Q. Together you recently completed a print project entitled M_Other using a RISO copy machine – can you tell us more about the project and the word/image pieces you created?
Tracy: M_Other was a creative-print experimentative collaboration with several people exploring the feelings generated by the word mother. For me, it took me back to my childhood, revisiting vivid memories and reflecting on them. Having a challenging parent can be devastating but it’s interesting to see how it shapes you to grow, learn and nurture others.
Teresa: My involvement with M_Other allowed me to consolidate collage imagery based on personal and local histories from a previous project, Bright Memories, and see how this might work in print form. The final zine worked really well in terms of creating a story with very few words and was rich with imagery from my childhood.
Q. We understand the RISO spot-colour copier you use to great effect is a sort of cult creative tool. Tell us what you like about it?
Tracy: We’re still learning the ropes with RISO, using it in an analogue way. It’s funny how “analogue” is seen as the olden days, but it was the current technology when I was in my twenties! We’re cutting and pasting to create prints that are free from the constraints of perfection. This allows for a more personal connection with the work. Yes, there can be mistakes, mis-registration, and errors – these imperfections might feel unsettling in the finished product. But that’s the point – it doesn’t have to be perfect, that’s life. And sometimes, these unexpected elements lead to even more interesting results, something far more captivating than what we originally planned. In a way, it reflects the randomness of life itself.
Q. You are both multi-skilled creatives, working in a number of artistic disciplines. And I know you are writers of compelling short fiction. Can you tell us about the modern folk tale Chuffle that you co-authored?
Tracy: Chuffle came about through Teresa’s project Splice which explored some of the unique heritage of Sandown especially the time when tigers and pumas were walked on the beach. The resultant collage-style film was rich with specific images anchored to Sandown and is a fertile example of placemaking – exploring the uniqueness of place. We then thought, how could we develop this as often projects are short and there’s an element of work in progress that never concludes. So we conjured up a tiger’s tale, imagining how Sandown Beach got her stripes. We hope to have this printed, on the Riso, for the storytelling festival later this year.
“…the unique heritage of Sandown especially the time when tigers and pumas were walked on the beach.”
Teresa: Again, it is a nice opportunity to transform imagery created for ‘moving collage’ into print that works with Tracy’s evocative story. The challenge here will be to translate very photographic pictures into two coloured layers with a very different feel through the Riso process.
Q. You often work together. How does your creative partnership operate and can you tell us something about your creative partner that you especially appreciate?
Tracy: This is a tale of two cities! Teresa Grimaldi is a fast-paced, interconnected metropolis, firing on all cylinders. I, on the other hand, am a more sedate, quieter city, where the streets have been neatly planned. I often find myself gently pulling Teresa back from a whirlwind of ideas but that’s the beauty of our collaboration – it works! Teresa’s openness to the world and limitless possibilities inspires me, and her confidence rubs off, encouraging me to explore new territory.
Q. Whose work inspires you? Do any writers of fiction particularly fire your imagination?
Teresa: I am not a great reader so I do love a picture books or reference books. My greatest inspirations are Tove Jansson and Lewis Carroll. I have an ongoing fascination with Alice in Wonderland. Orhan Pamuk’s The Museum of Innocence is a constant source of inspiration as it is both novel and museum that were developed side by side, continuously referring to museums, collections and hoarding. The museum is wonderful to visit if you are ever in Istanbul.
Tracy: I’ve just finished re-reading Robert Tressell’s The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropist, this massive semi-autobiographical story details the precarious hand-to-mouth life of Edwardian England’s house decorators. It’s painful to read about their suffering and a sobering reminder that despite progress, vast societal divides persist today. The accumulation of immense wealth is celebrated, while the voices of the vulnerable are often unheard or ignored. Themes of fairness resonate deeply with me, though the struggle can feel overwhelming at times which is why I have to remind myself that my small actions matter and sometimes that’s enough.
I’ve just read, Erasure by Percival Everett, a satire that’s hilarious, profound and anger-inducing – it shows how bizarre our world has become. I also am in awe of Flannery O’Connor, Wise Blood is up-there and Somerset Maugham – especially The Painted Veil and Of Human Bondage.
Q. You’re currently working together on a project for Department in Ryde. Can you tell us more about it and give us a peek inside the new arts centre the old Packs department store will soon become?
Tracy: Teresa and I are co-curating an exhibition that integrates elements of Department’s history. We’re working with multiple partners, including the Ryde Social Heritage Group and On-the-Wight. We aim to create an exhibition that tells interesting stories and resonates with a contemporary audience.
“…our research reveals an insecure existence for many, especially during the Crusade Against Outdoor Relief…”
The issues explored in The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropist are mirrored in the lives of those who lived and worked in the building. One man, George Hopgood, a hairdresser, stands out. His father died in the workhouse, and his apprenticeship was even arranged by the institution. While he went on to have a successful career and even became commissioner of Ryde, our research reveals an insecure existence for many, especially during the Crusade Against Outdoor Relief, which led to a surge in workhouse admissions. People toiled incredibly hard and made do with a pittance and still the spectre of the workhouse loomed large.
Teresa: The exhibition will attempt to peel back the many layers of the building’s history and uncover the tales of trades and crafts of other ages. We will curate several commissioned projects that are developing through community engagement and will celebrate traditional crafts and engage with new audiences. As I grew up in Ryde this project is the perfect fit.
Tracy and Teresa will lead a Brevity Hear Me Now print workshop using the RISO printer on 13 July at Boojum & Snark in Sandown. They also used the spot-colour printer to create the July/Aug Hear Me Now Brevity Issue. 021.
Click here for more about tigers on Sandown beach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCSalaVoH2c
PHOTO CREDIT Simon Avery
Brevity 