JANE AUSTEN DAY

Amelia Critchlow set a challenge on her blog to be someone else for the day, so here I am! Today I am Emma from the well known Austen novel. I dressed up as her (as best as I could) and I took a trip to the beach. I am sure she would very much approve as Emma had only ever been as far as 'Box Hill' and had never seen the sea. I walked up and down the beach and had a sit down (as Georgian ladies get tired easily and do not wear the best shoes for walking on sand). What did I discover? That flimsy dresses get cold very easily and that no matter how graceful you try to be, sand will always get into your shoes!

GOLDEN PINS

Exciting news (well I think so) I have switched from silver to gold pins for my final response, as they go better with the colour scheme and are also stronger pins (the silver ones kept bending when I hammered them into wood), so they should last a bit longer! Still working away at the final pieces, here are some more photos of what I have been up to.

TATE ECT.

Tate magazine arrived today- yah! I got a two year subscription for my 17th Birthday and it was definately a good present. It's good to daty updated on the art world (even if most of it is miles away in London). Other exciting news- i ahve a window display at college!!!!!! It's right next to the main entrance and I will be workng on it over the next few days- so photo's will be arriving soon!

18TH BIRTHDAY CARD

Just a quick card for a friends birthday tomorrow- first card I have made since selling my Christmas cards! It felt good to get back into making them plus it's nice and pink and girly. It didn't take too long either which is good as I am meant to be revising for my English Exam on Monday- wish me luck!!

SO UNPRODUCTIVE

I just thought you might like to see how much (or how little) of my artwork I completed today:
I added a 'G' to the piece I started last lesson and sewed this much:
Not very impressive really! I have come across some fab artists though for my next project- Sarah Morpeth (who I really want to use as a contextual link), Ran Hwang (look at all the buttons) and Hollie Caley. They're all fab but I only need to choose two- though I could use all three hmmmm......

DEVELOPMENT PIECES

I finally remember to photograph the one's that are flying at college! They are hanging off the bottom of an umbrella at the moment, but the final pieces will eventually hang from the ceiling on clear thread (I'm using black at the moment). Here are some pictures of the finished pieces in action- they look so much better than when I just propped them up on my desk to photograph.
Some of my other pieces sat on the window ledge at college:

EXAM PROJECT

I know that on my last post I mentioned that we had only just started our final response's, but Lindsay (art teacher) is wanting us to look to the future and our art exam- specifically what theme we want to focus on. I was considering doing The Secret Garden (you may have noticed that since September I have become rather fond of taking inspiration from literature) and looking at first Claire Cole and then Su Blackwell as contextual links. Does anyone else have any ideas? I was also toying with the idea of fairies, I fancy something girly and magical. The wizard of oz? Red riding hood? What do you think would be a 'magical' topic to consider?

FINAL RESPONSE- MORE HOOPS!!

Just a quick post today (but with lots of pictures), we have started working on our 15 hour final pieces for this project (a practice for the exam time). I am creating a series of 8 or 9 hoops with the poem 'The Gift of the Seagull' flowing through them. This, scarily, is about 3 hours worth already and I don't seem to have made huge amounts of progress. Still, better than nothing! I will keep you updated as to how I get on over the next few weeks. Development pieces are finally finished and photo's of the finished hoops will be popping up soon! Enjoy! Any thoughts and comments are welcome.

Front:
Back:

RENNIE MACKINTOSH INSPIRED JEWELLERY

I am very excited and happy that my Rennie Mackintosh inspired earrings have just arrived from Ortak. I love his work, especially the tearoom chairs- they are amazing (saw a few chairs and other pieces of his in the Kelvingrove in Glasgow last year)! Earlier this year we visited Hill House (near-ish Glasgow) that he designed. Here are some pictures I took, but I was only allowed to photograph the outside, (which is fair enough, I don't want my flash photography ruining this lovely home) unfortunately it was a bit grey, but never mind! The inside is amazing and if you are in the area it is definitely worth a visit. Everything is beautifully designed and yet sooo practical. I wanted to move in! For example the children's rooms are at one end of the corridor, but the doors are positioned so that the children can look down the landing and see their parents room (well, I thought that was sensible). All of the cupboards have little glass squares in them and are in a dark wood (mahogany I think but don't quote me on that) but are really large and spacious. Same with the wardrobes in the master bedroom- everything looks beautiful but is practical!
Anyway, I spotted these lovely earrings on Ortak (a fab Scottish company) and splashed out on them with a little of my Christmas money. Again, a simple design but very pretty. I'm not sure as to whether or not Mackintosh would approve, but I think he would be happy that people were involving his designs in their everyday lives! After all, he wasn't really celebrated when he as alive (as least not really in England)- maybe we should try making up for it now!

SEWING INTO THE HOOPS

Still unfinished development pieces (though they will be finished by tomorrow when we start our timed final piece), I've started sewing the quotes into the pieces, I think it looks better than printing the text. I just thought the pieces needed a little extra sparkle and I was looking my room hopelessly (as you do) for inspiration and saw mt Joanna Teague cushion and I though aha- I know what these pieces need- a little more stitch!

Hoop 1:
Hoop 2:
Hoop 3:

MORE EMBROIDERY HOOPS

Finally finished one of the hoops I have been working on over Christmas, more layers of tracing paper were needed. I am currently working on a series of three development pieces (we start our exam next week) so just working out a few kinks and ideas. I want to look at acetone printing onto laminating pouches again, as well as sewing into the tracing paper. Plenty to keep me busy though! I have found the perfect poem to run throughout the series for my final piece:

Gift Of The Seagull

by Munda

A lonely seagull flies the winds
Majestic... soaring...gliding wings
A single screech sounds from the sky
Come fly with me... come here and fly

My spirit floats to be a part
I feel the beating of its heart
My soul, one with this bird of sea
Now knows the meaning to fly free

I feel the winds caress my soul
And soar the streams without a goal
My being trembles of delight
A treasure I received tonight

The seagull's flight of soaring high
The gift of what it means to fly

Front of hoop 1:
Back:
Front of hoop 2 (in progress):

Hoop 3 is at college, so no image unfortunately!

I think it's a beautiful poem and I think it will be far more moving and inspirational when combined with my imagery and hanging above peoples heads, suspended in the air. I have also just finished my art essay (2999/3000 words) focusing on my two (of many) artists, Debbie Smyth and Jim Dine, so please comment or email me, I am also on facebook, is anyone would like a readie! Enjoy!

SCARY CUSHION

First post of the new year!! Enjoy!

Finally finished my rather creepy and disturbing skull cushion- i rather like it although i think a slightly different subject matter would endear it more as a 'cushion'. I do like the rather grungy edge to it and (as you will note on a previous post, Embroidery Hoops Wed 8th Dec) it was the spring-board for the idea of using embroidery hoops (circles are always symbolic). The quote, if you can read it, is from Webster's The Duchess of Malfi: 'the robin redbreast and the nightingale never live long in cages' (one of my favourite quotes from the Duchess before she dies). The cushion now sits on my bookshelf next to my lovely Joanna Teague Mr Darcy cushion, I am becoming rather a fan of using literature quotes in art. Out of their context they can be so effective and moving when combined with the right imagery. Perhaps I should have used Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' inside the skull. Anyway, all opinions are welcome, I know it isn't to everyone's taste, but for my final piece and (more) development work I am moving back towards the silhouette of a bird in the sky and the concept of loneliness rather than death. Happy New Year- who knows what this year will bring!