01.02.11
Lovely little look book;
Now my research is well under way I need to start making my Look Book for next Mondays tutorial. It has to communicate a clear mood, feeling and style so my initial thoughts are of a very handmade piece, sewn, collaged pages, working in a similar manner to Lucy so that its form represents its context. Perhaps I will make the book out of fabric or insert fabric pages if i decide to take forward the idea of a transient space? I also want to use paper cutting and decoupage along with stitching and the all important use of text and calligraphy. Stained pages, buttons and pop out bits. I have a lot of ideas for the aesthetic of the book, I think I want it to be very tactile hence the use of so many layered elements, I just haven't fully decided on the feeling/mood I want to communicate yet...


We have had a book binding lesson with Lucy this week that I found really interesting and I will defiantly use the techniques she showed us in future. We made a small sketchbook using the Coptic stitch and talked briefly about many other styles looking at examples that Lucy had bought with her. I think I have settled on the idea of making a concertina style look book so that the pages can be viewed individually or stretched out and be seen all together to really give the effect of which ever mood I decide to convey. I am really excited to make my own book after seeing all of Lucy's!



An example of a Coptic Stitch book, the thread forms tiny plaits on the spine.

31.01.11

Little shop of handmade horrors
The idea of a children's toy/book shop type exhibition space keeps popping to mind. Lucy feels that most exhibition spaces are too limiting to her work as items are behind glass or cordoned off and people aren't encouraged to touch and interact. A more open environment would be more suited to the tactile nature of her work. Children have no qualms in pulling toys off the shelves in toy shops as they are there for the taking. Although Lucy explores themes of childhood there is usually a more sinister and adult undercurrent to the pieces. A space that portrayed the different dimensions of Lucy's work through increased interaction with the pieces could make a really special experience for visitors.

Thinking about shops reminded me of this image from Lucy's presentation of lady in her own 'exhibition space':

www.lucymayschofield.blogspot.com

Korean toy shopwww.flickr.com

This toy shop in Korea is a really beautiful example of a space that could be perfect for Lucy, it looks like an exhibition space, its white and filled with natural light but visitors are meant to take things off the shelves and handle them. In a change from the usual set up of a toy shop the shelves arent crammed with stock, there is one of each item displayed clearly. This is a really simple yet powerful way Lucys work could be curated and staged to appeal to visitors young and older.

31.01.11
Transient Architecture
After my last post, in which I began exploring the possibility of a temporary space for Lucy, I remembered something she said in her presentation last week which makes the idea very fitting. As her books are handmade they are all very delicate, Lucy said that she knows the books won't last forever and won't necessarily even outlive her but that's what she likes about them, they capture a time and a feeling, tell a story that would otherwise have gone untold and then aren't really needed anymore.

I also think escaping is very important to Lucy, she cites one of her inspirations as 'remote residencies and rural retreats'. When we met her she told us how she likes to go away by herself. She records streams of consciousness, turning them in to books about her experience. Books in themselves can be a form of escapism.

I think Lucy is a person that thinks and feels a lot, she needs getaways to clear her mind and inspire her. Maybe a temporary space with a limited life suits her, in the same way as the books it can represent a time and capture a feeling in her life and then she can move on to the next.

I collected some examples of transient architecture/installation:

Raumlabor restaurant & Berlin art & culture festival piece
Plastique Fantastique - Studio for temporary architecture
http://www.plastique-fantastique.de/
"Plastique Fantastique is an architecture studio that samples the performative possibilities of urban environments." - I think this is a really interesting concept that suits the project brief of storytelling and staging Lucy's work. Plastiques' pieces create an environment in between public and private, an escape from the outside, they capture a small space and a small time and make people stop, think, interact and experience something new in their environment.

Pop up store front - Milan furniture fair
www.storefrontnews.org

The foldaway book store - London Architecture Fair 2010www.wallpaper.com

Metroplis Mall, Indiana - reminded me of dolls house compartments& the dolls house redesigned by TDO Architects www.wallpaper.com
Lucy's use of dolls houses and her representation of childhood in previous work during her residency at the V&A Museum really interests me. There is a childlike vulnerability to all of her handmade work and to the concept of escapism and a fabricated reality.

27.01.11

Research. Research. Research;
The 'My Pictures' folder on my laptop is exclusively and entirely full of photographs of things that I find interesting, references from past projects, generally attractive items (and about 30+ folders of my own photos.) Lucy's presentation and work reminded of quite a few of the images I had saved so I thought I would revisit these as a start point to my research...

soho sideboard exclusive furniture design from boca do lobo
Carpet bag & Vintage luggage
Mary Engel Folk Art mosaic dogs

Mary Engels mosaic dogs are made entirely from small porcelain animals which Lucy said she collects. The other luggage items I was reminded of by her need to organise and compartmentalise, coupled with her Victorian/vintage style. I love the look of the mismatched draws, the carpet bags and battered suitcases.

In 'my favourites' on the website www.stumbleupon.com I had also saved the video below, 'Going West'. As I said in my last blog I am interested in 'paper cutting' and thought this piece was really amazing. Maybe something to consider for when I make my own video later in the project?

One of the paper artists I love is Su Blackwell, www.sublackwell.co.uk, she cuts into book and creates magical miniature wonderlands, bringing the story to life, like its exploding out of the text. She also makes larger scale installations:

'Hope' 2009 & 'Secret Garden' installation 2006

Could I create a temporary space like this for Lucy? An enchanting environment for her Bibliotherapy sessions where clients can literally get inside the stories and escape their own thoughts. The piece could even fold away like a book and fit inside the back of her van...

Charlotte :)
Interior Design student

24.01.11
Meeting Lucy May Schofield;
We were given our brief for the new project today
Narrative Objects: Story telling & Staging
And were introduced to its protagonist, book making artist Lucy.

'Stocking Filler'


She showed us her beautiful books and talked about her inspirations and style. The photograph above is a piece of Lucy's called 'Stocking Filler', a collection of handwritten envelopes sent from children all around the world to Santa's post office in Lapland, sewn together in to a miniature book. I love this idea, Lucy's work is so delicate and enchanting. Although i don't think I have ever come across a book making artist before her work really reminded me of paper cutting which I have worked with in the past for an A level project about children's literature;




Cutting drawings of Winnie the Pooh characters out of the books pages



Watercolour and cutting on pages of a 1940s Alice in Wonderland book

I was particularly reminded of my Alice in Wonderland piece by Lucy's work as it was made by 're-using' an old book from a charity shop with an inscription inside saying:

Lucy finds and collects discarded items and uses them in her work, creating a narrative and telling the stories which would otherwise have been lost, giving the items new life.

The Project Brief:
"In response to the work of Lucy Schofield you are invited to make a space to house Lucys objects (the objects which 'house stories.') Working from the inside out, you should consider the themes of Permenance, Transience and Temporary to develop a space that reflects the artist and 'stages' her work"

My initial thoughts were of working with books, fabric/textiles, things that are tactile, delicate, handmade like Lucy's work. I'm also intriged by her use of dolls houses, sewing patterns, her need to comparmentailse, making me think of suitcases/bookcases with compartments, vintage luggage, I like her love of typewriters and tea sets and just everything quirky and feminine. Im really excited about creating a space for Lucy as I think hope I can really connect with her style.

One further initial thought, is Lucy in any way related to Philip?