Cracking On...

'Call Centres' is finished and posted on SoundCloud and has already led me onto the next stage.  'Call Centres' describes the depressive effect of waiting in a telephone queue with added monologue from a friend who used to work in one. The over all sound is argumentative as Vivaldi's 'Spring' is upbeat whilst the rest of the samples are the opposite.  This was intentional because it is exactly what happens when one is unfortunate enough to experience a DWP phone queue.


The progression from this will be more about the frustration and anger felt whilst going through the processing system.  An angle I might use is how 'Spring' was used in the classic film 'Soylent Green'. I have always found it amusing and ironic that DWP chose the music that accompanied the death scene!


 'Call Centres' also inspired a piece of artwork, a collage based on letters from DWP. Since the addition of the text to my installation piece I have become more interested in using text in works. I like the patterns it forms whether it is readable or not; printed or hand written. I am concentrating on my own writing, letters etc. at the moment but am looking forward to working with text written in other languages. Some languages are organic and flowing to look at whilst others are harsher.

http://www.listal.com/viewimage/637941

Paddy Hartley - Genius

Very interesting visit from Paddy Hartley yesterday. He did an amazing amount of research for his work; a lesson to be learned from this!


Paddy's work can be seen here:


http://www.paddyhartley.com/


http://www.projectfacade.com/


http://www.patrickianhartley.com/




I emailed him today thanking him for showing us his work, answering our questions etc. Also asked him if he used sound in is exhibitions and if not, would he be interested? The lovely man replied straightaway - he doesn't use sound but wouldn't rule it out, especially for fashion videos.  


My plan for sound now is to finish off the call centre track and start immediately on something for the above.


http://www.paddyhartley.com/

patrickianhartley.com

Project Facade

Progress?

E-mailed Martin Griffiths and asked for his opinion on the First Light audio. Uploaded it to Soundcloud along with 'Kettle'. 


Had response regarding sessions at Sheltered Housing in Cleethorpes and Grimsby; there are already several people teaching card making but there seems to be more interest in art classes. As long as my easel will fit into my ridiculously small car then this should be a rewarding experience.  Having previously taught art at entry level I am well prepared regarding lesson content, handouts, materials needed etc. I can also use my teaching experience to produce lesson plans based on inclusive learning and covering all levels of ability. Am really looking forward to this!

Various

Tried to record the actual message left by the robot on DWP's answer-phone; it wouldn't record! Interesting!


Played the First Light exhibition video and recorded the soundtrack in Audacity.  It sounds even weirder when watching the data rather than the video footage.  Toned down the voices, coughs etc. so it easier on the ear at high volume. Am quite excited about this field recording although not sure what I will use it for yet.  Maybe I will contact Martin Griffiths and see if he has any suggestions...

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150339214158807

Call Centres

OK, got the recording, courtesy of Ky. It makes uncomfortable listening which is perfect for my piece.


Am considering distorting the key of 'Spring' by a minuscule amount or even changing the major to minor at certain points in order to stress the anxiety of listening to it. Think I have everything I need now; Tally Ho!

Next Day

Well, the food was gorgeous and I slept really well... until about 1300hrs.  Must have needed it.


Kettle track is coming along nicely but the DWP phone queue piece still has a long way to go. I really need the sample from the other perspective...

Anxiety Strikes Again

Forgive me if there are lots of typo's, can't find my glasses.


Thought I was getting somewhere but am becoming increasingly bonkers.


Been cooking for a while, hopefully a proper meal and a good night's sleep will sort it. Had to email tutors earlier cos I don't think I will make it in tomorrow.


Cooking pork steaks, mustard mash, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower and processed peas all in proper gravy.  


Comfort food?

Not a Good Day....Ramblings of a Mad Woman

Had really bad anxiety today, don't know why.  It's usually that way though.  Probably something to do with roughly two weeks spent on the phone to DWP etc.  Every cloud, though! 


Been making recordings of the phone queue messages but only in my own words; can't face ringing them again just to record it...




Tried to get a recording tonight of someone  who has worked in call centres tonight.  He told me in the past how soul destroying it was and I really want to balance the DWP phone queue piece with both sides of the argument; or maybe make two pieces.  Anyhow he was almost asleep which would have been great for the recording, you know bored etc. but he refused to perform.  Recorded him refusing (!)

Ah Well!

Didn't get selected for the Supersonic Festival... t'was a useful experience though. I would have liked to hear the winning entries but could not find a link on SoundKitchen's website. Maybe they will post one later, it would be helpful to know what they chose and why.


Anyway, the making of 'Factory - Life After Death' inspired me to make more sound tracks using just one sample.  Am working on one using a recording of a boiling electric kettle. The sample also includes me shuffling about in my slippers, don't know what I am going to do with that yet but it quite a gentle, brushing sound.


Also in the pipeline is another piece based on waiting in telephone queues. Yes, it features Vivaldi's 'Spring' from his Four Seasons masterpiece! Do I need to get the voice word perfect? I don't think so as yet but if I change my mind you will know the torture I have been through listening to the various messages over and over again whilst writing them down...

Soundtrack

Was encouraged to enter a competition held by SOUNDkitchen UK. They were asking for submissions for Field Recordings under the themes of 'Home' and 'Metal'. Perfect!


Using Audacity on my macbook I recorded the sounds made by scrunching the foil around lengths of rubber tubing and played around with them. Some of the sounds produced by slowing down and altering pitch were incredible! One sample sounded like a strange voice so I decided to whisper into the mic and include that. What I didn't realise was that because I was only using the built in speakers I could only hear a small fraction of what I had actually made. I found this out by borrowing Ky's headphones (can't remember why) and was thrilled with what I could hear. I was also acutely aware that a lot more work would be needed as I could now hear each layer. It was obvious that volumes needed adjusting plus timings of certain samples.


Excited, I entered the competition and waited......

Early Days

Spray painted panels and foiled balloons. Drying times are frustrating. Found some washing line and foiled that too. In fact, anything that I could pick up got foiled today.


I started noticing sounds around me. My work area is next to the metalwork workshop and the noises that came from it were annoying for a nanosecond until I realised what soothing, rhythmical sounds they were. Made a mental note to bring in my laptop and record them next time. Spent some time wandering around the college tapping, knocking and strumming on various objects and was surprised at the results, especially the metal handrails on the staircase. These could be really useful for the soundtrack.

And Off We Go!

Mike, the ever helpful 3D technician kindly built the cupboard to my exact specifications. It fitted perfectly to the trellis I brought in from which the objects will be suspended. What a star! He even provided me with a workbench which has a lockable cupboard and a vice!


I decided to make the panels removable so the space could be used again.  Found some large sheets of cardboard and glued wrinkled lengths of foil onto them. This process needs lots of drying time between each stage, consequently several jobs are going on at the same.


Inflated balloons and started paper mache. Found a clothes rail to hang them on whilst they dried. It feels good to be putting ideas into practice.


Actually remembered to get my laptop PAT tested!


A good day.

The Installation Begins

Right, clear (ish) what is going to happen now:

•  A three-sided black area fitted out with foil-art panels and large enough to allow one person to stand in
•  Foiled objects suspended into the space
• Projection for light source, possibly falling rain, pinpricks of light, barcode etc
• Suitable atmospheric sounds
• Darkened room
• Performer wearing black, maybe wrapped in battery or solar powered white fairy lights to interact with suspended objects

The objects and the performer hopefully will blend with the panels so that the whole ensemble appears as one. What should be visible to the viewer will be whatever is shown by the minimal light source provided by the projection. The aim is to show unity between everything in the performance space.

Needed: 

• Building of space
• Aluminium foil
• Balloons
• Bitumen paint
• Spray paints
• PVA glue
• Paper towels
• White spirit
• Trellis
• Fine, strong cord
• Clear enamel/lacquer

Second Week

Inspired!


Talking to a good friend about.... 'life, the universe and everything', we were discussing what we are actually made of, if we are made of anything at all. There are many concepts on this subject i.e. we are made of a loosely woven collection of energy particles with lots of space in between them. In theory  there is nothing to stop my fingers from passing straight through this keyboard as I type, or indeed nothing to stop the keyboard from passing straight through the table it rests on, etc. etc. He informed me that we were actually talking about quantum physics!


If everything on this planet is made of the same 'stuff' then it only our perception that enables us to recognise objects, sit on chairs, hear birds sing. Is this a survival mechanism?


Anyway, this is the idea for my installation. I want to illustrate that we are indeed made of the same 'stuff' as everything around us and beyond. This relates to many ideas about spirituality, being as one with each other, the planet and the universe. It also relates to the collective consciousness and the higher energy created by it.


Thanks Ky!

First Week

Well, after a disastrous first year I now feel more confident and focused on what I want to achieve. The timetable is more flexible with much less rigidity; I feel that I can develop this year.


Areas I want to explore further are sound and film, possibly an installation although my attempts at anything 3D have always been hilarious in the past!


My mind is still flooded with ideas and conflict so this really needs to be resolved if I am to produce anything at all.


Fingers crossed!

Trial Run

blah blah blah