Principles 1 and 2
In order to attempt a project I have had in mind I will have to carry out so much research that it seemed appropriate to chose this principle. The project is to do with alcoholism. Although I have first hand research far too often of this disease I would like to explore all the other forms it comes in and how that affects the victim and those around them. This will involve finding willing subjects, approaching alcohol organisations and charities, reading up on medical information, contacting health experts and finding the most suitable way to photograph the end result whatever it may be.I have tried to research photographers who have photographed this subject but have not had much luck so far. It is always interesting to see what the media and the government have to say on the topic also, so i regard listening to radio and reading papers part of my research.
This current Magazine project at BCU is the first time I have kept a sketchbook in earnest and although I thought I'd struggle I am beginning to see it develop well and see how it helps guide my work. I have also started to stick my work up around my work space to remain in a creative mood.
I think the alcoholism study is something I would like to do with university next year or in my final year if it is still the direction I am going in. However there is nothing to stop me keeping a sketchbook related to it in the mean time which is what I intend to do.
Monday 24 October 2011
Monday 10 October 2011
Creative space has always been important for me. I was lucky enough to grow up above my mother's antique shop business and have an art teacher father who's art rooms I still love to visit.My bedroom served as my artistic space and I would remove wallpaper and re arrange the furniture at a whim much to my parent's horror.
It is no surprise that I have a passion for interiors these days. I collect Elle Decoration by subscription and keep most supplements for their interiors articles. I have spent too much time in charity shops and suchlike hoarding bric a brac and sometimes quite covet-able furniture. I still like to re arrange and make things look as aesthetically pleasing as possible which is an increasingly difficult challenge with babies and their accouterments.
I see this skill as having been honed over years of rearranging and being slightly OCD (not so much these days) and it is a skill which has lent itself well to my more recent passion of photography. I am able to see a good shot which is naturally well balanced or arrange something for a fashion shoot from scratch.
My favorite workspace has to be Barbera Hepworth's house and garden in St Ives, I admire the serenity and the scale of work which was achieved there and have been there a number of times.
At times I have not felt creative but I didn't worry too much, it was usually during a period of stress or during pregnancy! However, if I felt under whelmed I would just go to BMAG or to the Ikon, it wasn't so much the art work on display that would help me, more often the journey itself and the physical spaces. Just feeling that I had achieved something non materialistic and vaguely cultural was enough. Now I do not feel devoid of creativity and can take inspiration from almost anything but I do feel it is important to fill your home and mind with constant sources of imagery and information other wise one risks feeling bemused and un involved with the world, which is a dangerous thing.
In Principle 3 restating problems we are talking about tackling problems from a different angle/perspective.
I can relate to this to some extent and will try to think at about it more often with my work.
I have been impressed and inspired by photographers such as Nan Goldin who have depicted their own lives and those around them so graphically and I felt this would be an approach most suited my feelings about certain issues in my own life, I wanted to be able to depict things as they occurred almost like a movie. I think this was a reaction to stress and feeling that I needed to document continuously to be creative. This could not continue and is very difficult at times as the scenario can be too uncomfortable or distressing to pick up your camera. I have since researched this photographic area for discussion and tend to be of the opinion that the reality is more important if your attention is required ie someone is going to get harmed or you are upsetting someone by your photographing them. So, as I am still interested in this issue which happens to be alcoholism, I stopped to think of other ways I could tackle this rather difficult topic. So far I have tried to arrange a meeting with Aquarius and have looked at other photographers who have dealt with sensitive social issues. Paul Wenham Clarke's work and talk recently were very interesting and helpful to me. I am now thinking about how else an alcoholic might be able to put across their feelings. I can't imagine many people being willing to have their picture taken. I think it might be a more realistic approach to ask sufferers to write down their feelings and experiences/ memories for me to photograph. This may lead to more of a comfortable relationship between myself and the subject and then perhaps some portraits. It also occurred to me at this point that people who are recovering alcoholics might be much more willing to sit for this project and that a campaign highlighting the issue might garner better support than my own interest and feelings.
It is no surprise that I have a passion for interiors these days. I collect Elle Decoration by subscription and keep most supplements for their interiors articles. I have spent too much time in charity shops and suchlike hoarding bric a brac and sometimes quite covet-able furniture. I still like to re arrange and make things look as aesthetically pleasing as possible which is an increasingly difficult challenge with babies and their accouterments.
I see this skill as having been honed over years of rearranging and being slightly OCD (not so much these days) and it is a skill which has lent itself well to my more recent passion of photography. I am able to see a good shot which is naturally well balanced or arrange something for a fashion shoot from scratch.
My favorite workspace has to be Barbera Hepworth's house and garden in St Ives, I admire the serenity and the scale of work which was achieved there and have been there a number of times.
At times I have not felt creative but I didn't worry too much, it was usually during a period of stress or during pregnancy! However, if I felt under whelmed I would just go to BMAG or to the Ikon, it wasn't so much the art work on display that would help me, more often the journey itself and the physical spaces. Just feeling that I had achieved something non materialistic and vaguely cultural was enough. Now I do not feel devoid of creativity and can take inspiration from almost anything but I do feel it is important to fill your home and mind with constant sources of imagery and information other wise one risks feeling bemused and un involved with the world, which is a dangerous thing.
In Principle 3 restating problems we are talking about tackling problems from a different angle/perspective.
I can relate to this to some extent and will try to think at about it more often with my work.
I have been impressed and inspired by photographers such as Nan Goldin who have depicted their own lives and those around them so graphically and I felt this would be an approach most suited my feelings about certain issues in my own life, I wanted to be able to depict things as they occurred almost like a movie. I think this was a reaction to stress and feeling that I needed to document continuously to be creative. This could not continue and is very difficult at times as the scenario can be too uncomfortable or distressing to pick up your camera. I have since researched this photographic area for discussion and tend to be of the opinion that the reality is more important if your attention is required ie someone is going to get harmed or you are upsetting someone by your photographing them. So, as I am still interested in this issue which happens to be alcoholism, I stopped to think of other ways I could tackle this rather difficult topic. So far I have tried to arrange a meeting with Aquarius and have looked at other photographers who have dealt with sensitive social issues. Paul Wenham Clarke's work and talk recently were very interesting and helpful to me. I am now thinking about how else an alcoholic might be able to put across their feelings. I can't imagine many people being willing to have their picture taken. I think it might be a more realistic approach to ask sufferers to write down their feelings and experiences/ memories for me to photograph. This may lead to more of a comfortable relationship between myself and the subject and then perhaps some portraits. It also occurred to me at this point that people who are recovering alcoholics might be much more willing to sit for this project and that a campaign highlighting the issue might garner better support than my own interest and feelings.
Monday 3 October 2011
BRAIN
I have chosen to discuss the principles of brain and iteration in art. I will be looking at the work of Jackson Pollock and Piet Mondrian to demonstrate that two very different styles of working can be arrived at through similar thought processes.I will investigate the notion that both brains are used to create art but in varying proportions. Finally I have chosen to look at the work of a number of artists to show how they have used iteration and how it has benefited their work and why.
Number 1A, 1948 Jackson Pollock 1948
Jackson Pollock's work is the most abstracted and animalistic I could think of to define the use of the right brain in art. 'As he "scrambled" around the canvas that would become number 1A,1948..'. (Lanchner,2009,p.29)
I felt that Piet Mondrian's geometric abstractions were a good example of contrasts to Pollock's loose and fully physical way of interpreting the world and demonstrates a more ordered left brain approach from the application of paint to the placing of the lines and their dimensions.' his greatest desire was to attain personal purity, to disregard all that pleases the narrow self and enter in to divine simplicities'.(www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/tl/20th/pure-abs.html) This statement has a similar notion to Pollock's announcement " I am nature"! (Lanchner,2009,p.35) So although these artists had different outcomes in their work, their intellectual states were on a similar wavelength, the use of the left brain.
This essay is currently incomplete but I will be completing it in the next day or so.
I have chosen to discuss the principles of brain and iteration in art. I will be looking at the work of Jackson Pollock and Piet Mondrian to demonstrate that two very different styles of working can be arrived at through similar thought processes.I will investigate the notion that both brains are used to create art but in varying proportions. Finally I have chosen to look at the work of a number of artists to show how they have used iteration and how it has benefited their work and why.
Jackson Pollock's work is the most abstracted and animalistic I could think of to define the use of the right brain in art. 'As he "scrambled" around the canvas that would become number 1A,1948..'. (Lanchner,2009,p.29)
Opposition of lines: Red and Yellow, Piet Mondrian1937
This essay is currently incomplete but I will be completing it in the next day or so.
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