Professional Practice...

Just haven't had time to make an entry recently. Following my formative assessment for textiles I have spent a couple of weeks trying to get my reflective journal up together. Finally sorted and now just need to respond and update regularly, making sure that I  critically respond to my thoughts and creative or inspirational moments/ memories.

That aside I thought it was about time I entered some of my photographs on my blog. I am really interested in street photography, capturing moments of curiosity, enjoyment and response to the environment and this will be my medium of choice for our Professional Practice exhibition at Walcot Chapel.

I went to visit an exhibition of street photography by Roger Mayne: 60 photographs forming a major retrospective at Victoria Art Gallery, Bath. This was Mayne 's first exhibition for 22 years, showing images of London streets, capturing it's vivacious activity amongst abject poverty. Mayne spent some time getting to know his subjects so that he was able to take relaxed images without people directly posing for the shot. This is the sort of photography that I really enjoy but it can be quite difficult to execute as I always feel a little self conscious and concerned that people may not like having photograph taken: of course this can be got round by using a zoom and shooting in raw so that distancesubjects can be captured discretely/ secretly.

Mayne states that'Photography involves two main distortions - the simplification into black and white and the seizing of an instant in time. It is this particular mixture of reality and unreality, and the photographer's power to select, that makes it possible for photography to be art...' (Roger Mayne, Peace News, 1960, quoted in - http://www.rogermaine.com/menu.htm ). I do think black and white images give photography a a simpler angle but at the same time a bigger element of truth as you remove colour that can, on it's own, carry or persuade different emotions.

My exhibition peace for Walcot Chapel will be this image taken at the harbour side in Bristol, outside the Watershed. The crowd are watching a jaz band playing in the corner of the walk way. This young lady had no interest in it as she appears to be waiting for a friend or perhaps boyfriend to arrive. It will be 85cm x 85cm.

Formative Assessment...

Received my feedback from tutor at uni today. Really felt a little deflated as lines such as 'perhaps you are still in search of your appropriate media...' and 'step out of your own shoes sometimes to see your work more objectively - it might be helpful and allow you to relax and play more'. So where am I going to go? At first I felt like I wanted to give up and have some time out from the degree, but even though the overall mark was not what I needed to reassure me that it would all be worth it, there had to be a way to boost my confidence and find something that really makes me want to work, something that I can do well.

Whilst feeling like I had had enough, I discovered that I was booked onto a drawing day at uni, just what I needed - and just 10mins to get myself sorted and decide to go. The day was hosted by  Brendan Burns and it was inspirational. The day was very informative and encouraged any kind of mark with any kind of medium. Here is a link to his website...

http://www.brendanstuartburns.co.uk and some images of his work...

He says 'Painting is thinking; it is a presentation of what you do not know as well as what you do know .....They are about contemplation, they have to be sensed as well as experienced, they are physical .... The 'spiritual' response and purpose is central.'

I didn't really like much of what I made on paper, partly because I just loved the marks that others were making and probably a little lacking in confidence at the moment. Also such mark making makes me very aware of my own vulnerability, all I wanted to do was get home and work in my own place and that is just what I did.

                             

                                                    

So whilst I know I need to keep working at this as I am very unsure of my ability to just play: scared of the results and of not making things that I will be happy with...

But these are slightly better and have encouraged me to have another go

So perhaps this could help me work. I could take photos of moments in time that seem perfect. This is my theme for textiles and this week I have really agonised over where to go with it. The photos don't have to be perfect images (although they could be), they just have to record a moment that was perfect, a feeling, a response to a time or place that made me feel good, good enough to be captured and held in my memory. The image will then go into my sketch book, become marks and colours, then I will use these sources to work in embroidery, silk and paper as inspired by Anna Glasbrook, Naseem Darbey and Amanda McCavour.