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scrawl
22 April 2011
watch her disappear
Topic: hospitalfield

watch her disappear

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 21:14 BST
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statuesque
Now Playing: keane - bedshaped
Topic: hospitalfield

statuesque

alternate title: mostly armless

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 20:49 BST
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crouch
Now Playing: elvis costello - every day i write the book
Topic: hospitalfield

crouch

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 20:30 BST
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surviving medusa
Now Playing: tindersticks - sweet release
Topic: hospitalfield

surviving medusa

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 19:31 BST
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the birds
Topic: hospitalfield

the birds

Inspired by the remains of an installation by Martine Myrup from 2005 in the studios at Hospitalfield.

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 15:33 BST
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21 April 2011
the cottage
Topic: hospitalfield

the cottage

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 23:21 BST
Updated: 23 April 2011 16:16 BST
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artist in residence
Topic: hospitalfield

artist in residence

Taken early evening today on the first floor landing at Hospitalfield.

I love that wallpaper. I wish I could take it home.

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 22:34 BST
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20 April 2011
hospitalfield house
Topic: hospitalfield

untitled #6


As planned, on Sunday 17th April, my birthday, I caught a first class train from London Kings Cross Station to Arbroath, arriving at Hospitalfield about 6pm.

I was greeted by Rebecca Westguard, a figurative artist, former Hospitalfield resident, and the Events and Audience Development Manager, who was just finishing up the Life Drawing Masterclass she was conducting in the studios of Hospitalfield.

After seeing off the artists participating in the Masterclass, she showed me to my accommodation and took me to meet Willie Payne, the Director of Hospitalfield, his wife and their two lovely dogs, Luna and Toby.

I made quick work of getting my belongings stored in my room, and snapped off a few photos of the house in the evening light (as shown above and below), then made a long job of locating the harbour, getting distracted with looking around the streets and houses as I wandered, and missing my turn a couple of times and then having to re-orient myself. I finally found my way down to The Old Brewhouse, who were luckily still open and serving dinner (just) and were a friendly bunch.

I managed to traverse a more direct route home, via the Dundee Road, musing at the sight of a territorial army base smack-bang in the centre of a caravan park, and collapsed into bed after the long 48 hours I'd had of birthday celebrations, packing, train travel and anticipation.

Monday my residency officially started. I was up early and spent most of the day wandering around the grounds and the building taking photos; losing myself in the rabbit warren that makes up much of the house, and marveling at the grandness of it all.

Having familiarised myself with the property on Monday, yesterday I went through the photos of the property I'd taken and scrawled about 2-3 A4 pages of photo ideas down before getting out of bed. I then set out for the studio previously used by Patrick Allan-Fraser to do my first self-portrait shoot.

Though I'm not skilled in any fine arts aside from photography (my painting and drawing skills are amateur, at best), I am in awe of the studios here. The massive windows, the high roofs, the beautiful light, the large spaces. They are the sort of studios that, as a photographer, I appreciate as they allow much more room to photograph full length portraits against a staged background (which often studio spaces on offer in other residencies, and in converted warehouses in Melbourne, for example, don't seem to provide), and to naturally light your subjects, even in the mists and fog of a Scottish spring. I'm not sure I will be able to take full advantage of the studios whilst I'm here, given the sort of work I am looking to complete, however, no doubt the access to these spaces will influence my direction at least a little. The images I have taken in the studio so far were greatly influenced by the setting, some of the items found in the studio, and perhaps a little by life drawing.

Today I got straight into shooting within a short time of getting up, and probably had the gardeners raising their eyes quizzically at my prancing around barefoot in colourful dresses near the rear entrance of the cottage I'm accommodated in. I had my camera angle already in mind from a shot I'd taken of the door and the adjacent section of the building the previous day, and a couple of specific images in mind. I then noticed an item near the door which I'd overlooked so many times in passing, which immediately inspired further images.

After warming myself up again over soup, I joined a tour group led by Willie to see the main rooms of the house which I'd only so far glimpsed via the website: the dining room, the drawing room, the ante room, the cedar room and the picture gallery. As impressive and inspiring as the first floor landing area is, with it's blue flocked wallpaper and red carpeting, artworks and antiques, these rooms, particularly the picture gallery, were a significant part of what had inspired me to want to undertake this residency.

Though I wasn't previously aware of the following, my interest in coming here was further validated when Willie translated the Latin on the fireplace mantle in the picture gallery as "Know Yourself"; and told how Patrick Allan-Fraser, himself a skilled painter, had filled the gallery with paintings by his friends (many members of the Royal Scottish Academy) with the condition that they were to be self-portraits or include a self-portrait in some way.

Suffice to say, I'm settling in nicely here and feeling positive about the impact this experience is likely to have on my photography, though it's still early days to know exactly what that will be.

Certainly the freedom to concentrate on my art and where I am going with it, accompanied by a chorus of birdsong, the chiming of the Hospitalfield clock, and the spectre of the bunnies and dogs flitting about the grounds (separately), free from thoughts of day jobs and deadlines, is a welcome relief, if only temporary.

And for those of you who think I've gone soft with all this fresh Scottish country air, rambling about the tranquil surrounds: remember this building has its origins as a leprosy and plague hospice, and I've already had a photographic encounter with an ex-bunny.

I'll post some of my new self-portraits tomorrow, and hopefully some more images of Hospitalfield itself. I'll hold off on the dead bunny pictures for a little while though.

untitled #5

untitled #4

untitled #7


Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 20:46 BST
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3 April 2011
how i learned to stop worrying and love levitation
Now Playing: elton john - dirty little girl
Topic: workshops

how i learned to stop worrying and love levitation


Model: Bella Grace

Two weeks after arriving in London, I ventured down to Eastbourne with Sarah Ann Wright to attend one of two workshops run by Miss Aniela and Brooke Shaden held that weekend at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre.

I had only just managed to get a place on the Sunday, but had been keen to meet Natalie and Brooke: to see how they work, learn about their processes and inspiration, and also have the chance to shoot in a venue that is at once lavish and rundown.

And the workshop ticked all those boxes: It was a great chance to see the similarities and differences between how each of the artists work, and relative to my own creative processes. Both Natalie and Brooke were enthusiastic and generous with their time, instruction and encouragement, as was Matt, Natalie's partner, who assisted them and the attendees where needed. The models were professional, patient (especially given the cold environs and their flimsy summer-weight outfits) and intuitive. The theatre itself was a character in its own right.

The set-up of the workshop allowed plenty of time for each photographer to create an image of their own as well as observe Natalie and Brooke create an image each, and the theatre allowed enough space and inspiration to ensure only a minimal amount of shooting over each others' shoulders. Though many attendees no doubt left the workshop with photos evidently from the workshop (same models, same outfits, same background), I would venture to guess that every attendee has some shots of their own that no one else managed to get.

For myself, though I love the surreal, dream-like worlds Natalie and Brooke create in their photography, both self-portraiture and portraiture, I have to admit I am a bit of a levitation-skeptic. I do enjoy a good trick shot when done well - whether levitation or clone, or simply a heavily processed image - but I am wary of the prevalence of these images, and also the prevalence of badly executed images using these techniques simply for the sake of it.

So initially I was reluctant to get involved in creating a levitation image, but later in the day I actually felt inspired to direct Bella in order to shoot the requisite images to make up this one. And I'm glad I did, if only to demonstrate to myself that I have the ability and skills with Photoshop to do so.

I guess my other hesitation in creating this image was that I do not have any wish to churn out works too closely akin to those whose work I admire. Though I can see my own style in the processing, composition, etc., of this image, as soon as the levitation element was added to the image, it felt like I was creating a counterfeit Miss Aniela™ [which in itself is interesting, as this was actually shot during the half of the day I was in a group led by Brooke].

Which I guess leads this post to my thoughts of the past few months: although I most certainly intend to create further images to complete my current series of self-portraiture, interior / exterior during my upcoming residency at Hospitalfield, I am looking forward to what other inspirations may await me there. Though I suspect it is unlikely I will move away from self-portraiture entirely, I am keen to find the next direction for my work, and am not sure what that may be.

Though I am often told my work is instantly recognisable, that I have a definitive style, I believe style is also something that constantly shifts and moves and develops. Otherwise artists and our work stagnate. Even after all these years, I strongly feel I am still seeking my style, my niche, in what I do. Not that I want to be pigeon-holed into a particular style, genre or subject matter, but I feel like a writer who is still looking for the right words to tell you how I feel.

A month of being immersed in creation, research, inspiration, new environs, a studio of my own? Yes, that sounds like just what the doctor ordered.

N.B. For those who helped fund my project, a quick update that prints and postcards will be in the mail to you tomorrow! Thank you again!

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 19:41 BST
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2 April 2011
reflect
Now Playing: pink floyd - comfortably numb
Topic: divine diptychs

reflect


This week I jumped back into the fray of the Divine Diptych Project with recent recruit, the Tiger Moth.

Things have been hectic for me lately, with a move halfway across the world, but I was keen to get back into things with the project.

Bee Brady gave tTM and myself the theme 'Reflect', which you would think would be a dead easy theme to work with, but both tTM and myself found ourselves at a bit of a loose end. There were some ideas thrown around, but various constraints worked against those.

In the end, with the forest at her disposal, tTM took a mirror out and produced her wonderful self-portrait above. I love the tones, composition, feel of the image.

I wanted to work more with the 'contemplate' side of the word reflect, whilst still including an image of a reflection. Initially I was concerned that none of the images I was thinking of using would fit with tTM's detailed image, but when I tried this one, taken at the Redland Bay Cemetery in Brisbane, the tones and composition actually seemed to work with her image, for me. I'm still not sure I can explain why!

Posted by Bronwen Hyde at 19:27 BST
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