Collaboration with Joe Mackenzie for 'I Made it With My Hands' Exhibition

I have agreed to take part in an upcoming Illustration exhibition organised by three fellow third year students. This is a chance for the craft-based illustrators to showcase their work. We have been asked to produce approx. two A3 images or 1 sculpture ECT. The only requirement- NO DIGITAL PRINTS.

I see this as an opportunity to make something a little different and do a collaboration with another illustrator. I have always admired Joe's work, and currently we have both been reconstructing vintage imagery, him through abstract collage compositions of interiors and me through paper characters and backgrounds. I also see this as an opportunity to experiment with 3D sets, putting my papercuts into a theatrical context.

I don't want this to directly connected to my trinidad work, but a separate mini project to present in my portfolio.

Over the week, Joe and I have talked over possible ideas that we could realise in our collaborative piece. Both of us agreed that it would be interesting to explore the role reversal of men and women in the 1950s/1960s. The idea is to make the man into a house husband busy in the kitchen whilst the wife (a business woman and the main breadwinner) chills in the lounge drinking a beer. Joe agreed to make two walls and middle counter whilst I would make the characters and various pieces of furniture for the characters to interact with.

Here a few images from our first day working together....

Research- The image I used as reference for the house husband was a image of a traditional 1950s man in a Household magazine. 

The making of the House Husband...

After prior experience with photographing the papercuts in the town centre, I thought it would be wise to give the paper cut a stronger base to make it easier to support later down the line.

Joe scanning through magazines to find appropriate images for the piece.

This is how Joe's wall looked at the end of the first day.

Once I got home, I continued with making the female character for the collaboration. The structure of her body was actually very quick to make as I cut down the number of layers needed. I think having less layers looks much more effective as layers such as the kneecaps that are basically cut outs shapes stand out well.

`i particularly like the patterned paper I chose for the dress, as the texture was very tactile. Even though I'd rather that the audience didn't touch the paper cuts, I think the texture makes it look that little bit more precious and interesting to look at.

Unfortunately I am having to go away for the next week, therefore Joe and I will not be able to work alongside each other. However we plan to continue making and send each other messages attaching photographs.