The naked truth behind Propaganda...

Life Drawing...

Propaganda poster...

Vintage Myth - It is only available in Charity shops.

We have art in order not to die of the truth. - Friedrich Nietzsche

It has felt like weeks since my last post but it was only 2 days ago! Wow, how time has flown! Right guys, gals and children, I feel another post is in order! Shall we get on with the jolly merriment's? We shall!! This week begun with working in a retail store which is always great as I gain experience within the clothing and retail sector which will set me up for University in the future which is the aim after this year doing the Foundation! Continuing on from the previous post I finished cutting and carving into the Lino to create my Political piece that represents the ideas of paternity. More info will follow. Another event that happened this week was life drawing which I will tell all in the next paragraph! Oooo I do love to keep my readers guessing.

Where do I start? At the beginning would be great!! I arrived in Foundation with a sigh of relief to see everyone still standing watching a TV series. Sat and caught up with a few people into what was occurring. As seen previously I began carving it out of the lino and eventually finished it after many hairdryer uses to soften the material and a lot of cleaning as the shaving go everywhere.
Today we started life drawing for the second time this year and you don't know how much I was looking forward to it! Felt like a child at Christmas. Today's session went well, I draw with angular shapes as that's how I work but was told to explore curvature and details which was difficult for me as I love cubism and the ways of displaying emotion through that way. The piece I draw creates a sense of innocence and being alone whilst sitting on a stool awaiting a loved one. I found life drawing hard as it involved measuring with my pencil and creating perspective along with proportions and allowing my pencil to do the thinking rather than my brain. Your brain is telling you that the hand is not as big as the head but in reality and in perspective it really is. A thoroughly enjoyable morning.
This afternoon involved University searching and deciding where I want to spend my future. So many places to choose from!! Intense and stressful experience.
As the day wore on I looked at the idea of printing and began experimenting with different materials and colours into which my work would look its best and deliver the message into which I want to portray being one of shock and thought. The picture above displays the true colours into which a skeleton is and the intensity of the colour choice which is lacking as using white acrylic meant it wasn't thick enough to create a coverage.

Personal life...
A quick whizz into my personal life you nosey lot!! Sister is missing home and I miss her so much!! Soul Sister is coming home soon!! Christmas Presents are being bought which is making me all joyful and happy!! Partner is doing well, I guess he feels lonely at the moment but he knows I'm there by his side. University is coming along to do with applying for it! Need to sort out my personal statement and my definitive choices!!

Paternity is today, Fighting for tomorrow...

Lino Printing...

Fighting to the bone...





















Vintage Myth - The only garment worth buying is the one you can't live without. 

Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life - Oscar Wilde

The days go by, tutors come and go and peeps waltz in, out and around the room as I become bedazzled and unspoken within work. Sitting at my table by the sink I continually think about where I am at within my studies and the progressive instincts I take as I pass through the stages of Politics and the arts that sway around. As the topic is now in full flow and ideas are flowing around the airs within the foundation room I continued my work within the ideas and walls of paternity. Looking at simple ways of displaying this message. I continued talking to people about what the major issue to do with Paternity was and the main issue that came to light was the need to spend more time with there children through there initial stages of life.

After looking at these issues, I began drawing up initial sketches with the concepts of skulls and skeletons mixing up the bodies, combining them together to form one body that linked the two people being Father and Child. We were told to complete 50 drawings or sketches of posters that promoted our political message, mine being Paternity. The 50 sketches consisted of a range of shapes from basic circles to complex angular shapes that were compositional hardened by the squared sides.
The piece pictured above is one of a skeleton holding both the fathers head and the child's which is in demonstration of the power that lies within the mother, (who is the skeleton). It portrays the ideas empowerment and that she has both parties in the palm of her hands. The message given either side is one of encompassing the double meaning of 'bone', firstly the bone of the skeleton and secondly enriching the concepts of fighting till the end and you can't give anymore. This piece evokes emotion and delivers on power with the relation behind skeletons and paternity. The ideas of rotting and evil natures that are created as the skeleton takes centre stage with the gripping of the heads.
Today I started the lino print which involved drawing my design onto a piece of lino and then etching the reverse design leaving the design to be printed on! I will update you on it at a later date!!

Personal life...
Another week passes and I fall in love with Family and Friends. I started work in a major clothing store last week and I am enjoying myself massively and hope to be kept on after Christmas!! Sister is enjoying University but she is feeling home sick!! I am proud of her and feel she is delivering so much to Cardiff which I can see being her home for the foreseeable future!! Love her to bits!
Partner is doing well! Makes me feel all ooey and gooey inside and loves the boy to pieces! Went bowling which was gurrrd. The big 'C' word is looming!! CHRISTMAS!!! Christmas shopping is going to begin soon! Am so excited and be out in Liverpool and Manchester with my mittens on picking my Xmas presents for friends and family!!

The views that you see in the news is propaganda...

Conjoined heads...

Conjoined heads experimentation.

Vintage Myth - If you can't wear it, you should not buy it.

'You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.' - C.S.Lewis

As Kinetic came to a close and the fun ended, I took down the swing and kinetic sculptures storing them away into what would become my bottomless pit of work that would be created, appreciated and deleted as I continue the foundation studies. The project began with a talk from the tutor who led us through a series of artists that could influence the working wheel we were about to embark on. My first thoughts when it came to Propaganda was to look at World War 2 and how the political messages about war and the countries rations were depicted and displayed. This was far from what was expected... It involved looking at political messages and movements.

After a visit to an exhibition that is currently on at the Liverpool Tate called, 'Art Turning Left' I felt inspired by the ideas of the power of Political propaganda and how it effects government and people. The exhibition is on for a while and is worth seeing even with the £8 entry fee. When it come to the political message that I wanted to portray I began looking close to home, the Foundation room in fact and began asking a few fellow students what issues surround them and would want changed.
Instantly came into question was why Maternity leave is considerably longer than Paternity, surely the father is entitled to be with his child during the first few months of there child's life? I found out that fathers are only entitled to 2 weeks Paternity whilst the mother gets 26 weeks. I began with initial sketches without the warrant of background research and began swapping the roles converting the father into the womb and the baby being the pregnant person which to some seems twisted and disturbing, this then at least creates drama and a way of getting noticed and getting the point across to a wider audience. The latest works which are imaged above are to represent the ideas of being conjoined by the hip and leads to the facts that the father plays a part in the child's life from creation to teaching them how to walk and growing up. These pieces are disturbing but am looking to make them more graphical and a way into which they link more cohesively with the political propaganda work. To progress the work I will need to refine the work and determine the true message into what I am wanting and needing to portray.

Personal life...
What a week with my personal life! Guys I never knew family, friends and relationships could mix up your emotions so much. When it comes to family, Sister is enjoying University so much and doing extremely well, proud of my sister and everything she is achieving, she is on Cardiff Student radio every week so watch out Fearne Cotton, your job is in jeopardy!!
Been back in touch with a friends in University and they are loving there time just as much, people move on in life but the foundations are still in place creating a stable base. Loving Art Foundation so much at the moment, learning so much about different ways of working and the involvement that I can take within the college. When it comes to relationships, My partner and I are going swimmingly (or should I say, rolling into the right direction). We recently went bowling which was great fun, seeing my partner letting go and having fun. 

Hanging onto till the end...

Emptiness of the swing...

Rocking sculpture...

 

Vintage Myth - That dress is so old, it must be falling apart.

'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.' - Mark Twain.

The project came to an end on Friday after just under two weeks of hard graft, Working hard I pulled it off creating four pieces that represent 'Kinetic'. The week began with the drills once more, (which most of the group on looked with horror as I shouldn't be allowed near them as I nearly knocked myself out last week!!) I began constructing the Rocking sculpture and used clamps, power drills and screws to create the uneven balanced sculpture (two words that don't naturally go together but let me explain!!)

Tuesday came and went and the swing was completed to demonstrate my childhood, looking at the memories and the different ways into which it has a kinetic function. The rocking sculpture was finished, this piece was uneven as it only has one side with a raised structure whilst the other doesn't, it is balanced as when it is hanged from the ceiling the weight is distributed evenly and mimics the rocking motion of a rocking chair which further enhances my work as I have changed the use of the original object but kept the key principles behind the object. I feel that both of these pieces represent the ideas and concepts behind kinetic as they would move freely with the wind blowing behind them.
Finally put down the power tools and began photographing and reflecting on the work whilst including artists such as Angela Sidwell and Andy Goldsworthy who both influenced my work by there use of natural materials that fitted into the environment. If I would of changed anything with the project I would of liked to of looked at negative space and the influences and how it effects people. I began drawing my pieces on A1 and A2 paper which enabled me to look at detailing and the positioning of the wood. This project is sadly coming to an end after such a short period of time but every good thing comes to an end and I want to consider doing 3D for my pathway. It fascinates me with how simple objects can demonstrate new uses and construction techniques. I have learnt a lot about the construction of wood and how it reacts to different techniques! I also learnt how to use power tools correctly and that there is such a thing as pilot holes!

Personal life...
Last Thursday Sister heading back to University after a week of reading and hard studying at home! She is glad to be back home in Cardiff and enjoying her time at University!! She has many radio shows and articles to write for local papers and am proud of her!
Celine Dion's new album was released yesterday which I am loving and endearing to Celine's new sound.
Yesterday the two minutes silence was held in respect of the service men and women who have and are fighting for us today. I send respect and honour to those people as they are doing a fantastic job!
My partner and I are getting by, it's a bit like jumping rope, your keep jumping and you hit a blip but then you start again. He's a lovely chap and enjoy spending time with him which is always decent.



It's hard enough sitting there, Rockin' in your rockin' chair...

Kinetic Structure... Hangs from ceiling.

Swinging table...

Vintage Myth - Only a one-of-a-kind garment has any value.  Never duplicate.

All our dreams can come true–if we have the courage to pursue them. - Walter Disney

'You only have one week left on the project', this came from one of the Foundation tutors as we settled into another day of work still wandering if and when the Eco project was going to begin. It had already begun completely oblivious to the face that we were already a week into the new project. For the past week Monday - Thursday I have been sat finishing off the paper project with some annotation and experimentation.

On Friday the tutor put up on the board what the Eco project had to be based around, (bit like waiting to see if you have passed an audition or been sent home on Glee Project.) I was given 'Kinetic' which wasn't something that I would of ever thought of doing or looking at... Pintrest and Behance are my best friends when it comes to research and began searching for inspiration. Me and Chelsea (Chelly, my best friend) took a wander up a hill and came across an old rocking chair and took it back to the room with us (along with a railing and a few more goodies).
I began by cleaning the wood and drilling holes to create places for string and attachments.
My first piece symbolises the idea of a wind chime and represents the concepts of movements and organic matter, I feel it looks abstract with the use of half hung string and the backrest of the chair as the main structural element. The arms of the chair represent feet and the sense of walking and free form, the spinals that protrude out give the impression of watching out with every walk. This piece demonstrates the ideas of kinetic by wind movement and tension.
The swinging table took me a while to construct as it required me to make sure that the frame was of the correct length and width allowing it stand freely. The legs in the middle demonstrate the idea of walking in the air and  have been purposely made to be longer than the other to show we live which is one of uneven times and treading on egg shells. I haven't decided how this piece will move yet but want to add a handle. I do love the simplistic nature and feels like an art installation. I still have to produce one more piece to complete this part of the course which will be constructed from the remains of the rocking chair. Who knew so much could be done with a chair from a yard...

Personal Life...
Sister has returned home from Uni and I gave her Sully from Monsters Inc which she loves, she seems to always have it in her arms! Partner is doing well and he had a fantastic birthday, we went round coffee shops and restaurants soaking up the Xmas and Halloween spirit!! Bring on Christmas!!