Making Sense

The Customs House, South Shields

February 2016

Working with individuals supported by Sight Service, Making Sense is a sensitive and personal exploration of the relationship that individuals with visual impairment have with their local environment. This installation captures an exchange of mark-making between the artist and the group.

Much of Jenny Purrett’s practice is focused on drawing as process. She makes work in response to her experience of her immediate environment. In this project, she has worked with a group of people who have progressive sight loss. Together they have explored ways to use drawing to communicate their own personal experiences of the South Shields coastline. The exhibition records the creative journey undertaken and shows both collaborative and individual drawings from the jewel-like to the enormous. The outcomes demonstrate that, despite fears and frustrations, we can still enjoy the drawing process and, if we continue to be prepared to take creative risks, we astound ourselves with what we can achieve

  • Washed Out, Pastel, Japanese paper and fish hooks Installation

  • Washed Out (installation detail) Pastel drawings on Japanese kozo paper

  • Washed Out (detail)

  • Shift, participatory sand drawing

  • Sound of of the sea drawings, Sight Service participant, ink on paper

  • Touch drawings, graphite on paper, Sight Service participant

  • Touch drawing, graphite on paper and Shift, participatory sand drawing

  • Sight Service participants talking about their work at the PV

  • Washed Out (detail) Pastel drawings on Japanese kozo paper

  • Washed Out (installation detail) Pastel drawings on Japanese kozo paper

  • Washed Out (installation detail) Pasteldrawings on Japanese kozo paper

Two new pieces of work showcased at the Customs House as part of the Making Sense Project.

Washed Out 2016,

Pastel drawings of rock formations and beach debris on Japanese paper suspended from fish hooks.

Worn  2013-2016,

Reworked pastel memory drawing on Japanese paper