Week ending 12 June 2015 – the end game

This week had the external examiners visit and yours truly was at the end of a very long list of students. 

It was a different experience from the first encounter as it seemed to go very well. 

The next day the degree results were posted on the wall.  A very long walk to find out the results was rewarded with a pass.  Even better was the grade.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  The best part was finding out that all the 3^rd year group have passed.  It has been a journey

 

I was so pleased by a visit from Abby Parkhouse from Alzheimer’s Scotland. I gave a tour of the exhibition and my work.   It was lovely to meet up with Abby again and tell her the positive response I have received about the work.  A little step to raise awareness of memory loss and remove the stigma.

 The positive response of selling 3 artworks.  (Layers of self, sound stories and layers of place).  The first artwork sold was a lovely moment and the 2^nd and 3^rd has really  boosted my euphoria. 

Layers of Place

Sound Stories

Layers of Self

 

A surreal moment with visits from the family and friends.  It was a strange experience to show my work to my nearest and dearest.  Without their support and encouragement none of this would have been possible.  It seems so little to say thank you but it is said with feeling and a BIG soppy HUG. 

Finally bringing all the work down and saying good bye to many of my friends, tutors, technicians, librarians and all the staff seems to have pulled all the heartstrings with a wee tear. 

Signing off for a while now and Just call me BAD Bachelor of Art and design. 

This was all for a very special person.  Missing you every day. 

Week ending 5 June 2015 Setting up Exhibition

Description

Exhibition layout plan

Exhibition Layout with measurements of each textile and mixed media artworks for reference during set up.

Health and safety talk

 A group talk to ensure safe working practices.

Room preparations

Wall Bracket & Hanging Tapestry  

Wall bracket & Hanging Tapestry

 

The students and helpers prepared the room by removing furniture. Covering the floor area to with tarpaulin to prevent paint spillages. 

Prepare the wall with polyfiller, sanding, eraser of any pencil marks

Apply Specialist wall paint and wait till dry.

Apply white emulsion to plinths

Clean paint brushes, trays, floor and tidy work area.

Mark off measurements for artwork placement

Measurements between Wall bracket /Hanging Tapestry/ Vertical float mount

Vertical float mount & Horizontal Measurements

Horizontal & Vertical measurements

2nd wall brackets

 

Erect wall brackets and placement of float mounts.

 

Fishing line suspension of 3 dimensional folded memory book

threading fishing line onto mount broad & carriage paper corner anchor point

Secured onto plinth with white tack

Folded memory book lifted off the floor via small plinth
 

Fishing line suspension corner anchor point with 3 dimensional memory book.  The corner anchor secured via the carriage paper and mount board. 

The hanging suspension length of approx. 2 metres lifted from the floor via small plinths.  The small plinth prevents damage to the 3 dimensional folded books and added a professional finish by framing the exhibition. 

Memory Threads 

 

Layers of Place, Sound Stories, Layers of Self and 3 dimensional Memory book

 

Sound Stories with QR codes 

QR codes placed under each photography 

 

 

Storage Box

The placement of the storage box next to the plinth allows access to a platform to display sketchbooks. Folders and maquettes.

Sketchbooks& folders

·         Idea sketchbook

·         Experimentation and development sketchbook

·         Construction sketchbook

·         Research folder

·         Alzheimer Scotland folder

All the sketchbooks and folders were stored within the storage box.  Construction sketchbook updated with recent exhibition presentation.

Plinth

The plinth display of business cards and Dementia information leaflets with foam mount information notice inviting the public to take a copy.  A comments book has been placed on the plinth. 

 

 

Foam mounted Titles

As the titles were detracting from the exhibition work I included a single title information notice with a separate artist statement.  Two smaller information notices placed under Embroidery tapestry and Sound Stories.    

 

Tutor Assessment

During tutor assessment a copy of the Statement of Assessment and the experimentation and development sketchbook remain on the plinth with the storage box open to access the remaining course portfolio.

Feelings

As I had anticipated that additional support would be required with the exhibition presentation I had asked and received help from a family member and technician.  A very big thank you for their kind support. 

Evaluation

 A very tiring and exhausting time that has only been achieved with the kind assistance of others. The exhibition presentation has been achieved with great success.  As I have received many positive comments about the resolved artworks and the layout presentation. 

Analysis

Each stage of the exhibition preparation required time planning.   Ensuring the wall was prepared and painted and ready for the next stage.  The technician kindly mounted wall brackets and float mount. Suspension of fishing line with corner anchor of board mount and carriage paper with sewing needle.  The suspension of 3 dimensional folded memory books onto small plinth gave a secure placement.

Conclusion

A successful exhibition presentation was confirmed by the positive feedback within the comment book and conversations with members of the public. I have also received and accepted a financial offer for the Layers of Self.  

Action Plan

The examiners are coming into the college to view all the BAD3 work.  Each student has been an allocated time.

Week ending 29 May 2015 – Final Studio Class - The finishing touches

Description

The last studio class before exhibition preparations begin.  The final push to the end of the degree is in full swing.

Exhibition Titles 

The exhibition titles have been submitted to the administration.  This will allow a uniform display of information for all students. 

 Exhibition Titles:  

Memory Threads

Random threads of memory are fragile and disappear into voids.  These outlined figures aim to put you in the picture about memory loss and raise awareness.

Layers of Place

 

Layers of memory voids given a sense of place with visual imagery.

   Layers of Self

The unique layers of personal identity revealed with layers of imagery.  The unique person behind memory loss is seen. 

  Sound Stories

Reminiscing stories about family photographs recorded to fill the memory voids. The sound accessed via smart phone QR code generator app.

Disclaimer: Accessing this QR code may/will incur usage of your personal data allowances.  Neither the artist nor FVC can be held liable. 

  Memory Books

A memory aid

QR Coding Symbols  

The Sound Stories artwork with three mixed media and textiles have individual photographs.  Each photograph has a reminiscing story that has been recorded.  This recording will be accessible via the smart phone application QR coding generator.

In the Exhibition titles I have included a disclaimer note:

The QR coding will require adequate spacing between each symbol to allow the Smart phone application generator application to work. As a solution, I have reduced the QR coding printing size to 40%. 

Each QR coding symbol will be placed under the appropriate story.  Each symbol has a different story.  The QR code symbols have been put onto foam broad to produce a more professional finish.

As part of the exhibition I will have a plinth that will have the display of the Alzheimer’s Scotland information leaflets and my business cards.  I selected a plinth and have prepared the surface with filler, sanding paper and paint. 

portfolio of work

 Gathering work together. The sketchbooks, research folder, Alzheimer Scotland folder will be presented in a storage box
  

Exhibition Space Preparation:

I was unable to prepare the wall area with paint as there were other artworks still in place.  I removed pencil marks with eraser.  The remaining pencil marks are under wall paste and cannot be removed with eraser.   I have cleaned the area with the embroidery. 

 Plinth reparation 

 

 3d folded memory books

 

The 3d folded memory books  will be suspended from wall brackets using fishing line.  I am considering putting a small plinth under each suspension.  This possibility will be explored during exhibition preparations.

Contextual Studies

 Essay submitted with CD copy.

Feelings

This week has been a reflective one.  As time is going by so quickly I will be finishing with the studio classes.   I just need to remain focused on one step at a time and I will get to the end of the preparations.
 

Evaluation

The good points are that I have put the plans in hand to received assistance with preparations for exhibition.  The access to the wall has been restricted and this cannot be resolved until next week.   

 Analyses

I have remained focused on each task and with the assistance I have achieved the QR Coding foam mounts.  The exhibition titles are ready and waiting. 

 The portfolio of work for exhibition presentation is gathering together.  The preparations for exhibition are as ready with equipment and possible presentations plans have been considered.

  project's resolved artwork

 The layering of textiles and mixed media mediums.

Layering textiles and mixed media that includes family photographs, reminiscing stories and memory books.  

Memory Threads” - Horizontal Embroidery tapestry/ random embroidery threads/ embellished with hand stitched outline figures.  

• “Layers of Self”- Vertical photocopied paper base of various family photographs/ hand stitched attachment of random machine embroidery edging/ layered by transparent organza with image transferred photographic images that were attached off centre by hand stitching/ layer of a cream muslin with image transferred photographic imagery had cut out the figures to create a void. Hand stitched placement was not central / revealed edging overhang of previous layers to conveyed the random nature of memory/ layer of transparent coloured acetate with the central photographic imagery matched the paper layer imagery in size.  

• “ Layers of Place” – Vertical layers of void imagery transferred onto textiles and acetate / image transferred muslin hand stitched the attachment of edging of random machine stitched embroidery/ layer of organza with bondaweb material / layer of coloured A4 acetate with the photographic imagery without figures

 

 

 

 

• “Sound Stories”- Horizontal layered random machined stitched embroidery with 3 photographs /3 photographs layered with mixed media and textiles. Layer of QR coding symbols, a smart phone application, placed directly under composition.

• Two folding memory books created as 3D objects as hanging display photomontage.

These resolved artworks will raise awareness of memory loss and reduce the stigma.. 

Conclusion

This final week in studio class had been without space to work on the exhibition area.  The early access has not been possible.

Action Plan

Exhibition preparations:

Room preparation removal of artworks

Wall painting

Mounting artwork

Artists’ titles

Portfolio of work