My wonderful Studio!

Well here it is folks, my Studio!  No more clutter strewn all over the house.  All my art stuff is stored neatly in here.  I'm going to paint it in the Spring,  sage green I think. Watch this space.  Got my first draft for my essay back this week.  It was ok, I've just to concentrate on my chosen artists as opposed to The Art Nouveau movement, using contextual comparisons within my discussion.  We did our group exercise with Paul this week.  I found it very beneficial. Researching different artists then discussing our findings in a group discussion helped clarify what I like, and why I like it.  I looked at the work of Grayson Perry, and now I want to find out all about him and his work.  He is a one off and possesses an honesty rarely seen.  This clearly comes through in his ceramic works.  Every pot tells a harrowing story.  I never paid much attention to his work before, I must admit, I thought he was another oddball.  Never judge a book by its cover!  My multiples project is progressing quite well now following a slight hiccough regarding part of my design. After further development trials, I found a solution which I am working on.  This has involved some welding with Alison.  I found it very interesting, and the end result is a 3D piece which works much better than my original idea.  I have also made a plaster of paris mould for a trial glass casting next week. My diet is going well, I have lost 10LBS in a month.  Still a long way to go.    

A busy week

  Our mid module tutorial is next week . We are doing the tutorials in groups this time instead of one to one with tutors.  It should be interesting and beneficial to discuss our projects with each other.  My wall hanging is coming along, and I'm beginning to see how it will look.  Nine pieces form the whole design.  Each piece represents the archtecture in various forms on the Royal Mile.  When I visited initially, my overwhelming impression was that of architectural texture-smooth cobbles, rough stone,dark closes, ornate ironwork, I could go on.  I have also looked at the history of the Royal Mile.
I am very interested in working with glass.  We made small samples using the tacking method which joins the glass but doesn't melt it completely. We are also experimenting with slump glass and cast glass, using clay and plaster of paris to form the shapes.
I've been researching artists for Paul's project.  It's amazing what you find out by doing this type of excersise. 

Happy new year

Glad to get back to normal (what ever that is).  I have finished my first draft of my essay.  Hope it doesn't need too many amendments. 

I'm doing a wall hanging for my 'Multiples' brief.  I've been experimenting with various materials over the holidays, still a lot to do.

Like thousands of others, we have started a diet in our house.  My weight is beyond a joke now.  I love good food and cooking but enough is enough.  I bought the Hairy Bikers cook book three months ago and promptly filed it on my bookshelves.  I must have assumed that it was a magic cook book, and buying it was enough to lose weight!
I wish.  I've got high hopes for this diet.  The dishes are full of flavour, using fresh ingredients, and most of them are hot.(I'm not keen on salads in Winter).  Back to college to-day , just squeezing my holiday blog in before I go.

Poster photos and Analysis

The network maps had a very interesting outcome.  When we looked at each others posters carefully, it became apparant that many of us had things in common regarding our style, favoured medias and ambitions.

We all have strengths and weaknesses which can be improved through networking.  If we communicate and work as a team, especially within mutual interests/pathways, we can improve our knowledge and self belief creating opportunities we may have missed on our own.  If we work to-gether as one, we can become stronger.

My own network map clearly followed my pathway.  Nevertheless, I did make connections with people who were taking other routes. This was helpful.  I realised that people who had other pathway plans frequently crossed or joined mine at the same point. This added strength to the network of students, giving opinions and ideas in an unbiased way.  We as students should make the most of our knowledge, share it with each other and use it to broaden our horizons and increase our chances of gaining our degrees, employment, self employment or what ever our dreams and ambitions are for the future.

By looking at our past, present and future we can see in black and white how we are, how we have been, and a confident glimpse of what we will become in the future.  Writing down everything you have done helps you focus on things you may have missed and might like to try.  Artists continually observe things.  We see things that others don't.  We interpret signs, objects and beings through art.  Using networking, we can open our minds to new ideas and thought processes.

At this moment in time, gaining employment is very difficult.  We must strive to become accomplished in our fields and develop our own unique style which will set us apart from others.  We should enquire about voluntary work as this shows employers that you have a high level of commitment and strong work ethics.  Networking will also provide you with teamworking skills.

PDP etc.

Been concentrating on PDP pathways and networks this week.  I made an A1 poster concentrating on my past, present and future work.  I based my poster on the idea of 'A christmas Carol'.  i.e the ghost of my past work, the spirit of my present work and the clairvoyance of my future work.  I used a different colour for each section.  I then looked for similar comments/interests on other posters tying string on for present work, and coloured twine for the future.  This created a personal network between like minded students, which was a good exercise, it made things much clearer when I divided past present and future into three groups.
I'm working on my first draft for my essay.  I've done just over a thousand words.  It's good to have it started.  I'm busy sorting out trial ideas for my 'Multiples' brief.  I'm not sure if i want to do a wall hanging or an installation.  I'd like to do something abstract.  Do I risk it?  Probably.  I just hope my grade won't plummet, abstract is out of my comfort zone.  I was happy with my grade for 'Second Life' so here's hoping!  I've made some chocolate chilli truffles so I'm off to have one (or two) with a glass of wine.  Merry Christmas.

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN EDINBURGH!

Our new brief for applied practice is Multiples.  I visited Edinburgh yesterday for research purposes.  As the title says, it was sunny.  This is a standing joke in our family.  It always seems to be sunny when I visit Edinburgh, maybe I'm just lucky. Anyhow it was a beautiful day, and I concentrated my research on the Royal Mile.  I think I was up every close.  I was even accosted by two pigeons in one of the closes.  There were many interesting 'Multiples'.  As yet I am a bit undecided which ones to use for my brief.  I have a few ideas so I must give them more thought before I do my PDP at the week end.  I'm working on my essay, trying to get my research into some kind of order.  Once I get started things flow more quickly, and make more sense.  The first draft is after Christmas so I still have plenty of time. I am going to a glass engravers shop to-morrow.  He is a friend of my husband, and offered to show me glass engraving techniques, which I am interested in.  I would also like to find out more about enamelling and hopefully try that too.  My Multiple pigeons are shown above!

New Timetable

Back to college and our new timetable this week. The last projects are now somewhere in the mists of time(even though they have still to be assessed) that will soon clear the fog! I have managed to borrow three great books from my friend for my essay research. I have chosen Art Nouveau.  As yet I am a bit undecided about the artists I want to discuss.  This was a global movement using diverse skills and I love them all.  I want to concentrate on two artists. Writing in depth about any more would seriously jeopardise my word count. I find Victor Horta, Antoni Gaudi,and Galle very interesting, so I'll probably choose two of these.  Meanwhile I'm enjoying researching all things Art Nouveau.
Started PDP Pathways and Projects to-day. It reminds me of a corkscrew. PDP works in the same way, extracting blockages and barriers from the riches and rewards within. I enjoy it.  We get our new brief to-morrow, looking forward to that.  My lovely garden shed (sorry,Studio) now sits proudly in the garden.  My husband is insulating it and shelving it for all my stuff to go in it.  I can't wait.  I'll be able to find stuff at a glance without digging in a 3foot pile of assorted 'art stuff'.  We will also be able to reclaim our table and eat in a civilised manner without the danger of finding embellishments and inclusions in our meals.  As you can see Santa has been to my house.  He has been working his magic in my studio, Insulating it and adding shelves etc. I love Santa.  He reminds me of my husband.