Photoshoot!
As I've written about previously, I've been busy getting ready for an exhibition of some of my wallpaper designs in a case at Perth Museum. It is very exciting as the date draws nearer. Part of the preparation is the design of panels to explain various parts of the processes and context. These will feature some photos of me - and the extremely talented Collections Officer Paul Adair with Culture Perth and Kinross offered to take my photograph for this purpose. Not only is he a very experienced photographer - he also has curated the exhibition The Dark Room which recently opened at Perth Art Gallery. This is dramatically situated upstairs in the cupola of the building, which is a treat in itself to see. The exhibition tracks the style and techniques of pre digital photography. These images are so rich and textured, very unlike the perfection of digital photography. I highly recommend a visit.
The 'photoshoot' was due to take place in the vaults of Perth Art Gallery, where the extraordinary collections are based. My designs are based on a number of birds held in the collections. I arrived to find that Paul had set up various lighting sources in the Natural History section, where numerous taxidermy birds can be found. It includes the Andean Cock of the Rock bird at the top of this post. The male has a huge crest: a completely over the top, feathered pink ruff which almost obscures its beak. One of my wallpaper designs is based on this bird - and I love the image which Paul has captured of me holding this fantastic specimen.
This photograph of me sketching a giant egret is another favourite. I have created a linocut and wallpaper design based on this bird (read about it here) - I love the elegant swoop of its neck - and Paul has captured this perfectly. This is a very well preserved, beautiful specimen, and I changed very little about it for the purposes of my design. Although some may find it upsetting to see birds used as taxidermy, I appreciate the fact they were an essential resource for naturalists when travel was more limited - and Paul said that increasingly, they are also being used as artists as a source of inspiration.
Finally, we went to the strong room, to take some photos of me with a poster which inspired me. It is a true masterclass in printmaking. There is the skill of creating these separate colour blocks in red, yellow, blue and black which register (that is, line up) perfectly. There are the details and texture created through dots and a mixture of line weights, from very thin to very thick. All of this is combined to create an image which is highly animated and full of life. Paul captured a lovely photo of me with this incredible poster. I love the fact that a highly skilled 21st Century photographer - alongside my terrible photography on my Google Pixel phone - have captured these vintage printmaking skills.
