Drawing up ways to help plight of young beggars - Local - Derbyshire Times

Look what I found! This was a few years back now :D Drawing up ways to help plight of young beggars - Local - Derbyshire Times

The Distance Between

 

The Distance between is an introspection; a body of work exploring relationships, asperity, disposition, ephemerality and time. Perspectives executed by Jodie Cresswell-Waring & Sally Newham

Jodie Cresswell-Waring

'For me the notion of ‘the distance between’ began ruminating as a subject in 2009 when I was responding to the absence of someone across the miles. My work became concerned with communication and undetermined destiny. I wanted to involve ‘uninformed others’ by chance into baseless responses of ‘the distance between’ to query how ephemeral disposition can sensationalise emotions. Through these undertakings it was important that the methods I used reflected the sentiments I was investigating. I chose to use ephemeral and illusive modes to reach people that could be interacted with or ignored. These modes took the form of messages in bottles, questions in library books and on Chinese lanterns

 I leave this chapter open and await communication that might not return?'

The Distance Between #1, 2009

Digital Image

The Distance Between #2, 2009

Digital Image

The Distance Between #3, 2009

Digital Image

Over the past year ‘the distance between’ has transpired into several introspections. A majoring thread throughout the works is the distance of time and how this evokes external and internal perception. I am ever intrigued by the middle ground, reflecting on the past and second-guessing what is to arrive.

Despite trying to directly avoid confessional pieces much of the works are self-narratives or opinions upon gaining the title ‘wife’. This bestowed title has gifted an unfamiliar awareness of personal disposition. Some of the responses to this sentiment are cultivated, fictitious and some are in the realms of asperity. Others are based upon ‘expectancies’ and are portrayed through ambiguous expressions or dark humour.

The construction process and methods in creating the works are integral to informing the substance of the piece, as are the materials and objects used.  

Housewife, 2011

Cross Stitch 

Untitled, 2012

Bird Nest & Cactus

Left

Tick, 2012

Potty & Crushed Velvet

Right

Tock, 2012

Commode & Crushed Velvet

Me To You, 2011 

Me to you Cards, Balloon, Side Stand & Wilting flowers

 Below

Sally Newham & Jodie Cresswell-Waring

You To Them, 2011

Blank Cards, Writing Tools & A Line

An interactive piece executed by gallery visitors

Instructions

Populate a valentine’s card with text inserting the ‘unsaid’ to them. Then hang    

‘And they grow’ is a series of drawings investigating fictitious fertility. Linseed oil is injected with wood dye and crushed charcoal. From here the drawing organically grows uncontrollably over a period of 6 hours.  When reaching its final form the products are 6X greater than the original size and look embryo like.  

And They Grow #1-6, 2012

Raw Linseed Oil, Wood Dye & Charcoal On Paper

 

They Grow #2, 2012

Co-codamol & White Coffee 

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Sally Newham 

February was a very important time for this show to see its debut.  The thoughts and questions asked relate very much to the relationships we share with our loved ones.  In my mind it started with thinking about the being in a loving partnership but then my mind drifted to other important relationships that people form with each other and the world around them.  The pieces I created in response to my explorations of the theme have taken on some of the relationships that I feel are the most fundamental in life. The relationship with our parents informs us of who we are. The relationship with our home and the world informs are sense of place and happiness. Finally the relationship between life partners impacts on our values, aspirations, self-value and our sense of belonging. 

What struck me about these three relationships was how differently we all experience them and for me this is ‘the distance between’ people.  I felt I could only speak for myself and struggled with the idea of making sweeping statements about these fundamental human relationships and also not wanting to focus on my own experience. I was unsure how to create work that represented what I was thinking.  I realised that coming from a Live Art perspective where I normally ask people their ideas about the world I was not comfortable with giving answers and it seemed right for me that the works should be interactive. I wanted to be able to ask questions about these relationships, not give answers, but provide opportunity for the audience to give their answer and enable them to take control of the work; changing it or adding their own opinions. 

The answers will change as the audience interact with the work and this in itself will create conversation about the relationships and their views will represent ‘the distance between’.  

To hear about Sally's work in this exhibition visit: http://sallemanda.blogspot.com/