Sue's package to Carol, received August 06

Picture 15 (SR-)

Picture 14 (SR-)

Picture 13 (SR-)

Picture 12 (CA-SR-CA-SR-)

Picture 11 (CA-SR-CA-SR-)

Picture 10 (SR-CA-SR-)

Picture 9 (CA-SR-)

Picture 8 (CA-SR-)

Picture 7 (CA-SR-)

Picture 6 (CA-SR-)

Some finished collaborative works from the initial phase of our collaboration

Picture 5 (CA-SR-CA)

Picture 4 (CA-SR-CA)

Picture 3 (CA-SR)

Picture 2 (CA-SR)

Picture 1 (CA-SR)

A collaborative series of works on paper by Carol Archer and Suzanne Rawlinson

Sue and Carol met in Sydney in July 2003, at a course on artist's books held at Sydney's National Art School. In early 2004 Sue visited Carol in Macao, and the two discussed ways of working collaboratively. During those discussions the two looked at images of a work on paper titled "Underground"(1993), by the Amsterdam-based artist Marlene Dumas and her young daughter, Helena. The child's playful overlay completely changed, and revitalised her mother's layer of the work, creating unsettling juxtapositions.
Carol and Sue hatched a plan to do works on paper together, establishing some ground rules. It was agreed that the subject matter and materials for the collaboration should be open. The size was limited to A4 - a standard format that is easy to post and also to scan. A procedure was also established. The pieces to be sent were conceived as "failures"or "starts" - works that were unresolved in some way and that each of us was happy to surrender up to the other's artistic intervention. The artist receiving these works would add something to them - preferably in a quick and light-hearted manner - and then send the pieces back to their originator to finish (or, perhaps, to work on and then resend). Although the works were all to be collaborations, it was agreed that their "ownership" would rest with the originator - and that is where they would end up. After receiving and working on the pieces, they would be sent back, along with several "starts" of our own. Five emerged as a good number to send each time. originally we agreed upon a time limit on sending works back, but neither of us managed to stick to it, and we decided it was better to just send them when we could.
The purpose of this blog is to record this collaborative art process. It will include scanned collaborative works - both those in progress and those deemed finished by their originator. It will also include observations by Carol and Sue about the collaborative creative process, along with any other information relevant to what we are doing.