Artisans working away

Had a really good conversation with the bookbinders today. All the printing is complete and the case binding is underway. They are such skilled artisans and it is a traditional craft that would be familiar to the Victorians who once waited in the Parlour Room. The books are going to look amazing with case bound spines, buckskin covers, gold embossed lettering and thick satin paper. Soon people will be able to while away the time in the Parlour with stories a plenty to lead them back in time.


Brenton is well ahead with the daguerreotypes now, so the project is on program to complete by the end of September as planned.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the subtle silvery portraits of Dennis and Joan and catch my own reflection in the mirrored surface as I search for their faces.


Lucy 

Learning about the River from Gravesend lives.

There was news of a fatality in a tug accident on the Thames on Friday. A teenage crew member of the tug Chieftain was drowned when it capsized off Greenwich Pier in south London. I was in Gravesend on Friday and Saturday talking to Joan and Dennis, both of whose lives have been affected by accidents on the Thames. Even though I am a Londoner I have never really thought about the river as being a dangerous place. But having learnt from their experiences I now see it in a different light and read the report of the accident with a new found sympathy.


I am in the final stages of finalizing my artwork for the Old Town Hall and have started the production of each of the elements. It has been good to have such positive and helpful feedback from people and I am looking forward to installing the work in September.

Creative frenzy

Have just had a extremely full on but satisfying week of working on my art project. 
Saturday - 

• Writing up stories from the DL archive

Sunday - 

• More writing and image editing.

Monday - 

• More writing and interviewing Joan and Jean in Gravesend. Preparing photograph/image concepts.

Tuesday - 

• Visiting Brenton in Oxfordshire to find out about the Daguerreotype process. More writing.

Wednesday - 

• Visiting experienced HLF artist's collective for mentoring advice on project development. Transcribing the interview with Joan.

Thursday - 

• Researching Joan's stories in Gravesend library. Designing the framing and setting for the installation. Researching hanging options. 

Friday - 

• Designing the art book and setting up an Indesign template.

Saturday - 

• Working through the graphics for the book in photoshop and inputting text and images into the Indesign template.

Sunday - 

• Composing the contents of the art book, researching artisan printer/binders and sending out quotation requests. 

Going well! 
Lucy