Homestead Wrap Up
It was a wonderful week to see the printmaking 4 class show, Homestead sharing projects we had worked on for the entire semester displayed all week. It was a lot of work to instal all the prints but made a really wonderful exhibit, all the more rewarding to finally see through to completion! The show was amazing, the group photo even funnier and although we couldn’t all gather for the photo the artworks everyone made were spectacular and worth gawking at. Amazing job everyone and thank you for spending time with my tree. I really enjoyed unintentionally spooking Ross by playing musical instruments goofily, as it seems no one expects the kalimba and metal drums!
Further Show Documentation By Kyleigh
Grown From Regrets (big tree instructions)
The papers scattered through the tree are a collection of wishes and regrets offering the words and lessons that can be glossed over in the chaos of life. Instead of ending with the whispers of past hauntings and the calling of wishes to take root, this tree is a talking place. The thinner bookmark shaped cards are for anyone to write on and add to the tree their own message, regret or wish. Those same bookmark shaped cards are also allowed for people to take one home, to grow on a tree of their own instead. Make sure to give thanks to the tree and carefully hug the trunk before you leave. Allow this tree to be a place of growth, nurtured and supported by its surrounding community and the people that offer their time. Only through continued kindness and support not just when people are at their lowest can we lift each other up and feel loved.
Important information:
Please use this flashlight provided to illuminate the wider card shaped papers that appear mostly cream coloured, as this should help unveil their secrets. The card shaped papers are not to be removed from the tree or written on as they are the set of messages written by the artist. The thinner bookmark shaped blue imaged papers are open for public interaction to write on, or take home and do not require the flashlight.
Further reading on the tree
Note From Artist
I have debated if I would release my project proposal and thought process when making this tree in full. It was written about four months ago with all the different struggles I would have to sort out when creating the finished product and decisions that would have to be made. The overall writing is good but not a digestible format so temporarily, I will offer up some background.
Summary of iTreea (ideas behind big tree)
The tree is not a display or support for prints, rather its importance is in nurturing and creating a community knowledge base. Acting as a message board for visitors and the community anyone could try to grow a wish or uproot a regrets so that new seeds of joy could grow. A tree grown in such absurd conditions needs an attentive gardener to allow it to bloom. So I took the time to grow its branches creating an edition of fifty personal prints with UV colour changing ink publicly displaying my own wishes and regrets. The UV prints are made of six sigils labelling different emotions and connections to the writing attached.
The separate edition of around a hundred blue prints were another edition of sigils to ask for growth and rebirth. The images were repeated multiple times on each plate for printing but due to them be hand etched copper plates I could only get about seven good prints before I had to remake the entire set of plates. One thing intentionally omitted from direct explanation was the tree trunk and its fungal prints. The mushroom pastel patterns are made with temperature sensitive pigment that will change colour when heated. Still hoping to find a better heat retention solution, the tree was intended to respond to hugs and affection but only temporary; acting as a reminder that kindness and affection are rituals needing attention to be effectively conveyed.