Before even getting to Estela Saez Vilanova’s first masterclass for handshake 8 I had feelings of plunging into an alien creative pressure cooker. Our brief was to bring three oversized (larger than our head) objects, that we could transform. Rushing through the local recycling centre, conscious of my dog waiting in a hot car, thoughts of “Project Runway” haunted me. Little did I know how strongly these feelings would linger as I stumbled to the finish of each task.
After receiving our first mission – and an insignificant amount of time to complete it there was no space to think too hard. Not sure where I was heading I hacked the can in half. Fighting all the way as the heavy plastic resisted my knives and saw, when eventually opened the smell of residual petrol overwhelmed me. I started to look for answers as to what this new object be. With still no real idea I concentrated on transformation and drilling seemed the next obvious step. As I sat with my pendant drill staring at the revealed interior a face emerged. Playing with the light through the holes it became a mask – the object showing me its use. Gas can to gas mask.
My urge to do more became the realisation I needed to do less. Marvelling at how the pressure of limitations had created a release to allow the process and object to speak. I had made something that resonated with a lightness of touch I long for, a sense of play and humour.
I look forward to fine tuning my practice to incorporate this level of trust in my intuition and allow the process, object and material to flow into my work. I am excited, curious, and energised about what future masterclasses will reveal and am so grateful to have the opportunity to participate in this two year programme. Bring it on!