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9. Games started as an idea that you could treat different artworks as a “game” with a specific set of rules and conditions for winning and loosing. Originally I was going to focus on a more academic, traditional idea such as the figure, or the concept of line, but this was the idea that was most achievable and enjoyable, so it stuck. The goal was to try and balance the enjoyment of art-making and the pleasure of them consuming the finished product. The idea came from investigations in Cheap Art and Folk Art, specifically Bread and Puppet Theater. 

(sourced from http://breadandpuppet.org/cheap-art/why-cheap-art-manifesto on 29/05/2016)

Although less Utopian, 9. Games wanted to focus on the pleasure of producing and consuming art without believing the process points to greater civilization. 

9. Games consisted of kitchen string, fine-liner, permanent marker, watercolour paint, butcher’s paper, watercolour paper, charcoal, masking tape and an egg timer. Most of these materials are poor archival quality. Most of the subject matter was taken from around my house, including:

A grandfather clock, inherited from my grandparents that was constructed in the 1830′s.

A decorated plate made by my class in primary school in 2007.

Life drawings I made in class as part of the life-drawing course.

Views of various rooms and out of various windows.

A painting by Shelia White .

A ceramic vase made by my mother.

A silver serving dish, again that we inherited from my grandparents.

Interestingly enough, 9. Games was an experiment that I consider to have partially failed. Although I enjoyed the work when it was displayed, I did not enjoy a good part of the process of making it. Rules I made for myself I often broke, changed or ignored. I found it difficult to work on pieces or find motivations to ‘play along’. As such I don’t really feel the work represents the spirit of joy art-making can have, although it still could function as a very intimate and personal work.