Happy Easter

We have started our Easter break now.  I'm not going anywhere, we are dog sitting for a friend!  I've had all feedbacks and grades for my last project.  I'm very happy with them.  I've still to get my essay mark, so fingers crossed.
I've been developing ideas for my current project "Childhood Explored" (8x8).  This will be the smallest piece I've done so far.  I don't mind this, I like working on a small scale.  I've been looking at emotions felt in childhood, especially fear and happiness.  I've looked at general childhood, but I have decided to base my project on my own memories.  Like any child, I had fears and many happy times.  For my project, I'm combining one of my fears with one of my happy memories.  Ironically, both emotions were manifested
during one event, annual bramble picking with my family.  My fear was (and still is ) of wasps,

Cell Alice Maher

and being scratched all over with big thorns from the brambles!  My happiness was being with all members of my family on an adventure which took us into the woods and beyond, the red juice on my hands (or was it blood?) And my full bucket of brambles.  The best bit was our picnic during the day, and following our expedition, a constant supply of home made bramble jelly.  Thankfully the happiness of this event overcame my wasp and thorn fear.  I have considered other memories but this one keeps pulling me back and is very inspiring.  I am experimenting with dry point prints and image transfers at the moment.  During the holidays I'll be experimenting with layering and heat distressing processes on various materials.

Wasp--The ultimate Nightmare


The ball of bramble thorns used in "Cell" pictured above, epitomises my   somewhat exaggerated childhood fear, and the wasp speaks for itself1

Integrated Project



Tassel House Victor Horta 1893

                                      

Museu du peuple Victor Horta 1897






Chair CR Mackintosh 1903



Got new brief for the Integrated project this week.  I have decided to choose the Childhood Explored brief.  This brief has lots of scope for development.  It is a specified size (8x8ins).  This is small compared to other projects I have done, I normally work on a larger scale.  I don't mind what size is requested, I will come up with a suitable idea after some serious research and development.  I went to the annual Hobbycrafts show in Glasgow last week. It was very interesting and VERY busy.  Next year I'll go on my own and stay for longer.  My Husband was with me this time.  He was very good but got fed up after a while.  I took note of some products which I'd like to try, and I got a good mixed media book.  My powerpoint presentation is to morrow.  I'm last at 3pm.  Don't know which is worse, going first or last!  Anyhow this time to morrow it will be all over.  I've finished my essay for hand in next week.  I'm just reading it over now and making minor adjustments.  I was practising with My e portfolio this week.  I'm going to need some help with this or I'll never be able to send my work to tutors.  It is a good idea, once I get used to it all will be fine.  I have added some nice Art Nouveau pictures to this blog.  My essay is about Art Nouveau and the work of CR Mackintosh and Victor Horta.  There were so many practitioners in this movement, it was difficult to decide who to choose.  I like all aspects of ArtNouveau and Art Deco.  I don't know how I've done with my Multiples brief yet, I might knoww next week.  The Hairy Bikers diet is still going weel, I've lost 16 lbs now.

A weight off my mind(and body)

Well here we are again folks.  Hand in week for PDP folder and Multiples brief.  I have reserved a table and a space for my 'tenement' (multiples).  It's looking good.  I have added a small battery operated light to the base. It creates an eerie glow.  I have used my welded tenement structure to support my textile/mixed media multiples.  Windows, closes, gates, cobbles, dolls, bones, are some of the items I have used to suggest the architecture and history of the Royal Mile.  I love Edinburgh and I have really enjoyed this project. The research and  practical work for the project have been interesting and fun. My diet is working well ,I have now lost a stone and feeling much better.  I've still got more weight to lose but I don't mind. I have added a few images of my tenement.

Deadlines approach.

Preparing to make a felted window



MDF base and slate 'cobbles'



Welded tenement fixed to base



Patchwork stained glass windows.



It's been a while.  I was ill for three days last week and it's thrown me off .

  I was falling behind a bit, but glad to say that I have now caught up. I finished the work for Paul yesterday.  It involved a lot of research and a written report so it's good to have it done.  Just need to get it bound now for hand in on Monday.  My Multiples project is now nearing completion after some adjustments which of course took longer than expected.  It is now free standing rather than being wall mounted.  I much prefer this to my wall mounted version. My original ideas have still been used, and my finished piece portrays the history, architecture and textures of the Royal Mile.  Getting my power point ready for my Art Nouveau presentation.  I will be discussing one of the artists in my essay, Victor Horta.  I've never set up a power point on my own before, so I hope it's ok. As I seem to have remembered how to add images to my blog, I have included some of my development pictures for the Multiples brief.  

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.