Work in progress

Some test prints of the LIST strips for the list capsules.

I spent my lunch time in the letterpress room trying to print a thin strip of numbers to put inside the list capsules I am making. I used 18 point letters, Baskerville type, and they proved very hard to set.Ideally I would have liked to put gaps between the numbers, but that proved beyond my skill.

I love the lists of objects Mary includes in her letters and the letterpress printed books in the collection. I still hope to print some cards on the printing press of one of Mary Greg’s lists. I think that might take me a while to set up.

Hazel

Stories waiting to be told

Sarah and Liz exploring the collection with the students

All morning, between the hawking of the crows on the roof and the digital shutterclicks of half a dozen cameras, there have been repeated breathy outbursts of “Ooooh” and “Wow, look at this” and “That’s just beautiful”. The Mary Greg Collection continues to cast its magic on the unsuspecting.

Throughout today and Thursday, students from Manchester Metropolitan University 3D Design course are visiting the gallery stores to begin research for an open ended six week design brief. Along with Sharon, the course tutor, Liz and Alex have given a brief background to the objects before taking the students on a tour of the treasure trove. As each new cupboard is opened or drawer slid out there have been gasps and intakes of breath.

It’s not always easy to fully understand why there’s such genuine wonder expressed as the collection is unfolded but its context surely plays an important part. Housed in steely grey cabinets in a squeaky floored Victorian gallery and surrounded by a mute audience of portraits from the collection hanging on the walls, the objects seem almost magically shrouded from the present, as if locked in some frozen indeterminate past. This is not the modern clinical climate controlled storage facility you might expect, it’s shadowy, mysterious and not somewhere you’d like to find yourself alone at midnight.

Sarah Rainbow, a gallery conservator, guides the students through common sense object handling requirements, the donning of gloves and perching of precious objects on miniature pillows. This all adds to the reverential mystique that the objects seem to accrue.

For the first time in many cases, these objects are being given a level of rapt attention, are being drawn, photographed and written about, being un-shrouded. It will be fascinating to see how each student moves on with their research and what their eventual outcomes will be.

There’s more images from the morning on our flickr pages.

Mary Greg’s Threads

Sharon arranges her work on base of cabinet.

Along with the Samuel Crompton threads we have displayed a small selection of Mary Greg’s bygones collection.

This is a photo of Sharon arranging some of the work she has started to develop  in response to the objects.

Object Memories Showcase

Hazel making last minute adjustments

As Hazel says, now showing for the first time ever, the first/finest threads made on Samuel Crompton’s  Spinning Mule. Humble objects of great significance!  Also in the showcase is a small selection of some of the other objects from the Bygones collection, including, Caroline’s Dance card, quizzing glasses, Noah’s Ark animals, the lead cross, scissors, dice and a fabulous row of spoons and keys (compare and contrast with the row of silver spoons in the long cabinet opposite – I know which I like the best!)  You’ve seen them on the blog now see them for real in the Object Memories showcase in the Craft and Design Gallery, 2nd floor, Manchester Art Gallery.

Pride of place for the threads

On the shelf below you can also see some work in progress made in response to the collection from Hazel and myself.  I have also included a recent line of enquiry (a collaboration with jeweller Jenny Walker) based on the threads.

First Threads - collaboration with Jenny Walker

Thanks to Kim May and Jon Tipler, who were there recording the proceedings for a series of short films they are making for the project (apologies for being such a frozen wuss in front of camera!).

Kim and Jon with hi tech equipment!

We are looking for other artists, makers, designers, writers etc to respond to the collection, so if you, or anyone you know, might be interested then please leave a message on the site.  Also watch this space for student responses to the collection as I launch a six week project exploring the Mary Greg Collection of Handicrafts of Bygone Times!  Sharon

Threads on display at MAG

Quick sketches of ideas for cabinet.

Friday 29th January Sharon and I joined Alex to put the Crompton Threads on display to the public for the first time in history (they where hidden away in Mary Greg’s letters).We have also been able to put a few of our other favourite objects to sit alongside them. We could have filled another cabinet easily. We also have also displayed some of our responses to the collection.

Photos are of of the quick sketches in my train note book..variations on how we could display the objects.

“String too small for use”

GOOD NEWS

The Samuel Crompton threads which Sharon and I found in the stack of Mary Greg’s letters has been chosen by MAG for the BBC HISTORY OF THE WORLD series.

Sharon and I are putting some of our work alongside the threads from the mule into a cabinet at MAG.

I am also going to exhibit my box of “string too small for use” which was purchased from a market in London many years ago for 50 pence.

The box is full of off cuts of string, some so tiny it would be hard to find a use for them and it inspired me to make a set of work to give them uses, some of which I will also include in the cabinet at MAG.

Finding the Samuel Crompton threads was such thrill for me. My work has always been based on starting with something like a bit of fluff or a scrap of paper or a lonesome pine needle and upping its status by giving it a story..or history. So finding the first threads from Samuel Crompton’s mule amongst the letters was magical.

You can find the full A History Of The World article here.

Hazel

Value Measures

Thought I’d update you with progress on the value measures I have been making.  I’ve modeled a few variations now, which are drying ready for the application of colour.  You might recognise some elements from the Bygone spoon collection – twisted stems, worn edges, broken….  I’ve tried some different forms and sizes, exploring scale and proportion, and I’ve played with a couple of type faces at varying font sizes.

Assorted Value Measures

I think the idea is worth pursuing though there are a number of refinements to be made.  I’m not happy with the shape of the bowl, generally too round (thought it works with some handle styles), I’m going to explore a more ovoid bowl form or perhaps pear shape like the apostle spoons.  Also the measuring line.  It’s ok indented (made by pressing an edge into the clay), but I want to see what it’s like raised.  I know this seems like, and is, a small detail but I am thinking ahead to the glazing of the spoon.  I want to pour glaze up to the measuring line (the glaze will subtlely change the intensity of the underlying colour and draw the eye to the measure mark) and I am thinking that a raised line will provide a better end point for the glaze.  Practically, it should be easier to wipe any excess glaze from a raised line.  An indented mark would probably fill with glaze, building up excess which could potentially run during subsequent firing.  In anticipating and responding to these potential problems I am hoping to avoid later time consuming and costly disappointments.  I’ve also been making some measuring cups based on some old metal scoops I have.  Not sure about the handles yet though!

Value Measuring Cup

Detail

I suppose this is how an idea develops, considering and refining, reacting to problems and improving.  Of course few people would probably notice these things, other makers perhaps (once developed, a keen eye rarely misses). But I just need to feel that whatever I put out there is as good as I can make it.  As a sole maker you must be your own quality control no-one else has the same vested interest in your work!  Sharon

Masterclass – feedback

Biddulph High

Highfields

Thanks to all participants for the very positive feedback about the masterclasses.  Here are some of your comments!

The best thing about today…. clay making… the way the theme progressed and developed through the day…clay….clay making….working with clay… using clay… making things with clay….clay by far….drawing the object in wire and lots of different ways…things being made out of clay!

Something I would like to change…less talking… the beginning was too long…nothing…more time to explore the gallery….longer in the galleries….more lunch time….nothing….a chance to pause and look at each others work in the afternoon session and use this to add fresh ideas…nothing it was great!

I am surprised that…. I made so much…objects so old and tarnished were so valued….ordinary objects can be interesting….what drawing with the wrong hand turns out to look like….I could draw well with my eyes closed…I managed to successfully mould a piece of clay…clay was as easy as it was…today was as enjoyable as it was, I thought it wasn’t going to be good…I can draw better when I do it quickly….my lack of drawing skill didn’t matter…I can draw well with left hand… I wasn’t bored…we did not have to draw with a pencil!

When I leave I am going to….practise drawing with my eyes closed…practise what I have learnt today…go on the website…try to do more of the activities…tell my family about my clay work…show my grandad my art…remember a good drawing is not always the most controlled…spend less time concentrating when drawing as I have realised I can draw interesting things in less time…look at everyday objects in a different way…pursue clay making…look at ordinary objects in a new way….take the message back to school that it is important to build on what the students have done here today!

Any other comments….Excellent day, thanks!…good day hope we do it again….organise another….the chocolate torte from the cafe was really good (I agree!)…..better than expected….Excellent day, thank you to everyone who led and supported the day.

Thanks to all masterclass participants from the team.  You made it a rewarding and stimulating couple of days.  Hope our paths cross again!  Keep scrolling for further posts. Sharon

Masterclass – student helpers

A very big thank you to Bethan, Rochine and Emily, students from the Three Dimensional Design course at Manchester Metropolitan University, for their invaluable help in running the masterclasses.  I really couldn’t have done it without them!  Every time something needed to be done, they did it before being asked.  If I needed a tool it was there before I even knew I needed it.  And they cleared up before I even got round to it!  All that with good humour and a lovely manner!  If anyone reading this is looking for a great assistant, or even someone to run a workshop (they have a good bit of experience now) they come highly recommended.  Thanks again x

Sharon

Bethan helping out

Rochine drawing with stick and ink

Emily helping with wire drawing

Masterclass – Highfields

Thanks to everyone from Highfields for an action packed day.  Although smaller in number than the first group you managed to make almost twice as much and I hope your laden boxes survived the trip back to School!

Special thanks go to Stephen and Leanne (hope I got that right!) who tried everything that was thrown at them with an open mind and positive attitude.  And of course the accompanying staff who threw themselves into the day with gusto and great creativity!  It was a pleasure to meet and work with you all.  Here are your best bits.

drawing with stick and ink

markmaking in clay

clay work tribute to watch

phone drawings

Stephen's trusty soothers

Hope to see you all at another workshop.

Sharon