I found it difficult to muster enthusiasm for this project. I have explored different and unusual painting mediums previously and have always returned to paint, either acrylics, traditional oils or aqua oils. I believe that I have become comfortable with these materials although I realise that I have plenty more to discover about these materials. Their application, the way I can apply them. The options seem to be endless. I also consider myself to be, primarily, a painter. My chosen method of communication is via paint. Although I can see the merits in trying out different mediums and this in turn can open up other avenues of exploration i don’t feel that this is beneficial to me at this time.
It was with this in mind that I approached this exercise, less than enthusiastic. My first idea was to create a collage type painting using the feathers from one of our chickens plus the remnants of a pigeon that had been mauled in the garden. It was mainly the practical things that took my thinking. How to arrange the feather and how to adhere them to a support? The first method was to apply PVA adhesive to card and stick the feather to it in a random fashion. The result was a disastrous mess.
Next I took a more considered approach to arrange the chicken feathers in various shapes and patterns until I had one that I thought would try to make permanent.
Work in progress
I encountered the same problem of how to adhere the feather to a support. I had chosen to use an acetate as the support as I imagined that the resulting painting could have multiple viewpoints. Note I now realise that using PVA adhesive to fix feathers to a support is not a good idea. The PVA ruins the feathers by ruffling them up. Also it doesn’t hold the feathers in place whilst it is drying. This makes the arrangement difficult to maintain. Applying sellotape to hold them in place doesn’t improve the process. Whilst the PVA was wet I added salt, pepper and some dried mixed herbs. At least the chicken was seasoned!
The resultant collage is reproduced in four formats below. I used two backgrounds, one dark, one white to take photographs. The photographs were enhanced by either sharpening of softening the images.
I realise that rather than a experiment with alternative painting materials I have created a collage with chicken feathers. This misses the point of the exercise I know.
It was whilst working through this exercise that an additional experimental project was suggested to me. Painting with soap. I had noted previously in the course material the reference to Rashid Johnson using soap as a painting medium but hadn’t followed up this idea. Completely independently the suggestion to try to use soap to paint with had come from Marian, my wife. She had observed my struggles and seen the resulting feather paintings and suggested that I should try soap as a material. I was sceptical but agreed to give it a go. I will document this process and the result in a separate blog. Note that at this point I hadn’t seen the soap paintings of Rashid Johnson so was in no way influenced by them. The results are, unsurprisingly, entirely different.
Mark Taylor 'Studio Practice' 