Day One – finally to work

OK, so here’s where we’re at. (I’m behind in posting so Munich will have to wait.)  I’m finally in Bristol to undertake my residency and I am now at the end of day 2 at the University of the West of England (UWE) at the Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR) with Elizabeth Turrell.

It was good to see Elizabeth again, and it felt like almost a relief to start work. That’s probably down to the fact that for me it’s been the whole reason for this trip. It was easy to get started, most likely because it’s well-establish creative environment that is used to being a hive of activity, so work just happens.

Yesterday was initiation, of sorts, so I got to know the place, the people and the studio. I had a play with some enamels straight onto sandblasted mild steel, and showed everyone some of my work. Looking back I’m not too keen on my achievements for the day, but since I’ve not really had a play with enamel on steel (aside from one aborted attempt) since April last year, it was good to get my hand, and brain, back into gear.

(These are all yesterday’s images, so I’ll have today’s up tomorrow. BTW, Elizabeth sends her regards to all who passed messages of hello through me.)

As you can probably tell, Anamika and Cathy were translating some children’s drawings onto some large oven panels. This was for another artist, Antony, who was in an out all day.

There were many more people through the studio than those here, but these were the women who were working in the studio yesterday and today. Others came in and out, and Jessica Turrell also came through a couple of times, but I never caught her on the camera.