Found Photos - All My Own:)

I take alot of photos and never seem to have enough time to do anything with them after the event. I was just looking through to find some pics of old displays and came across a few which reminded me of things I wanted to remember, usually anchored to a visual idea or line of enquiry. I'm uploading them for reference and reminders, a digital addition to the recipe book - don't know why some of them have uploaded sideways:/ x

Alice

http://www.thecherryonthecake.com/blog/alice-in-wonderland
Love the cross between fashion and literature x

Sidelines

Finally I am coming to the end of the Sketchbook Project - must not forget to mail it by the 31st Jan...I think this will lead onto more 'book work' (something I have done very little of in the last 10 years) apart from the Paul Rego altered book.http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject2012

Thinking about taking on the long lamented 30 day photography challenge just to explore different viewpoints and build up a body of imagery which could be added to the recipe book...

Also half way through registering for BOS 2012 - goodbye weekends in June;)

Lines of Enquiry for 2012

Having done a lot of thinking over the 'holidays', I felt it was best to record some of the intentions I have so I can refer back in later months.

• Broaden knowledge of painters who address themes I am interested in (currently more drawn to photographers, themes and process but not photographic outcomes
• Take more spontaneous and collecting photos with digital camera when out and about to add to recipe book
• Work on sketchbook based explorations, altered books and other objects
• Visit exhibitions and actively make notes - build greater awareness of artist's career as well as work
• Investigate Hernan Bas,Michael Borremans, Lisa Brice, Merlin James, Maki Na Kamura, Makiko Kudo, Birgit Megerle,Zhang Enl, Masako Ando, Leopold Rabus, 
• Explore literature which explores themes of magic, femininity, mirrors
• Use digital and paper collage to manipulate scale and 'plan' paintings
• Write an artist statement
• Find out more about this http://stadtgalerieschwaz.at/?page=5&l=en&sub=2&ID=57
•  

2011 Reflection

Looking back over the course of the year a great deal has changed in the way I approach and think about my practice. Although I wasn't aware, I was reworking ideas I already knew and had fallen into creating formulaic images. I think that's why it took me a while to get my thinking up to speed in terms of articulating my intention. (I still know I have some way to go on this). I was relieved to be accepted on the course as I felt that I applied late, but found the early stages quite daunting. The work that I made of take two influences was hideous and I felt uncomfortable working within my first constraints of the course. Having said that, I really enjoyed the FFF task and have used many of the techniques I explored since, for example collaging to create composite images, and painting on paper. In particular I have learnt that it is important not just to work from canvas to canvas, or on multiple paintings simultaneously; it is the collecting, constructing and experimenting in between which supports the larger works. I wouldn't want to stop these all together but I understand the value of using smaller scale and more rapid processes to explore ideas. I found the case study very useful although missed marks as I approached more like a VE rather than a PC essay. It has been strange going back to studying now that I'm a teacher as never before have I been aware of success criteria and assessment bands. I want to get a good mark but I also want to learn rather than just ticking boxes. I felt that the supporting practical work was successful, in particular the altered book which I would like to develop further, perhaps through sketchbooks or other relevant publications. The mapping the territory task was challenging but I enjoyed making the work and discussing it at open studios. I let myself down by not creating a supporting blurb - where I had been working on it for so long, I felt that I knew the maps well and didn't go the extra step to make them clearer to others. However, they did support fruitful discussions and made me work in a different way. 

I have tried really hard to be a better learner, a professional learner, and respond to constructive criticism. After the July assessment it was made clear to me that my 'reflection' was not explicit enough. I didn't realise that this was the case so discussed strategies to improve my reflection. I have always felt rather exposed by the course. It has been a brave step to write about and show my work in a public forum and now using the 'reflection' subtitle I am able to reflect on what I write without assuming that it is integrated in my main paragraph. I found the VE essay very constructive and discovered lots of pairings which I will use in my practical work. The BB task was really hard; I think this was because I know that I can rely on myself to get things done but I had to trust that others would give a truthful response, or return work to me. It did however allow me to work through my ideas about audience and how I should communicate ideas to the viewer. 

My personal practice plan describes how I intend to develop my practice in context of showing work, personal and professional development so this will help me to kick start strategies in the new year. I intend to do some book based work and take some of my compositions into bigger paintings with particular reference to the Tate's  Alice exhibition. Although the time constraints working full time have put pressure on my completion of tasks, I feel very enriched by doing the course and reassessing my work/life balance. I have found dialogue with tutors and other course members generally positive although some of the cohort have found it difficult working in a bubble. However, I anticipated that distance learning would be like this and it works very well for me. Time is very limited but I would like to speak to others more frequently via skype and feel that we should use a group crit strategy to give feedback on practical work. This also something I would like to do in the studios so I can build links for dialogue opportunities so as not to work in a vacuum. I have also had feedback from people who read my blog which has been really positive so I will continue to actively write and record my research in this way.

I am really looking forward to the holidays and what the new year will bring:) bye for now x

Critical Reflection

My feedback from the midyear assessment was generally positive, however an area which I seem to have fallen down on is recording my reflection on tasks. It's not that I haven't reflected - in fact I spend a great deal of time reviewing, refining and evaluating my process and research. This is a natural part of my practise but I haven't yet succeeded in conveying this through my blog entries and submissions. Partly a time constraint, partly I'm not good at evidencing for the sake of it, although I know I have to do it to show it's been done, and that it is a healthy process to record, reflect and revisit. So from now on I will endevour to record my reflection as I go; as suggested by A, I have looked at E's blog for good examples of this. Notes/record followed by distinct title 'Reflection' and comment...this seems to work and will remind me I have to type up whatever I have thought or have been thinking.

The Yellow Wallpaper

http://onviewonline.craftscouncil.org.uk/yellow-wallpaper/

Just found this...I have loved The Yellow Wallpaper ever since my head of year suggested I read it in year 10...awesome:)

Studio Late June

 

Painting progress made during Open Studios...

not much but I've had plenty of time to look at them:)

Painting Cube (after Susan Hiller)

Open Studios Dialogue

Audience Feedback - Maps, Paintings and Objects

Bucks Open Studios seemed the ideal opportunity to display my mapping pieces. As visitors were coming to see a working studio, this seemed an opportune time to reveal more about my process and thinking.

I was quite surprised at the positive response I received about this work. As it is very different to my current painting practice I considered that the audience might not consider it as a piece of work, however they not only drew links between the two but also appreciated the honesty of the maps. I explained the making process to them and then invited them to make comments and ask questions. Some of the feedback included...

·         We love these pieces – the intricacy and bright colours

·         Interesting use of local maps – could I have used different maps as the pieces moved further away from my studio, both physically and conceptually?

·         Impressive amount of work

·         Interested in the audience section – some were not particularly aware of the role they played as an audience and how I anticipated their response

·         They thought that I was brave to expose the process and felt that it was a good forum to share my ideas

·         The pieces had rhythm and flow, linking well

·         The fashioning and shaping of the text added to the flow

·         They felt that they could spend ages looking at them as there was so much to take in

·         They liked the combination of surfaces, imagery and text

·         Discussed the idea of incidental and deliberate audience

·         Observed contours in the work which created an artificial, landscape relief, linking back to the idea of mapping the territory.

There was another aspect to this dialogue in that when I made the maps I had anticipated what the audience response would be and how they would encounter my work. I recorded what visitors wrote and said in response to the paintings and objects in my studio, which may act as a post script to my project.

·         Very unusual collection of amazing objects and paintings

·         Fascinating and engaging

·         Beautiful work in a lovely space

·         Striking

·         Very lively works

·         Beautiful bright, fresh work

·         Very light, arresting and uplifting

·         You are in all the images, having met you I can tell they are yours - your eyes are everywhere

·         Attractive, wistful

·         The eyes say something

·         Powerful, in particular the painting with the girl with bows

·         Impressed by the scale

·         Soft, it just happens, you can see the working

·         Soft, but sharp like a needle

·         Very effective thin layers and surface created through dribbles

·         Multiple people commented on the likeness of some of the images to me

·         Earlier works seem more decorative, pairs seem more meaningful

·         Interested in the idea of working on multiple surfaces and on the wall rather than flat

·         Many read the material as watercolour, not oil because of its fluidity

·         Some visitors felt the work was playful

·         Very attracted to the child/childlike images

·         Owl and head sculptures very popular, often read as plaster or porcelain and were surprised to discover that these pieces are very light

·         Many loved the altered book and were keen to look through it

·         They recognised that I was exploring narrative in some way

The most valuable element I found was that I could engage every visitor to my studio in dialogue about different pieces of work. These conversations have created a platform for development for me and have addressed my current problem of the work only existing in my studio. There seemed to be a greater appreciation of the work when understanding something about the process and methods of selection.