Nancy Collins (She/Her)
I am interested in making work in, with and for the natural environment. My practice evolves around responding to sites and situations, where I draw my inspiration directly from the place, site or land. The final outcomes can range from sculpture and photography to installation and films but I always hope to emphasise connection and co-existence to the natural world.
Part of my practice is about working intuitively in the landscape, creating while I go. Being spontaneous and experimental in the field is key to my development process. The research starts with immersing myself in the environment I wish to know more about and I develop a sense of the place through sketches, photos, videos, and sound pieces.
Recently I have focused on experimental films/videos that explore the colours, textures, and feelings of Scotland’s landscapes. I am interested in how I can use film as a medium to convey the energy and feel of a place to an audience that hasn’t experienced it before. When filming I look for the small movements or moments that create a more personal experience.
My practice also involves experimenting with the interaction between moving images, objects and sculptures. How can spaces be used to change the narrative of the film, or what is the effect of a projected film on a physical space? I aim to reflect my intuitive approach to filmmaking in my installations, which try to convey my personal experience of the natural environment through the viewers interactive journey through the space.
Mapping My Final Year
During the first semester I was experimenting with filmmaking within the context of landscape and place, but I deliberately didn’t restrict myself to one site in Scotland. A major part of my development process has been about letting the atmosphere of each individual place influence the feel of the final film. I wanted to create a piece that encompasses all the different landscapes I’d been filming at and not have to chose just one location.
I was inspired by Ilana Halperin’s hand drawn floor plan on her website, each room becomes a link to a different artwork, to create my own map. My map brings together my experiences this semester through a drawing of Scotland and icons. These icons are links to films, drawings and the pewter sculptures depending on what I created at that site. Up to this point I have looked at this year in terms of broadening my knowledge of filmmaking alongside my understanding of Scotland’s landscapes and I think the map is an effective way of encapsulating this in one realised piece. I want the viewer to be able to explore these places visually and build up their own journey.
Digital sketchbook in the link below (Only works in Chrome)