Friday 25 June 2010

Also

Also can i want Grayson Perry's fringe / to be as fabulous as him in general / just to be him. Fullstop.


His work looks incredibly fun to make, and he becomes work in himself through his alter ego Claire.
I think it should be this way, as both a person and artist, being visibly creative, a creation in myself, artistic nature should never stop.
Somehow in what seems to be few materials Grayson generates work that is seemingly multimedia, multigenre. The pieces are pottery, sculpture, painting, illustration, graphics, everything, and that excites me, the fact that nothing is pigeon holed, or restricted gives me a desire to feel like that with my own materials. These works are led by their narratives but the materials are at one with the artist. You can see how pieces have become, from initial ideas, and drawings, and rather than seeking perfection through any kind of minimalism, they feed off the notion of idea, plans, brainstorming brought together through collage. Because memory is cluttered, and this is what Grayson's work is about, stories, emotion and memory, non of which are clean cut, but unraveling as they all go on.


The Taxidermist

God i want to be a taxidermist. I have done for a long while now, well perhaps two years and watching a few parts of the documentary on BBC ONE 'Imagine 2010 /2011 - 3. Art Is Childs Play'
The part i caught [as i am yet to watch the remainder tonight], looked at the taxidermy artist Polly Morgan.

www.pollymorgan.co.uk
Her work has literally made time stand still for me. It's like my heart stopped when i saw it, sometimes something clicks inside, to make you realise this is what you've been missing.
I have since been brainstorming ideas into how i could use taxidermy in my work, whether i choose to make it myself or alter the ready made. As much as do wish to learn the art of taxidermy, courses i have looked into are running at £300 for 3 days, which is steep, there are video courses but i feel in order to gain the best skills i should find myself a tutor. Until then i want to look at altering the ready made, ready made taxidermy such as birds, insects, fish and small animals such as rodents.
At least this way i can familarise myself with taxidermy forms.

Monday 7 June 2010

Wotsit

Need this NOW. Not for me. For someone else :]
Dammit it isn't on sale. But seriously with this floating in your mug every time you made a brew, how could you not be happy?! Tea making has never looked so fun!

Tuesday 1 June 2010

ruined affair re-captured

I want to find some hidden gems.
Places unfound, untouched for a while, completely derelict.
I was inspired by a website sent to me by someone dear.

Most inspirational was this location; a derelict Russian submarine base in the Ukraine


I'm not sure who has done the photography here, as i haven't done my research yet [this is a bit of an un-detailed excitable post] What i loved about these images is the fact the location structure at hand, isn't ancient, nor was it ever made to be particularly beautiful. It isn't in ruins, but the history of this place makes these images incredibly eerie. I also have a bit of a strange relationship with the sea, it's natural force and power scares me, the way it can be so isolating and all consuming, so i find the idea of life that far off shore, bizarre and alien. This mixed with the context of Russian war, and the cold industrial aesthetic is just all out chilling [personally] but it's very much a feeling i enjoy, the fact a photograph can evoke that much emotion in me.

Thinking of my re-submission for my Elective, which will now be Digital Photography, i want to at least do something that i will enjoy, and it's been so long since i studied old dilapidated architecture.
So i've set about researching secret places in Leeds, that will be good for Photographing.

On my internet travels i came across these lovely images of the underground tunnel works that run through Leeds by a photographer named Johnathon Turner > www.johnathan-turner.com

It seems that i have little chance of actually getting anywhere near anything this good however it has inspired me to start adventuring, i'd like to not only consider old structures but newer one's too as they can allow for different aesthetics as well set up an array of concepts. It would be nice to be able to consider combining these structural images with portraiture, hmmm but we'll see. Still a bit rusty on the photography front to say the least, so one step at a time.

hummmmmmmm

I've begun to rekindle my love for photography as of late.
Such a love comes for all forms of photography however it is most loyally upheld with analog. I like streaks of developer, marks on negatives and really just all imperfections are beautiful!
I don't think photographs should necessarily be perfect, elements of imperfections create a sense of honesty and love for the image. The film has been touched, used, printed, and thus is authentic. No image will ever be the same.

Saying this i still like perfecting analog images during the developing process, or via digital enhancement, but only to a basic degree [digitally]
There is so much i haven't done yet with photography, in my recent project i touched on slide making. I want to attain older cameras and to grips with medium format.

It's rare to find the talent to actually take really good photographs in terms of technique, composition and knowing the science of the camera, as well as having a concept that can be well executed.
Skill cannot be learned, it's just there, however I want to learn all the basic ways ways to use a camera well, so i may take a decent photograph, thus being able to appreciate 'making' a photograph in itself, but with the whole process being so scientific i find this hard to get to grips with.

Anyway here is some thing that i like, i was surprised that i found such subject matter allurring as normally i am less attracted to portraits and nudes. These are rather fashion based but i love their coquetish nature, the vintage quality and the blue and red lighting. The artist in question being a a girl called Iris it seems, who i found hunting around bloggitys.
Divine!

Friday 16 April 2010

Mur

I don't know what's happened, i don't think it's so much that i have fallen out of love with art, more that i have fallen in love with the world at the peril of my own work.
I have been distracted my the finer things in life, such as food, romance, sex, warmth, friendship, seasonal change, travel, nightlife, the list goes on.
The course has, as of recent been a bit crap in my opinion, mainly down to the entire Enterprise module, and it's outstanding ability to clear me of all artistic passion.
This is one reason to hate consumerism, in the fact that by saying outloud 'i wish to be an artist' that means the government become frantic and desperate to make sure i do actually earn enough money to give them taxes, thus placing me in the most mind numbing module i have ever had placed infront of me.
If this wasn't bad enough the bloody thing was only worth 10 credits! But the tutors seemed to care more about this than the work of the practical module. And the cherry on the cake is your own head of department forgetting to give you a brief and upon realising, telling you it's ok because really you don't have to do that much for it anyway, while the head of enterprise insits you do stuff that isn't really necessery! ARGH.
All this being said, this is why i have ceased contact with blog. My mind has been else where and i decided to enjoy life for a bit without feeling guilty. Hopefully one day, many years from now this wil project in my work.

But for the first tim ein a while i spotted some things i found to be pretty spectacular.
Both of them rather surreal but completely different.


Sunday 31 January 2010

Hot vimto

Apparently my blog is 'very personal'.

Well so be it.

It is in effect a diary after all, but don't be fooled. Just because i speak seemingly openly on here does not mean i've given all my secrets up,  not by any means.

It's nice to have secrets. I'm very torn between those who are honest, abrupt and forthright in their views and those who speak much less. I like the idea of being an enigma. If only i could be a little quieter i'm sure it's much more endearing to keep cards to your chest. Anyway I have been trying to find some lovely artists to inspire me and whilst reading through Vitamin D and Younger than Jesus this is what i found that particularly caught my eye:




I am yet to add to this seeing as stupid google doesn't know my final and most inspirational find nor does my scanner don't work. Boo :c

Thursday 28 January 2010

Booya

Today was the Martin Parr talk and it really was an eye opener.
I'm not sure that it will have been quite what people hoped for, i myself anticipated a talk based much more on his own work, however what was said was far more helpful than any viewing of a back catalogue of photography.

There really was a wonderful 'no shit' attitude from him, and he clearly recognised a sense of apathy in the room. He's obviously no idiot, and why would he be, he's incredibly successful and has been doing what he does, very well, for over 30 years. I therefore respected his views, his knowledge much more than i would many, as he clearly understood the frame of mind many students are in at this stage of art college. You either want it, or you don't. If you want it you need to pull your finger out, otherwise this is a waste of time and money being here. Right now i feel as though i have wasted around £10,000, not working as hard as i could have done, not taking advantage of what i could have done.

For some this is just a stepping stone Parr recognised as once being a tutor himself that only the most dedicated students get far.

Fuck being the loser who gets nowhere, and fuck standing by and watching while people no better than i am get what they want because i was too lazy to try. I am quite frankly sick of my attitude towards art and it's about time i pulled my finger out of my arse and did what i came to do.

Thank you Martin Parr for making me realise i am a shit artist. At least someone did a good job.


[This makes me want to marry Martin Parr, yes yes, the specs are the sex]

Oh and on a less agressive note here is some lovely work by my elective tutor Peter Mitchell. I remember last year he was talking about porn and then being ever so slightly sexist so personally think he is quite possibley nuts, but that can only be a good thing. If you get on with him well then you're sorted and i felt we did. He's been working hard at it for a good 45 years [i reckon he's about 65, god forbid if i added a decade] and his knowledge of the lens shows. His projects in the 1970's in which is worked alongside black and white photography of Eric Jaquir, stirred up a lot of controversy for what was at this time a very modern approach with the use of colour film.

He like Parr is passionate and obsessive about what he does. His subject matter homes in on life in the North and he also has a bizarre obsession with ghost trains. I love the use of colour film. I'm not sure when this changed as i only used to have an interest  in black and white, but really so many images can look better black and white, it's hard to make something look incredible in colour, you have to know what you are doing with the camera. And non of this digital malarkey, all analog. yes please oh yes. Brilliant. I can't wait to start my photography elective.

>>>>

Small funfair in Roundhay Park, Leeds, 1982 / Home of the Underhill Brothers, Starbeck Lane, Stoke on Trent, 1982


A New Refutation of the Viking IV Lander

Kingston Racing Motors, Leeds, 1974 / Hudsons Newsagents, Seacroft Green, Leeds, 1978


All Images © Peter Mitchell

I can't seem to find a website nor can i imagine he likes technology much however when elective starts i may re-edit this with a link to his website if i find that he has one.

Monday 25 January 2010

This makes my heart stop beating



I haven't got myself ENOUGH music this week or day or whatever but this is beauty to the ears. Perfect.
I want to do


Jon Klassen

Amongst other things of the more graphics / illustration fields, Klassen's little embroidery samples are fun and really just rather childishly endearing. They comfort me and remind me that art can be fun and that simple things such as these should not be pushed aside in our quest to find 'good' art work.


And thus through the finding of Jon Klassen's piece i also found this piece by Meghan Klassen
"Empty bottles, broken hearts"
It's painting, On bottles, and there is little else to bed said about it, i just love the way each figure fits perfectly onto the bottle and floats in dreamily on nothing.

In other news Berlin is BOOKED! ARGH! It's all just rather exciting. Haven't been able to be as excited as i would hope due to one thing and another, my mind playing havoc. I have been hibernating too much. I sillily let myself slip back into that but enough of such folly, hence the lack of blog post. It's time to get up and brace the day. I have lots of project ideas, all of which must be put into practice asap.

Wednesday 20 January 2010

White Russian


Today i found out i'm very likely going to Berlin, by very likely i mean we are booking flights tomorrow. I'm am rather excited to say THE LEAST!!!! The art and even more so german design is a delight. The German's were pioneers in great design and this means i will have to get off my lazy a and read my Bauhaus book so i know but stuff.

I'm pretty excited the Germany in fact more to the point Berlin will be the first place i go to. I wanted my destination to significant to me, not somewhere i just partied with my mates and sunbathed, of course there will be time for this nonsense too. I'm hoping Berlin could be the life changing experience i need, in which i find something new and exciting and loose myself physically and mentally in a great city. I'll also be with wonderful people which will make it less scary and it makes my Easter far more productive than it would be spent in Grottingham.

I can't wait to book tickets, to have a plan that i stick to. I have spent far too long wasting life, waiting for things to happen and now i'm making them happen. It's pretty spectacular. In further news i have split my blog into two half in order to keep it organised, one blog for contextual work and general things i am inspired by [here] and my old blog will be used for personal work and extra curricular activities. I'm also going to make a music blog, which i can't wait for either, which i am currently putting underway.

Anyway all of this aside the more important matter is as always what i have seen that i have fallen in love with.

We were given our FABA brief yesterday which is based on 'Materiality', how we choose and work with materials oin our practice. I am seriously beyond language in terms of my excitement as i'm about to step back into what i once loved, working with materials and into unknown territory with new ones. Amongst many ideas one i have been considering is greatly is Collage.

I find that collage can be much more complex than people would imagine as the placement and choice of materials becomes almost mathmatical. Surfaces need to be prepared and considerations such as palette must be taken on board. This is by no means any easier than painting in fact it is simply painting with the ready made. One image can take on a whole new meaning, impression simply thrugh how it is placed. I also like doing collage for the simple fact that it reminds me of childishness, naivity, warmth and happiness. I want to get back to such frames of mind because they come hand in hand with what i plan to work on during my project.

And so here is some gorgeous collage work from many sources i have browsed over the recent days, cleverly i didn't keep track of all the names so i've decided to leave these a blank for now. In this instance it really is about image anyhow, and that is what is important.














Monday 18 January 2010

bah

Hell I cannot sleep.
And perhaps Misty's Big Adventure are to blame.
Whirlpool of thigs that i want to do, right now. Why does this have to happen at night? When i have to be up at 9 am. To be fair i haven't even tried to force myself to sleep yet, i've been too happy looking at WKW. And  just found this. It reminded me of how i want my work to be, tired and old, worn and loved.
....only i hope i don't have to be in prison to make my sketchpad this lush.









And then i remembered the lovely old colouring book at my grandma's, and all the pictures my Aunty drew of Disney characters, and how i MUST get them soon.
I remember just loving to have fun with materials and there being no pretense, well that could be a lie as i was always slightly held back by being a failing perfectionist. But still.
From all of this i got over excited and began to think of all the things i long to make and then i got angry because i didn't make anything all week. Bad bad bad. Must work tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a joy.
Full of paint and blunders.

Sunday 17 January 2010

All Things Bright And Beautiful

Here are some lovely things i found today, via a certain Art's University website.
Sometimes it's interesting to look at other art student's work and compare differences in stylistic values, to that of your own course. Naturally i am intruiged as to the the difference in level of skill in a young artists.
I can't say there was a great deal of things that drew my attention, of about 60 artists i found 4 that my made me stop and think.

Oliver Spooner


These photographs make me think of the marks we leave behind, remnants. Squashed sofa cushions where we once sat, wet towels from our washed hands. All of these things are mundane, we only see how endearing they can be when we look past the objects in themselves. There's something quite kitsch and dated about pastel furnishings especially pink, i love it.


Yasemin Deniz Richards

Dereliction and broken enviornments, two things that and love and so this piece just speaks for itself.

Caroline Grace Fischer

I've recently become interested in the use of thread, string etc in less traditional contexts than normal stitching.


This one, i like the most. I love the outcome of dark room photography, the mystery and hope involved in the use of film. Never knowing what the outcome will be. Truly sublime photographs even more so through introduction of affection, through scratching burning.