Friday 25 May 2012

FISH SLICE CHALLENGE

It is very interesting how we see the same things so differently and this is what the fish slice challenge is highlighting. Here are two offerings after challenging the technical staff at UWE.
 I love the way Ryan has taken on the task of altering the object with wax stalactites.
It is interesting how we apply our own skills to these objects, when I saw stainless steel, I could only think enamel, so to see wax oozing off the surface was stimulating.

Rachel who has taught me enamel over the last 3 years enamelled and sand blasted and enamelled again after plasma cutting the utensil. I think the shadow the object casts  has a gorgeous edge.

I am looking forward to more takes on this everyday object over the next month or so.

Wednesday 23 May 2012

COLLAGRAPH TRAILS

I have challenged my printmaking groups to combine collagraph prints with gum arabic transfers.
 They have made a set of small plates, these are 3in x 3in,
 using tile cement, carborundum and wood glue,
 then simply intaglio printed using one or two colours, I have also used dress pattern tissue as chine collee.
When the prints are dry I have added some gum arabic transfer elements in
 gold and silver ink.




Really sparking off some ideas for me.

Monday 21 May 2012

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

The end is in sight as far as my MA work is concerned and with 2 weeks left to avail myself of the Universities facilities I have been experimenting.
I have discovered these wonderful kitchen utensils a pack of 3 for a £1 in Poundland, made of steel they are just asking to be enamelled. These lovely stumpy ladles and large spoons are transformed with the addition of a spot welded moth rendering their initial purpose void (spot the MA student)
 This brings me to the 'Fish Slice Challenge', it is the end of term after all and with the spoon and ladle comes this fish slice which I don't like as much. So I handed them around the fabrication department with the challenge to do something with it before I leave. I am not going to repeat some of the ideas, but I do hope to show you one or two results. I did not like my first attempt, but I had just got the hang of the plasma cutter and I am now cutting holes into everything.
 My second attempt pleases me more. So here is the challenge, go get a cheap fish slice and alter it's function, add, subtract and embellish, leave a comment on my blog with a link so we can see, a bit of creative fun to share with each other.

Monday 14 May 2012

A BIG STATEMENT

Just before Easter I enjoyed 4 days at West Dean College http://www.westdean.org.uk/ where I attended a course about making large scale enamels for public commissions. As part of this experience I spent a day on the Isle of White at A.J. Wells where the signs for the Underground are made. http://www.ajwells.co.uk/
I came away with this panel measuring 50cm x 70cm. Sadly we only had time to do one firing, so I had to work quickly and have a plan 'B' up my sleeve to create a completed piece on my return home.
 And here it is! Unable to fire the panel again as I have no access to such a large kiln I decided to sand blast some further detail into the surface and add further pages to the composition with smaller enamels.
 Each sheet is made from e3 ceramic steel which I have been able to obtain from a really helpful company called Polyvision in Belgium. I have then attached the pieces with small magnets to create this untidy desk feel to the composition.
 As life so often imitates art, my finished enamel does not look a million miles away from the present state of my studio as I endeavour to pull work together for my MA show in 3 weeks time.

Monday 7 May 2012

INVITATION

After 3 years of hard work and experimentation I am coming to the end of the Multi Disciplinary Printmaking MA course at the University of the West of England. Dates have been set, spaces allocated and the work is almost completed.

If you find yourself in between street parties and in the Bristol area between 9 -14 June pop along to the Bower Ashton Campus and enjoy the work of the class of 2012.