update

Hi
OK, I had a conversation about a theorist I wanted to use for my essay. Spoke to David on Friday 6th. Glad I did, now I am forging ahead reading other research on fashion and fasteners.The proposal has  changed a bit, but it will make it a more interesting read, I hope. The deadline for the first draft is due on 20th December. I will be so pleased when I hand that in, it will be such a sense of achievement for me.

Developments for The Emperor's New Clothes brief, is still on-going .I'm working on the transparency of lies with felting and fibres. Here are a couple of my examples.

silk paper made with lead pennies to make circular indents

cob web felting

We are heading to Edinburgh this Friday to see an exhibition at the Dovecot Museum. That should be really interesting.

My Power Point presentation for tomorrow's Creative Futures class is ready . I have hopefully covered all the necessary requirements for that. I'll soon find out. Fingers crossed. Been creating a website page for that using Wix.com. It has been great to be able to personalise a website. I've still got sections to input following a meeting I have this Thursday at the Iris Murdoch Centre at Stirling University. That should be a great meeting to help me push forward with my plans that I set out within my Graduation Plan for working with the "third age" I have put a workshop session page on my website. It will be a great source for advertising my self employment.

 I have tried to upload an image of my website home page, but it wouldn't upload on my blog. I'll ask Paul why tomorrow.
Cheers from
Carolyn

December already!!!!

Hiya
Well. it's been an eventful few days, as usual.Never a dull moment, thankfully.
The opening at Forth Valley Hospital and the giving of prizes has happened. It was really great to see people being acknowledged for their hard work, and very emotional due to the fact that it was all to heighten awareness of Aids.Amazing to be involved in this.

These are a couple of the photographs taken on the afternoon of the opening. It was great to see everyones work being exhibited.

Been working on the essay draft for the 20th Dec, as well as trying to get the promotional website and business cards etc. sorted for next week's presentation. It's great being able to design my own website. I'm still working on that. I have a meeting with someone at the Iris Murdoch Centre at Stirling Uni on he 12th Dec. She is going to have a chat about the possible residential centres that I can approach with my art sessions. It is a contact that I made when I went to the Business Start-Up. Brilliant that she can help with this. I'm really looking forward to that meeting.I'll be able to add more details on the sessions I can offer and I'll put on to my website after that meeting.
We have been given the Emperor's New Clothes as the next brief. I spent a wee while trying to decide what I was going to do in relation to this. I'm going to research Lies. What textures they might be and what shape, if we could see them. I'll decide on my finished piece soon, but the developments have been interesting. I'm doing textiles, but want to incorporate melted plastics and manipulated materials as well.I started working on the transparency of lies. These a a couple of the developments so far.

melted plastic,letter stamp with ink,metallic thread

acrylic paint,heat manipulated film wrap and silk threads

loose wet felting, metallic thread/plastic bags(melted, to secure all sections)

Got much to do, but enjoying working on my developments for this.

Will be back to report how things are going soon. Cheeeerrriooo. 

possible images for promotional material

These are two of my mixed media pieces that I think could be for business cards etc.
I think the blue one is the strongest. It says more about the kind of work I do, and it's brighter.The other one I like as an abstract image, but probably too dark. I think an image of scissors cuts can be seen in the blue one. That would fit well for my mixed media and textile art practice.

I'll be back to blog soon.

time flying by....at speed

Hi
I've been spending quite a lot of time trying to come up with examples of promotional materials that fit my style of work.  Also setting up a website for my work.That's taking me a while to navigate my way around the templates, but I'll get there. I'll show the one or two ideas around the class tomorrow and see what people think. Passed Studio Practice 1....phew, that was a huge relief.

a few of the examples

Have also been formulating my concept for the new brief The Emperor's New Clothes. I was making sure that I thought about this one long and hard. I wanted to have a strong concept. Have written my Personal Learning Plan to hand in tomorrow. I'm going back to using manipulating textiles and plastics. 

I'll get a photograph on my blog after this Friday, when I head to Forth Valley Hospital, for the opening of the Aid Awareness Exhibition. I was thrilled to bits for the people who won in the group. They really deserve it. Great art work. Took my own mixed media panel there yesterday. Didn't take long for Babs and I to hang it. It was a thrill to finally see it on the wall. 

Getting the extended essay feedback this week. Hopefully that will be ok and I can keep moving towards my first draft.  

Bye just now from

Carolyn

Hi there
We find out  about the result of the competition this week. It'll be great for whoever has won. It's amazing that we all had a chance to contribute to Aids Awareness.
I have started  research for the Studio Practice "The Emperor's New Clothes" It's a wide brief and one that I'm looking forward to when I start my developments.
The promotional work that I've been trying to collate is coming on OK. I think. I'll be able to discuss that with Paul tomorrow. I'm finding it a bit frustrating, purely due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to some computer packages. So I'm trying to use what I know. Perhaps this isn't giving me the range of design options, but I have still managed to create possible marketing materials.
The Business Awareness night last Tuesday at Business Enterprise was really helpful and also a good source for networking. I'm heading there again this Wed to the evening that covers marketing, the finance the following week.It's such a great resource, and FREE. I'll try and then transfer any information from that night to my own business promotion.
Extended essay proposal is done for David to hand in this Friday. So, fingers crossed that all's ok with that.
Will be back to post, post feedback so to speak.

Carolyn

12/11/13 up-date

Hiya
The World Aids Day judging team arrived at the College on Friday and all seemed to go well. We all introduced and discussed our finished one by one. Not sure I explained mine as well as I could have. But we'll wait and see what the response is from the visit.It was a really good opportunity for us all to meet them, and for them to see our work.
Also all sketchbooks, statement for assessment, developments etc were left in the class for marking. I'm a bit apprehensive about the feedback from that.Hopefully I'll have covered all aspects needed.

developments & sketchbooks displayed for assessment 

Our Graduation Reports are getting marked this week. (fingers crossed), not that I'm superstitious or anything?? I think we will be given the next Studio Practice tomorrow. I'm devising initial promotional materials and writing my statement of practice for Creative Futures Module. Plus, this week, starting research for the new brief. 

My research on the button and it's use by contemporary artists in continuing. The history and use of buttons is a huge topic ( for something that can be so small ). I'm trying to reduce my research area, but at the same time be aware of the necessary critical analysis, and social issues relevant to the twists and turns of the journey of the button.I'll get there. I'm finding stunning art work on-line, amazing. Can't display anyone else's work on this blog.  But I can mention the name Augusto Esquivel, check him out.

Three of us are heading to the Business Start-up Awareness tonight. This will be really helpful towards future plans and my promotional material decisions. It'll also help garner information with regards to continuing self-employment as a practising artist. 

Bye just now

from a hopeful

Carolyn

working on final abstract mixed media

I need to ask Paul again how I can move these pictures to sit side by side. Sorry, this will have to do just now.I reasonably pleased with the finished work. I wanted to make it uplifting and bright statement about the hope given through Antiretroviral Therapies for HIV sufferers.

Proposed wall for hanging in Forth Valley Hospital

water based varnish on both sides of MDF

first payers of paint mixed and ready for application

 egg shells mixed with gesso and painted layers, plus quink and Milton

final piece nearly finished
 just a few small quink and milton areas to add in

"Flow"
165cm x 60cm
Finished work on College wall - 28/10/2013

another quick blog

Hi again
Just had to say,I am sitting in my flat at the computer, and a fireworks display is on-going across the street. . It's brilliant.The sky is a blaze with amazing colours.

I'm re-reading my statement for assessment for the final hand in this Thursday. Will be on tomorrow to post those final photos.
Cheers
Carolyn

S.P. 1 - final piece finished

Ello, ello
Since my last post, I've completed my abstract artwork for the Aids Awareness Day brief.
I can't say that the final mixed media turned out exactly as I would have hoped, but I'm pleased with it.The initial thought of a multi panel didn't materialise by the time I had worked through my developments, but loads learned through this one, that's for sure. Loved making the final panel. I got completely engrossed in it, but in many ways, it was kind of a strange journey getting there.

Also Babs from Forth Valley hospital came into the College, to have a  look at our work, find out which area we had envisaged them displayed within the hospital, and took sizes etc. I created my artwork to go onto a specific wall. Fortunately Babs agreed.

Graduation Report was handed in on time( I saved it this time, everywhere, including in the fridge and under the bed). Can't be too careful, following my last post. Power Point presentations also done. They went well, I think. It was great to hear what everyone saw as their future path, once graduated. I hope for promising feedback.

Essay research is on-going and I found another great book in the College library, that'll help with that called "The Fashioned Body" by Joanne Entwistle.  I'll keep going and hope that I can eventually write an essay structured correctly and packed full of critical analysis. I really hope so.
I'll be posting some photos tomorrow. Couple to check out first.

Cheers
Carolyn


 

update on my degree studies

Since I last blogged  there has been the October break from the College. I had to visit sick relatives during some of that time, but got straight back to College work on my return.
I've created two final mixed media abstract samples for the Aids Awareness brief. I have now got the mdf for the final piece, which I'll start tomorrow. Can't wait to get on with it.The sample below is a section from a small tester. I used acrylic paints and egg shells, quink ink and Milton. The egg shells are to depict fragility, new life and hope. Quink ink and Milton, due to my desire to also use antiseptic materials in an alternative way. This will be very textured with raised sections of paint.The shells will also be contrasted with the colour or included within it.

The second sample I developed is smooth to the touch. Much as I like this one , it doesn't portray the feeling I was hoping for.  I'll maybe decided to include small sections within the final piece.

I have also had a meeting at Menstrie Care Home with Louise, the Manager. This was primary research for my Graduation Plan.
Which I was getting on well with, until the computer gremlins attacked yesterday. No, I hadn't made a copy. It was only saved on my memory stick at that point. It turns out Kingston's memory was wiped with regards to that particular document. Got help at the College today to try and retrieve it , but no luck.Still only one picture left plus gobbldygook.
It's one of the few times I haven't made a second copy, so lesson learned.

I've also been researching for contextual and working towards handing in my expanded essay proposal. Got a great book about the significance of buttons, and it's really helpful for my research. I've also found some amazing sculpture on-line. My research for this in on-going.

Life brings a variety of challenges, I'm still smiling.

degree course update

Hiya
Just sending my next update on how the course is progressing. I have been continually developing my ideas for the Studio Practice 1, and finding it an interesting journey of discovery. I am heading into the college tomorrow for the mid module tutorials. It will still be mixed media, but not a multi panel as I originally thought. I'll see where the next few days takes me.

There are a couple of my earlier developments for the aids awareness 25th anniversary competition. I'm not too thrilled with these, but I hope that the samples  produced since then will be a good spring board for discussion during the mid module tutorials this week.
I have submitted my contextual essay proposal, and will find out this week if I have the go ahead on that or not.
The graduation plan report is coming long. I've arranged a meeting this afternoon with someone who used to work with the elderly or "third age" within care homes. It's research for part of my report.Got to head to that now.

developments in progress

My developments are still on-going. I have also created a colour chart for myself to check the reaction of the inks on wood, that I'm going to use within my artwork. I'll use it as a guide to assist with developments. I'm thinking about creating a mixed media 2D multi panel abstract for my final outcome of this. That's the goal anyway. I'll see what transpires over the next couple of weeks.

first post now linked to Studio Practice 1

OK. This is the first blog attempt without Paul sitting beside me to keep me right. Here goes.
 My research linked to HIV/AIDS is now in my sketchbook. It's a daunting task to be asked to create an uplifting artwork on this subject, but I'll give it all I've got. Hopefully my developments will go well.

hello again

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulwebsterthompson/8617476050/sizes/m/in/photostream/

hello world

hello world. This is my first post on my new blog. Exciting to now be a blogger.