Following on from the feedback my Tutor gave me for Project 5 I have looked at the websites and work of a couple of Textile Artists who utilise burning and rusting in their work.
Alice Fox
Alice Fox is a textile artist that uses the natural world and organic things as her inspiration.
Rust Diaries is a series of work in which she trapped found objects in fabrics stitching around them and then leaving them exposed to the elements so that the objects rusted and coloured the cloth and thread that they were in. I saw some of this work at the exhibition Meticulous Stitchers at Unit Twelve Gallery and thought it was interesting and delicate because of the fine stitching and the patterns that were made because of the way the items had been trapped and stitched around.
References
Rust Diaries Alice Fox. (2015). [image] Available at: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQGQUM4gMMT0hijIpu547-f9B2sX4Ab6ZL_9-B2YuWWLZwU9NuHnQ [Accessed 8 Nov. 2015].
http://www.alicefox.co.uk/
Jennifer Coyne Qudeen
Jennifer Coyne Qudeen is a textiles artist that does mark making using rust. She uses wrapped gears that are left for several days to rust. These are then unwrapped leaving rusted marks. She also uses tea bags in her work. The resultant work when unwrapped leaves lovely patterns and different shades and colours of rust. This is what I like about her work the many different colours that can be obtained from rusting fabrics and the many interesting patterns and marks that are formed. I like the way a piece can be looked at more and more still finding different patterns and shades in it.
References
Jennifercoynequdeen.blogspot.co.uk, (2015). Jennifer Coyne Qudeen. [online] Available at: http://jennifercoynequdeen.blogspot.co.uk/ [Accessed 8 Nov. 2015].
Rusting and tea bags Jennifer Coyne Qudeen. (2015). [image] Available at: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQy2SsXejMHZmruKsuSY0bk9C9KSaqbSRCS1BmKuGqKUgDng-_z [Accessed 8 Nov. 2015].
Theme Book
I am pleased with the feedback I received from my Tutor for Assignment 5 of the course.
Although I was pleased with the work in my theme book and the samples I had worked I had been concerned that I had not developed these into a final functional piece. I had made the decision not to add any of the samples to a functional piece. My Tutor was pleased with the work and preferred to see it as a final collection of work. I am happy with this.
My Tutor suggested that many of my samples could be displayed and mounted individually or in small groups. This is something I am going to work on for assessment.
Sketchbooks
I had struggled at times with my sketchbook but my Tutor felt that my final sketchbook documents my progression clearly and had provided a place to work out my ideas, experimentation and primary research. I am pleased with this and feel I can move on more confidently with sketchbook work. I am beginning to use my sketchbook to look at and sketch my own work out so that I can see more possibilities also that I can use the book as an idea book from any inspiration that I gather.
Learning Logs or Blogs/Critical essays
My Tutor said that my personal log entries are well written, thoughtful and reflective with very good imagery to support my notes. At the beginning of the course I was nervous about starting a learning blog and thought I would not be able to write reflectively. As the course has progressed I have found this easier t do and enjoy it. It is actually one of those tasks that once I get started I find it hard to stop. Thinking reflectively for the course has had an effect on the way I see things not only in the course but in every day life and I have found this to be a good thing. It is making me look more closely and differently at things for inspiration for the course and in any tasks that I undertake in my daily life. I am finding it quite invaluable.
Suggested reading/viewing
My tutor suggested that although she liked the little book I had made of images from my walk by the river I might like to look at some simple ways of mounting a selection of my photography if I had time. She also suggested that I might like to look at some artists that utilise rust and burning in their work and refer to them in my blog. Following this feedback I am looking at the artists' work via the web links my tutor suggested and have added these to my blog.
Pointers for Assessment
Preparing my work for assessment has been a bit of a worry for me and I have been thinking about it but unsure exactly what to do. My tutor has given me a few pointers on how to prepare my samples and suggested that I had a tutorial with her via Skype if I wanted to go through any questions and discuss this aspect with her. We did this and I feel much more at ease about what I should do in preparation for assessment. I am by nature a very organised person and a lot of my work is already organised in a way that is suitable for assessment. I am now looking through all my coursework and samples and preparing and labelling them.
My tutor suggested that when I look back at my work I should reflect on what I have learned and that there may be a particular concept or technique I would like to develop in the future. I feel more confident that it is alright for me to work the way I want to and that this course has given me that confidence. I have at times wondered a lot as to whether what I am doing is right or wrong. I now know there is no right or wrong way - I need to develop my work my way using suggestions and guidelines to help me in that development.
When I spoke to my tutor I told her my concerns about whether I worked my sampling pieces too small. I often look at others work and see how large their work is thinking I should be working bigger. However, it is just not me. I know I have to stretch myself but I think I can do this without doing something that is going to detract from the way I want to develop. My tutor put my mind at rest over this and reminded me of an exhibition I had been to see on her suggestion because she thought the work was just me in that it was delicate and intricate. Two things that I know drive the way I do my art work and stitching. This made me feel happier about way I am to continue.
