COLUMNIST
Whatever you try,
shake things up and
you’ll be surprised how
the ideas will flow
OurcolumnistLAURABOSWELL reveals
howevenafewscrapsofdiscardedpaper
caninspireawholenewwayofworking
D
o you ever feel that you have too many options
when it comes to starting a new artwork?
The creative choices that seem easy when you
have a particular vision, plus a plan to accomplish it,
become a little harder to manage when inspiration is
thin on the ground and you are seeking ideas rather
than being driven by them.
Choosing the subject matter is the usual starting point
for an artwork, but if you are struggling for ideas it can
really help to come at your work from a different angle.
I recently completed a personal project that was driven
entirely by some very special paper, rather than by any
thoughts of an image.
During my residency in Japan earlier this year,
I bought eight narrow sheets of handmade mulberry paper.
The paper was made for a specific one-off project, andI bought the leftovers knowing
I would never be able to use that
particular paper again. By putting
the paper before my creative ideas,
I was inspired.
I designed an image that I
printed in eight different versions
to celebrate the individuality of
each piece of paper. The paper
dictated the design and a new
approach: making a series of
one-off prints, rather than my usual
way of creating a limited edition run
of matching prints. Of course, you
don’t need special paper for this.
Just moving focus from your subject
matter to your materials could
create a specific set of demands
that inspires your creativity.
Another aid is to have a back-up
set of ideas for when you’re
struggling to get started on a new
artwork. I often sit and doodle,
just scribbling away with nothing specific in mind. I pay
attention to the results and hang on to anything that I feel
may have some use. I have a drawer full of pieces of paper
covered in thumbnail ideas, random notes and abstract
shapes, some of which go back years.
When I am at a loss, I pull everything out of the drawer
and have a good look. New prints have often been inspired- or greatly helped along – by my collection of random
thoughts. Making new work with the help of my ideas
drawer always feels like a bonus, so I’m careful to bank
all my notes and jottings for a rainy day.
Whatever you try, whether it’s seeking inspiration
through materials or finding a use for that scribble you
did on the bus, shake things up and you’ll be surprised
how the ideas will flow.
http://www.lauraboswell.co.uk
ABOVE, FROM TOP
Near Applecross,
Dusk Light; Near
Applecross,
Evening Glow; Near
Applecross, Storm,
all woodblock
prints, 56x18cm