The sorting-out of my art work is going quite well, although it certainly isn’t completed yet. It is turning out to be a remarkable experience. In particular, I found a large old portfolio which contained a load of very early pieces I had done. I’m sure that several of them must have been done in about 1968. The discoveries are noteworthy for several reasons. For a start, the folder contains several portraits, which I have not attempted for a long time. I have toyed with the idea of doing so, but somehow never got around to it. Perhaps I should, because I am quite pleased with my early efforts.
Unavoidably, this kind of experience releases a flood of memories, particularly of people rather than places or events. I was struck in particular by a group of cartoons I did, based on the children’s TV series Magic Roundabout. They were intended to be used a recruiting material for the department in which I was working, but the idea was sat upon very firmly by some of my colleagues, who thought that they made us look unserious. On the other hand I thought they were rather clever, with Dylan making a joke about J.S. Mill. Ah, well!
To my mind, the most remarkable thing about this material is the continuity in my way of working, with a continuing focus on symbolism, rather than simple representation. It can be rather depressing, however, to encounter pieces which are actually quite good, and not unnaturally set in motion questions about whether or not there has been any progress …. and if so, in what respect. One item I found so impressive that I have re-framed it with the intention of showing it again when there is a suitable opportunity. This kind of thing can be a bit challenging when a good part of the day has consisted of demoting old works which I would not want to show again, and recovering their frames for future recycling.
On the whole, however, I am feeling very good about the sorting process, and that part of it in particular that has involved labelling clearly everything that is going into storage, so that I can recover it without hours of muddling about among my racks. Why on earth did it not occur to me to do this in that long, desolate period between January and June, when I wasn’t able to do anything creative?