Having a lot of scrap pieces of metal left over from the course of last year, it seemed such a waste not to see what could be done with them. I started to think about the plain sheet metal I was using to make the box forms and began wondering how it would affect the overall compositions if I were to create a sheet from all the offcuts I had gathered. I wanted to see how this could build and give texture to my simple box form.

This started a body of exploration that saw the link between many of the materials I have been using and wanted to use.

From the experiments I have been doing, it is interesting to look back and see how much one is affected by the environment. This is one piece I am starting to play around with,

Then later I noticed the similarities with a particular vent that I have walked past everytime I went to the studio. It was only after I had made the piece did I see the influences of the vent. Now consciously noticing the vent.

‘Can you make a box’

yes i can…

still needs a bit of colour though!!

I found these Amazing contrast in the textures and materials in the buildings just round the corner from my new studio!

Reflection of the blue, starting to see a new colour exploration coming about, new area, new situation and therefore new colour.

Having recently done a short 2 weeks project exploring pink, I found that it resulted in a similar outcome to the much loved yellow. The impact of the contrast between the pink and black reflected the same as that of the yellow but in a almost warmer sense.

Only allowing myself those 2 weeks challenged the long colour process that made up my MA collection, seeing how quickly this process could be executed… however to say that it was only meant to be a week how wrong i was in my estimate.

The resulting Pink collection shown below can shows the same dynamic impact as the yellow, bordering between finished piece and a maquette.

I especially love to contrast between the Pink with an assent of the yellow, they seems to compliment each other so well. This does however draw your attention to the yellow as opposed to the pink in the one particular piece.

Even though this is just 5 pieces (6 if you include the drawing) it is a collection that excited me and something to build on at some later point.

This leads me to wonder whether I need to have the impacting colour, therefore I have decided to explore the colour blue, because of the vast tones that can be produced from something quite subdue, compared to something as electrifying as the yellow. This I hope will further my understanding of my future use of colour.

The aim to have another small collection of 5 pieces in different blues and see how they relate to others in yellow and the pink.

On a recent trip to Jill Shaddock studio, I found some interesting compositions and contrasting textures.

Also…..

My great new piece by Jenny Laidlow!!! LOVE IT!!!!

you can check out more of Jenny’s great work at:

http://www.jennylaidlaw.com/

Some snap shots of the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, again situated in Spinningfields, Manchester. A great time that saw a good response to my MA work.

This response was something that honestly quite worried me before I went, being so immersed in the MA has taught me so much but many people who knew me before may not have expected the change or the development that happened becuase of it. However I can gladly report that while some people were quite put off by it, not understanding the forms and relationship of the work, other took great interest in it, seeing and understanding my thoughts and path in the work. Having played around with the display ideas beforehand I decided to create a more exhibition-type display that linked in to my MA show display. Using the idea of space and ‘less being more’ should allow people to be more able to focus on each piece they are seeing.

Setting up, like the silly person I am, I happened to scold my hands with boiling hot water, therefore having one bandaged hand, makes putting up a display rather difficult! BUT with some help! we managed it. Thank you!

Finally all set.

Situated next to the lovely work by Anne Laycock.

Great shadows but resulted in rather hot metal…..

All packed away and ready to go home.

GNCCF ended for another year.

Next step is to start getting a new studio together, so I can continue to crack on with work, having just used a spare room in my old flat, I definitely need a defining space I can call my own workshop.

Something that made my smile….

My new friend that I feel complimented my postcards beautifully.

The end of the show, a years worth of work with a great ending.

http://issuu.com/ma.jsrp/docs/cast_from_different_moulds_2012? mode=window&viewMode=doublePage

So only a week to go before the show closes, here is an invitation again if you have not already checked it out.

If you are not able to make it I will giving a short preview of the exhibition soon.

Opening Times are 9am-5pm, apart from the last Wednesday when it closes at 4pm.

Also check out:
cast-from-different-moulds.blogspot.com
for more information on the event and pictures.

A little sneak peek of starting to set up the show – working out the display and composition on the boards.

This week have been finalising pieces to put together for the collection for my final display, this has been quite hard as everything I have done is quite different and trying to select a limited number that are the strongest is quite difficult, maybe that is where I have slipped up and haven’t been as controlled as I thought I was.

The ability to defend your work as stated on the brief is a notion that is quite difficult, I think the answer to this is confidence, it is told that as long as you are confident about what you are presenting, and you don’t doubt the work then all you can do is shine, as with my shining however it is always better with preparation. This means a greater confidence in just a few pieces, which can also be alittle scarey.

The space is just as an important factor that must be represented in the work.