My End-of-Year Assessment

Evening all,

It's that time of year again, where the students of the Slade have their end of year assessments then pack up all their work and materials, move out of the studios, and make way for the set up of this year's degree show!

The year really has gone very quickly, and even though the academic year has come to an end it isn't showing signs of slowing down! My easter break ended on Monday and this week has been jam-packed with organising which work to show and discuss in my assessment, which I had yesterday.

I think it went well, I showed a selection of work from each stage of my artistic development and feel like I explained my ideas and the work clearly. I got a good, conversational response from the tutors which is encouraging, and they suggested a few possible developments and artists to look at. 

The rest of my time has been spent wrapping and boxing up all my creations, and I've discovered the importance of labelling it all so once it's all stored away I don't get stressed out trying to find something in particular!

The studios have to be empty by next Thursday (May 3rd) and then from Tuesday 8th May I will be helping the final year student I have been assigned to with the prepping and hanging of their degree show work!

So for now I will leave you with photos of a few of the latest pieces I have finished, I will be working on the ideas around these pieces in the studio over the summer break which is quite exciting! They are made of clay and I have decided to leave them unfired, there is something about my physical influence on them and my reaction to their presence that makes me feel they should remain unresolved - they haven't gone through the transformation to ceramic, instead they remain in this fragile state of limbo, where contact with liquid will melt them back down to the raw material I created them from.

I hope you all enjoy your evenings! 

xx

My visit to 18 Stafford Terrace

Good morning and happy easter to you all!

I just thought I'd post about my trip to Kensington yesterday, I visited Edward Linley Sambourne's house, he was illustrator for Punch magazine and the house is a time capsule preserved from his family's life there. 

Visits are by tours only, I went on a costumed tour where a wonderful, knowledgable actress played the role of Mrs Sambourne and took my tour group through the house telling us their family history and anecdotes about the objects or decor in each room. All the information is factual, discovered in numerous diaries that were found in the house.

The house is amazing, decorated in the style popular for artists in the late 19th century - the aesthetic movement. The walls have flocked wallpapers or those famously made by William Morris. Cabinets of oriental ceramic collections and curiosities are in every room and works of art by the family's friends adorned the walls.

I was gutted photography wasn't allowed, and due to the nature of the tour I wasn't able to make any sketches, but I thoroughly enjoyed admiring the house and discovering the lives of the family members that passed through it.

To find out more about the house and the tours available CLICK HERE 

You need to made a reservation in advance as the tours do get booked up, it gave me something to look forward to! 

I hope you enjoy your Easter break and scoffing lots of chocolate! xx

Blanket Project - COMPLETE!

May 4th 2012

A whole month later than the post below and I can happily say my blanket is completed! After I finished knitting and stitching panels to get the size I wanted, I cut a piece of fleecy fabric to size and spent last night blanket stitching it all together.
I'm so happy with how it's turned out, and it's incredibly warm and comforting!

I'll have to find myself a new knitting project now, I have a jumper pattern so think I'll have my first attempt at that next! 
Xx

April 5th 2012

For almost a year now I have been slowly working on a knitting project to make a blanket! My plan was to knit a load of coloured squares and stitch them all together. 
While I was in Devon last week I completed the first load of squares, some just knitted both sides, others I followed a K2 P2 to make a lovely ribbed effect. Then I got cracking stitching them all together, cleverly using the long tails I left when I cast on and cast off! 

I consider myself a bit of a beginner to intermediate knitter, so I've decided to challenge myself a bit and for the next load of knitting to try seed (or moss) stitch on a few squares of larger sizes and using a thicker wool on larger needles for a few panels.

Once it's a size I'm satisfied with (it's got to be big and cuddly) I think I will try and get a length of fleecy fabric to line one side with, this will hide the not-so-neat side of my stitching and will give me some practice in backing work which hopefully will come in handy for any quilting I want to attempt in the future!

This blanket is definitely going to end up a total mishmash of colour and pattern, but it will also be a great reference tool for future projects, as well as a massive snuggly blanket :)

Pottery Class - Term 1

I thought I'd share the products of my labour at the 10 week pottery course I've just finished at City & Islington College. 

I really recommend their beginners courses, it's a fantastic college with brilliant workshop facilities and the tutors are so helpful! A 10 week course is £185 and you can enrol online for next term's courses now!

2nd Year Ending and a Blog Re-Vamp

Evening you lovely lot!

Thought I'd post a few bits and pieces from the last couple of weeks and show off the revamping of my blog.

In my last week of term I gave my presentation on the development of my art practice over the year, which I'm happy to say I received very positive feedback for! I also made a few clay works before we finished for a well deserved, 4 week easter break.

My easter break began last Monday, and I kicked it off with a week away in very sunny Sidmouth with a friend at her parent's house.

I had a really lovely time, we were incredibly lucky with the amazing weather and we did lots of exploring. I also just really enjoyed the laid back way of life, it was a welcome change from my crazy busy life in London.

Now I'm back in Essex for time with my family over Easter, and have a few things to read on abjection and the grotesque.

When I get back in the studio it will be pretty much wrapping up and moving stuff out in order to prepare the school for this year's degree show!

Not going to begin going on about how fast the year has gone... slightly terrifying.


xx