All done and dusted

The last month or so have been the most stupidly busy of my entire life, I think. Aside from the exhibition and the exegesis to go with for Uni, there was all the 'nearly the end of year' stuff that goes on with home and work. Very nearly lost the plot. Anyway, the Uni stuff is done with for now...just waiting on results and in the next couple of months I will be able to put the letters MSTA (Visual Arts) after my name. Last week I drove to Toowoomba to hand everything in on a record-breaking hot day - 36 degrees in Toowoomba and 42 through the Lockyer on the way back. Was a bit worried the tyres would start to melt or something. Anyway, to mark the end of it all, here's a video of the final installation, made by Alex Brown, one of my former art students.

Survived the install...just!

Definitely need some minions. My kingdom for an art space in Brissy that has a) adequate parking, especially for the installation process and b) no stairs. On reflection, all the spaces I have ever used here have had one or the other or both defects! Anyway, I survived, but am exhausted as are the two blokes I 'hired' with the truck (William and Liam). I have to thank them both for their hard work, because without them, the installation would never have come about. Below are some pics, starting with the entry door. Now all that remains to finish my masters is to have the work documented, assessed and for me to write up my exegesis. Easy peasy (not).

Tree 2

2nd tree off the production line. Car has now been rejected from the garage so that I can house the installation stuff prior to it happening. This gig could very easily drive me over the edge!

Can't see the forest for the tree

So...head down tail up trying to manufacture my Enchanted Forest. Won't be doing much else in the next month or so aside from working and sleeping (occasionally). The first tree is now complete (don't worry, there are others in production) and here are some pictures of her. Hopefully they will get better as we go along! She is tall enough to look me in the eye, so to speak.

Maquette

Nearly finished the maquette and starting to mildly panic about turning it into reality. I am remembering why I normally work in the miniature scale - not only is the studio not big enough to hold everything I am making for the installation, but I can't get a good look at the whole, so I am not sure if I have enough trees etc. Anyway, hopefully you will all come and see it and make your own decisions about it in October. Meanwhile, here are the latest photos of the maquette. I still have to make the major piece which will sit at the end of the trail, but I need to spend more time on making the actual work, now.

Next step

Have handed in my first semester assessment which was a project proposal for the installation. As I am working towards the actual thing, I am applying research to the maquette as much as possible. Most recently, I have added a model of the door to the forest, which references the forbidden chamber in fairy tales, as well as heralding the change between two worlds. I have also added mirror to the walls, which will reflect parts of the installation as well as changing spatial perception so that the viewer feels that the forest is far bigger and extends far further than it does. Little bit Tardis, little bit Narnia.

Uni Project

Things have gone a bit quiet because I am trying to get into my project for my Masters. It will be an installation later in the year and will basically be an enchanted forest, with links to feminism in fairytale and folklore. Its exciting but daunting. Today I started making my first marquette, the first decision being about how to deal with the walls. At this stage, I am thinking a mural approach with a forest background. I painted the original, then played around with different colour variations. Not sure how I will proceed in terms of overall colour, but am feeling good that I've made a start on the making (been reading for months).