Assessment time

Well I haven't posted on here for ages but I'm going to have to step up and post more often as this is quite a big requirement especially as I am now well into the second year. I have not been idle just busy with the paintings and the good old fashioned sketch book work.

     I never really know where a project is going I just get on with making art and it just happens.My work is autobiographical not in the way of people like Tracey Emin,there isn't any nudity ( apart from the life drawings ) and I probably wouldn't cause shock to anyone although the dolls I paint are a bit creepy, and that is sort of intentional. It quite a big thing to put my work out on here or put my work anywhere but I have to get used to it. Sorry about the poor photographs but I couldn't get them off once I put them on and as you see they were taken in my kitchen.

New project

Here I am today in my studio space busy looking at artists and staring at a blank wall , looking for inspiration. My summer project helped slightly where it made me realise my interests lie in still life in relation to the human psyce, memories of childhood as well as fears and also possesions still interest me things we cannot let go of some can be a burden or a blessing.

I am not sure at this point where I am going with the project but I have made a start and hopefully made some big inroads into it next week.

Some of the artists I have looked at so far is Teresa Oaxacad....she paints dolls and unusual juxtapositions of objects and people. Mat Collishaw interested me when I came across is photographs of the last meals of prisoners on Death Row(grewsome I know)but when I first saw them I thought about the Dutch artists' still life work which I will look int a little more as I go through this project. 

Museum printing

Yesterday I went to help out at The Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket.A little oasis in the middle of town where among lots of other interesting things is some old working printing presses and a kind man ' Pinky' the printer who invited me to help and learn about using the presses and type.it was good to look at printing from a different point of view and work with lettering which is all new to me.I don't think I will switch from the usual sort of art I enjoy making ,but it was great fun and I have learned quite a lot and hopefully I have retained most of it for when I go back.

Second year

Well it's been a whole year since I last blogged on the art blog.I have been very bad! I think it is now required of me to blog every day as part of the course so I am going to have to whether I like it or not but so so much better than my old computer aka "old smokey" who takes an hour to boot up and freezes up infuriatingly most of the time.Now with the brilliant I-pad and two new cameras life is much easier on the gadget front. good use of the student loan! So I really am back!

I made it to uni!.......................and a few notes on the induction week.

Yes I'm back and I managed to get through my final project at the West Suffolk College at Bury St Edmunds and now I am spending my days at the UCS in Ipswich. So this blog is now taking on it's new role for me as a University student for the next three years recording day to day projects for my fine art degree.
   I'm now on week 3 not including the induction week where we got to know the collage(I'm still getting lost)The first week included a day spent on Orford Ness which is a shingle spit on the Suffolk coast.A place shrouded in secrets as it was used by the military for the development of among other uses Radar and nuclear experiments. Now it is a wildlife reserve belonging to the national trust.Although I carted around quite a heavy sketch book I didn't do any drawing there on the day although I did take some photographs with my basic camera and picked up some objects to draw when I got back home such as an old drinks can battered by the sea and a shard of willow pattern pottery,nothing that would damage the environment. The travel sickness on the bus and the short boat trip didn't do me a lot of good .Unfortunately the mouldy tasting coffee  in my flask didn't do my queasyness any good  either but I got through the day and I'm so glad I went.I just remember the sea legs tablets next time!

P.S I got a distinction!! in my final project at Bury I just hope I can do ok in my next .

I'm Back

Oops I forgot to mention  because I have explained my change of direction in my written diary and my sketchbooks( I forgot to mention it on here) that I have gone back to working with the miniature scale models and photographing them. It took ages adapting them and cut a paintbrush down to about 2 hairs,made models from Plasticine and made tiny banners. The work is based on Coal Miners and the 1984 miners' strike which I have many family connections.The embroidery as have mentioned in other work is still in there as a background in photographs and also displayed as backup work.I'll leave you with some more pictures I have over 100 by the way.

PS. Also I made a Blurb book on line suprisingly HUGE book but perhaps the little people deserve a big book.Also they sent me 2 books perhaps that is why it was so expesive...............never mind I can send the other one to my dad who was my inspiration for the project and also why I became a mature student as he did............ Thanks Dad xxx

Finished at last.

The art is up on display and I have spent the last three days painting the walls making a shelf,fixing a droopy shelf and generally enjoying the fantastic atmosphere and looking at everyone Else's brilliant work.The photographs of the little coal miners which are 00 scale models are up on the wall including a little box containing the little people displayed on the (now non droopy shelf)I'm happy to have finished the course and looking forward to summer and then Uni but at the same time very sad because I will miss all the tutors and fellow students. I have learned so so much and my mind goes back to the first few days when my hand shook so much I couldn't draw very easily but that didn't last long I was soon up and running and probably one of the first to get 'stuck in'. Also can I thank the staff I don't know if I am allowed on this blog but I'm doing it anyway.Thank you Kyrstie , Sophie, Sue Derek,James,Simon,Johnathan,.........every one including who I have forgotten to write down.so tired!....and this blog will carry on through university as it is such a useful tool . Have a great summer it probably isn't goodbye yet I might write more in the next few days and I will leave you with some pictures of the little people.