We asked Chrissie Macdonald to be part of If You Could Collaborate. Thankfully, she said yes, collaborated with Marie O’Connor, and produced a series of figures made from salvaged wood and scrap material. Our reaction was something like: ‘wowowowwwow’ – a sort of unavoidable reaction similar to the one we had on reading Chrissie’s answers.
Chrissie’s image of the year: “This doorbell belongs to my friends Tim and Cat in Sydney and pretty accurately reflects much of my working year: personifying objects. It also acts as a reminder of a fantastic holiday that will stay with me forever.”
Mark out of 10 for 2010?
10 out of ten for… Being part of If You Could Collaborate; seeing Eva Hesse: Studiowork exhibition; Chris Ofili at the Tate; John Landis interview and screening of Slasher at the BFI; creating new work for Pick Me Up at Somerset House; Toy Story 3; buying a 1975 Reliant Scimitar; working on the Orange campaign with Fallon; my sister’s wedding; Picasso’s sculptures at the Gagosian gallery; C. W. Stoneking at Charlotte Street Blues; creating images for the V&A Friday Lates; Grinderman at the Coronet; Diaghilev at the V&A; an incredible holiday in Australia, Vietnam & Cambodia; returning to a frosty London realising I was happy to be home; Ted Willcox embroideries at Exhibition #3 at the Museum of Everything; hanging out and going for walks on Hampstead Heath with my nephew and family; and generally being paid to do what I love with people I like.
0 out of ten for a few things that lower the average but are far outweighed by the good bits.
What broke? How did you fix it?
The key in the ignition of my newly purchased, utterly impractical old car, that is still in the garage for other reasons.
What was the best thing you saw this year?
Kayaking at night down a river in Cambodia, to see trees illuminated by thousands of fireflies flashing in unison.
What was your favourite day of the year?
The day before I went on holiday; walking in Richmond Park on a sunny autumn afternoon with friends and family and sitting on the hilltop overlooking the river with a pint of Guinness watching the sun go down knowing I had a month of holiday ahead of me.
Most dangerous/scariest moment?
Braking down at the traffic lights of Piccadilly Circus during rush hour in the rain… Living on the edge.
Best Google image search of 2010?
Some friendly Totem Poles with googly eyes…
Best man/woman of the year?
My husband Andrew, for being there when I wasn’t all there.
Your finest moment?
Creating some wooden figures for an exhibition at Somerset House and realising that this is what I’d like to do: make objects that are pieces in their own right.
If you could only take one thing that you bought in 2010 into 2011, what would it be?
The chair I commissioned for my nephew’s 1st birthday based on Harry Nilsson’s The Point, beautifully designed and embroidered by Peter and Sally Nencini. Perhaps not technically mine to take though I wish it were.
What would you like to say to 2010?
So long and thanks for all the fun.
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Alex originally joined It’s Nice That as a designer but moved into editorial and oversaw the It’s Nice That magazine from Issue Six (July 2011) to Issue Eight (March 2012) before moving on that summer.