I decided to write down everything I want to cover in my presentation, because I feel like I have so much to say, that I wanted to get it right. I hope I remember everything I have written, but if I don't please read this because it covers so much for me...
(There may be spelling mistakes and random bits but you get the general idea)
If you had asked me this time last year to
define my practice, I would have stumbled, and probably given you a completely
different answer to today. In this presentation I aim to sum up who I am as a
practitioner today, what has happened along the way for me to make these
realisations, and where I aim to take my practice in the future.
Last year, the only thing I was confident
about was the fact that I wanted to create images through use of analogue
methods. I knew I loved screen printing, and anything that meant being a little
more hands on.
I was unsure of my practice, and what
context to place it in. Being uncertain never filled me with confidence, not
only in the work I was producing but also when I was to think about a future
career. I wouldn’t have said a year ago that I wanted to continue a career in
illustration at all. The love for it has always been there, but the uncertainty
of everything seemed to overrule my ambitions somewhat.
I’ve always put pressure on myself to find
a distinct style, or a way of working that people could distinguish. However, I
realised something this year that has eliminated this worry.
In the past, I had always considered
process over content. My focus was always on traditional means of image making,
and the never ending search for a style, when all along, what’s really mattered
to me the most is what I can say with my work. Having a voice.
My practice has always been diverse, and
now I welcome that.
How did I get to this point of realisation?
COP was a good starting point. I learnt so
much about my practice during the module. I discovered a new way of working
that made it possible for me to apply across a range of disciplines. The method
of image making enhanced my skills set, but the knowledge that this method
could be used to communicate the same thing in numerous ways was far more enlightening.
I tried to eliminate limitations, so that I could communicate to a wider
audience. The idea of working with theory, and translating this into visual
imagery was the start of me realising the importance of content
Not long after Cop, my housemates and I
took a little trip to Warsaw. For no particular reason, purely because the
flights were cheap, and we knew the city would be cheap. However, that trip
changed a lot for me. It gave me a strange internal inspiration, that I find
difficult to explain. The design there was amazing. I came back and instantly
knew I would visit again.
I decided to make this zine, that
documented our time there, just as a quick personal project. Mainly because I
felt so inspired when I returned. This was the first real bit of documentary illustration
that I did, which now, surprises me. I can’t believe it took me this long to
place my work into a context that worked for me.
Because Warsaw inspired me so much, I
decided to email various studios out there, with the potential to intern with
them. I will continue to pursue this. I heard back from one studio called Edgar
Bak, who are a small team of mainly graphic designers, who have worked for an
impressive range of clientele. They told me that they might be taking on an
intern later in the year, so I will be chasing this up. Although im not a
graphic designer, I feel like I could bring something new to the table, and I
could learn a lot from them. With this sudden change of heart, and actually
wanting to go after a career in the creative industry, my work ethic completely
changed.
I tried really hard to immerse myself in as
many creative opportunities as possible. Ive spent a considerable amount of
time in the studio, which has improved my practice no end. Just having creative
people around me is something I value so much. My peers have taught me so much,
and ive found that I am far more confident to just ask for help if I don’t understand
something. Ive learnt some shortcuts on photoshop that could have potentially
saved me hours in the past. In the studio, I feel like I learn something new
everyday, and its exciting!
One of the most influential parts of this
year for me has been the Out of Order exhibition. I really wasn’t expecting my
print to be as successful as it was. Not only did I sell quite a few in the
shop, but I also had people contacting me for prints, some of them I didn’t know
either! This was a huge confidence boost for me, not only in work, but also in the
networking sense. Being in regular contact with Becky and Andy was good
practice, and they were always so encouraging.
Granted, I have hit a few creative brick
walls this year, one of them being quite recent. It really threw me off, as I
was doing so well, and I was so motivated after the out of order exhibition, that
I guess it came as a bit of a shock, and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
When this happens, I realise how grateful I
am to be on this course. The people I am surrounded by every day are so encouraging.
Em Flan had a really great conversation with me about this one. I was far too
focused on the finished product, and I had completely forgotten about process,
and play.
I then had a tutorial with Matt, that confirmed
this. It was probably the best tutorial I have ever had. He told me to start
focusing on my final major project, which will basically be a documentary
series based on the life of my dad. It was in this tutorial that I realised how
important documentary illustration is to me, and how much it relates to me as a
person. We also discussed certain theories that I then started to feed into my
practice and project. Having more content and theory really interests me. We
discussed flow theory and the open and closed mode of creativity which was a
ted talk by john cleese, its really old but I recommend you watch it.
Which is basically…Your
mind operates in two ways, open and closed. If your mind is open, you are able
to be creative, if your mind is closed, you simply cannot create.
He explains the importance of the
open mode. But also the importance of being able to switch between the two.
When I put it into the context of my own work, I think what he means is that
the idea is a form of creativity, so the sketchbook is where you are most
likely to be in an open mode.
To then refine an idea or initial drawing into
something thats polished and finished, it is important to enter the closed
mode, by which you are focused on that particular thing.
My creative block was weighing me
down because I wasn’t even close to the open mode. I was skipping it and aiming
to finish something before I had started. The importance of play will now
always be a defining factor within my practice.
Paula Scher on abstract says-
“You have to be in a state of play to
design, if you are not in a state of play, you can’t make anything.” PREACHED.
To document things correctly, its
important that I play with media and process, in order to document in a way
that tells a story, communicates something or challenges it.
After this, I started to work like
crazy in my sketchbook. I then started to extract elements from the mode of
play, and added them into the refined illustrations. I found that by doing
this, the image started to feel as though it was documented on location, which
immediately gave it more depth, and more of a story. Discovering this way of working
has really excited me, so much so that I have been really considering what I
can do with reportage illustration. I want to be a journalist of visual
imagery. But I want it to make a difference, I don’t want to document meaningless
things. I would love for my work to evoke some form of positive social change.
Which is why I have just sent off my
application form to volunteer in Greece this summer for a charity called the
Timber project. It’s a not for profit organization that was founded to help
refugees stranded in Greece and along the Balkan route. This is what they say-
Our projects are aimed at addressing the
needs of refugees along the Balkan route. We strive to improve
conditions in the camps by designing and building structures such
as distribution markets, children's playgrounds and communal
structures which have been used to create women friendly spaces and wifi
stations amongst many other applications.
I
have written to them with the proposition of going out there to lend a creative
hand. If they have any creative jobs that need doing, hopefully I will be considered.
The idea would be to go out there, work towards making a difference for a cause
that actually matters and makes a difference in the world, whilst using my
degree to do so. I would then be able to come back, and work on a documentary
series, based on the crisis out there, and the good work people are doing to
improve it. I have come to the realization that experiences influence my
practice no end. Understanding and learning that I want to work on a
documentary portfolio has been great, but I don’t feel as though ive had the
time to experience the things I want to document.
I
have been asking about the creative in residence opportunity that the college
offers, and if I was to get this, I would then have the resources and
facilities to make this documentary series, thus improving my portfolio in a
far more directed manner.
I
could then apply to intern in Poland, making the intern an experience in itself.
Both professionally and personally.
Because
I have finally reached all of these decisions, I have found that creating an
online presence for myself a far more enjoyable task, as I finally know what it
is I want, and what I want to gain from my career in the future. I have tried
to put the focus on the documentary side of things, in order to get work that
is suited to me.
I
recently finished a commission for an acquaintance, which had no relation to my
practice what so ever. I did the work for next to no money, and didn’t even
feel good about it at the end. This isn’t what I want.
I
want my values to lie at the heart of what I do, both personally and
professionally, if I can stick to this as much as possible, I think I will lead
a happy life.
I
will leave you with my values, that together, will hopefully create a
professional practice that will help me to help make a difference in the world,
as well as build me as a person…
EXPERIENCE,
EMPATHY, POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE.
Thank
you for listening, any questions?
