frances.
The Connection Curve:
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I participate?
Register your interest by filling in the online form here. I will only be drawing 130 NT residents over 12 months (approx. 3 a week). Anyone can join the project and invite others to join, you just have to be a resident of the Northern Territory and if you are under 18 you will need guardian permission. I also ask that each participant that has had their portrait drawn and shared their story, invites other people to participate so the project can spread beyond my own networks. This will occur until all 130 portraits are completed.
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To get started please complete the Participant Information and Consent Form. Once I have received this completed form there i will contact you to arrange a time to video call you. Please note, I understand that video calling might not be possible for everyone so we can also arrange a pre-recorded video you make yourself (with questions i will supply) and send to me. If neither of these work for you, once i have your contact details I will get in touch to make other more appropriate arrangements.
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Who is invited to participate?
Anyone can participate. I am trying to make sure I get a wide spread of participants across the NT and will be trying to reach remote areas as much as urban centres of the NT as well as from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Part of the charm of the project however is that it is self-selecting, so I don't know who i will encounter as a participant.
The only requirements are that all participants need to be:
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NT residents and;
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must be over 18 years of age (it will be up to guardians if they want to nominate young people in their care as a proxy).
Can there be more than one person in a portrait?
Ideally no, as it is meant to be an intimate portrait of just one person. However there may be cases where it would make more sense for two participants to be in a portrait together (for example a parent and their new born child or a person and their assistance animal). This will have to be negotiated on a case by case basis. So, if this applies to you please contact me at hello@robynfrances.com.au to discuss.
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Once I have had my portrait drawn, can I invite others to participate?
Absolutely! Indeed, I hope that you do. You can invite anyone to participate as long as they:
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reside in the NT
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are over 18 years of age
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What if the people I have invited don't want to participate?
That is fine. This is a voluntary project.
If I have received an invitation do I have to participate?
Not at all, this project is entirely voluntary. If you'd prefer not to participate just let the person that invited you know that you are not interested.
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If I have received an invitation and I am interested to go ahead, what is involved?
You will need to:
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Fill in the Participant Information and Consent Form here and fill out the details.
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Organise a time with me to do a 15-30 minute video call. This will be arranged over text to your mobile. Or you can provide me with a pre-recorded video. For this you will need the set interview questions which i will text you once you have submitted your participant form.
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Prepare for the video by deciding what you will wear, how you will sit and what will be in the video frame. Also, think about what stories you would like to share (please do not share anything that you do not want to be made public or that is someone else's story and not for you to share). You will also need to make sure you have adequate lighting so that I can see your face. Please keep in mind, the video will be recorded and will kept for up to 5 years as part of The Connection Curve archive (please see Terms and Conditions for further information).
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During this video call I will ask you questions to record your story. I will be using a series of stills from this video to draw your portrait. The video calls will last between 15-30 minutes depending on your preference and how many stories you have to tell.
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Approximately, 1-4 weeks after the sitting you will receive a digital copy of your portrait and a quote from your story in an email (please click here to see some examples of completed portraits). You will need to respond to this email as soon as possible to confirm that it can be posted to the website, social media and kept for publication.
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Following your confirmation, you will be sent an email notifying you that your portrait is online and will shortly be in the post.To help you invite others, you will be sent an invitation email that you can share with your friends, family and colleagues (this can also be printed out if they have no email).
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At this point your active participation in the project is complete. Congratulations! Following this, you are invited to continue to interact with the project through the Instagram, Facebook and the portrait gallery on this website. If you re-post the images or pictures of you receiving your portraits online I'd love to receive a copy and please be mindful of acknowledging my copyright and tag me as the artist on social media if you share my drawings.
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If I have received an invitation to participate, how do I confirm my participation?
To confirm your participation in the project you will need to fill in the Participant Information and Consent Form. Please make sure you have left appropriate contact details so that I can get in touch with you to arrange a video call and communicate with you about the project.
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When do i need to be available for the video call for my portrait?
You will need to make yourself available for a minimum 15 minute video call (virtual sitting) within a couple of weeks of submitting your consent form or provide a pre-recorded video. You can submit preferred times and dates for the video call on your Participant Information and Consent Form.
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If I sign the Participant Information and Consent Form, what am I consenting to?
Please read the Terms and Conditions here. If you have any further questions about this please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss them further.
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If I do not like the portrait you draw, can I ask you to redraw it?
Sadly, I will not have the capacity to redo any portraits. Please keep in mind that drawings are not a complete likeness. They are a creative processes and are an approximation to a likeness. Sometimes they are more about the feeling than the look of something. My portrait process is not necessarily about making pretty pictures but saying something about a particular fleeting moment. However, if you feel strongly that you do not want the drawing displayed publicly, the image can be withdrawn. Please note if you withdraw the image and quote you will no longer be part of the project and your image and story will not be included in any possible final publication and/or exhibition.
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If I have any further questions how should I contact you?
Please use the contact form on my website and put The Connection Curve in the subject line or email me directly at hello@robynfrances.com.au (make sure you check your Junk Folder in your inbox as my reply made inadvertently end up there!).
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