Papertrails: art in the landscape in Elmbridge

February 2007 – February 2008

WORK IN PROGRESS

	'Papertrail" 2007 paper and willow (above and left). Made through the woodland at West End, Esher with Elmbridge children on SHOUT summer workshops.
The growing 'Community Book' (above) which is being added to by local people taking part in workshops during the progress of the project.	By June 2007 'Papertrails' has reached almost its halfway point. It is interesting to see how the project has changed and developed in practice. What was intended to be a project about 'drawing' with temporary marks on the landscape has become one in which a reciprocal process is becoming evident. Paper taken into the landscape has returned marked and transformed to the studio. Equally the physical presence of St George's Church, the studio base for the residency has manifested itself as a strong presence as work made there by Jane and local people from Elmbridge has responded to the atmosphere there. The original 'book' documenting daily travels around the woods and commons recorded in its pages with sampled colours and pigments has been joined by a 'Community Book' made in response to the light, atmosphere and materials of the church.

'Way-markers: (Cluster)' 2007 (above). Here I am drawing shapes on the landscape using groups of identical or near identical cast fragments.
	'Book', 2007 15 x 23 x 23 cm (left) Working in St George's Church I find myself very influenced by the quality of light there as well as the particular nature of the building. This is one of a number of pieces which I have made specifically about my feelings about working there. This is handmade paper bound into a circular shape.
'The Story Trees' 2007 at various locations through Arbrook Woods (above and right, detail below) I am very interested in what we bring to a place like this in terms of our cultural baggage. This piece is made up of lines from a story. I always feel that drawings are like naratives and this drawing is literally a narrative. The story itself is a traditional one about the different paths four brothers take from a place very much like this. Other stories used have been personal anecdotes, hostorical accounts and local plant lists.

	'Way-markers: White ' 2007 ( above) handcast paper over willow.

'Arbrook Woods to Longy Down' 2006-2007 ( labove) I am working on a series of pieces based on specific routes through the landscape. The paper is dyed and stained with the soil and leaves along the route. This is the first of four and they will eventually describe a walk from one side of Esher Common to the other.
	'Traces' 2007 ( left) soil and earth colours on paper. This drawing is based on shadows cast by the work of one of the schools involved in the Papertrails project. The cast shadows were projected onto paper and traced in latex fluid which resisted staining. The pigments were prepared from clay from the local commons.
'Breadcrumb trail' 2006 This is one of several small exploratory pieces looking at the idea of 'drawing' on the landscape.	'Flight' 2007 (below). I am using darker colours than usual at the moment perhaps because of the wintery light. These are only a few elements photographed at the studio from a much larger group to be installed in the landscape. I want them to be a dark line drawn against pale winter grass.

These are sheets of handmade paper which are gradually being made one per day. Each are coloured and patinated with dust and soil from wherever I am working that particular day. In batches they are being bound to form a 'book'. Though eventually I anticipate that they will make a circular shape. I enjoy the way that the form is gradually building itself and have started making a plain uncoloured one too.

	'Two Days' 2007 These are from a group of photographs looking at the same kind of line drawn on the landscape. There are two days between the two pictures and we move from white on white to black and white in that time. I want to make a long bookwork based on these contrasts.

WORK IN PROGRESS

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