Catherine Henley

I am exploring the project Movement through my three chosen disciplines: Animation, Painting and Printmaking.

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Movement - Project Statement

My response to the project Movement is the way in which movement is captured through imprints; whether it be a well trodden path, or footprints on a beach, imprints leave a memory of movement.

Once we look up from our feet, we begin to notice that imprints are everywhere - from snow settling on vegetation to acne scarring the face to landmarks protruding from the landscape. Imprints are all around us, and each imprint showcases movement. Whether it be in the literal sense (a footprint on a beach) to the conceptual (acne showcasing movement through adolescence), imprints are a memory of movement.

Some of the following artists have influenced my work: Richard Long, Paul McCarthy and Gerhard Richter.

To navigate my Tumblr I have used the following hashtags:

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Idea Development Sketchbook Tour - Movement.

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Research Sketchbook Tour - Movement.

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Painting Conclusion - obscured imagery.

As inspired by painter Gerhard Richter, I decided to take the images I had done previously for print, and manipulate them further.

I applied red paint to the overlayed images, and used a scrapping tool to scrap paint across the imagery, as Richter is notable for.

In places I feel I may have added too much paint, and obscured the imagery far more than intended. Despite this, I like the transparacey the paint offers, leaving the viewer questioning what the true imagery is underneath.

Although, overall I feel this work represents movement and the way in which imprints leave a mark on the landscape. A memory of movement.

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Printmaking - capturing run #3 through imprints with primary research. Final result.

Once the weather cleared I went for another run, I noticed various elements along the way that stood out to me that were washed up on the beach: driftwood, a disfigured bottle, and a sealion carcass.

I decided to cut up the performance art imprints sheet (done previously) , and intergrate it into my final piece for documenting my runs. I done the performance art piece the same day as my second run, with the same shoes so I found it fitting to intergrate it into this piece.

The resulting image: lots of overlapping imprints from my running shoes, the word Hazard stuck down (noting the various warning signs seen throughout my runs), collage pieces and overlays.

I was happy with the resulting image. I enjoyed the process of running, noticing elements on my runs, and discovering ways to represent the experience of my runs onto canvas.

Overall, this piece represents movement - the way in which imprints capture movement - whether that be a physical shoe print, or a landmark imrpinting itself on the land. Imrprints showcase movement.

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My Pitch for the Animation Elective - Task 5. 

I used screen-recording software called ScreenCastoMatic (recommended by my animation tutor Yvonne) for this task, and filmed myself using my webcam. I decided to record the presentation, as there is a lot of recorded audio of dialogue for different charters, and moving segments.  

The footage is rather long, although I tried to edit it as much as I could. I have 17 slides in total, which are composed of the following:

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Performance art - cross-disciplinary.

I wanted to film a chaotic version of performance art, as inspired by Paul McCarthy's work Piccadilly's Circus. I substituted the smashed food in Piccadilly's Circus to acrylic paint on my running shoes.

This piece represents the physical repetitive imprints from pyshical activity. In this case dancing on two A4 sheets. It showcases imrprints left behind by movement. It is carefree and joyful, someone going through life with colour, imprinting memories onto the landscape.

The final result:

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Artist Research - Bruce Nauman.

Bruce Nauman's work was suggested for me to explore by my tutor Michael, based on my performance art video for print and painting.

I enjoyed researching Nauman's work, and found it quite interesting - he uses a broad range of media - everything from neon lights to performance art. I found his video "Walking in an Exaggerated Manner around the Perimeter of a Square" very hard to watch in full due to it's repetitive and lengthy nature. Although, interestingly because I was getting impatient with the footage shows the success of the piece. Nauman wants the viewer to be infuriated, drumming their fingers, shying relentlessly 'will this ever end?'

I would like to incorporate some of this mudnaness (to provoke frustration from the viewer) into further work of mine to showcase movement through imprints , and perhaps make another video. This time not sped up, but slowed down, deliberate and maddening.

I also looked an exhibition review of "mindfuck" by Nauman on YouTube, and I was very impressed with Nauman's ability to cause a range of uncomfortable feelings in the viewer. I hope to recreate a similar effect in my next performance art piece.

https://youtu.be/dPJa5pRPSJY

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Artist Research - Gerhard Richter.

Following an overlay I done on my printer using my reference photos, it was suggested to me by painting tutor Eoin to research Gerhard Richter.

After researching Richter's work; primarily images that are obscured using a scraper on the canvas, I have been inspired to try out the same technique on the overlay photographs I've done. Richter's use of blurry images and misty backgrounds is very intriguing indeed, I hope to recreate something of a similar effect.

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Gathering Imagery Run #2 - Primary Research

After my run yesterday, I collected more imagery of "landmarks" from my run. As I was running, I noticed an array of signs: a T junction, and two caution signs. While, another lonely cone stood out while I was running. These landmarks are themselves imprints on the landscape; as one passes them it represents a segment of a journey being undertaken.

I hope to take these elements of my runs and intergrate them onto my canvas piece(which I have already added the second pair of imprints onto).

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Documenting Imprints - performance art.

For this piece, I recorded the footage, sped it up in Fast Motion x5, and narrated a segment over the footage explaining my intention.

I was inspired by my research into Paul McCarthy's performance art to record my process of making imprints with my running shoes. Whereas, McCarthy's performance art is quite shocking and disturbing, my intention is to record my runs through the process of imprints.

Imprints showcase movement, while repetition goes hand in hand with imprints and showcases the memory of movement.

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Artist Research - Paul McCarthy, Performance Artist.

After a suggestion from my painting tutor Eoin, I decided to research Paul McCarthy's work.

From my studies, Paul McCarthy's work has certainly influenced my plans, as I want to do some prefromance art of my own. Whereas McCarthy's work is quite provocative and disturbing, mine will be more toned down and subdued. Mine will not feature puppets or oversized facial features, but rather will showcase myself walking across/ or pressing my running shoes into a canvas.

Although, my intention is different to McCarthy's - his intention is to shock the viewer and disturb him or her, whereas my intention is to document and capture imprints that showcase movement.

Regardless, McCarthy's work was quite intriguing to look at - Piccadilly's circus (2003) and The Painter, were very thought provoking indeed. While, I feel he is a prime example of maximising on human emotion in response to his work.

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Printmaking - overlaying cont'd.

I layered different landmarks and elements of my runs (primary research) over one another using my printer, as I have done previously. I wanted to experiment with more imagery, and see what images would surface.

I combined my face and my with a cross walk (that turned out well with a gate previously), and seascapes with various elements found washed up on the shore (a disfigured bottle and sealion carcass).

The layering of imagery, was inspired by a YouTube documentary called Nested World stop frame animation, which was suggested by my printmaking tutor Fiona. I enjoyed the distorted aspect of the space world the artists created in the video and how images merged into one another.

Overall, these images represent imprints. Landmarks, washed up objects on a seashore, people and animals. All of which leave an impact on the landscape and leave of memory of movement.

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Print - documenting runs via shoe imprints etc.

Upon gathering primary research of landmarks from my my runs, it was suggested from my tutor Suzannah to use my running shoes as I have done previously and imprint them onto a big piece of paper (I found an unprimed canvas).

The idea is to overlap my running shoes on the page day by day after my runs, and add in elements of my runs into the image to document the experience.

Besides imprinting my running shoes onto the canvas (with black acrylic paint) , I also, decided to overlay two of the landmarks ontop of each other via my printer and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I stuck down the overlay onto the canvas in segments.

I am very exited to see the ongoing process and change that occurs to the canvas as the week goes on.

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Gathering Imagery - Primary Research Run #1

After a tutorial with Suzannah today for printmaking, we discussed possibilities for print for the remaining week or so. Suzannah suggested gathering imagery of landmarks and elements of my runs, as a means to document my experience moving forward. The idea is to take these elements and create a big piece from multiple runs to showcase movement through imprints.

Multiple elements stuck out to me on my run today: pedestrian crossings, a graveyard, a traffic cone, a local bridge, a peculiar tree, the seawall and my peristant cat Rick. After my run, I drove back around the route and documented the landmarks, as during the run my hand was too shaky to do so.

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Research - Printmaking recommendation.

https://youtu.be/CE5YM8k8S58

Upon speaking to my tutor printmaking tutor Fiona about my project I was encouraged to look at various research. For me, this short stop frame motion monoprint video stuck out. It had a beautiful, sweeping interplay of images and lot's of interesting shapes and textures.

I hope to take this work forward for inspiration for my work. Overall, from this footageI feel excited to play with images and merge them together somehow. I feel there is a lot of scope to manipulate imagery in print moving forward with my project.

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Animation - Poster #2. Home made paint backdrop.

I decided to redo my poster idea for promoting my Animation, as I was not wholly happy with my first result. For my second attempt, I used a reference image of me walking along a seaside pathway. While, the backdrop is from the beetroot, mustard and coffee piece I made as part of the painting elective.

Reference image.

Poster #1 (recap) :

I did not like how I blocked off my previous poster with black to put the writing on it. The background is covered and I feel it takes away from the allure of the mixed media piece (digital with home made paint and imprints).