Holden Cafe Exhibition

This piece follows on from the "wallpaper" in the previous exhibition. I liked the layered effect of the tracing paper but thought that if the design was lit it would have a more atmospheric, ethereal quality. It did. I also chose to cut around the images rather than leaving them A3 size. This softened the overall shape of the hanging and combined with the increased movement, gave it an almost ghostly presence. Again I would have preferred to have more of an abundance of photocopies to work with, however time and cost prevented this.
In the future I would like to create a similar design using glass or clear plastic and frosting the image onto each hanging piece.

"Wallpaper"

This is the second piece of work i produced for the half year exhibition. I created it as a replacement for the leaf wallpaper that failed to come together. Personally I feel that this piece was much more successful and has been the starting point for many other ideas and works for the future.
I began by using my strongest wallpaper design as a basis for a wall covering. Initially the plan was to screen print the image onto plain wallpaper and hanging it in the traditional way, however this would not have separated my work from mass produced wallpapers and moves away from what it is i try to achieve in my art work. I then started to layer the image over itself using tracing paper photocopies. This had an entirely different effect, creating depth and distance within, what is essentially a 2D image. Once I applied the photocopies to the wall using pins, they began to stand apart at different levels, obscuring parts of some images while exposing others, as if looking through a rain drenched window. Some of the photocopies came out with dark patches which, at first I wasn't going to use. But after trying them they actually enhanced the depth of the piece. As well as this, I left the bottom of the papers loose which allowed movement as people passed, adding to the atmosphere I intended to create. Had I had more wall space or pehaps an entire room to cover in this way I think the effect would be much greater.

A new way of drawing

I have developed a new style of drawing based on my Anthurium designs for wallpaper. The flower lent itself to being drawn in this way as the leaves and petal are very waxy and smooth as apose to the veiny leaves of roses etc. The style of drawing that I have developed is much more graphic and deffinate than my usual technique. I think it works really well with this particular design and the object I have chosen, however I am not sure I could continue using this technique for my other work as it is quite a slow process and I prefer to work more spontaniously.

Collage

Collage is a medium I have always been interested in as I find it visually stimulating and attractive to look at. Some of my favourite artists in this field are Robert Rauschenberg and Joseph Cornell.
My own collage technique however needs working on. I decided to use my designs for the MOSI DaVinci project to develop my skills. I used paint, various papers (patterned and textured), and found material to create the base of my collage and then worked over it using ink pen, letter transfers, paint and tea. I have created four collages, one for each of my designs. They will be going in my half year exhibition to show my development and also as a part of the food theme.

Spun

As I have been working on a food themed project which i have based around using food as decoration, I began to look at using the food itself as apose to recreating it in drawings.
I decided to look at sugar as a medium to produce an installation. Spun sugar is a highly effective way of decorating desserts and I Aim to produce a decorative piece on a much larger scale. As my work at the moment is looking at pattern and texture in decoration, I would like to create a curtain or hanging from spun sugar. I hope to display this in a window space of an exhibition so that the natural light catches the golden colour of the sugar and highlights the natural and spontanious pattern that the sugar makes as it is spun.
Aswell as the curtain I would also like to make other forms of decoration using spun sugar, such as jewellery, baubles, clothing etc.

Wallpaper- natural pattern

So far, my wallpaper designs have been 2D drawn patterns based on natural objects such as leaves and flowers etc. However, after a group tutorial last week it was suggested to me that I try using the actual objects i have been drawing to create the wallpaper. I took this on board and began designing a wallpaper pattern using fallen leaves as my material. I gathered and separated the leaves into brown and green piles then applied them to the lining paper with adhesive. I chose a geometric layout as I wanted to contradict the material I was using and its natural state. Because the leaves are no longer living, they will begin to brown and dry out and eventually flake away. I do not have a problem with this as it highlights the transient nature of the material, and as the leaves deteriorate, so does the pattern.

Collaboration

As part of the half year review and working with the food theme, myself and 3 colleagues created a cookery video to bring together the ideas and skills of each individual. We styled the video around the great Fanny Craddock-pioneer of cookery television. As we only had a short space of time in which to produce the film, we decided the most effective style of film would be silent movie. This way we could incorporate slapstick comedy and captions without the need for scripts, making the actions much more spontanious and less rehearsed.
The video will be exhibited alongside the finished cake which viewers can taste. By doing this, we are taking a part of the video and bringing it into a "real" situation, allowing people to interact and react to the video.

DaVinci- The Genius (MOSI)

An opportunity arose recently to produce a piece of work as part of the Leonardo DaVinci exhibition which will be displayed soon at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) The brief was to design the ivention which DaVinci did not. The work could be as light-hearted or a serious as you want but had to A4 size. The chosen designs will be displayed as a digital book in the MOSI.
I chose to take quite a banal approach to the brief as i prefer simple things. I invented a contraption which aids the brewing of tea (leaves and bags) without the need of a spoon and 3 minutes plus of standing, stirring and burning your fingers while attempting to strain the teabag. I created both horizontal and vertical teabag plungers and a tealeaves/teabag stirrer.

Food- continued

I have begun working on designs for my alternative wallpaper incorporating the theme of food. I have been looking for food that has a pattern (natural and unnatural). So far I have developed designs using Curly Wurlys, pretzels and battenburg cake. I am currently working with my initial designs to find a suitable and interesting layout before screenprinting onto wallpaper. With my initial prints done, I will then be able to adapt them, adding more elements, changing materials etc.

Food (first term)

After researching the aesthetics of food and drink and looking at the physical values they have, I have developed a few ideas as to how to incorporate the theme into my practice.

• Collage with food packaging- Using waste/used food packaging to recreate a classic still life image of food.
• Recipe invention- Developing new recipes and techniques, using the food presention as art in itself.
• Food manipulation- Creating sculptures/ works of art using food products. Experimanting with, and pushing the boundaries of what food can do.
• Photography- A take on the "best in show" displays of fruit and vegetables at horticultural shows. Putting the oddest shaped produce on pisplay.
• Design- Incorporating foods natural aesthetics into wallpaper designs.

Year 2 project plan

This year I plan to work more in printing and textiles, perhaps combining the two. I will begin by looking at wallpaper design and develop my own individual designs through illustration and screen printing. I am interested in looking at layering images and colours, giving the designs more and more depth.
My designs to begin with will be based on natural patterns, for example leaves, shells, flowers, food etc. I am hoping to create alternative designs to the mass produced wallpapers seen in popular interior shops.

What I learnt on Year 1 Interactive Arts

At the end of Year 1 on Interactive Arts, I finally got my head around what was expected of me and my personal practice. On starting the course, i was under the impression that I had to create pieces of ultra modern art that had a deep rooted meaning and expressed shocking/political statements but didn't necessarily look any good. This idea worried me and for the first term, prevented me from producing and developing any work. After many reasuring tutorials I realised that making a statement was fine if you have a statement to make. If not, it is just as fine to produce work based on aesthetics and usage. Knowing this, I am now able to develop my own practice based on illustration and handy-craft.

A Collective Vision- Eyes Not Incuded

During the "summer", students on the MMU Interactive Arts course were given the opportunity to exhibit their own work in an exhibition curated by Ryan Campbell and Adriano Digaudio as part of the Free For Arts art festival.
Together with Ryan Campbell, we created a sculpture conveying the idea of anti-industry. We worked with moss to show how nature can overcome industrial/ man-made products and even adapt into forming strucural forms.
Although Ryan and I had the same general viewpoint on the subject, we had our own individual ideas of how to illustrate them using sculpture and installation. However after looking at each design idea, it was evident that one lead to the other quite "naturally".

New Contemporaries- Laura Zilionyte

From a wide and varied collection of artwork in the Cornerhouse "New Contemporaries" exhibition i found the two small paintings by Laura Zilionyte the most intriguing. The artist has used classic painting techniques and also classic images as the basis for her work. She chooses past/ historic images and re-works and re-edits them to create new meanings and scenarios. Although the image has no deffinate content (image consists of non-descript form and shape), there is a life to the image brought together by the use of chiaroscuro and the splash of strong colour which hold particular connotations. The artist has successfully combined the work and techniques from the past with a fresh, up to date idea of developing new ideas and meaning from a previously set piece. The paintings can be easily linked to the work of Caravaggio and perhaps the dutch Vanitas, yet remains ambiguous, allowing the viewer to develop their own opinion.

Final Presentation Work

I now have a large collection of cups and glasses which I have transferred my images and text onto. They represent a form of diary entry of the everyday experiences of being in social places such as cafes, pubs and bars. Each glass and cup represents a different person or group of people, there is nothing spectacular or extraordinary about them as my aim was to capture the beauty of banal situations. Although the images and techniques used are different with each glass and cup, it is the idea that the constant in the project is the action of drinking and the cup or glass being used. Each person is unique in looks, personality, vocation, race, gender etc. yet they are all linked by the single thought of wanting a drink.

Getting up to date.

My project now has progressed to documenting social situations through observational drawings of the people and what they are doing. So, as well as looking at the cafe culture, I am also taking images from people in pubs and bars, drinking, playing darts, pool, watching the football etc. Similarly to what I was doing with the cups, I am transferring my observational drawings onto the glasses people drink from in pubs ie. pint glasses, wine glasses, tall glasses etc.
To do this I have been using glass etching tools and glass paint, which means the glasses can be washed and re-used without losing the image. I also tried Image Maker but the glue failed to adhere to the surface of the glass.
I am also continuing with the cup designs, working on my already existing designs, adding short narratives, layering images etc.

Possible Project Idea No.2

Teabags

Whilst doing my "Cup" project I had taken to drying out my used teabags. One idea would be to do illustrative drawing of the teabags as each one is unique in shape and size due to how they have dried. This would also fit in with my drawing/ illustration practice. I could also use different drawing materials to create images of the teabags such as acrylic paint, pencil, pen and ink, even tea.
Another idea would be to incorporate the teabags into my "Cup" project as part of the the final presentation.

Possible Project Idea No.1

Childrens Book Illustrations

An increasing interest in illustration gave me an idea of producing a childrens book based on my own childhood made up stories about a little girl called Pebbles. I wanted to combine the styles and techniques of traditional illustrations with more contemporary works. I have been looking at the work of Beatrix Potter, Quentin Blake, Maurice Sendak, Dave McKean and Rachel Goodyear. I also went to see the Treasures collection at Manchester Central Library. This contained a small collection of classical illustrations of religious scenes, flowers, Christmas scenes etc. I particularly liked the decorative lettering of these prints and created my own decorative alphabet which could be used in my designs.

Post Presentation Review

After the presentation on the 26th of January I realised that I had stopped working on my "Cup" project too early. The feedback I recieved helped me to think of fresh ideas and develop the project further. I decided to return to my "Cup" project, producing more designs, using different techniques and materials and making the collection larger, forming a sort of narrative with each individual cup.

What I actually did after the Christmas holiday.

For Christmas i recieved a book about altered imagery (photographs, books, magazines etc.) This gave me an idea for my new year project; to create altered books in a kind of diary form, using personal images, thoughts, memories and so on. I planned it to be a very experimwntal project as it was something new to me and I had to learn how to work my materials in different ways from which i am used to.
However, after trying very hard to be creative and get started on my altered book I was finding it very difficult to produce any work I was happy with. After a tutorial, it was decided that I was going about my work in the wrong way; instead of progressing with an idea, I was trying to create a finished item and creating an overwhelming amount of work for myself. This resulted in me not getting any further than the front cover.