Solving a series of making problems has formed the core of my investigation of the everyday in this project: I have produced objects from unconventional materials that might be considered purely functional or “everyday”. 

I am fascinated by the way careful attention to subtleties within the ordinary can be rewarded with the pleasure of discovering the extraordinary. My interest is in the way art might contribute to the possibility of relearning; of slowing down the process of looking, and thus aid our living and help to actively participate in moments of presence.

My work relates to the fields of design and design art, and I have been informed by DIY crafts and Tim Ingold’s Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture. It has been important to my thinking in describing the joy of sensory experience and the therapeutic process of the production of handmade objects. My research essay explores various strands of the art discourse surrounding the theme of the everyday. I am still in the learning process of how much of my non-art practice feeds into my art practice and vice versa. I see the two interfacing with each other as art becomes part of the everyday and my everyday becomes my art.

My making processes have been reliant on the weather and other natural phenomena. I position myself as a facilitator, rather than as someone in control of the situations and materials. The materials are collected by exploring my everyday locations, which I then select by seeking those with the greatest potential for further modification through sensory experiments. Improvisation and sustainable living are also relevant to my work, as explored by artists Xin Cheng and Chris Berthelsen in their ongoing collaborative projects with their local communities. Having a sense of playfulness and childlike imagination as a starting point to the process of making has always been a personal motivation. Keri Smith’s writing has reminded me on many occasions how ‘fun’ can be discovered anywhere and at any moment when I approach the world with curiosity.  

Ordinary consists of two bodies of works: sculptures placed around the exhibition space, which create a room-like atmosphere, and a diary of paintings. Each watercolour is painted at the end of the day as a reflection on my daily experiences. It developed from the joy of a new project into immersion in nostalgic memories, incapacitation by deep anxiety, surprises and the subsequent rediscovery of myself.   

There is a presence of time within the work; the momentary traces left allow time to be lived as a narration. Time affects the objects; therefore, it becomes a material to collaborate with. The unforced use of materials seems to result in the never-ending aesthetic; where they will continue to transform, sometimes decay and regenerate depending on the surrounding environment.