Monday, 9 December 2013
Looking back over Term 1 and over the rainbow to Term 2
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Will I ever speak your language: ART
In Art is it quite common to come across people who talk you into confusion, is this a tactic to bewilder the viewer into believing their work is is of some intelligence, meaning or depth?
Words I have never heard are repeated to me, as if the repetition of the words will somehow convince me I understand them.
It scares me as I do not think no matter no long I study, no matter how much I read, no matter how many dictionaries I revise, I do not think I will ever be able to accomplish a fluency in this language. Does this mean I will never be respected as an artist, does this mean I have no hope in one day teaching in further or higher education?
When did Art become a science? A mind boggling study of life/ sciences/ education/ views/ opinions/ history and symbolism: combined and pieced together with long words to explain the artists view of the world. When did a piece of art stop becoming the main outcome of an artists practice? When did it become about everything else but? I am not saying that Art isn't and shouldn't be a representation of an artists view on life, but what I am asking is when did this study become the work and not the Art itself?
Why do I not have all these big words to describe my process, my thoughts around my work, will this come with time or will this be something, like I mentioned before that becomes my weakness and downfall? Or will I be able to savvy up my work with fancy words and essay titles after the practice itself is over, and if I do this will it be true?
Monday, 2 December 2013
Work Experience or Exhibition??
State of Mind
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
Self Esteem: A Personal Quiz
Your Self-esteem score is: 33
Compare your score to the following categories to see how you feel about yourself and how your self-esteem may be affecting your health from an anxiety perspective.
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0 - 20 Low self-esteem. We recommend that you seek professional coaching, counselling, or therapy in order to develop healthier self-esteem. Often, low self-esteem is a factor in the development of an anxiety disorder. Low self-esteem can also be a factor that prevents recovery. Seeking help early is important, as anxiety disorders become entrenched the longer they are unresolved. The more entrenched they become, the longer they take to resolve. However, anxiety conditions can be fully resolved at any stage. The only difference is that recovery will take longer the more entrenched the anxiety condition is. Seeking help early is the best approach. ===================================================
21 - 40 Moderately low self-esteem. Self-esteem should be an area of personal development for you if you are experiencing an anxiety disorder, as low self-esteem is a contributor to the onset and perpetuation of an anxiety condition. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, personal coaching, or counselling are all ways to increase self-esteem. Self-help materials can also provide information, help, and support.
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41 - 60 Moderate self-esteem. While this is a moderate level, it may be contributing to the onset or the perpetuation of an anxiety condition. You may want to seek self-esteem or anxiety disorder self-help or counselling assistance in order to help lower your risk of further development. Since anxiety disorders have a number of degrees, it's important to prevent further escalation as anxiety disorders become more entrenched the longer they are left unresolved. ===================================================
61 - 80 Moderately high self-esteem. There are a few characteristics that may increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder. You may want to seek self-esteem self-help information in order to reduce your overall risk of developing an anxiety condition. ===================================================
81 - 100 High self-esteem. Healthy self-esteem helps to prevent the development of an anxiety disorder.
I am interested to learn but not at all surprised that Self Esteem is an area that requires my attention. I really struggle with this area especially in my practice! Does this hold me back, YES I think it does as I can constantly seek re-assurance from peers. I am unable at times to trust my won judgement/ instinct when pursuing an idea!
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Work Experience
The Art Society: "Untitled"

Saturday, 16 November 2013
Trials and Tribulations
Ged Quinn: Raw notes from exhibition
GED Quinn: 1. cakes painted as sculptures, change context of cake a a food but more of a sculptural form.
Bunker archaeology, 17 years later, indifferent and far from home.
2. Looks initially as a contemporary still life then you notice the hidden abstract pattern in left hand corner and random flower like object in the middle! Dark but beautiful looks like illustration has escaped from the book!
What's so funny about peace love and understanding.
I like to know what I'm being shown!! Stunning, almost like a conventional painting if flowers then you are struck my photo like image in the middle, plays on title as you don't know why you are being shown! Modern vs abstract vs traditional painting methods! Faces ghostlike like a memory forgotten! Haunting the painting.
Felix culpa: again abstract vs traditional portrait! Old vs new, history vs present!
To burn the fleece of a grazing cloud: at first struck by size, then by the sheer talent almost looks like a constable painting! Then you are drawn to all the beautiful abstract elements and details. Like a Dali you don't know if your in the artists dreams or visions!? Symbols you can't quite explain but feel like you understand! Religious imagery striking and playful.
What the lark said (death and the maiden) plays with perspective and layout: aspects of composition not possible (illusions)! Bird "hoho" humour: making a joke of death?!
On making the heart of the forest: beautiful! God: female: creator: artist!
The book of two ways : see photos
Ouranophobia!
Thursday, 14 November 2013
Mind to matter
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Discovering my mind: In more ways than one
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Photography Quote
Saturday, 19 October 2013
From Mental illness to latex
Year 2 : Term 1.... So far
Monday, 14 October 2013
I'm back!!!
Sunday, 31 March 2013
The Ending of Recognition...
The title of the second chapter on my book is "The Ending of Recognition" This is definitely going to be the title of my final body of work! It seem, like the book has done already to fit purposely!
My work seems to be leading me, this is is definitely my strength so need to stick with it! I'm really enjoying my work, I am loving how by through experimenting and playing I am slowly and surely pulling together my practices I create some really interesting pieces!
I am really looking forward to seeing how this is going to come together for the exhibition!
Lenses, mirrors and sewing machines
I have started to experiment with different materials, mesh, wire, and fabric! Combining these with my printed images is starting to really add more depth to my work!
I especially like how the images look when printed on acetate,they are almost clear but with still a faint image trying to be seen! I have combined this with the methods from my last piece and by cutting these up you can barely see the original image!
Like a pretty ornament they hang on a string a bit like life!? Hung from a unused glasses lens I like the way that an instrument normally used to help you see now has no effect at all other than display!
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
The Final Module for Year 1
Friday, 22 March 2013
Work Experience: Life and Work behind the piece! (LGP)
As this is an area I have never had any experience in, I felt it would be valuable to see if this was an area I would possibly want to work in when I had finished my degree. Not only that I also felt it would be useful to see the behind the scenes set-up of a gallery in preparation for my future end of year and degree shows.
So I am evidulating in the gallery, which means being available for any visitors every tuesday afternoon 2-6pm. I also have to be able to help, guide and inform any visitors who do come to visit in order to help them understand the artists intentions and work.
Currently I am really not enjoying the role, I'm still unsure as whether this is because of the piece, whether its because there are no visitors, or even it's the gallery itself? As an installation piece, I am subjected to 3 video pieces totalling 45mins for 4 hours, it wouldn't be so bad but this piece uses extracts from CIA speeches and other philosophy narratives. By the time my time is done, my eyes can't see due to the dark conditions and I feel as though I am ready for war!
I am hoping that with a different exhibition I may find this time more enjoyable, as at the moment it is only useful for me to do all my written university work. With a different exhibition I may also get more visitors which will the mean I will have people to discuss the work with.
I am going to continue with the work experience for now as hopefully it could lead to gaining a more useful insight into the marketing and research side of setting up an exhibit? I have also learnt that even in the art environment I do crave human interaction. Hours on end by myself is not something I could do as part of my job.
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Missing Uni....
Through ill health I have missed a few weeks of Uni... Only a few so I thought this wasn't too bad! I knew what I was I was doing in my arts practice so figured I wouldn't miss too much, so would be fine!
Also as it fine art I don't miss valuable lessons where I could have missed the solutions to ground breaking equations, don't miss assignments based on missed lessons... You catch my drift!
So yesterday I had my first tutorial with my Tutor in weeks.... Boy was I amazed!!
My missing class I wasn't missing workloads, assignments or homework I was missing the invaluable knowledge that my tutor had to offer!
Artists that I didn't even know existed, that no amount if Internet surfing would did were placed in front of me! Ideas for arts practice were shared that only someone with her knowledge and experience could provide! Not only that, I was instilled with a proud confidence in my work that could only come from someone that you respect and admire!
So my learn, missing university although I can't always be helped, doesn't leave you behind necessarily with your work! It could leave you missing the most valuable insight, experience and knowledge AT&T could make your work that little bit more special!
Sorry, that wasn't short or sweet, was it!!!
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Mid module review: looking backwards, forwards and sideways...
So this is more of a comma than a full stop so to speak!
Looking back: I am so happy with how my experimentation has gone, after initial nerves and hesitation my work progressed as did my self exploration!
The key thing I have learnt is that if hit with a mental block or hurdle the best thing to do is just get something on the paper, a piece of paper with something on is less intimidating than a blank sheet!!!
Not being afraid to cut into my images was hard but once I did it my work got more and more intricate and interesting!
Looking forward: I think my main focus for this module will be to start to consolidate this work into my final piece! I want to look into different ways of display such a an installation piece. I also would like to look at the possibility if having a VoiceOver track in my work!
The main thing I have learnt from the last module is that by doing a little but if work often means in always making progress! So I need to keep this up in order to keep my momentum, inspiration flowing.
To log or not to log
I did not see that point in creating more work for myself, I thought it would interfere with my work and get in the way!
In actual fact it wasn't any work at all and I found myself putting all this together naturally just to keep myself organised!
We don't need to do this for Year2 but I definitely will as its now like my bible, I use it all the time to refer to for my work!
My log book holds they key to my work, my artist research is neatly collated, as are reviews I've read, exhibitions I've been too... Not forgetting the pages of lecture notes I've written!
So if ever you get asked to do one! Do it.... It doesn't need to be backbreaking and it's easier if you do it as you go along!
End of the project... But not the end
The three pieces in a row are my latest bits the rest are different experimentations!
I particularly love these pieces as they are my most intricate and brave! I have left 2d and jumped into 3d, bringing my work off the paper!
Friday, 15 March 2013
Krishnamurti and me...

Thursday, 14 March 2013
Is art individual!?
The first thing I noticed was how similar our art practices were, which has made me think about whether any is art individual!? Is my art any different to anything that's out there at the moment!?
I'd like to say yes, as although similar to the eye our processes and philosophy behind our work is what makes us different! And will make every artist different to the fellows and peers!
For this reason I am excited about where I will be in a few years time! I can feed of others and be influenced but still be me and this excited me.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Holes, Me and more holes.....
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Photography project número deux!!!
For this project I want to do something personal in this project and strip my work back right to the beginning.... ME!!!!
Turning the camera back on myself I started to take photos of myself, this was quite hard for me as I have never liked photos of myself anyway, let alone taking them of myself with no makeup on for an audience!
I knew this was going to be difficult, but this again one of the reasons I wanted to do it, I have suffered with depression and anxiety for the last few years so wanted to try and vent and deal with some of the issues this has caused me.
Doing my degree alone was the first step, at 28 I was out of practice and my confidence to the floor.
Bringing my work back to me, I could start again from the beginning and grow as both a person and a artist......