composition

Research chapter published: pattern evolution

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In the first term of arriving at Norwich University of the Arts I was welcomed as a member of the Pattern and Chaos research group. Colleagues from across the university would meet and discuss individual research practices and shared ambitions relating to the themes of the group. During one of those early meetings the idea of a Reader, a book featuring many contributions on the themes related to the research group, was being discussed. I enjoyed being involved in setting out early ambitions and five years on the book, edited by Sarah Horton and Victoria Mitchell, is a reality, having been published by Intellect Books in late 2023. Congratulations to Sarah & Victoria!

I’m delighted to be a contributor alongside many other researchers and practitioners, some I have the pleasure to know, others I shall get to know through their text and images in the book.

My contribution to the project is chapter ten. In conversation with both Sarah and Victoria several years ago I shared my ideas of pattern evolution, of taking motifs from one to another, an ogee to a diamond for example, through the process of drawing, transforming them from one to another across the sheet of paper. I gave them a quick sketch as part of my proposal and they patiently waited for more as I worked on the larger body of drawings. The link between themes and variations in music was apparent and I played with this idea as I made the drawings, layering tone and form, as a composer would do in building the greater composition.

The chapter explores the practical research process of drawing and evolving the motifs across formal grids structures and across layers of tracing paper. Although the visual language of these drawings are significantly different to my current research the ideas initiated here were the seeds of my current investigation – I’ll share that progress soon!

A huge thank you to Sarah and Victoria for the ongoing support they provide, both to me and my practice. Between the two of them they always ask the pertinent questions and offer sound advice and encouragement.

building / constructing / space / paper

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I’ve been working on a new series of works on paper that have evolved from paper cutouts and manipulations I first created over ten years ago. Back then I was experimenting with sculptural paper engineering that aimed to convey meaning through the structural content as well as the printed image. This may sound very much like ‘bookart’ talk, and it is really, as I moved from artists book maker to something different, including public artist and surface pattern designer, see below.

KFpaper_structure1000blog

It’s a strange thing when ideas that had seemed so disparate appear to come together to form a ‘whole’ different idea – and feels right. I’m sharing the first of many new prints evolving along these lines here.

As a result of my design collection ‘construct’ I launched last year I’ve explored the idea of woven threads and constructed surfaces. This led me to explore the space and environment of a page, a sheet of paper, and what could constitute the printed page. I used embossing to create a sense of space and depth, and slotted the ‘print’ to the paper as if floating. I am keeping the ink a neutral Payne’s grey so it doesn’t conflict or distract from the structure. I explored several different printed patterns too, and this, a lino print provided me with sufficient visual noise, but allows the embossing to be seen too.

KF_build_blog1000

So, what do you think? Does it make sense? I’m looking forward to exploring this further over the next few months.

How will these pieces link to the work I shall make in another ten years?