Since our chat, Doug’s sent over a batch of reference images—Romantic-era paintings and Hollywood portraits to use as a starting point. It’s a strong visual mix, and I’m already seeing how the two could collide in interesting ways.
Tuesday was my first proper studio day for this project. As usual, I started by tidying my desk. It’s how I begin most new pieces—clearing the decks, making space. There’s always a mess of scraps and offcuts hanging around, and while I need visual clarity, I also keep those bits close. They’re often the first things I reach for when experimenting.
Next up: printing. I didn’t have a working printer, so I made a trip to Currys and invested in a decent printer/scanner. I’d been putting it off, but this felt like the right moment. I also stopped by Hobbycraft and picked up a range of paper—white, cream, silver, gold. Once the printer was set up in the back room, I ran off some of Doug’s images on different papers to test the finish. I even tried printing on purple sugar paper and some pre-printed encyclopaedia pages. The results were interesting—definitely something to explore further in future work, even if not for this piece.
Wednesday, I was back in the studio—my shed in the garden. I’m lucky to have it, though it’s currently crammed with my son’s bike and boxes I’m storing for a friend who’s abroad. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but it works.
Before I start cutting, I always listen to the music. All four tracks from the EP, on repeat, loud. I’m not analysing—I’m absorbing. Trying to feel the emotion, let it settle in me, carry it into the work.
At the desk, it takes a while to get going. I remind myself: this is just the beginning. Practice runs. Everything can be reprinted. I hold off cutting anything original too soon—once it’s sliced, it’s gone. I start with portraits, removing elements, slicing them up, testing them against different backgrounds. I imagine the Romantic paintings as backdrops, with the dissected faces as focal points.
Still, I’m anxious. I don’t know if I can deliver what’s expected. The brief is clear, the pressure is real, and I’m not sure I want that weight. But I’m in it now. Let’s see where it goes.
Recolletc - Sian Pointon 