CIRCLES OF SOLITUDE
Series
2016
Solitude Circle 1
(Glass & Paint) 2016
10 MIN. York England
In a given space
I am sat on a large piece of paper 2 x 2 meters.
I am sat in its centre with a glass dish of black paint and a small drinking glass with two felt bands running round its top and bottom rim.
I dip the felt bands of the glass into the paint and place it in front of myself on the paper.
Repeatedly I roll the glass around, enclosing myself in the black paint lines that are created.
Section from Solitude Circle 1 (Glass & Paint) 2016
Solitude Circle 1 (Glass & Paint) 2016
Solitude Circle 2 (Long Handled Paint Brush) 2016
10 MIN. York England
In a given space
I stand on a large piece of paper 2.5 x 2.5 meters.
Stood in the centre of the paper I have a bucket of water and glass dish of black paint at its side.
I am holding a long paint brush made from a curtain tie tassel attached to a bamboo cane.
I dip the brush into the water then the paint and begin to draw a circle around myself on the paper.
I hold the brush at its full length for full effect.
Solitude Circle 2 (Long Handled Paint Brush) 2016
Solitude Circle 3 (Charcoal) 2016 20 MIN. York England
In a given space
Working on a large piece of paper 2 x 2 meters
I start sat in the centre of the paper with a pile of charcoal I have made myself to the side.
Taking a piece of charcoal I use the full stretch of my arm from sitting to draw out the shape of the circle, turning to the back to complete the other side.
I use the charcoal to draw a circle around myself, embodying the movement, using my feet as well as my hand to draw.
Each piece of charcoal I have made draws differently creating a variety of textures on the page.
Solitude Circle 3 (Charcoal) 2016
Solitude Circle 1 (Glass & Paint) 2016
Solitude Circle 2 (Long Handled Paint Brush) 2016
Solitude Circle 2 (Long Handled Paint Brush) 2016
Solitude Circle 3 (Charcoal) 2016
Solitude Circle 3 (Charcoal) 2016
A Repetitive Task
I repeated Solitude Circle 3 within a 20 minute collaborative performance with other students who were also exploring ideas around solitude. The performance took place on 22nd of April 2016 at York St John University. We combined our different small isolated performances to create an immersive experience for the audience as a way of showcasing our independent practical exploration. It also allowed me to discover the benefits of the repetitive nature of the performances I have created.
The repetitive nature of the creation of my circles from ‘Solitude Circle’ 1 to 3 is something I will continue to explore within my practice. Though the act of creating the circles involves drawing in roughly the same motion, no circle will ever be the same. The possibilities of methods to create my circles and the materials that I use to do so are only restricted by my own creativity, meaning this exploration could go on for a long time to come.
The act of creating the circle in different places and environments, bringing it to a space in which it did not previously exist is something that interests me greatly. I am generating material in front of an audience starting with nothing and ending with an actual tangible image.
By repeating the process again and again in different environments, circle by circle, my understanding of what the circle makes me feel and my connection to it will grow. I will begin to understand the shape and how the shape affects me and the audience.
