Getting there

i have been wading my way through wet starchy collars and tiny letters. almost finished now so here are a few images so far. there are a total of nine collars all in varying states of deconstruction.

alternative, misfit and outsider

 i found the easiest way to unpick them was wet as dry they are rock solid with starch. surprisingly for a conservator i found it rather therapeutic to unpick them; perhaps its time to change jobs!

small bolts and nuts hold pieces together like the 'nuts and bolts' of society

each letter was individually made from various recycled bits and bobs based on the typeface 'ransom note'

misfit

 i have thought carefully about each collar and how it should be re-formed depending on the image it is to represent. i need to think now whether to add more to the collars working with the numbered laundry tags but that's for next week.

Happy New Year everyone, I like the look of 2015 something about the 5.

New work, a start

it has taken a time but one weekend retreat and some new found enthusiasm has motivated me. 'STA' are having an exhibition at Ilminster Arts Centre next year. Theme is 'On the Edge' so i have been looking at people and in particular people on the edge of society.
sometime ago i bought a box of men's white collars, beautiful things in their own right but all together they create an interesting mass.

Box of 'Summit' collars

heavily starched they don't feel like textile, more like cardboard and the idea of wearing them - no thanks!

 i am using them as my metaphor for society and white collar workers however i found them too rigid and straight so decided to deconstruct them. this was easier psychologically than i thought it would be, the fun creative side winning over the accredited conservator. it was actually highly therapeutic.

this is still very much work in progress. as before i am using text and building up individual words but you can see how exciting the collar has become now it is deconstructed, like deconstructing society to find those on the edge.