30th June Tuesday 2015

These more done, though only 4 bundles; taken all day. The next three photos are the same bundle. The pink one looks dull but works with the other stitched ones. Beginning to wonder if putting a pot of ashes pertaining to be burnt ones might be better... . Having a hard time keeping myself interested and have barely made a hole in the notebooks - many many more to go.

On the plus side attacked the too-pretty ones with masking tape and staples and string and they are much better though rather alarmed at what is clearly my embedded Good Taste.

Telling myself that is is a worthy project - not neurotic, - I'm still trying to find out what I can by doing it. Which justifies it. Anyway, there's time, I can always take a break.

29 06 2015 monday

A selection of yesterdays attempt to seal drawing books - they look like presents, or posh handbags. Will set about them today with stables and masking tape.

At this rate - about 10 a day - I'm never going to be ready in time - though of course I don't have to us all the drawing books.

28th June Sunday 2015

... got so bored with stitching books into shrouds that I trotted off to Carcassonne looking for an alternative. Bought some plastic envelope things to seal them into; have packed them and they're boring. Now need to think what to do and why. Long way to go on this project.

Miserably difficult, going through old work. Packed drawings into folders so that they'll be available and while I like the quality I'm astonished at the sheer volume of work. And I did it. I guess you just don't notice when you work every day that your producing stuff, I mean that its the action rather than the product and of course after a while I bung things into draws and folders and move on.

Had a throw out a couple of years ago, thank heavens.

The drawing books are dreadful. They are diaries and my life has been long and ostensibly pointless. Trying them up and making them unavailable is the best thing that can happen to them.

Will finish all this asap, get the book off and forget it till October when there will be time for panicking.

23rd June, Tuesday 2015

Here are 7 little notebooks enshrouded.... and three larger, in a closed bag.
The shrouded ones will probably be on a plinth with other shrouded ones and the bag thang ('I am that I am') is supposed to hang on the wall. Its much better than it looks.

Aiming to enshroud two more packets today... then to ask anyone with a drill if they can cut through paper. Need to drill through the centre of a pile -

22 June, Monday. 2015

Beside myself with excitement. Woke up knowing what to do with the Deptford show. Phew.


Obvious really. I've got all my notebooks stored in the archive room and for a while have been wondering about creating an installation around them. Now I'm doing a show about drawing... perfect.

Some will be readable but most will be sealed in some way, simply because I think thats more interesting. The contents are historic and not gripping; little drawings, studies for pix, shopping lists, phone numbers - I carry then everywhere so they cop the stuff of life. Private and not worth examining, though some I will make available to make this point.

First thing this morning I sewed a bag and put 4 notebooks into it, misread some words sticking out at the back as 'I am that I am' which is the title of that one then :)
Its very nice.

Have been decanting bags of drawings at random into plastic files; there can be a shelf of them, boring but meretricious (probably)
Tiring and melancholic work which is why Ive stopped to write this.

The gallery has some plinths that will take a pile or two.

I plan to drill through lots of the books, impale them on a spike and padlock them. Also to sew some into shrouds. And so  on.

It will be a decent show after all, now able to do the catalogue in this context, yeah

16th June 2015, Tuesday

Been away for a couple of weeks, hired to work with Esoteric Questers from NY. Good fun. Lots of imput from friends old and new but no clear vision for work. Au contraire, have become very wordy. Hey ho, will become wordy for a while and wait till it bores me. I guess.

1st june, Monday 2015

Prevaricating.
Cooking, cleaning, not-thinking.
On the plus side have nearly finished the notes for Drawn, and, joy of joys! Stuart has OK'd the drawings. Decided a long time ago that he was the only artist I knew that I trusted to comment on the work. Since he hasn't seen any of it develop or know any of its history, this would make him doubly dispassionate ( I thought).
Sent him the package in trepidation  and got fulsome praise and a clear green light.