This piece, Citadel, was showcased at Black Swan Arts for A Visible Thread. The work is a passion project that represents my transformative journey from bureaucrat to aspiring artist. Join me as I delve into the inspiration behind this piece and its development.

The idea for Citadel blossomed from my escape from a monotonous 9-5 work lifestyle, fuelled by the allure of Dungeons and Dragons during the pandemic. Dungeons and Dragons started as a role playing table top game in 1974. It is now in its fifth edition and can be played in person using guides and dice or through hosting sights like DND Beyond, The Home Brewery and Roll 20. Serving as a haven for those seeking refuge and excitement outside their daily routines, this artwork embodies my journey into the realms of imagination.

Beyond personal exploration, Citadel became a canvas for experimenting with new textile techniques developed from my previous series, #Softlads. It posed the challenge of translating the solidity of brick and stone into the soft textures of fabric and thread. Amidst a year filled with various projects, I aimed to create a standalone piece that would not only be visually striking but also enjoyable to craft, pushing my skills in landscape design and colour theory.

A pivotal moment in this project’s inception was a conversation with my driving instructor about the potential threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI) rendering artists obsolete. Despite concerns about fair compensation, I envisioned a collaborative future where technology enhances our creative endeavours.

Acknowledging the inevitable role of technology, I experimented with AI using the Wonder app to complement my creative practice. Drawing inspiration from well-maintained castles worldwide, I aimed to create a fantastical super-castle by generating various architectural styles in Wonder.

The digital collage phase in Krita, an open-source software application, brought this amalgamation to life. I hand-drew a large-scale version, approaching construction through layers, similar to lithography or painting. Selecting colours based on a split-complementary scheme, I embraced differences in shading from the original castle references.

Once I had drawn out the panels of the scene I crafted old work shirts that I had physically and figuratively outgrown. The idea of Citadel mirrored my transition from bureaucrat to aspiring artist. Instead of being tethered to a computer screen, I found solace in the realms of my imagination, immersing myself in a world of fantasy and adventure. Cutting up old work shirts and sewing them into the piece was cathartic. It represented an end to my own ties from my previous full time job. Those work shirts no longer served me. Instead I reused those materials toward my current goals- to make art and become an artist! I don’t want this to be a fantasy, I am committed to my vision.

Sewing freehand allowed me to build layers of thread on fabric, introducing challenges like stretch and warping. Aligning uneven layers required small adjustments throughout the process to maintain consistent fabric stretch. Citadel is more than a creation; it’s a passion project that weaves together threads of escapism. 

I feel that their are lots of us who are daydreamers and have creative passions inside that don’t get to be experienced. Those ideas and inner lives stay hidden inside the person and don’t become a lived experience. I hope that the notion of turning a fantasy into a reality is something that resonates for audiences, and they find solace in the image as a place of escape and freedom. I like that the image is open ended, it could be observed as a place that is abandoned, hidden or thriving, an image where the viewer can put their own values and ideas onto the landscape.

Landscapes can still be very emotive and have a clear direction of communication but there is a permeability that a landscape painting provides which is different to a portrait. Portraits are more directly led by a gaze or an expression; whereas landscapes create a feeling, an ambiance through its structure, colour, composition and lighting. It is a more coded approach to self expression.

Artist that have inspired me with their approach to landscapes are Lawren Harris particularly with works like Algoma Hill and The North Shore, Lake Superior and Peter Doig with his White Canoe. There is also Edward Hopper who includes human figures in his landscape work. For me, he is one the most successful artists in capturing feelings of melancholy. His Morning Sun is one of my favourites. These feelings of isolation and enclosure are evoked with a bare room and a small window peering out onto a built up industrial block, with a stark light bleaching the features of the model and casting long ominous shadows.

Citadel stands out as one of my most technically challenging pieces. After completion, I ran images of the final textile piece through the Wonder app, generating dynamic perspectives and a consistent colour scheme for the brickwork and turrets. Intriguingly, this has led to several versions of the image and the exciting potential for Citadel version 2.0!

I really like how the app has taken my textile image and produced something new. I like that its changed the perspective and given more depth, which is something which I would like to develop in my next piece.

Contradictorily though, I feel there is a sense of flatness to the digital image; there isn’t the same heart within it. Whereas there is heart in the textile piece, and when you experience textiles in person, audiences immediately want to touch the work. This is something I personally encourage (if the work survives in years to come, other people can worry about protecting it.) I do believe though that my work has been enhanced by going through this process. I definitely feel like I have achieved something that has significantly stretched my output and produced an image which is more technically advanced than my previous work. I am interested to see where my work goes next in testing and developing these processes again in future.

In essence, Citadel is a testament to the intersection of art, technology, and personal growth —an intricate tapestry of escapism transcending the boundaries of imagination. If you enjoy this writing style, you might be surprised to know that I received some assistance from ChatGPT, an online open-source software for writing and editing, during the first draft. The impacts of AI on our lives can feel daunting and exciting. I hope this post provides a demonstration of how we can learn to collaborate. We would love to hear your thoughts on AI and craft as well!

Please do come and see Citadel at Llantarnam Grange, the A Visible THREAD tour continues to:

• The Wirth Gallery, Sherborne Girls School, Sherborne: 6 – 27 January 2024
• Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran: 17 February – 4 May 2024
• Thelma Hulbert, Honiton: 20 July – 31 August 2024

See seam collective’s website and Instagram for full details of the tour, workshops and participatory events and sign up for seam’s newsletter for regular news and updates. 

Discover what I am up to next @olybliss on Instagram and on my website.

Explore wonder Ai app: https://wonderai.app/home

Oly Bliss