From Mental illness to latex

So on my little journey to looking at depression, how I deal with it and how others see it.... I have been playing with various images and mediums!

My practice started with something said to me, "when in the bath, try and keep the water perfectly still, like a mirror if glass!" By doing so you practice keeping your mind calm and your body completely relaxed! 

Mind mirrors water... Water becomes a mirror... Mind equals calm! 

I started taking hoots videos of water in the bath to try and capture this excerise 

I love the photos but they didn't portray the message I wanted to give. They almost looked like landscapes from an alien planet rather than a representation of a challenged mind!

Year 2 : Term 1.... So far

So with my study Proposal done and project started I thought it was time to have a little look back at how I'm getting on!? 

So far I have made good progress with my practice! I initially was trying to come up with some unbelievable, deep concept which would change the art world! Whilst I had some good ideas I soon realised that by doing so I had completely restricted my mind, work flow and ideas! 

I have now gone back to the beginning (again) playing, researching an experimenting! It's such a freer way to work, I have found that by removing all boundaries that I am free in both my mind and practice allowing me to do whatever I want! 

I definitely work better without restriction, being able to bounce if others and my own ideas. This is odd as I always thought freedom was scary and I preferred a few rules/ a brief or guidelines so I could go wrong - and knew what I was doing! 

Turns out I the them as te envied panic if I start to deviate from the path set for me!  

I'm back!!!

Two weeks in and I'm happy to say the love for my degree is still there. The only thing that saddens me is that I have not been in touch over the summer! 

I have realised that this is where my heart is... I'm still not sure how or where this path is leading me in terms of a career but I know that my practice is fast becoming an integral part of my life.

It is almost like a cognitive approach to dealing with aspects of my life and health that I have never dealt with properly before. This approach is now seemingly lead my work, through discovery of oneself I am discovering me, my visual language and the context in which I work 

Peace x 

The Ending of Recognition...

I think tonight I have found the start of the end....

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

Have been brave and taken my work a bit further now...

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!

The Final Module for Year 1

My proposal for what will be the last module if year 1.....

Work Experience: Life and Work behind the piece! (LGP)

I have recently started some work experience in a local Galley, The Lancaster Projects Gallery! I wanted to do this work experience to gain an insight to the life and work behind the piece.
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.