Aluminium Workshop

This monday we had a workshop with Greg in aluminium which was interesting, he  explained all the properties and advantages of using aluminium and showed us how to bend it, shape it, cut it etc. I had a go at mostly everything, I played with bending it at the moment as I was thinking about my current project were I have to make paper samples of folded shaped patterns.

Being Elmo

The maker of Elmo, Kevin Clash, started his love for puppets when he was 10 years old. His passion for this grew as he got older and believed in his dream to work as a puppeteer on 'Sesame Street'. This film documents and captures the realisation of a dream made by Kevin Clash and his creation, Elmo. The film opens in the UK on 27th April.



This is a true story showing that if you really believe in yourself and work to the best that you can you can surely make your dreams a reality and i find that rather inspiring, that people can do that.

Informal Tutorial

I had a little informal tutorial today with Mel that was totally what I needed, It assure all my ideas and doubts and gave me where to start my creation. We looked at where we left off with my last project and then I discussed my idea to create a paper dress. We discussed that I should look at existing dress and make lots of drawing studies of these. Also that I should make lots of paper models of ideas of skirts and patterns. It was pointed out from the images of existing paper dress was that it consisted of a lot of repeated patterns and objects that form a dress and that this should be what I aim to do.

I just need to get some samples and sketchbook done this weekend to get some ideas flowing for my Monday tutorial.

Becky Adams Workshop (Part 2)

Another amazing day with Becky Adams, we had a day long workshop with her making more books. She brought us loads of things to play with, papers, fabric etc. even some old metal pocket watches she didn't want. She demonstrated to us how to make the lous flower fold book and a pocket book before we shot off to fold, cut, tear and glue again. Not knowing of what to base my book about Becky wanted to breifly look through my recent work to see what I was interested. While quickly looking through my sketchbook she instantly fell in love with my paper cut out designs and started me off with the idea to make a book with the pages all with cut up patterns. WIth my inspiration I began cutting away into many layers of pages making sure I repeated the patten to match the following pages. After cutting my paper I glued all the pages together and made a cover by covering some cardboard in fabric and sticking it either end of my pages. I added a little ribbon to the front corner to indicate which way to open as it is a very delicate piece.  At the end of the day we all got together to display what we had all been working hard on to everyone and becky. There were some very beautiful and inpiring pieces made and it was so interesting how different people had had changed and adapted their ideas to a simple piece. Watching everyone's reactions when they saw my finished piece put a smile on my face and really made all that hard work worth while.

I found making these books to be really interesting and that making my own books isn't as hard and complicated as I had imagined. The lotus flower old has certainly inspired me for patterns I can make and play with for my dress skirt. If I get layers and layers of them or make a string of these could work as the lotus fold makes my flat paper cut outs more 3D and sculptural.

Paper Dresses

After my tutorial and following from my paper dress idea I've done a little research into artist that have also used paper as their medium and I found that really you can use any type of paper to make clothing with, even toilet paper.

Jolis Paons

David Dixon

Sandra Buckland

Gary Harvey

Amila Hrustic

Bea Szenfeld

Test Shoot Gallery

Doberman

Susan Stockwell

Peter Clark

Jennifer Collier

Tutorial: Clive

My tutorial today with Clive has left me more confused with where to start on my CP1 module. After looking over my previous work and telling him of my paper dress idea it was decided that I shouldn't instantly draw towards the finished piece of a dress but look at a skirt, parachute, umbrella etc. kind of form. It was also suggested that I look into:

• types of workable paper to use
• finding stronger and permanent bonding for paper
• different folding techniques - origami?
• While also considering constructing the circular structure

I'm not really sure where to start now, all I've been able to do is look for other artists that use paper to create clothing. I've not really been inspired to shot off into work, just unsure where to start. Hopeful my tutorial with Mel tomorrow is better.

Becky Adams & Workshop

Today was the best way to start a term, with a nice little workshop to get our creative juices pumping again. We started with a lecture from Beck Adams, a book and textile artist, whose work is amazing, showing themes of stories and a love of her family past, made from found objects and materials and with the use of stitch she creates book pieces.

Afterward we had a work shop where we were given a matchbox and the use of a table full of materials to create a tiny book to go in the box. Every one raced for materials and quickly scurried off to their spaces to get started, all with new and exciting ideas in their heads. As it was my first day back in Hereford still missing home and inspired by Becky's lecture of her family, I decided to make something personal and sentimental as I've never had the subject matter to do so and have always wanted to. After grabbing lots of paper that I liked I found I pulled out very similar colours of creams and pinks, two colours I've found myself drawn to many times before. I kept the outside over the same as I liked the idea that it's a hidden message for someone to find.

London Day Trip: V&A, Natural History Museum and Science Museum

I traveled to London to visit the V&A Museum, here I saw the 'Transformation and Revelation' exhibition showcasing a range of theature design in set, costume, drawing, sound and lighting design. What I liked in the exhibition was the lighting pieces and the costume. I particularly liked the lighting set design 'Six Landscapes of Grief'  by Bob Crowley. I liked his use of light behind the painted linen and the effects and marks of paint that are elluminated giving a faded, innocent and ghostly look.

I also like the display of costumes from various theatre productions and plays. I liked how the costumes are made to decribe a character's role and personality and that through this the clothing has more theme and fantasy with story along with them. I've always had a slight interest in costume/clothing construction and a desire to make one day look into making my own. The 'Tutu for Bugaku' and Marie-Jenna Lecca's dress for 'Agrippina' caught my eye the most with their use of layering of materials.

Whilst also in London I managed to go to the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. These places wasn't very inspiring for any art work but I did have fun looking at the dinosaur section in the NHM, which was totally awesome. They have a real life automated T-rex, which was the high light of my day. But what was most important was a total revelation I had when I saw this parachute on a Huygens Titan Lander replica in the SM. I dont know much about the Huygens Titan Lander but when I saw this parachute attached to the replica I was so amazed by the shape of it and it's strings.

With dresses on the brain from the Transformation exibition it dawned on me an idea for my work. I could make a dress out of paper and incorporate my cut paper webs theme into the skirt with lots of layering. I though about this for a while and with my inclusion of light I could add this under the skirt, eluminating the skirt. Also thinking this over I have also enountered a few issuses I need addressed at a tutorial. This is whether i have time to hand cut out the webs and make this within the 7 weeks whilst also experimenting and creating a whole body of work? I'm also going to need to get hold of a tailors dummy to make it and they don't come cheap as well as lighting for undernieth. So many thoughts that it doesn't feel possible to complete.

Made in the Middle

I visited Birmingham MAC to see the Made in the Middle exhibition showing a variety of contemporary craft from different artists and practitioners all based across the Midlands. Whilst visiting I was able to participate in the Careers in Making event where they gave talks about the different pathways into a different types of creative profession. The whole exhibtion showcased work from 35 makers that have all came from different pathways that have come from universities, apprenticeships, as asecond career and others ways. The theme has came from a concern for the effects on craft during economically challenging times. Most routes have come from further and higher education but recently it become aware that there has been a reduction of creative classes and course in schools and colleges, that push towards more achedemic subjects like science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) that threatens the creative practice. This reduction of interest and concern for the creative arts has reacted towards the theme of the exhibition that looks closely at the journey the practitioners have taken which was an important asspect of their selection for the exhibition.

Imogen Luddy

There were three talks from different people that assisted in the process of creating the exibition about 'Curration and Exhibition Management', 'Education and Participation in a Craft Organisation' and 'Arts administration'. Each talk described their part towards their contribution and completion of the exibition and they came to their careers linked to the making and promotion of craft.

Gill Wilson

These talks had really opened my eyes to a whole new possibility of career paths I could embark upon. I was under the impression that it would be impossible to just be a practitioner and that I'd need to have an additional career to make a live which would be teaching. Nothing wrong with teaching, but I was so un aware of different directions of working with craft that could be done. I know that volenteering is a good start and to work your way to more advanced and with more experience and training.

Michelle Arieu