Sketchbooks -part2- as a constant state of mistake making, incompleteness and potential.

For some the sketchbook may be the definitive middle, between the conception, into actualisation of work. These are the thinkings become visible, existing as a real working element into the creating of art. An appropriately titled exhibition The Time of Privacy has Passed is soon to be holding a catalogue of sketch books (mine included).

Personally, in the past I was not impressed by the students’ sketchbooks, full of dodgy collage, news paper cut-outs, and a host of materials utilised. Clearly it was stuffed to the brim to ‘show your thinking’ (like you do at a maths exam) that to me seemed contrived to please the teachers. Yet, you can see how this should work as a methodology, for one, sketchbook work serves me as a memory for things I’d like to do, like to repeat, and importantly, where I wanted to go. Exhibiting to my minds eye ideal states of future artistic flourish that will be done.. I just don’t know how it will all evolve, yet. 

The sketchbook work here could be generally regarded as a constant state of mistake making, incompleteness and potential. Possibly, with mine -usually in stark black and white pens- they are simple enough to look like the printed page, yet they are askew,  randomised, with ambiguous dodgy thumbnail drawings.