Project Evaluation

My starting point for FMP was a desire to fuse textiles practices with sculptural materials such as ceramics and plaster. Within these guidelines, I have explored several new processes such as fabric casting and using combustibles within ceramics. A key theme in my project has been the boundaries between hard and soft, rigid and pliable, smooth and textured. The lines between freedom and control have also been crucial. I have been using plaster as a means of encasing textiles, allowing them to become solid forms, this process is very control limited, the materials decide the final form dependent on weight and stretch. Other processes such as hand knotting and arm knitting have been much more controlled because of a defined method of working.

I have refined my visual aims to achieve a very specific aesthetic focusing on organic form, natural material and diluted colour. I have tried to allow my forms to be created of their own will, and have allowed the fibrous nature of materials such as rope and woven surface texture of calico to show through as much as possible. My colour palette has been absolutely minimal, I chose to embrace the natural colours of my chosen materials avoiding adding any pigments to my work. I believe that this has developed as a core part of my personal aesthetic.

I have been very ambitious in my working practice, undertaking a number of lengthy processes, and have worked to a scale much larger than I have previously been used to. I have been invested in my processes as many of them only allowed one chance to get right, the result is a unique piece that can’t be replicated. At times my processes have felt performance-like because of this. I felt that it was important for me to push through my comfort zone in order to produce an exciting body of work worthy of an end of year show.

Several artists have influenced my work, including Eva Hesse, Jason Schneider and Alisa Dworsky. I feel that have taken inspiration from these artists work and used it to develop my own project resulting in work that is solely mine but has identifiable influences. I feel that my work has been successful as I have achieved the goals that I set out initially and have grown in confidence through practicing new skills. I have uncovered areas for further development in my ongoing work beyond Foundation, and have started exploring themes which I would like to continue with into degree level.

Log Book

13/02-

FMP introduction and overview presentation

16/02-

Started visual research and exploration using Pinterest, google search and linked websites

 

Week1

28/02-

3D specific FMP presentation

Tutorial with Dave

Visual research using Pinterest, google search and linked websites

01/03-

Tutorial with David W

Visual research using books in the studio

Bibliography

16/02

http://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/2013/08/07/in-memory-of-ruth-asawa/

http://www.ruthasawa.com/

https://uk.pinterest.com/rebeccahoyes/ceramic-textile-hybrid/

http://www.saltaireinspired.org.uk/galleries/saltaire-arts-trail-2016-gallery/harriet-lawton-textile-and-ceramic-art/

https://harrietlawton.co.uk/

http://contemporarybasketry.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2013-02-18T05:30:00-08:00&max-results=7&start=28&by-date=false

https://kerrysmakerblog.wordpress.com/tag/iconoclast/

28/02

Manco, T. (2012). Raw + material = art. 1st ed. London: Thames & Hudson.

Read, H. (2007). Modern sculpture. 1st ed. London: Thames & Hudson.

Moszynska, A. (2013). Sculpture now. 1st ed. London: Thames & Hudson. http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/exhibitions_pages/2012_oakville/common_thread/qep_gallery_2012.html

Making my final net

Heather Pickwell

Continuing my exploration of rope as a sculptural material, I have taken inspiration from the work of British artist Heather Pickwell. Below are some photographs from her degree show. Similarly to Susan Baellor-Snyder, this work is made out of rope of varying weights, constructed using knotting techniques and blanket stitches. Pickwell’s work is integrated into the space rather than simply hanging on a wall. I have referenced a number of artists who feature weight and hanging as a key element in their work, these rope sculptures also do this. I like the organic forms of Propagation, the way the rope seem to roll and ripple down from the ceiling, spilling onto the floor. This is a feeling I intend to create within my work.

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Floor piece?

During a tutorial I discussed the possibility of moving my work away from wall hangings and into floor space. I have decided to experiment with dipping some of the nets I have made and forming them over objects to get an idea for some of the shapes I can create.

Jason Schneider

Jason Schneider is a furniture maker who uses corrugated cardboard and plaster to create innovative objects that double as sculpture. I am intrigued by his choice of materials and have fallen for his simple yet effective aesthetic. The colour palette is minimal allowing the materials to be the focus of the work. I have been exploring different sculptural techniques using plaster and his method really interests me. He builds the basic form using layers of corrugated cardboard and then pushes the plaster between the corrugations. This adds strength and weight to the object but also results in the white and brown grid like pattern on the surface. Most of the surfaces have been smoothed out but I particularly like Plaster Push, as the plaster has been left on the inside showing where it has been squeezed through. this extrusion process is something I intend to explore in my own work.

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Plaster Dipping

I have been experimenting with plaster as a sculptural material following my research on fabric casting. I was interested in the boundaries between hard and soft and have continued along this vein of exploration. One of the other materials that I have been experimenting with is rope, and so I have decided to fuse these two ideas together.

I recently dipped a number of textile items, including rope and calico. Here are some of the pieces drying.

I wanted to focus on the boundary between rigid and pliable and so dipped the ropes at different heights. One of the ropes I completely encased in the plaster, doing this meant that it was no longer textile at all and had completely changed its form.

Another item that I dipped was a piece of calico which i had slashed at equal intervals. I was inspired to do this by some packaging i found. Where the packaging had been slashed, it meant that it could now be stretched without breaking. When the slashes were stretched, they became a series of pockets in the paper which were both visually stimulating and tactile. I was curious as to whether this design could be converted to fabric, so I slashed some calico in the same pattern. as the paper and calico have different weights they held their shape differently, with the calico less inclined to stay stretched by itself. I went on to dip the slashed calico in plaster. I was interested to see how the weight and resulting stretch would affect the form.

Surface Tension

Surface Tension is an installation by artist Alisa Dworsky. Its subject is gravity and counterweights. The nets are made by a traditional lace making technique and are inspired by topographical drawings. The counterweights are used the raise the contour lines (nets) from the floor surface bringing the work into 3 dimensions. I am fascinated by the ideas behind this work and intend to bring some notion of weight and tension into my own work. I was drawn to this work because of the nets, a subject which is recurring throughout my project. The aesthetics of nets much like mesh really appeal to me and will no doubt crop up again throughout the development of my ideas.

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Making nets

Open weave and mesh like materials have featured in much of my visual research so far, I am drawn to the repetitive structures and the possibility of playing with tension to distort the shape. I have decided that hand knotted nets would be a good technique to explore as they are relatively easy to create while being very versatile. I watched a number of youtube videos on the subject and have read some how-tos online and have come to the conclusion that a basic cargo net using an overhand knotting technique is the simplest to create. I will set up a grid to ensure uniformity and make the process easier. Once the net is complete I intend to play with the tension and ‘stretch’ created by the pattern of knots.