ANIMAL’s feature Artist’s Notebook asks artists to show us their original “idea sketch” next to a finished artwork or project. This week, artist Alex McLeod talks about his digital work inspired by an interesting ceiling and unsatisfaction.
I was commuting to teach at Guelph University twice a week last term and would spend hours in the coach terminal. I thought it was kind of awful, but the roof seemed interesting. I thought it would be cool to render a work from it.
I’m currently finishing a show for Galerie Trois Points opening September 6th and it’s all interiors. So, on the bus ride. I made the interior, with a skylight, and used a photo of concrete for the texture.
Then I added a cloud to make it feel like my work, but I hated it.
My work never really uses real material except wood and so often wood appears in our world printed on furniture.
We are pretty familiar with seeing fake wood textures but concrete is very real to us. The contrast between my obviously fake cloud and the concrete made me hate the work.
So I tried to ‘explode’ the cloud which made no effect. Then I decided I had better develop the cloud further and abandon the concrete. In the end, it looks nothing like the inspiration.
ALEX MCLEOD, SKYLIGHT CHAIN (2014)
Previous Artist’s Notebook selects:
Artist’s Notebook: Ramsey Nasser
Artist’s Notebook: Ann Hirsch
Artist’s Notebook: Am Schmidt
Artist’s Notebook: Rhett Jones
Artist’s Notebook: Clement Valla
Artist’s Notebook: Tima Radya
Artist’s Notebook: Parker Shipp
