Thursday June 8, 2006

Screw ups, disasters and failures

Working title.

Many of you have been asking when I'm going to put out a new album. Hey, thanks for asking.

As you all know I've been travelling and performing a lot for the last couple of years. I've discovered that while I can write poems on the fly, songs is a different story. I seem to need a bit more time and space for songs.

So. I've decided to create my own 'residency'. I'm about to spend a couple of weeks at a bach in Waikanae - thanks to the lovely Kate and Mary Camp. It'll be a songwriting retreat.

Now if you're anything like me, the thought of having empty weeks ahead of me to create stuff into is as terrifying as it is exciting. What if I fail to make a lonesome thing? What if I screw up? What if the whole thing is a disaster?

Enter one Sian Torrington:

'Sian Torrington is an artist who works mainly with paper and drawing. Recently her pictures have been freed from the page and have begun climbing up the walls; there is now a paper forest growing in her studio. Previously a fashion designer, Sian finds that making art leaves more space for the appreciation of screw-ups, disasters and failures.'

The image above is from Sian's mixed media installation 'It's a Jungle In There', exhibited at ROAR! Gallery Wellington in February 06, and right now showing - underground - at 33 High Street Auckland (formerly 'The Box' nightclub).

The lovely Sian has stepped in to help me with my artist's angst. She has created fourteen beautiful Care Packages, numbered Day 1 - Day 14, containing objects and drawings, fragments of fabric and art from her studio, as well as the occasional encouraging little note: 'I am a letter, Read Me' or 'Day 10 - You Legend!' My job is to open one package a day, and use its contents as inspiration for a song.

Each package is a work of art in itself: a raw wood box sewing-pinned with ribbon that says 'mixed fibre'; a tube of corrugated cardboard rolled and tied with old doilie lace. Having a pile of 14 of these treasures to open feels better than Christmas. Sian's even made me one with a big red velvet cross on the front - for inspiration emergencies.

The good news for you lovely folk is that you can watch this process unfolding. The Fabulous Klixo Cousins have made me this fabulous new web-page. I'll be posting photographs and ramblings about the new album day by day, Care Package by Care Package.

Day 1 is tomorrow, Friday 9 June...Please visit regularly. And if you live in Auckland, go and visit Sian's exhibition.

Oh! Just so I don't find myself lying around with nothing to do, the dazzling Andrew Dalziel has just handed me a bunch of new photographs to write poems from.

God Bless the Visual Artist.

Contact Sian:  queensianATyahooDOTcoDOTuk

 

NB: all artworks copyright Sian Torrington 2006, all images copyright Hinemoana Baker 2006. Please don't reproduce them without the permission of both artists. Ta.