And of course, a lot of my time has been spent on organizing the new website - for my professional work at
http://betsywowart.wordpress.com/
I managed to upload some video to Youtube (it takes ages) and also some animation. So keep watching the new website - I will get them posted there eventually - there is something wrong with the links from the Influences page at the moment, but you might be able to click here to access the Favourite Animations .
Actually, I shouldn't be moaning - I have had a chat with Joey and he has given me some tasks to do on Monday towards the Parish Centre portrait:
Go to the Centre and photograph the painters at work, especially little details of brushes etc
Ask for the copies of the old photos and scan them in
Ask in the college for model details of cameras we could borrow (he suggests using the same camera for all shots.
Photograph youngsters in playground - take the form and ask the teacher to distribute them
Prepare a Shot List for the shoot.
He suggests that we aim to do the shoot near the end of March as he has something else coming up in April, not to mention Easter.
As for the Bipolar Balance piece, Mary and I went shopping - did I mention before that I had already bought the Wii controller.? Today we got
the bamboo pole,
a panel of willow which I hope to turn into a stand,
chain for the trays,
two trays in case we can't get transparent ones made in the college,
hooks to hold the pole, and
hyacinth bulb glasses which I plan to use instead of whiskey glasses.
So I really should be feeling on top of the world that both pieces are under weigh.
Maybe I do need to take a day off to nurse this cold, and not cod myself into calling it a 'rest' just because I am not going out in the cold and spending a couple of hours travelling.
That first day I wnet there, some time in November, I had no idea what was before me, and felt a bit nervous going in the narrow gate, across the little yard, and in the door to the glass-fronted reception desk.
From that moment - I felt at home. The receptionist on duty that day, was friendly and smiling, and passed my message on to the office upstairs, and in a few minutes I was guided up along the passage and through the big hall where some folk were sitting around a big table. Through more doors, past glass-cases full of trophies, up the stairs, and into John Gallagher's office.
Again, the feeling of being made welcome.
And that's how it has been on each visit - welcome and willingness to give me whatever help I needed. John wasn't the only person I spoke to. There was Sr Laurentia, and there was Gerry who told me about the various activities that take place over a month in the centre.
By degrees, I was beginning to think of this place as having an identity of its own, separate from the individuals who use it. The idea began to grow in my mind of doing a portrait of the building - just as it is at this one moment of time.
Then as I thought of portraiture, I began to think of the layers of time-based identity that are behind every face we see, the faces of all the yesterdays, piled one on the other.
So in my finished piece, maybe I will be able to include past and present, in some way ...
What is motivating me? I think it is a way for me to return to the Centre, both in the sense of honouring the gift they have given to me, but also in the sense of giving me an opportunity to be with these people whose company I enjoy.
What gave me the idea of doing this piece? Well, I think it started with my initial visit to this building in the course of researching what ended up as the Coombe - Old and New piece before Christmas 2008.
I had only vaguely noticed the shabby building before this, not even knowing whether it was in use or not. the windows were covered in screens, and access wasn't obvious.
It was one morning, walking up Francis Street, on my way to college that I saw a woman standing outside the chiropodist's. What I noticed was that she was without stockings despite the chilly weather, and I wondered if her feet were sore, and was that why she was waiting to have them seen to. As I drew near, she greeted me with a cheerful 'Hello'. I replied 'Good morning', as I advanced a step or two, almost past where she was standing.
but in a moment of inspiration, I returned to her and asked her did she know of anywhere I could meet up with older people in the area to find out their opinions regarding the forthcoming restoration plans for the area. She immediately, and with enthusiasm suggested I go to the Parish Centre opposite Francis St Church. A few days later, I made my first visit.
JUST HAD TWO GREAT TUTORIALS. First with Claire who gave me good suggestions for things I could do with both projects. PARISH CENTRE portrait. My feeling about this is that when a portrait of a person is painted today, That is to-day's face, But yesterday's face is hidden behind today's face, the the previous day's face, and all the faces back to childhood are to be seen in today's face. I'm seeing a building in a similar light - as if the traces of today and all the yesterdays, and all the people and events of this place are still present today.
Tried to find something about making a portrait online - not easy - plenty of commercial packages, but found a nice Powerpoint presentation. I don't have Powerpoint on my computer, but I was able to save it and then upload it to Google Docs online.
Re BIPOLAR BALANCE, Claire out of the blue suggested I might like to look at Blue in which Derek Jarman struggles with illness.
TUTORIAL WITH BEN Great to know that Bipolar Balance is eminently doable. Plan is to use a Wii controller which I have to have for our next session. He also made a suggestion that instead of using a cut-out figure to hold the bamboo in the installation, I might find something suitable in a gardening shop that would keep the gardening theme which I see as symbolic of where I go when I'm a bit bipolar minus.
Began by taking a look at the program Anthony gave me to use for converting Photo to Movies - a bit more sophisticated than the Ken Burns effect in iMovie.
Almost the first thing I read in the manual was the suggestion that you fit the pictures to the sound - which is what I did in the COOMBE - Old and New piece. well, I haven't really given thought to what the Portrait will sound like, so I went to YouTube to sample some tours to get ideas.
First thing I realize is that a film (even if made of stills) will need a 'script' of some sort. I think I expected that the script would come from the visuals, but now I'm not so sure.
As for music - I'm a bit paranoid about copyright and royalties, so possibily the safest thing is either to use something in public domain, or write and perform something myself!
Just made the start of a P2M movie with the BW Coombe photos. Could be promising
What do I need to report to Claire during this tutorial? I think she will want to know about four or five areas:
The aftermath of the ASSESSMENT and if their are any outstanding issues that need clarification.
Am I still on track to do the two piecesI have set myself for the end of term show?
What stage I am at regarding the Parish Centre PORTRAIT?
What stage I am at regarding the BIPOLAR BALANCE?
Am I prepared to lead the discussion online on Wednesday morning?
Outstanding from the assessment are the efforts I have been putting in to completing the COOMBE DVD's, particularly with a view to giving a copy to John Gallagher, and also to the Architectural Archive. I have had an hour of tuition with Michael with particular reference to taking photos, with my particular camera. Arising from this, I have re-scanned some of the pictures which I had previously photographed, and saved them as tifs instead of as jpgs. Re-editing the video to insert the new images is very slow, but I am getting there. Regarding doing the two pieces Yes I am still planning on doing the two pieces, that is I still have an intense interest in both topics. However, both are going very slowly, and I feel I am making little or no progress. If this state of affairs continues with both cases, I might have to settle for just doing one. Thinking about which is more important to me, I settled for the Bipolar Balance. The Parish Centre Portrait could be done later if necessary.
What stage I am at regarding the Parish Centre PORTRAIT? ADMINISTRATION I have visited the centre, and confirmed with John Gallagher that I can proceed. He said the centre is covered for insurance. He said the Centre will organize any permissions needed for children to appear. TECHNICAL
I have watched the DVD regarding the Steadicam, and had a practice with Julia's assistance, using one of the college cameras. It was very heavy, and no way could I see myself being able to film for any length of time with it.
I also did some practice with my own camera at home, using the tripod as a steadicam.
The results were poor, in fact abyssmal.
I am now wondering if my life would be simpler if I just took photos and gave up the idea of using video.
Another option would be to get someone else to do the camera work - but after doing the Camino/theatre lights piece, I realize that directing someone else to do the camera isn't as easy as it seems - their translation of what I say, doesn't look like what I see in my head.
Joey (my son who thinks like me) might be a possibility but not sure if he would be available to come home for a few days to shoot it, and timing might also be a factor
Got email address for Coilin Rush, but left it in college, so won't get to contact him till Monday. He is doing research on Steadicam, so may have some info to offer.
Want to find out if there is any information on me having a tutorial with Ailbhe Ni Bhrian which Anthony said he would arrange.
What stage I am at regarding the BIPOLAR BALANCE? Just got an email to say I can have a tutorial with Ben Gaulon who gave us the workshop on physical computing last week. Need to pull out all the stops to prepare for that. Have now collected and printed all the notes I wrote over the past eighteen months - I thought it was much longer than this I was thinking about it.
Ben talked about using a Wii controllor as a sensor? having the ability to measure the distance/angle relationship of basket to floor? This VIDEO on YouTube looks very exciting, even though I don't really understand the half of what he is talking about.
Ben also mentioned the idea of using a projector as a source of light, being easier to control than conventional lamps. I love this idea as I particularly like the quality of projector light, which is different to other light.
Other than this, I want to find out if I could have my long promised performance tutorial with Kevin Atherton, especially after seeing him the other evening I love his laid back attitude to his work and think I could learn a lot from him.
Not sure if I posted this last year, but I still like it for a grin. Of course, Kevin is now moved over to GRADCAM, so maybe he will be too busy to deal with us poor undergraduates!
Graduated from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, with BA (Hons) in Fine Art Media (2010).
There are 8 'Elizabeth Cleary , artists' online, so I'm adding my maiden name 'McGuire'. However this is bulky, so [e=mc] means Elizabeth is what she learned from both birth and marriage families.
