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Time frame: December 2023 - December 2025

In December 2023 I had an interview for the MA Fine Art course at the University of Reading (course starting September 2024), I had the interview with Annabel Frearson in the UoR Art building. I mentioned to Annabel that I worked in IT and she asked if I had ever thought about including my IT work in my art practice. I hadn't. After the interview, I started to think about how to integrate the component of my IT work which was visual; 'network diagrams', into my artwork. Initially this presented itself as 2D work, but eventually became 3D.

[note 1: all images below by Mark Lumsden]
[note 2: photographs not always on white background: sometimes it is carpet, table, off-white walls and network cabinets]

 Image: Network Diagram.
 Date: Oct 2024
 Medium: Shaped watercolour painted paper (pink, dark green, and blue) laid on A3 and A5 paper.
 Location: Bedroom floor, Basingstoke.
 Note: Painted with network cable (see 'paint brush' cable below).

 Image: Colour Templates for Nodes and Network Diagram.
 Date: Oct 2024
 Medium: Painted watercolour templates (dark green, pink and blue) on A3 paper, and below, shaped watercolour painted paper laid on on A3 paper.
 Location: Bedroom floor, Basingstoke.
 Note: Painted with network cable (see 'paint brush' cable below).

 Image: Photograph of network cable 'paint brushes'.
 Date: Oct 2024
 Medium: Copper Category 5e Digital cable. The top cable brush is approx 10cm long, the middle brush is 8cm.
 Location: Bedroom table top, Basingstoke.
 Note: Cable brushes were used to 'paint' and a normal brush used to mix paint.
Mixing paint with a 'cable brush' was nigh on impossible.

 Image: 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Nov 2024
 Medium: Paper painted with watercolour on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
3cm x 20cm x 3cm
 Location: Living room, Basingstoke.
 Note: Left view (for 'right view' see below).
Painted with network cable brush.

 Image: 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Nov 2024
 Medium: Paper painted with watercolour on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
3cm x 20cm x 3cm
 Location: Living room, Basingstoke.
 Note: Right view (for 'left view' see previous image).
Painted with network cable brush.

 Image: Joined 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Nov 2024
 Medium: 2 x paper with watercolour painted on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
1 x paper with watercolour diagonal.
18cm x 54cm x 3cm
 Location: Living room, Basingstoke.
 Note: Right view (for 'left view' see below).
Painted with network cable brush.

 Image: Joined 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Nov 2024
 Medium: 2 x paper with watercolour painted on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
1 x paper with watercolour diagonal.
18cm x 54cm x 3cm
 Location: Living room, Basingstoke.
 Note: Left view (for 'right view' see previous image).
Painted with network cable brush.

 Image: Close up of assemblage of 3D network diagrams on fixed wall board.
 Date: Nov 2024
 Medium: Paper painted with watercolour on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim, then nailed to a wooden board 10cm x 25cm wide.
 Location: Room 104 in the Mathematics Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Painted with network cable brush.

 Image: Wide view of assemblage of 3D network diagrams on fixed wall board.
 Date: Nov 2024
 Medium: Paper painted with watercolour on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim, then nailed to a wooden board 10cm x 25cm wide.
 Location: Room 104 in the Mathematics Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Painted with network cable brush.

 Image: 3D Network Diagrams.
 Date: Dec 2024
 Medium: Various network diagram assemblages.
Total height 1m x width 1.5m.
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Photograph from Winter Cabaret exhibition.

 Image: 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Dec 2024
 Medium: Paper painted with watercolour on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
4cm x 10cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Detail of work shown in Winter Cabaret exhibition (see previous image).

 Image: Wide Angle View of Winter Cabaret Exhibition.
 Date: Dec 2024
 Artists: (L-R) Marion O'Donnell (paintings), Mark Lumsden, Guocheng Li Anson (painting).
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Works shown in Winter Cabaret exhibition (see previous 2 images).

 Image: Close-up of 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Sep 2025
 Medium: Watercolour painted paper inserted into white PVC trim with cable tie.
3cm x 30cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Interim Show, Foyer, UoR Art building. Right view (for 'left view' see below).

 Image: Close-up of 3D Network Diagram.
 Date: Sep 2025
 Medium: Watercolour painted paper inserted into white PVC trim with cable tie.
3cm x 30cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Interim Show, Foyer, UoR Art building. Left view (for 'right view' see previous image).

 Image: 'Interim Show' Instagram Advert.
 Date: Oct 2025
 Medium: Digital photo of watercolour painted paper inserted into white PVC trim with cable tie.
3cm x 30cm x 3cm
 Location: Instagram
 Note: All three part-time students in the 'Interim Show' had work shown on this advert, as did all the five full-time students in their 'Final Show'.

 Image: Wifi Network Diagram.
 Date: Oct 2025
 Medium: Watercolour painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
12cm x 20cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Right view (for 'left view' see below)

 Image: Wifi Network Diagram.
 Date: Oct 2025
 Medium: Watercolour painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
12cm x 20cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Left view (for 'right view' see previous image)

 Image: Wifi Network Diagram.
 Date: Nov 2025
 Medium: Watercolour painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
16cm x 45cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: See sine waves at left, part of a future course work presentation. Right view (for 'left view' see below)

 Image: Wifi Network Diagram.
 Date: Nov 2025
 Medium: Watercolour painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
16cm x 45cm x 3cm
 Location: MA Fine Art Studio, Art Building, UoR, Reading.
 Note: Part of a future course work presentation. Left view (for 'right view' see above)

 Image: (Incomplete) Network Cabinet Diagram.
 Date: Dec 2025
 Medium: Metal face-plate from network device with added screws and some paper inserted.
4cm x 10cm x 4cm
 Location: Cabinet Office Netops, 100 Parliament Street, London.
 Note: Photograph of diagram being prepared on my desk.

 Image: 'Network Cabinet Diagram' in Network Cabinet.
 Date: Dec 2025
 Medium: Metal face-plate from network device with screws and paper inserted.
4cm x 10cm x 4cm
 Location: Basement, 100 Parliament Street, London.
 Note: 'Network Cabinet Diagram' attached to a network cabinet door in basement 'MER' (server room).

 Image: 'Network Cabinet Diagram' in Network Cabinet.
 Date: Dec 2025
 Medium: Metal face-plate from network device with screws and paper inserted.
4cm x 10cm x 4cm
 Location: Cabinet Office, Basement, 70 Whitehall, London.
 Note: 'Network Cabinet Diagram' attached to network cabinet door in basement 'SER' (server room).

 Image: Network Cabinet Diagram in Network Cabinet.
 Date: Dec 2025
 Medium: Metal face-plate from network device with screws and paper inserted.
4cm x 10cm x 4cm.
 Location: Basement, 70 Whitehall, London.
 Note: 'Network Cabinet Diagram' attached to network cabinet door at bottom right of image with PDU cardboard boxes stacked to the Left.
PDU = Power Distribution Unit.