Comfort Doll
After a positive response in my last crit to the first comfort doll/object i made for my self i decided to make another two. Again just using scraps of fabric and things left over from other projects and things iv made. I also used old socks/pants that i would have otherwise thrown away. Repurposing bits of things i have to make myself a comfort object. The three of them big enough to hold and interesting and complex in terms of the different textures, shapes and colour. And when all but together create interesting compositions and things to draw from. Though i think they have a kind of ugliness to them they almost resemble a child drawing. They are kind of 3d drawings of scraps. Brough together making a composition of textures.
Observational Drawings
Moving forward these images and the objects themselves provided me with a staring point for drawings. Using a hand full of different timed drawing exercises on A3 paper using a mixture of kids crayons and pen. Some drawn by feeling the object with one hand and drawing with the other, some just looking at the object and not at the paper. As well as using my left hand and holding multiple pens at one time. The drawing themselves i think convey the kind of childish quality i think the object has and i like a lot of the lines and textures that have came out of them.
I think the drawings where you can see repeated circular motions hold a softness to them and communicate this idea of how the object feels. Using these drawings I could make maybe a larger scale comforter object with the purpose of reflecting these drawings and again making the object for myself out of this is have.
I also found these drawings to be a nice break from all the sewing knitting and gluing that has become kind of frustrating at some points through the project. Its given me time to think about and observe what kind of object i have made, the space it occupies and who its for, what purpose dose this comfort object have? dose it fulfil it?
Writing to objects
As it was suggested to me i my crit i wanted to write to the object and from the perspective of the object again thinking about what purpose dose it have and if it requires one at all. When writing i was kind of questioning why it was made and asking if it was selfish if me to make something intentionally just for myself. How would it feel to just be made purely for touch and comfort.
I them began to draw similarities between me and the thing i had made for myself out of my own belongings. Am i a comforter for people, do people rely on me to give them what they need?
I was also acknowledging that the thing iv made hasn’t been made very well purely because of my skill set and the materials i have however because i made it for myself i can identify its charm and things i like about it. Much like a child would think the world of a ragged toy or baby blanket.
acknowledging it has been poorly made but has redeemable qualities that i have attached to it. Maybe this is true when i think about myself and things that comfort me, acknowledging that its not the best quality or coping mechanism but it brings with it reassurance or feelings of comfort. The quality of an object or a person or a habit is more important that is aesthetic value.
CHARLEY MILLAR ART 