The gallery as studio

It is such a luxury to be able to work in the gallery for a few weeks prior to my exhibition, and I feel very fortunate. I would not have been able to produce the work I am making if I had not been based here.

Firstly, the gallery is a large space, allowing me to have several things on the go at the same time. For instance, I currently have moulds that have been filled with plaster and left to set, casts that have been removed from the moulds waiting to be and covered in polymer, moulds that are ready for cleaning, and moulds that are cleaned and are waiting to be filled with plaster.

The work I am making involves lots of casting, and this is a messy process requiring lots of space. I try to keep different areas for different tasks, separating the wet and dry areas, and the clean from the messy. One area is where I mix the coloured plaster and pour it into the moulds, another area is where I turn out the casts from the moulds and leave them to dry, another area is where I coat the casts in polymer, and another area is where I leave the casts to dry once they have been covered in polymer.

When making work on such a scale, it is efficient to follow a systematic production line, and for this to happen, space is required!

Another benefit that comes with working in the gallery is that one gets to know the space and this can help influence the work and how it is installed. New ideas are formed, and site specific works can happen. One gets a sense of how people navigate the space, and this can help when it comes to positioning the work at install.

My huge thanks go to Ruth and the 1 Royal Terrace committee for giving me the opportunity to work in the wonderful space that is 1 Royal Terrace. I will certainly miss it!