A lot can happen in a day - Spoken Word Workshop

The second part of my workshop at Turf Projects was a Spoken Word workshop. Leading on from the Reading Group in the morning session, I gave the group a number of options about the dirrection they wanted the workshop to take. Given that the group would be performing the outcome of the session, they decided that they were most interested in using the text within the publication as a starting point (as opposed to writing their own text), and thinking about how to reinterpret it and deliver it as a spoken word performance.



The text chosen for the performance was called 'As planned', and it was written in two columns, with each column suggesting a different character. It had previously been performed by two people, each of whom read one column of the text.





The group reinterpreted the text and identified there being four characters - a father figure, a mother figure, the subject, the internal thoughts of the subject.



We began by taking each sentence and identifying which character was speaking.





Most of the text remained the same as the original, but we did change the tense used by the internal thoughts of the subject.



Once we had identified the different characters, we tested out assigning different roles to different people in the group.



After some experimentation, we agreed on the line up for the performance. 

The natural interpretation was that the subject was younger than the father and mother figure, so we decided to mix that up and use one of the older members of the group to perform the character of the subject.





We then tested out the positioning of the performers in relation to the audience.



We decided where the audience would sit and set out the seating as it would be for the performance. 

We positioned one of the characters (the internal thoughts of the subject) amongst the audience so as to differentiate it from the other characters.



We filmed ourselves rehearse and re-watched the footage so as to identify any habits that were problematic or ways that the performance could be improved.

Oh how I love receiving parcels...especially when they contain art!

I've been genuinely moved by the number of wonderful artworks that I have received from artists all over the UK and abroad in response to my recent publication with UnstapledPress, A lot can happen in fifteen minutes.

I have invited artists, writers and musicians to submit creative responses to the text and diagrams in the publication. These artworks will be presented at a closing exhibition event at NewBridge Books / PH Space tonight, Friday 11th November, 6-8pm, with performances at 7pm.

I'm very curious as to what people will create, and am interested in finding out how people connect to the text. 

The list of contributors is impressive, and there is a real range of work that will be exhibited. Over the past couple of weeks I have been receiving parcels, dropbox links, files via WeTransfer, emails with descriptions of performances and messages from artists who will bring their work on Friday afternoon.

I sometimes find that people are reluctant to talk about the art at openings, but I want to create a situation whereby people are encouraged to discuss the works. One way in which I have tried to do this is to invite the contributors to the gallery on Friday afternoon to help co-curate the exhibition, and for us to have some discussion about how people arrived at the artwork that they made. I have an inclination that people will be more open to talk about the work if they have spent time with it, and developed an understanding of the work. It would seem reasonable to believe that, in order to make a meaningful artwork in response, the contributors have put considerable thought into how they are to respond to the publication. I hope that the act of curating the exhibition together, we discuss some of these thoughts and ideas.

No Niceties - Friday 11th November 2016, 6-8pm, PH Space, 2nd Floor, NewBridge Studios, Newcastle

No Niceties

A lot can happen in fifteen minutes Closing Event

Friday 11th November 2016, 6-8pm

Performances at 7pm

PH Space, 2nd Floor, NewBridge Studios and NewBridge Books

14 New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AW

Life moves faster than people. There are times when just being can leave a person completely bewildered.

Feelings of disorientation, isolation and social anxiety lie at the heart of ‘A lot can happen in fifteen minutes’.

A collaboration between artist Helen Shaddock and the independent publishing house UnstapledPress, the risograph publication features a selection of Shaddock’s humorous texts and sketches alongside playful and colourful patterns and diagrams. Shaddock’s wistfully penned vignettes invite meditation on relationships, personal history, habits and the awkward mundane. Everything has come feet over handlebars. You have lost your balance.

For this closing event, Helen Shaddock has invited artists, writers and musicians to submit creative responses to the text and diagrams in the publication. 

Contributors include: Gary Bolam, Kathryn Brame, Sean Burn, Susie Davies, Stella Dixon, Jez Riley French & Pheobe Law, Sarah Grundy, Ute Kirkwood, Edwin Li, Rosie O'Grady, Fang Qi, Sabina Sallis, Helen Shaddock, David Sherry, Cecilia Stenbon, Kate Stobbart, Sofija Sutton & Holly Wheeler

These artworks will be presented in the PH Space on Friday 11th November. Collaborative artwork and the publication will be in NewBridge Books.

Readings at 'A lot can happen in fifteen minutes' publication launch at NewBridge Bookshop

Reading One - 5 readers are dispersed around the gallery and are mingling with the audience.
  
Reader 1 reads the first paragraph from one of the texts within my publication.
Reader 2 reads the second paragraph from the text
Reader 3 reads the third paragraph from the text
Reader 4 reads the fourth paragraph from the text
Reader 5 reads the fifth paragraph from the text
The readers close the publication they are holding.

Reading 2 - 2 readers face each other.

1 reader reads the left column of text in the publication
The other reader reads the right column of the text in the publication 

Reading 3 - 6 readers form a circle facing outwards towards the audience.

All readers read the same text at the same time, but the speed at which they read is varied.
During the middle of the text, readers stop after they have said 'These awkward silences'.
There is an awkward silence.
The readers begin reading the rest of the text, but stagger when they start, meaning that the final words of the text is read by one person alone.

Thanks due after launch of A lot can happen in fifteen minutes

Thanks to all who came to NewBridge Books for the launch of A lot can happen in fifteen minutes, my risograph publication produced in collaboration with UnstapledPress.



With so much going on as part of Microlates in Newcastle, I was very pleased to see such a great turnout throughout the night. 

As well as working with UnstapledPress on the risograph publication, we created a number of collaborative collages which are currently exhibited in NewBridge Books.



We also shared the joyous task of threading packing peanuts onto lengths of thread which are installed in the window space of NewBridge Books.

Huge thanks go to Cathy, Holly, Deanna and Rene from UnstapledPress who have been such a wonderful team to work with.



Cathy created a sound work that was playing throughout the evening, and Holly even made a jelly to mark the occasion!



I also had an amazing group of readers to help with the readings at tonights launch. We read three of the texts contained within the publication, and each were read in a different fashion. For the first reading we were all distributed throughout the audience, with the audience not knowing who would deliver the next sentence.



The second text involved two readers who were facing each other, one taking the role of 'them' and the other taking the role of 'you'. 

For the final reading we all stood in a circle, our faces looking into the audience and away from each other. We all began reading the text at the same time, but naturally we became out of synch. 

Sarah, Stella, Michaela, Pheobe and Edwin; thanks a million for helping out - you were AWESOME!

My thanks also go to Kuba at NewBridge Books for his support, assistance with install and for supplying the groovy tunes that kept us dancing into the night!

Installing at NewBridge Books with UnstapledPress

After another session of threading packing peanuts, I met up with Deanna, Cathy and Rene of UnstapledPress who arrived armed with more packing peanut ribbons. 



We began installing in NewBridge Books in readiness for the launch of our recent publication, A lot can happen in fifteen minutes. 



As I was up the ladders attaching the threads to the ceiling in the bookshop window, I got an idea of what it must be like to be a window dresser. I must admit that I rather fancy doing the Fenwicks window display (although I would like a less wobbly pair of ladders please!)



 Hours later and we have a packing peanut curtain!

Next we will complete hanging the collages, get the books and sound sorted and rehearse ready for the launch from 7-11pm with the readings taking place at 8pm. Should be fun!

A day of threading packing peanuts

In preparation for the launch of A lot can happen in fifteen minutes, (my recent publication with UnstapledPress), I spent today threading packing peanuts onto lengths of thread.





Enough said!

Come along to NewBridge Books from 7-11pm on Friday 28th October to discover the threaded packing peanuts for yourself!

First contribution to the closing exhibition received

I am delighted at the number, range and quality of the artists that have accepted my invitation to respond to my publication A lot can happen in fifteen minutes, published in collaboration with UnstapledPress.

The publication is being launched at NewBridge Books on Friday 28th October, 7-11pm with readings at 8pm and an exhibition. There may even be jelly!

The exhibition will last for 2 weeks but will be changed for the closing event on Friday 11th November, between 6-8pm. The closing event will be a showcase of work produced and curated by a group of artists, musicians, writers, creatives who have responded to A lot can happen in fifteen minutes.

I've just received my first response, and it is very interesting to study the ways in which the artist has responded to the publication, and notice particular points of interest. I am curious to see what others create.

Planning the next stage of the Shaddock:UnStapledPress collaboration

Over the past couple of weeks UnStapledPress and I have been generating ideas for the next stage of our collaboration with the publication A lot can happen in 15 minutes.

We are delighted to be working with NewBridge Books, and there will be a number of things to attend and take part in during October and November.

Last night (after a rather delicious homemade Thai red curry) we continued our planning and developed some ideas for a Newcastle launch event, exhibition and for want of a better word, closing event. We'd love to take this, or a similar setup, further a field.

A lot can happen in fifteen minutes

I'm really pleased that my recent collaborative publication, 'A lot can happen in fifteen minutes' with UnstapledPress is getting positive feedback.

Come see it now as part of my installation 'Everything Will Be Alright' at the Newcastle University MFA Exhibition 2016.



They are printed using risograph printing, making each one (I have 75 copies)an original artwork.

Publications can be bought from Newcastle University throughout the exhibition and online or in person.

Waiting for the postman...

After weeks of work, the publication that I have been working on with UnStapledPress is in the post and the printers have sent a few photos to give us a sneaky peek of what is to come.

To see it in person, come to the MFA Exhibition 2016 at Newcastle University which opens tonight (Friday 19th August 2016) at 6pm. The exhibition runs until Saturday 3rd September, and is open Monday-Saturday from 10am-5pm each day.

In the hands of the printers

In the last few months I have been working with UnstapledPress to create a publication containing a collection of my texts along with some drawings. It has been an exciting process, and has been a real technological learning curve for us all. When we started the process,  my photoshop skills were limited and I had a lot of skills and techniques to learn in order to realise my ideas. I have surprised myself; through experimentation and by asking lots of questions to photoshop pro's, I have become more confident with the tools and have enjoyed creating the designs. 

Don't get me wrong, I am in no way a whizz on photoshop and I have plenty still to learn. Working with the team at UnstapledPress was super and we taught each other skills that we had gained.



Now we have sent it off to HATO, the printers, who will be using risograph to produce the publications. We look forward to receiving the proof print shortly. 

Page designs for forthcoming publication

I'm really enjoying working with Unstapled press to develop the page designs for my forthcoming publication. My intention is for the text to remain the most important part of the publication but for the layout of the text to work with the content of the text. I am using colour and patterns to make the publication more visually appealing and interesting.

Reviewing design ideas with Unstapled Press

I've been brainstorming some ideas for designs for pages in my publication. I am wanting to use risograph printing, and although I do not want to illustrate the texts, I do want the book to be visual and for the images/design to work with the text. I've been thinking of the tone of the texts, the references to spatial layouts that are often included in the texts, and the list-like order and regularity that many of the texts take.

Here are a few of my initial ideas that I discussed with Unstapled Press when we met earlier today.