Lincoln Artist's Market

I will be selling a range of work at Lincoln Artist's Market on Sunday 28th June 2009.





Some of the work is illustration, including cards and paintings, and some is related to The Lady Of Shalott, ie mirrors with quotes on (written backwards) and of course I would hope to receive commissions for Lady of Shalott dolls.
The last artist's market was at the end of May, so I have images from that.














The Lady of Shalott doll will be displayed for commissions.



This weekend and next week early, I hope to take the Lady of Shalott doll on location around Lincoln.

As well as considering The Lady of Shalott, I have been working on optimising my website. And I decided to test whether my metatags are working.
I was also trying to equate in my mind the work I'm doing now with my previous work based on A-ha's Take On Me video.
At first it felt or seemed as though I'm going for a complete departure from it, but fundamentally the philosophy is still the same.



Whilst checking my metatags I came across this piece of Hindu philosophy:
http://www.saibaba.ws/articles/fromtheunreal.htm

I'm reflecting on my old installation, but also thinking about how it relates to this new work, and philosophically, The Lady of Shalott follows the same train of thought that links Dostoyevsky to Baudrillard, Borges, Philip K Dick, and seemingly all religious theological query.
Fascinating link with the mirror of Maya :-)

The Lady of Shalott

The return of the dolls!
The Lady of Shalott is the subject for my latest doll creation.
The Lady of Shalott forms part of a series of events surrounding the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alfred Lord Tennyson, who wrote the poem The Lady of Shalott. This doll and related works create a discourse with the painting by John William Waterhouse currently on loan at The Collection in Lincoln.





"I am half - sick of shadows" said The Lady of Shalott


The Lady of Shalott can only view the world through a mirror, and as such follows on from part of my fine art theory relating to Baudrillard's simulacra and simulations. She is like Neo, trapped in The Matrix, until she DOES look at Lancelot for real and the mirror shatters, bringing a mysterious "curse" upon her. The poem contains many, many levels, regarding Lancelot's many suitors, unrequited love, terminal illness, drugs, medieval aspects of feminism, sex and the possibility that it refers to deadly STDs, the Victorian mindset regarding death and mourning, Neo Platonism and what Borges says about mirrors being monstrous etc.







These mirrors were made with quotes from the Tennyson poem printed backwards (can only be seen through a mirror) and installed in appropriate locations around the city of Lincoln. The Lady of Shalott is located very much locally to Lincoln, which would historically have been an island within the fen landscape, the hill with the castle at the top providing the "four gray walls and four gray towers" inhabited perhaps by the Lady of Shalott.
The Brayford Pool with its barges reflects aspects of the poem succinctly.





"From The bank and from the river,
he flashed into the crystal mirror,
'Tirra Lirra', by the river,
Sang Sir Lancelot"



"And sometimes through the mirror blue,
The knights come riding two and two,
she hath no loyal knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott"



"And moving thro' a mirror clear,
that hangs before her all the year,
shadows of the world appear"

I am planning to continue this installation for the Summer Gala, July 18, 2009, located around Brayford Waterfront in Lincoln. I'm thinking of including the Lady of Shalott doll somehow, and to re-install these mirrors around the Brayford Waterfront and beyond, to form an art installation that hopefully will enthrall and excite visitors, especially those who are aware of the Lady of Shalott work currently exhibiting in The Collection.

I am also wishing to gain commissions for Lady of Shalott dolls at the next Lincoln Artist market, Steep Hill, 28th June 2009.

The Unreal God And Aspects Of His Non-existent Universe

I've been busy working on the Doll Proposal for some time, and engaging in business discussions. This week I'm going for a briefing to help the artist John Newling with his installation at The Collection.

Today I entered a story on the Tate Modern website for something that directly relates to my installation.

If you have googled The Unreal God And Aspects Of His Non-Existent Universe, it directs here, however, my Degree Show blog is also available here:

http://www.a-n.co.uk/degrees_unedited/projects/single/421025

These blogs merely document the process of creating the work, and are now obsolete; all my finished work, images of the installation and further information,is on my website www.helendblackbird.co.uk

Coldplay Lost video competition

I finally finished my entry for Coldplay's Lost video competition.



It would have all been hand rendered had I had more time, so I cheated and rotoscoped it digitally. It still took a lot of work....

I'm actually quite pleased with it :-)

Take On Me

I have decided to make something else relating to A-ha's Take On Me comic book imagery.....

I can't say any more than that, as I am mulling over all the ideas, but aside from attempting to rotoscope a video for Coldplay's Lost competition, which will now star my son, I am trying to work out how to create a very special sketchbook for artists, illustrators, animators, students and musicians, and anyone who likes the Take On Me video.....

Like those doodle books you get for kids in galleries, only this one will be better ;-)

Well OK, the idea for a Take On Me style comic sketchbook is mine, I concocted it, and if anyone tries to plagiarise that idea, I will send Morten round to bore them with his theories of Nothing..........

Basically it's an excuse to self publish my own sketchbook.

I've just gotta work out how to get away with it.... ;-)

It's all been very quiet for a few months... I finally got my website up. You can visit it here: www.helendblackbird.co.uk

I've been focussed more on my a-n blog, as it keeps being publicised online and in their magazine, which is all very helpful, as I've had no luck finding any opportunities, either as an artist, illustrator, or merely a part time job to support my practice.

I've had to find a babysitter in case I need one, as I've been missing some opportunities due to lack of childcare (and the fact that some employers are not open to family friendly working practices)

I can work from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Possibly till 5.00p.m. but only part time. No evenings or weekends, as there is no childcare for that time.

Meanwhile, I've been doing the odd bit of work, nothing special, just ticking over really while I figure out the best career plan.