Adding names

At the start of Day 1 - the family and schoolfriends have been wound in; next is a layer of people who've written their names in the book -

 At the end of the day - getting bigger, with all the names of visitors so far -

These names are written on quite large slips of paper, which are placed touching each other, travelling around the ball as the next one is added. (It keeps me amused...) The patterning of crossing threads has its own quiet fascination as the ball grows -

My personal challenge in making this during the exhibition is to practise getting a conversation going with strangers. I spent half a lifetime thinking of myself as a shy, gauche, social nerd, either running away from things or overcompensating with frenetic activity, and it's taking another half a lifetime to relax when in socially uncomfortable situations. Approaching strangers ain't easy, even now, so it's good to have a chance to get some practice.

Generally, people smile when they're told that they (or at least their name) will be part of an art work.