Studio Practice 2

Hi there
Following my tutorial and a meeting with Lorna at Stirling Uni who is a partner with HR and Developmental Opportunities, I have decided to investigate the following areas of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
Shelter, Safety, Relationships/Relatedness,Mastery and Growth- for Self Actualisation. The final artwork will also depict a period of my own self actualisation
My intention is to create an art piece with a central section representing the central spirit of a human,with the connected felting section wrapped around this, perhaps in an upward spiral shape. I wanted to try and see if layetx was an option for me to work with for parts or all of the central section.
I thought that it would be worth while trying to use the plastic former machine within the college.

image of the machine

I have only used this machine very briefly in my past studies, and I want to text the possible uses for my finals. I asked Trevor on Friday is he would give me a refresher course on the machine operation and safety requirements. This happened. I then tried some branch shapes, to depict growth, and some pattern using dried pasta, to see the results

pasta sample before being put into the machine

underside of plastic once formed by the machine,then branches were removed

top-side of plastic after plastic formed around it, and before the pasta was removed

I was wanting to try this to see if it would be possible to create a mould that I could then pour laytex in to. I could colour the laytex with food dyes or inks, but food dyes would be good for linking to a human need. The laytex was poured in to the moulds once the pasta and branches were removed. The laytex takes a while to dry totally, thus I have left these in the College and I will return to them on Wednesday. The length of time for drying is something that I will have to consider,if I am going to use this as part of my final piece.

I really enjoy  using the machine, and also enjoyed trying to work out, although minimally, at this stage, what items would work. This is due to the fact that if there are too many undercuts on the item I want to plastic form, they won't work. The plastic gets caught under them and then it is difficult to removed the formed item.

I intend to try using the machine to incorporate felted sections of wool, before the laytex dries. I could also use these moulds to create specific shapes when making silk papers. I am trying to work towards sections of my art work which can be displayed with led lighting behind some sections. Due to this, I thought that laytex would be a good medium to try for my first few experimentations.It would also be a good material to use to signify human skin.

My next blog will be reporting the outcome of these experimentations.

Bye for now

London trip & research for Studio Practice 2

Hi there
Had a fantastic trip to London with the College. It was amazing to visit the Tate Modern and especially to visit the V&A.where I was totally blown way with the history of fashion and spent quite a lot of time looking around that section.

The V&A - History of Fashion
some of the sections were very relevant to my contextual essay regarding buttons. their link to social status and their important linkage to clothing design. It was wonderful to see the clothes, and it verified all my research.
Also the draft presentation in class on Friday Feb.7th went very well. I was thrilled with the response to my presentation. It was brilliant to see the variety of research areas we have all been working on for our essays.

My PLP for Studio Practice 2 had been approved and it has now been submitted. I have been starting my research using a book that I ordered on-line.

I am  researching Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory for my Final Project in the lead up to the Exhibition.
I decide to investigate this theory due to my interest in human  behaviours. My intention is to conceptualise the five basic needs. These will be Physiological needs of a human being plus, safety needs, love and belonging needs, self esteem needs and self actualisation. When I have been reading the theory it seems that it would be very easy to extend my research to every detailed element of the needs of humans. I think if I did this, it could very easily become too big and detract from my initial intention of working on the shapes, textures and structures which could depict each basic need. I'm going to  manipulate a variety of materials,  test out various forms of linkage as well as experiment with every day objects. Although Maslow's theory is usually seen as a pyramid shape, this is not the shape that I see it. I would like to represent my final artwork in sections which are linked. This may be in a circular shape, or five pieces on various levels, but they will all be linked by material,threads and perhaps silk threads. The LED lighting that I want to incorporate will also work well with certain techniques and not with others. I want to try and portray the delicate nature of the human journey. I also want to work with wire, as I did within my last experimentation for The Emperor's New Clothes, but on a larger scale. I can't wait to start my experimentation, but I have more research to do first. It will be very interesting for me to see where my developments lead.

bye for now

Hi there
The feedback from my PDP, up to this point, was good and I am delighted about that.Now have to work towards final promotional materials, leading up to the Exhibition.  I'm also now able to move on with my research for Studio Practice 2, after getting a reasonable grade for The Emperor's New Clothes. I'm very pleased about that.It's a huge personal achievement.
I've also been compiling  my presentation for Contextual to present in class on 7th Feb. I'm heading to London on Monday with the College trip, so had to get that sorted prior to going. I'm not sure how it will be received, but any feedback will be vital and then I'll work towards the assessed presentation.Trying to decide what to leave out of a Pecha Kucha style presentation, and cover relevant points, is a real challenge. But I think it will be a style of presentation that suits me. I tend to talk too much and stray for the point within some presentations. Although, most feedback in the past has been ok.
 I'm still researching buttons for the completion of my essay  the use and function of the humble button I'm enjoying garnering knowledge on a subject that I new very little about prior to this research.
I will update again after London. It will be good to be able to do some primary research for my essay at the V&A Museum.And see inspiring artwork. The trip will be great for keeping the creativity flowing for studio practice 2. Images will be included within my next post.
Bye for now.
Carolyn

Emperor's New Clothes-final piece

Hi there

Well, the final piece was submitted as was the Statement for Assessment for the Emperor's New Clothes. Making the final piece was quite a challenge.Once the cobweb felted pieces were finished to I began construction of the heat manipulated body that they would be secured on to.

these are some of the final samples which were left to dry

Once the body was built I then tried several design layouts with the final pieces. The original design thought changed when I saw them mounted on the body. There were several layouts which didn't work aesthetically. But I was happy with the final layout.
The main problem building the plastic body was making sure that it would stand straight once I it was mounted on my tailor's dummy stand. That was what I was using as the base, to present the final piece.I melted and moulded a central pin, which was secured inside the body. This would be the pin to then enable the body to slide on to mu tailor's dummy stand.

tube from middle of tin foil package used to mould the circular pin

The body was heat manipulated to shape with my heat gun. The small strip of led lights inserted into the centre of the body, before being packed with more large plastic wrapping bags. The bags were from a local shop, they get their loo rolls and kitchen rolls delivered within this packaging. Recycle, recycle. it took twelve large bags to make the body. Plus the one used on the outer skin.
There were many different stages to the building of this final piece, but every single stage was such a joy to do. I really enjoyed the challenge of building this and I am very pleased with it.

front view of final piece, which was based on lies- the outer and inner turmoil that lies cause 

the photograph below shows the front section when the piece is lit

What Lies At The Heart?

I really hope that the feedback for this is positive. The feedback from my first draft essay was really good. I was so pleased about that. I've found out during my research, that the button is anything but humble, as the saying goes. Now I am working towards the draft presentation that is to be done, linked to the essay. As well as that, I have submitted my personal learning plan for Studio Practice 2. I'll talk to the tutors next week and see what has to be done in the lead up to the final submission of that. I proposed that I base my research and finals on Marlow's hierarchy of needs.

I need to return again to my website that I am building for my post graduation self employment. Wix.com is a great way to do this. I never thought I'd be able to  build my own website, but there we go. Life is full of surprises.

I'm off now to get on with the reading. We are on a reading week this week, and it gives me a good chance to keep researching and to try to formulate my presentation for contextual studies.

There has been a College visit to London organised for the beginning of February. Visiting some exhibitions etc. Really looking forward to that. 

Bye for now

Happy 2014 to all

Happy New Year
This has been a busy festive time and also trying to keep going with the developments for The Emperors New Clothes. The developments are coming along.

wet felted silk fibres depicting the start of a dark deep lie

addressing my phobia- plastic melted bowl with fabric transfer paints on voil and second layer of melted plastic. I like the shadows this made due to the small holes made with soldering iron. I've not made a three dimensional melted abject before. I enjoyed doing this, and will perhaps incorporate a n element of this technique in studio practice two, leading up to the exhibition .

still coping with addressing my phobia- silk fibres and wire crochet web of lies

 I have produced quite a lot of cob web felt samples. Due to wanting to approach the brief from the point of view of lies, I have decided to concentrate on a web of lies. This is a very difficult thing for me to do. I have had a phobia for years about the things that create webs, but I have decided that I am going to tackle that.I cannot type or say the word, yip, it's a bad phobia, but this will be therapeutic. Because I wanted to do more felting, it seemed that the cob web felting would create a good effect and help with my concept for the brief. I also wanted to use silk fibres. At the moment I am trying to create a plastic Emperors body shape which will be show the transparency of the lies he was told and also hopefully depict the fact that he was in fact wearing nothing. I'll see how that goes. I'm very excited about  the finished piece. I'm enjoying the crochet with wire that I am doing for this brief. I've crochet a little in the past. I wanted to try and increase my skills on this and the wire is giving me a good effect linking to my concept.
The College is back this week, and hopefully the feedback from the first essay draft will not be too terrible. I am aware that I have more research and critical analysis on this one, but the first draft will hopefully give me a good structure for the essay. I'll see what David says.
I have been trying to start to write the brief for Studio Practice 2. I'm finding this a challenge, but I just have to try and trust my instincts on this one. I'm keeping going with that tomorrow. That is to be handed in on Friday.

crochet wire woven into silk fibres and wallpaper paste,to create silk paper. The wire depicts a hard, harsh lie

cob web felting sample and a fabric transfer sample put on to plastic body. I was testing out the possibility of including some lighting. I want to include lighting within my artwork for Studio Practice 2, and this brief could be a good opportunity to do this, on a small scale. I'll see.

Hopefully I'll have images of a finished piece to show by next week.

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.