Valerian +64 days

Days are passing by fast, very fast...
Now is the time when you start thinking «did I use my time well during more than half of this residency ? Will I produce something relevant in the end ? What did I learn ?»
Weather is nice, very nice even, as Aber as been nominated as UK's warmest place a couple times. So it really feels nice to enjoy the sea breeze.

I have kept myself very busy during the past weeks.
First of all, a book making workshop in Wrexham, at the Regional Print Center with Michelle Rowley. Feels good to finally put some techniques on all this bits and pieces I gathered along the way.

Then 2 visits with the Aber Art Center in galleries in North and South Wales.

I keep on working on my Eigion/Le rivage project for the open studios that will be held on the 22nd august. A giant concertina book of pinhole sea landscapes at dusk and portraits of sea watchers. I can now access a bigger printer thanks to the School of Arts.

Also working on a small booklet named jours #, about transformation and relationship. I discovered the joys of digital design and double pages book printing nightmares ! Well that's how you learn and I love it so far.

For fun at week-ends, I still visit some old mine sites. Rather intringuing places

Valerian 40 days later

Two more weeks have gone by already.
Now that I am fully set up here things are getting more efficient and I am getting a clearer idea of where I am aiming at during this residency.
I have been experimenting a lot with bookmaking, using art papers and also scraps and recycled objects such as maps, and phone books.

Right now, it's still a little bit messy as I don't concentrate so much on quality but rather on playing and experimenting with this new medium.
One of the first books where I forced myself to do an actual good job was a unique piece named «on m'appelle mollet d'acier», which was a gift for my sister's 40th birthday.

This is quite important for me as I want to focus on more personnal issues during my residency, family included. So I had to spend a good time looking through family albums and understanding something of the point of view of my late father especially.
I am still documenting my activities on my instagram : http://instagram.com/realfocuszero/#

Also a couple pictures on my TumblR : http://focuszero.tumblr.com/

Including this one

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which will belong to one of my main projects here, a long and large concertina book of pinhole sea pictures.

Also started taking a look at old mine sites around wales... and there are many !

Anyway, also a good way to move around the country