Inspire 52 - Week 31. Pop Up Paper

This week, after a lot of cancelling, I finally managed to make it to Portland. These injuries I have had for the last 5 weeks have been making it difficult for me to get around, but I am gradually mending, so I hope there will be no more set backs along the way.

So the Olympics has rocked off to a great start ... apparently as I don't watch tele!! But Weymouth and Portland have been very quiet as there was so much hype about the roads being bad ... so now is in fact the quietest and best time to go to assure yourself a spot on the beach and also great entertainment all for your self!!

Anyway, enough of that and onto this ...

... Pop Up Dorset invited me to install a mini Paper Forest in their Historic Church exhibition, of course I said yes, as I was delighted about taking the forest out of the gallery environment and creating it in new environments, and this was a great place to start.

http://www.popupdorset.com/

St Georges Church on the Isle of Portland near Weymouth. This historic church here is some information cunningly pinched of Wikipedia ... thanks Wiki!

St George's Church is a Church of England church on the Isle of Portland, built between 1754 and 1766^[2] to replace St. Andrew's which had fallen into disuse and was no longer suitable as a place of worship.^[3] The church was closed in 1914 for many reasons, and fell into further disrepair ever since that time. In the 1960s however, the church fell under the protection of a newly formed group, the 'Friends of St George's Church', who were able to restore the church. Now no longer needed for regular worship, the church is now a redundant church in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.^[4] It was declared redundant on 16 April 1970, and was vested in the Trust on 27 October 1971.^[5]

St George's Church is regarded as one of, if not the, most impressive 18th century church in Dorset.^[1] It is a large church built of Portland stone and has a tower, a nave, transepts, an apse, and a kind of abortive dome over the crossing.^[1] The design is reminiscent of Christopher Wren (particularly the tower, with regards to the clock towers of St Paul's Cathedral).^[1] The windows are arranged in two tiers, all with simple, broad raised frames that lack moulding. Architect John Vanbrugh called the result a "a masculine show".^[1] It is a Grade II listed building.^[6]

Well I think that's pretty interesting stuff!!

This venue has an amazing vibe about it. It is soa beautiful and grey on the cliff top in Portland ... Stunning ...

And here's how the Paper Forest worked in the space...

                                          ... For more on The Paper Forest you can see Inspire 52 - Week 23

http://hazelevans-inspire52.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/inspire-52-week-23-paper-forest-and.html 

The Paper Forest soundtrack echos through the church ...

Click on the images to enlarge

See you next week ... I don't have a clue what I'm going to do next week!!

Maybe something Olympic inspired?

P.S. Hazel Evans artwork, Adventures Album and other signed collectible merchandise are on sale at the exhibition.

Inspire 52 - Week 26. The Memory Keeper

... Well, here we are half way through. Half a year I have counted in week by week. Half a moon and a silver spoon as we dance here cheek by cheek. Another day another way to say, Hey did you do it your way? Cos today is the day I stand up and say, Yes baby, I did it my way! From a piece of paper to a twiddle of thumbs and a blot of ink in the sink, washed away down the drain, that time has gone in a recorded blink. Oh, 'tis the day to celebrate half a year in and half a year out, Slap bang in the middle, sitting on the fence without a doubt. Yeah baby, I did it my way! I wrote the words that passed unheard. As I tapped the keys on long dark nights in the fight to write ... something meaningful ... But what can I say, today's another day, another week, another year ... Soon another cheer to you my dear, as we toast to memories -  hell yeah! ...

The Memory Keeper

Illustration - Hazel Evans 2012

As one day ends another begins ... And so the adventure continues

Nourishment ... temptation ... dance through time

 

This time is for reflection, as I am here in the middle of the year. Half way into the Inspire 52 project I have picked the apple and am feasting on the sweetness and nourishment it is bringing to me.

 

Looking back at the archive of the journey so far, this project has taken me to places within myself that I didn't even know were there, assisted me in getting into my little white boat and keeping it floating down my stream in the beautiful crystal clear waters - sometimes riding through the rapids - but always coming out the other side, invigorated and having learnt something new.

By the way, I am longing to write more as this is something that has dwindled over the last month or so what with the installation and working into the Adventures Into The Monochronium exhibition ... but there are still lots of words and stories inside me, just waiting to come out ... so stay with me and you will have some new stories and poems as well as new art works in no time at all ...

 

The Memory Keeper 

Installation - Hazel Evans June 2012 

An new installation in The Paper Forest. Using a book, The Memory Keeper's daughter by Kim Edwards, that was headed for pulping, I saved it and am currently using it to make art with. This is the first piece using pages form the book listed into the trees of The Paper Forest using ink and an illustrated butterfly. This was a piece I created in 'work through play' ... not much thinking involved... just going with the flow. upon reflection this piece is quite haunting when looking at the story content of the book ... I didn't read it by the way... just dove straight in and made the art ... maybe I will read it ...  http://www.memorykeepersdaughter.com/

And before I go I am delighted that I have been accepted to do an MA in Illustration, with cross pathways into Contemporary Performance, at The Arts University College Bournemouth starting in October 2012 ... How will this impact my Inspire 52 journey I wonder ...something to look forward to for then....

Until next week have a happy half year and enjoy the sunshine!

Inspire 52 - Week 23. The Paper Forest and The Meaning of Life

I must be honest with you ... This week I have been completely exhausted. It is like a the big come down after the final curtain call, only weirder because it's actually only just begun! But I think achieving the conception and delivery of Adventures Into The Monochronium exhibition was a pretty big thing for me ... My friend said it was like giving birth! I guess in some kind of way it was; I have given every spare ounce of energy to this piece of work and put glimpses of my soul out there to the world, so yes, I can say... I do feel proud of what I have achieved in this exhibition.

 

 

This is a journey that I thought would mainly be an artistic demonstration for the viewer, but is actually absorbing me... I am on this journey ... this is me ... my life. Along the way I am revealing new layers to myself and I guess this is what part of The Paper Forest is about... journey, discovery and finding meaning in one's life ... a purpose.

 

 

Trees thin and tall reaching into the sky

 

 

For many years I have struggled with my sense of purpose, trying to conform to the guidelines society has set out for us all, but never really quite 'getting it'...

 

 

Blackness transcribbling words on trees

 

 

...My sister had a child just over 2 years ago, just after my niece was born and I was holding her in my arms, my sister asked if I now felt that I wanted a baby. I didn't. Her question helped me turn a page in my 'purpose book'. Her purpose was to be a mother physically to her own child ... this is the most important thing for her to achieve in her life, what makes her get up in the morning and give meaning to her being ... for me ... the most important thing I can nurture is my art - It is my purpose.

 

 

The Paper Forest spoke softly to me

And asked me to write my story

 

 

And now is the time for me to write my story, the places I have been and the places I will go. The journey, the discoveries the sense of direction and the being lost on a path ... finding the path ... Untold stories in the folds and curls of white paper ... pictures speaking words and words making images ... The Paper Forest is my story, but it is also yours.

 

The Paper Forest

By Hazel Evans

I stumbled on the crumples that drew me in

taken by the forest and absorbed within

Trees thin and tall reaching into the sky

Thin tall trees speaking tales in time

Enveloping twisting and churning out

Spouting secret stories were all about

Illuminating shapes and scribing sounds

Murmuring roots from the undergrounds

Wonder away, wonder away

Wonder away, drift away,

Deep into the Paper Forest

And play

Whiteness dancing the whispering breeze

Blackness transcribbling words on trees

The Paper Forest spoke softly to me

And asked me to write my story

So I walked the path kissed by leaves

Drawings sang and caressed my sleeves

Dancing into the pictures and the light

Shadows emerged smiling bright

Wonder away, wonder away,

As the trees lead the way

Deep into the Paper Forest

To play

Adventures Into The Monochronium

26th May - 28th July 2012

The Gallery Lighthouse Poole

Exhibition soundtrack available

Poems and songs performed by Hazel Evans with music by Momo:tempo

www.hazelevans.co.uk - online shop coming soon

www.momotempo.co.uk

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The Paper Forest is sponsored by CCM till rolls. The Wardrobe Post Office is sponsored by Dorset Reclaim.

Inspire 52 - Week 21. Making of 'Adventures Into The Monochronium'

Hello everyone ... what a week!

This blog has a different angle on it this week as something rather big happened. Adventures Into The Monochronium happened! A very intense week where a whole forest and mountain range were created!

This is my biggest solo exhibition to date and also features extracts from some of the collaborations that I have been working on since the beginning of this year. The exhibition will be growing and changing over the next 2 months as it gets worked into with illustrations, writing and performance emerging from the space - I'm really looking forward to this.

Adventures Into The Monochroniumm is a development from the first Monochronium exhibition which was a more studio style exhibition with comments saying it had a 'Warhol Factory' feel about it. This one is a real space to journey into and discover what my Monochronium is and also to discover what is is for you.

Two new installation pieces include The Paper Forest and The Ink Mountains. Both of these pieces blur illustration with performance and installation ... I will introduce these pieces later in Inspire 52 as they become worked into and documented in the exhibition.

The collaborations I have introduced act as accents to the exhibition theme and help describe the journey of my practice as well as that of The Monochronium.

My collaborations are with:

Hayley Potter, RCA MA, Illustrator Writer - Illustrative and explosive inking. Exploring how our styles merge as illustrators and writers, creating narratives from working on location in rural environments and the impact of water within our landscapes. Originals from £30

Debby Kirby, Silk Weaver - Merging the craft of silk weaving with illustration and story. The creation of an artist book 'The River Story'. The creation of a series of silk weaving pictures with collage, poetry and ink. The River Story book £12.50 art work from £95

Momo:tempo, Timo Peach Musician - I first approached Timo in order to lay down some of my poetry and stories with some background music ... before we knew it we had created a whole CD that takes you on a journey and back. I am very proud of this, it is my first CD and gives people who have been asking me to record my voice the opportunity to have a listen and enjoy the ride. The soundtrack accompanies the entire landscape of the 'Adventures' and features poetry made into songs and spoken word tracks that will make you feel the magic. CDs £10 accompanying Passport £5

Leoni Bullcock, Interior Architecture and Design 3rd year student at the Arts University College Bournemouth - The wardrobe studio/post office was embaced as the final big project with Leoni as I put a call out to collaborate in making a portable studio space that will give me a 'home' in Lighthouse in order to create work from. This is a piece that is a work of art in itself. It is a fully functional studio, post office and performance space.

Michele O'Brien, Theatre practitioner and storyteller - We have created a new fairytale that will be perfomed later in the year in the form of 2 shows, one for children 'The Girl and The Shoes' and one for adults 'Killer Heels'. We have started workshops with the public to create a collection of shoes that will form part of the set and exhibition to accompany the show - the shoes are indeed all black and white!!

Artwork available for sale from myself and Lighthouse ... I will also be launching an online shop soon, so I'll let you know about that too.

I will give more details of the collaborations over the next few weeks of Inspire 52 as the exhibition develops and grows

... In the meantime, here is the video diary from the set up week of the exhibition.

Adventures Into THE MONOCHRONIUM
26th May - 28th July 2012 (new extended date)
The Gallery, Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for The Arts.