Nicola Jayne Maskrey

Chasing Shadows – for projection

Chasing Shadows is a night journey, a peaceful sleepwalk through a silent world bereft of people.  As the evening light transforms the everyday into a dreamlike state, familiar urban landscapes disappear underneath resilient vegetation.

For this series I used long exposures on 35mm black and white film to record the contemplative stillness of the night, the only movement in the wind blowing through leaves. I hand printed the images with lith developer on old fibre based paper to create single edition prints with a tactile quality and degraded aesthetic reminiscent of illustrative drawing or etching.

Winning a 2013 Islington Exhibits Artists Award, I was commissioned to rework the images into a large-scale projection installation. The projection paradoxically represents the frozen moments as transitory echoes of the original, each dissolving into the next in a slow, rhythmic loop.

Here is a lo-res version of the film for projection:

Documentation of the projection installation:

Chasing Shadows - large scale projection

Chasing Shadows – large scale projection

To find out more about Chasing Shadows:

click here to find out about exhibitions or related work
or take a look at my website to see the full images (print and projection)

New exhibition opens today!

Ophelia #1-6 will be showing from today until 2nd June 2014 at VAI, 200 Pentonville Road, N1 9JP

I’m exhibiting alongside artists Kevin Hope and Cinzia Castellano.

The exhibition is open Monday-Friday by appointment, but if you would like to come to the Private View party on the evening of Tuesday 6th May contact Elinor.Hopson-Hill@vai.org.uk.

April 14

Ophelia #1-6  is an exploration of the story of Shakespeare’s Ophelia, made in response to previous artistic interpretations.

Original Polaroid emulsion lifts of underwater photographs subjected to a series of processes that simultaneously intensify and degrade the image. The destructive yet delicate nature of the water-based emulsion lift continues the themes of the subject matter and ensures that each print is completely unique in its tones and arrangement.

Limited edition run of 30 sets of original prints onto acid free water-colour paper, handmade by the artist from this now discontinued Polaroid film. Each unframed print is numbered and signed recto, and mounted under conservation grade board.

All work is for sale, for more information about my work please contact me.

New exhibition of Ophelia prints – the full set!

I’ve just finished making a new set of Ophelia series Polaroid emulsion lifts – all ready for exhibition at Voluntary Action Islington from 8th April 2014! More info on that coming soon…

Ophelia in progress

Ophelia in progress

Come find me on Artfinder…

You can now find me, and buy limited or single edition prints, at my Artfinder shop: www.artfinder.com/npicola.

Artfinder is a global marketplace for affordable authentic art, connecting independent artists and galleries with art lovers.

With a wide range of paintings, photographs and prints from artists all over the world, Artfinder artists only sell single or limited edition works. You can search for individual artists, or browse by media,price range, or theme.

My work for sale includes:

  • Single edition hand made lith prints and selected limited edition reproduction Giclee prints from ‘Chasing Shadows‘
  • Limited edition Giclee prints from ‘Adventures in a Suburban Garden‘, as well as ‘this table is sad…‘, and also ‘…and then I was the wind‘
  • Limited edition hand made Polaroid Emulsion Lifts from ‘Ophelia #1-6′ as well as selected limited edition reproduction Giclee prints (coming soon)
  • I’ll also be selling selected limited edition Giclee prints of other single works and series – ranging from time to time

Here are some examples of what you can find:

Chasing Shadows - steps

Chasing Shadows – steps

this table is sad because no one is sitting at it one is sitting at it

this table is sad because no one is sitting at it one is sitting at it

Night Tent (St Ives)

Night Tent (St Ives)

You can buy work outright directly from artists as well as galleries, and also buy art now and pay later in installments through Artfinder’s interest free credit scheme.  Buyers are protected by Artfinder’s free Refund and Returns policy

I’m on Lens Culture!

I’ve now got a profile on LensCulture!

LensCulture is one of the most authoritative resources for contemporary photography, committed to discovering and promoting the best of the global photography community.

Their online network of photographers, magazine, and blog showcase work of all genres from the world’s most cutting-edge photographers. There are some great photographers on there, with a very diverse and inspirational range of work.

Profiles are by invitation only so I’m really excited – and very grateful for the compliment!

You can find my profile here:   www.lensculture.com/npicola where you can also see new work from the series ‘this table is sad because no one is sitting at it…’

this table is sad because no one is sitting at it... (winter swans in the Serpentine)

this table is sad because no one is sitting at it… (winter swans in the Serpentine)

Space for art. Space for film.

Creative Islington’s Networking Event launches Islington Exhibits 2014, at Resource for London N7 6PA on Tuesday 25 Feb 2014, 6.30 – 8.30pm.

Hosted by Creative Islington in collaboration with Islington Exhibits, Reel Islington & Resource for London, bookable advice surgeries and talks throughout the evening.

 

UPDATE AFTER EVENT : 

At the event I spoke (very briefly) about what it was like to take part in last year’s Islington Exhibits Arts Festival as one of the Artists Awards Winners. 

Here’s a very complimentary review of the whole evening: http://hollowaylife.net/portfolio/space-for-art-space-for-film-networking-event/

 

Find out more about how to get involved with Islington Exhibits, whether you are a local artist, crafts person, film maker, arts organisation, local venue or business.

 

And here’s a shot of my installation from last year’s festival:

Chasing Shadows - time based projection installation

Chasing Shadows – time based projection installation

Happy Birthday Rowan Arts!

In celebration of the 10 year birthday of Rowan Arts,  colleagues past and present, friends and supporters were invited to contribute artwork for a fun, vibrant and eclectic group show inspired by the Dr Seuss poem. ‘Oh the places you’ll go!’.

The exhibition was launched at their party on 10th January, with patron Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North speaking in testament to their work over the last decade.

Thanks to Rowan Arts continued support for my work, my two test images from ‘…and then I was the wind’ have been included in this exhibition, which means one last chance to view them before they go to their new owners.

...and then I was the wind - II (early sketch)

…and then I was the wind – II (early sketch)

...and then I was the wind - I

…and then I was the wind – I

The exhibition is the latest in their series at Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA, and runs from Friday 10 January – Monday 24 February 2014, open Monday – Friday 9.00 – 5.00pm.

For more information on their exhibition and 10th birthday celebrations click here and here.

To find out more about Rowan Arts go to their website.

Chasing Shadows – rear projection tests

Here is my first test shot of Chasing Shadows rear-projected into a window space, so that it can be viewed by passers by from the street outside.  Although very rough around the edges still, I especially like how the reflection of the lit window interacts with the piece, creating another (colourful, live) layer within the otherwise frozen monotone narrative.

Fingers crossed it’ll still work when I scale it up!

Chasing Shadows street level projection - test 01

Chasing Shadows street level projection – test 01

This great article by The Mixed Reality Laboratory, Nottingham, UK was really helpful in working out suitable medium to project onto – I’d recommend it to anyone exploring with projection based installation.

A lovely review of ‘…and then I was the wind’!

In her great review of the exhibition ‘Off the Ground’ at Resource for London Lilia Prier Tisdall has this to say about my work:

“The upstairs room is dominated by painters yet it is Nicola Maskrey’s digital prints that stand out for me. Titled ‘…and then I was the wind’ they use long exposure photography to record the ‘movement of air and tidal currents through vegetation’. The effect is painterly in itself, and they really do convey the sense of what it would be like to be the wind rushing through the trees.”

You can read the full review here – http://www.rowanarts.net/off-the-ground-review/

The exhibition is showing at Resource For London, 356 Holloway Road, N7;  from 4th November – now extended until 8th January (Monday-Friday 10am-5pm)

Here’s one of the images:

...and then I was the wind - II (early sketch)
…and then I was the wind – II (early sketch)

Women’s Work is touring!

Following its recent success at Resource for London, Women’s Work moves next to St Luke’s Community Centre.  Curated by Shiri Shalmy, this exhibition of emerging and established Islington artists explores the cultural, social, political and domestic lives of women.

Opening event: Thursday 14 November 6.30- 8.30pm (refreshments available)
St Luke’s Community Centre, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ
RSVP info@slpt.org.uk by 12th November
 

Amongst work by other artists, the exhibition includes two images from my Ophelia series, made in response to other interpretations of the story.

“Although on the one hand still and peaceful, Maskrey nonetheless succeeds in bringing an unmistakable air of violence to her work which see conventional notions of the feminine being ruthlessly unravelled.” Ellen Davis-Walker

Ophelia #1-6

Ophelia #1-6

These are original Polaroid Emulsion Lifts onto acid free water colour paper.   The very nature of the process continues the theme of the subject matter, and ensures that each print is completely unique in its tones and arrangement.

Signed recto, mounted on conservation grade board.  Each print is unique and handmade by me. Image size – approximately 12cm x 9cm, mount size A3.  Total edition run of 30 sets.

If you’re interested in exhibiting or buying my work please click here to get in touch.