agreed, for which I am pleased, it turned out quite well. It looks nothing like Mark but it was the words that excited me (as always! I looooove the words!)

I asked him to pick a book from the pile which jumped out at him or he felt represented him. He chose Braveheart! Mainly because of the Scottish family connection.

I began drawing straight onto the book cover, over the image of Mel Gibson. I transformed him into Mark but then felt it needed "something". So I searched through a few pages of the book and cut out some words I felt described or were just "Mark" and stuck them on the cover.

It just so turns out that Mark has written a song called "Piglord Cometh" so you can imagine my delight when I found the word PIG! Then, I found HE SANG OUT, THE REBEL...among others. This was the result...





We were also discussing a possible collaboration in the future...so watch this space!

Time For Your Close-Up!

Thought I'd upload a few more images of my latest book sculpture. These ones really gie you a feel of the tactile quality it possesses and also highlights the mottled colour effect...

I will definitely be trying this technique out again as I love the way there's no way to scratch off the paint neatly with a screwdriver! The images themselves are really delicate but in using a screwdriver to etch it gives the work a rougher look - of which I am a fan (I also like the reminder of corrector fluid I get with the white acrylic!). The revealing of the women in the images works well with the idea that I'm scratching away at the surface revealing the books underneath. The books themselves being Bratz annuals highlight the absurdity of beauty and hint at the darker side of sex and sexuality. Especially as I also drew these images originally in Red Dragon because I wanted to explore the " pursued sexual victim" described in the book.

For the next few weeks I'm going to be focusing on my exhibition; meaning I need to get on and make that darn table! But in the meantime...here are the close-ups:

















These are the original images, one is from a sketchbook from October 2008 and the other is one of my more recent sketches done in the Red Dragon book April/May 2009:

Awful Books and Beautiful Mistakes

Today I defaced my copy of Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. I had previously sketched onto the pages however I wanted to alter the cover in some way, similar to the book by Robert Ferrigno that I manipulated into a value judgement upon the book itself – much like the reviews of critics and the media that you so often see on many mass market paperbacks.



On a side note, it actually irritated me to find that publishers are just as bad- Every Murakami paperback that I look at has the same quote by David Mitchell on it...THE SAME QUOTE! As if all of Murakami’s books are indistinguishable! It’s awful and makes me incredibly angry! I’m talking “Hulk, maaaad!!!” angry! Now I have to buy new clothes...I’ve gone and ripped them to shreds again! Yeah...rant over).

So...I started looking at ways I could play around with the text on the cover... T H O M A S H A R R I S R E D D R A G O N.
I was amazed to discover that I could find the imperative; “DONT READ” in there! It actually made me excitable...I’m not even lying! Mark will vouch for me! Anyway...After that I was left with some random letters, I couldn’t quite get it to work. The most productive words I found in the remaining letters were HARMS and GO but I couldn’t fit them in. I took a picture with HARMS under Harris’s name but decided against it.

Here it is:







I then used some more corrector fluid to paint round the edges of the letters - I’m not quite sure what my reasoning for this was but at the time it felt like the right thing to do. This is usually the way I work, reasons can always be discovered later! I used to think they could be made up later, but actually, upon reflection I always find out something about my art...something that had I have known or realised whilst making it, might have caused my work to take on a different style. So, I tend to use this for next time. For example, the other day (6th May, I believe), I finally got round to painting on the kids annuals that I had glued together ages ago. Here’s the proof...I was so agitated because I had no idea what to do with them! (Apologies for the awful picture, it looked better on the view finder of my camera!



So anyway, I painted the front cover and the spines and nothing else, previously I had painted the whole sculpture. I liked how the colour showed through at different angles and the reason I use white acrylic is because it reminds me of corrector fluid...I had thought about using that but decided it would take at least 10 bottles and it’s not that cheap! Whilst I waited for it to dry I decided to think about what to do with this “blank canvas”, my readymade book sculpture base. Of course, as always I couldn’t decide...my mind went as blank as the thing itself!
It was at this point that I realised that some of the paint at the bottom was stuck to the desk (I had forgotten to put down newspaper! Fool!)

So, in my infinite wisdom...or because it was the nearest item to me at the time I picked up a screwdriver and began digging away (carefully, as the paint wasn’t fully dry yet!) at the bottom of the sculpture. Despite being really careful...I get impatient. This always happens – which is why most of my work appears as if it’s been rushed. It has. I’m not happy about it but I’m aware and working on it, okay! Well, I’m sure you can guess what happened next; Yep, my hand slipped and the screwdriver’s metal tip scratched a line of paint from the sculpture. Shit! That was my initial thought, but then I noticed that the colours underneath gave a mottled effect and actually looked quite good. In the Red Dragon book that I’ve been sketching in, I’ve been focusing on the female form – mainly because of the content of the book itself as Dr. Hannibal Lecter preys on female victims, sometimes with sexual intent, but also because I just really enjoy how it feels to draw curves and lines.

So, I decided to transfer some of my images from the book onto the sculpture. I really liked the end result. One thing I will comment on is that in hindsight, I would have preferred it if I’d have used one image instead of two. This is because I liked both images singularly but when brought together they don’t quite work. Perhaps it’s because one if a close-up of a sectioned off area and the other is the whole body. It might have worked better if I’d have etched out a close up on one part of the body maybe?

Still, I really loved the flashes of colour and the revealing of this. I suppose it comments on the idea of revealing the female form? Or highlights nakedness? It also amused me as the kids annuals were all Bratz annuals. If you don’t know what Bratz is then prepare to be shocked:



Yep, teaching young girls to look sexy and dress provocatively. Not to mention that the sensual parts of the characters such as the lips have been plumped up. They look like cheap prostitutes. In fact, they don’t even look human! I won’t bring up the whole Barbie dolls are evil thing...but c’mon this it’s outrageous! Do I sound like a rambling old woman? Well, I’m actually 23!

Anyway...enough digression, this is how the etching turned out:

The Kindness of Strangers...

Exhibition is happening fo'real!

The Drop In Centre presents...

Serena Caulfield
Emma-Jane Corsan
Mark Jennings
Cherry Styles

Curated by Alison MacRonald

The House Warming!

Private view 26th May

at Unit 5, off of Magdalen St, Norwich!

Woo!

With that in mind...I've been working hard like a good Emma should. Today has been quite productive...whilst planning exhibition details etc. I had a bit of a breakthrough. Have decided to make my work interactive to fit in wth the theme of the exhbition. We want to make it as homely as possible. So, I'm going with the coffee table idea. What's the coffee table idea you say?

Well, I shall tell you. I've decided to make a coffee table out of "coffee table books" This is a comment on the absurdity of books for display purposes only (see my last blog entry!) and fits in with my previous work in that it involves the manipulation of books and the creation of something new out of existing objects/media. Rather than adapting the narrative of a book as I have been doing, I will use the books in their entirety and give them a purpose, not only as art but also as a functioning coffee table. On this table will be a few of the paperbacks which I have "destroyed" for my viewer to peruse, whilst sitting on a selection of comfy cushions. Above them there will be 2 book shelves which will hold my book sculptures and a few more of my books. The idea is that the viewer can take books off the shelf and look through them. As the coffee table will be covered with a layer of perspex, I might even throw in a cuppa for them!

That's the plan anyway...

On the other side of things; the resubmission of my research project is done and dusted...although I am a little worried as I don't think it's even half as good as the one I gave in and failed! Very scary...although it's a relief to have it done! We'll be starting a new unit soon; Learning Conversations (whatever that might be!) so I'm pleased to have finished.

This exhibition has also motivated me and inspired me to think "big"...as I still enjoy using books I decided that for the exhibition I would go a'hunting for lots more books...hundreds. Ambitious, yes. Realistic...yes, actually! Although I never thought it would be! I sent an email to all of the students at NUCA and a few Facebook messages requesting any unwanted books...despite offering to pay I've been offered 4 boxes worth of books as well as buying some top quality hardbacks and coffee table type books for a damn good price! It's really surprised me just how kind strangers can be (friends too of course - although that's a given!) and so I've also decided to make a mention in the exhibition (in the form of some kind of list) of all the people who donated/sold me their books! People have been so kind that I feel I owe it to them at the very least. That, and baked goods Emma-stylee! Speaking of which, as our exhibition is called The House Warming we'll be putting on tea/coffee/cakes as well as the usual wine and beer at the private view. All cakes made by me!

I suppose I better get back to work, as I've got little time left (not only am I working at Borders but I'm working for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival at the moment too so my precious art-making time is being eaten away!)

Although, I do feel as if I'm finally becoming an artist and I'm relieved to have found my feet...true it's taken 6/7 months...but hey, I got there in the end! I've begun to associate my work within a wider context and discover where my practice fits in the contemporary art world. I don't expect to become the next big artist or anything...it just feels amazing to have rediscovered the confidence to associate myself as an artist, I've missed it...plus it's another label to add the institutional pile, featuring such delights as bookseller, student and not forgetting female 20-something; all of which will only to be deconstructed and recycled at a later date...hehe! I really ought to read some more Foucault!

Pencil & Biro: The Underappreciated Medium!

Some more images...A few I forgot to put up from January and some new stuff- mainly the suff in pencil/biro...I forgot just how organic it feels just to use these simple materials...Sketching rough images is posibly the most therapeutic way to create art! Lots more pictures to come (I have a several different things going on at the moment...Exciting!) I also put some work up on Artbreak earlier today and people have already favourited my work or left me really positive comments/feedback! Some of which are current contemporary artists! I still can't believe it! Yay! My user name is EmmaJaneCorsan...if you were at all interested!

A Stumblin' I Will Go...

Some inspiring images found whilst using StumbleUpon

The third one is by artist/photographer Chema Madoz...well worth a look! As for the others, not sure, but I give them kudos!

The first one I particularly liked, the content reminded me why I do the work I do, I've felt a little despondent lately and unsure of my own ability (boo hoo, violins etc.) so it felt quite inspiring. I'm very tempted to print it off and hang it in my studio!

For Display Purposes Only!

Have got myself involved with an exhibition running in May at Unit 5 studios in Norwich. We've provisionally booked the 24th-30th May! We haven't got a specific theme in mind however all of our work can is loosely connected via "the home". I intend to make a bookshelf to exhibit my "books" and also make a coffee table using books as the base (currently on a mission to find some so called "coffee table books", as I would quite like to highlight the absurdity of owning books for display purposes only! The very idea shocks and appauls me, such a waste! I think it'd be very amusing to give these books a use like their name suggests!

However it isn't without contradiction that a lot of "coffee table books" are big, expensive art and photography books! I find it bewildering that a book which holds images of an art object can become an art object in itself by virtue of its purpose. "For display purposes only/Do not touch" comes to mind! It has made me consider the different purposes that different types of books can possess, especially as someone who struggles to let go of a book...I mean, I still own study guides that I no longer need! One of which, I thought of framing as a piece of art, the pages are covered with colour coded notes. It's odd that I had no qualms whatsoever about writing or drawing on study guides...I suppose it makes sense when revising but in any other book i'd view it as sacrilege!

Hmm...I fear I am digressing, back to the different purposes of books, I suppose you have:

Study guides - no explanation needed here I guess, although they are often sold on or handed down through generations to make use of the more than once!

Coffee-table books/books for display - you know the type, usually full of glossy photographs, with minimal text and as for those display books, I actually own a few (I do like to contradict myself!); nice editions/covers of books I already own, a lot of publishers tend to market huge leather bound versions of classics too.

Books for pleasure - probably the majority of my book collection falls under this, could be any kind of book.

Books for escapism - this is one of the main reasons i read books, to relax, unwind and escape the stresses of life!

Books for entertainment - fiction that entertains us, could be anything depending on what entertains you! (but also humour titles)

Books that educate/inform/instruct - self explanatory really, but a few examples might be cookery books, assorted reference titles and "how to guides"

Religious/Spiritual books - again, it's all in the name

Mini books/pocket guides - that you never actually keep in your pocket

Toilet books - yes, there are actually books marketed to keep in bathrooms...weird!

Gift books - books you receive as gifts, probably something marking your day of birth/'You are a Good Friend' - full of endearing/overbearing sentiment and cutesy pictures of animals in hilarious pairings which actually suggests that the person who bought you this gift probably isn't really worth classing as a friend!
reference books - dictionaries/encyclopaedias and the like (that tend to sit on shelves until a dispute during scrabble ensues!)
I guess a lot of these depend on the person.

And ofcourse...books for art!

I'm sure there are many more purposes of books, perhaps I will ask my fellow booksellers when I'm next at work. I'm sure someone out there uses books in a practical sense maybe as a doorstop/cheap alternative to fire wood/lining for a litter tray...maybe.

My musings will end here as I fear I will get on to rambling territory (as usual!)


Oh, also, I have recently started using Twitter, (yes,yes, I know...I've jumped on the bandwagon!) but if you would like to follow me just search my username: EmmaJaneCorsan