Here I am back in 2022, stumbling around in the dark in front of a night-vision camera, hoping to receive a signal. It was part of a field trip to Durlston Country Park in Dorset with Megan Calver - and it's found its way into our new moving image work The Signal and the Noise.
Recent
years have been quite a struggle for me (and I know I'm not the only
one) - earning a living while sustaining an art practice, collaborating
with others while holding on to some space for myself, and making
endless applications for funding, commissions and shows...quite apart
from the difficult life (and world) stuff that's been going on.
When
I became seriously ill last year and was forced to take time out, I
thought twice before re-entering the fray. But I'm glad I did because
2024 has been such a creatively enriching year. I was lucky enough to be
awarded ACE DYCP funding to explore moving image practice. Over 8
months, it feels as if I've been topped up with the energy I need to
create and develop new work, when previously it felt like every new
project was a further drain on an almost-empty tank.
I've
had amazing contributions from my long-term collaborator Megan Calver,
who did a lot of the groundwork for this film with me during our
previous projects Clouded Border and Delicate Instruments, as well as
joining me to generate new footage and giving valuable feedback during
the editing process - all this, while coping with her own challenging
circumstances. Thank you, Megan.
The
film has also benefited enormously from the generous mentoring and
support of Luke Hagan, Liberty Smith and Kate Paxman, as well as the
many discussions I had with the DOCLAB group at Exeter Phoenix and my
peers at CAMP. And a special mention for Jez Riley French, who really
opened my ears on a field recording course last October.
It's
not all been plain sailing - from time to time, I've been very
stressed, tired and lost. I also know that when the DYCP ends (soon),
there are considerable hurdles ahead.
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