A level, Unit 3: Response to Art (current project)

In this project I had been inspired by student's work, displayed in Somerset House over the summer. Each member had created their own torso out of plaster and then decorated them with their hobbies/interests or embellishments.

Student's work on display at Somerset House Summer 2010

I liked these pieces because they had an aged, romantic quality which made them appear to have stepped out of a classical painting.

I wanted to produce similar works, but extending what they had started to explore.

Alternating between using a fully sized mannequin and a John Paul Gaultier bottle I explored different ways of creating the torsos.

Papier-mache with Tissue paper, producing a fragile quality

using natural items, autumn leaves

Using strips of words and quotes

Because I felt the torsos had a romantic, narrative quality I also started to incorporate story-telling references with strips of words and quotes of poetry and looking at pre-Raphaelite art-work which all have a narrative or theme which I translated to my work using the details, colour and characterisation.

Torsos inspired by;
Lady of Shallott by Waterhouse
The Flood by Millais
Ophelia by Waterhouse

A level, Unit 2: Water

Waterfall research design sheets with photographs and magazine cut-outs, illustrated with watercolour images

I began this project by collecting images of waterfalls from Natural Geographic Magazine and took photos on a research outing to Ingleton Falls
I developed the project by looking at stylised and impressionist representations of water which focused on the shape and movement of bodies of water.

Peter Callesen, Down the River

I then chose to focus on the work of Peter Callesen whose delicate papercuts appealed to me http://www.petercallesen.com/index/index2.html . Despite appearing simple, I discovered the intricate formulation of his work was thoroughly planned and crafted based on the idea of  'absence of space' and after  several attempts in different styles I produced this concluding piece (below)








Combining, the different works I had looked at, I produced a wall hanging made from fabric, cardboard and acetate. I designed a cut-out pattern, inspired by Peter Callesen's waterfall which I then traced onto stiffened fabric. I dyed the fabric in large swirling water patterns with deep blues, purples (lightened with green) and

backed the pattern onto acetate and, for display purposes, used silver foil to back this.
As I was creating the piece I found some of the materials hard to work with and if I reproduced the piece (in a professional environment) I think I would use a clear sheet of glass to back the whole piece, rather than acetate and cardboard.

A level, Unit 1: Wearable Art

 For this unit I decided to look at capes and necklaces as a form of wearable art. This involved looking at different ways of creating necklaces and making them part of another accessory to create a new garment.

Urban inspired necklace; Using the Mercedes symbol with scrunched up bits of newspaper and rings of plastic, connected with coloured wire

                                                                              

Fireworks inspired necklace; Beads stuck onto a  PVC base using a hot-melt glue gun

Psychedelic inspired necklace; Separate pieces created using gutta and dye on thin fabric to maintain bright colours and then threaded onto jewellery wire

Because this project was based on wearable art I ignored the traditional, delicate concept of jewellery and intentionally created large, dramatic, statement pieces which would obviously be the focus.    

In the final piece for this project I remained with a psychedelic theme and made a corresponding lining for the cape which matched the necklace. I designed the lining, based on psychedelic patterns I had researched and I liked the idea of using recycling materials for the necklace and so used cans to form the necklace which I pinned to the cape.

This project challenged my concepts of design because it did not follow a conservative form of jewellery and I enjoyed experimenting and thinking of materials I wouldn't normally use.