Projects – Pore, 2007 – 2012

Pore is a participatory project I worked on between 2009 and 2012, setting out to create 200 small pieces of the facial features of sitters who wanted to be part of it.

This was really my first experience of a large project, and it grew out of the work I had been doing for my MA Fine art between 2005 and 2007, Red Roar, and self-portraits (see WORKS), which were responses to some difficult life experiences. For Pore, I wanted to look at and think about other people rather than myself, and I now see it as abridge towards what was to follow in my practice in terms of a dedication to process and materials and working in series.

Each piece started with a sitting at which I would begin make a small drawn study and take some images. There would then be a follow-up sitting for me to work on a prepared surface in silverpoint; this piece would be continued working from photographs, and would be the piece the participants would eventually have in return for their sponsorship, along with prints of any further developed pieces.

These works were created using a combination of linen on stitch (by hand), rabbit-skin glue and oil paint, so I am prepared for an element of in-built deterioration.  The date of each process is marked on the reverse, recording the growth into being of the pieces.

I eventually achieved 200 pieces, although from 88 sitters, painting some several times.