MA Print Show - NOW OPEN!

Sculptures Emerging

There is light at the end of a three year long tunnel (an enjoyable one of course!) With only a few weeks left until the final MA Multi-Disciplianary exhibition at the University of the West of England, Bristol final pieces are emerging. Here is a sneak preview:

 

Animating the Inanimate

I've started bring to life my first printed paper sculpture ready for the MA Print exhibition in June. Researching suitable music has been fun whist I imagine of the sculpture dancing about. I plan for the animation to be around 50 seconds long. Stage one is taking sequential photographs (and lots of them) which is tricky when your subject has its own mind! A lot of blu tack has been used! Here are few initial shots to give  a flavour of how they can move:

Busy with Busby

I have been getting a bit obsessed with watching Busby Berkeley choreography of late in preparation to make an animation. In the 1930's Busby emerged on the film set although he couldn't dance a step himself! He did however have his army training which influenced his military like formations with hundreds of dancers. Geometric and Kaleidoscopic effects were his speciallity. With giant cut out heads, dancing violins that light up in the dark and synchronised swimming - whats not to like?! The costumes are fab too.

HOWKAPOW: stock in now!

Howkapow are currently stocking a collection of my prints!

Howkapow is a colourful shop selling design and illustration for the home. The products have a smile-inducing style and reflect the belief that investing in bright, new designers with original ideas is how innovation truly flourishes. 

Check out the shop at Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol or on-line: http://www.howkapow.com/ 

Valentino: Master of Craft?

Master of Couture at Somerset House celebrates the work of Valentino by showcasing over 130 ensembles, many worn by icons. The exhibition starts with a private collection of photographs, correspondence and fashion sketches. You then enter the catwalk style display of garments, where there are no glass cabinets, just a rope to divide the viewer from the fabric. As with every fashion show the last garment is a wedding dress where in this case the veil alone took 16 seamstresses hand sewing for six weeks to attach the lace. So this is what couture means!

The final part of the exhibition demonstrates the craftsmanship involved in creating couture. This is seen through a series of technical samples and clinical videos where the seamstress and samples seem to take on the role of doctor and patient in an operating theatre. The skill and precision is made to look easy - but its not.

It is the craftsmanship alongside the use of materials that I found intriging. A dress of one colour may in fact combine several different materials and techniques to create interest of surface and texture, producing the feeling of luxury in what initially appears a simple garment. Often the garments appear fluid yet are full of structure. I like the idea of a piece of work looking effortless yet as a designer keeping all the control and also the suggestion of movement within a static work. Some of the construction demonstrated have given me ideas of how I could develop my existing methods.

One final thought remains: surely its the seamstresses and pattern cutters that are the true masters of couture and maybe Valentino is the master of vision ... http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/valentino

After After Deco

When producing my recent print After Deco for the mini-print exhibition I had wanted to incorporate an element of collage but didn't due to the time constraints of producing an edition of 60.

So finally I have produced a small series of the print using the rejected prints and the cut outs collected from the laser.