Final Paintings

I want my final images to run concurrently like a series would. I like how you can see the progression in my work from the first to last painting. I have enjoyed looking conceptually at my theme of water and this has helped me to understand not only the concept further but also the process of painting. I feel as though my skills have improved over the course of the project by using varnishes and finishing products as I have never done so before. 

I feel as though the theme of Memory and I density comes across throughout the series as some of the images almost look like dreams. The abstraction and distortion is the key factor in doing this. I am very happy with how the layering technique worked as i feel this adds to the distortion and prevents the work from feeling flat. 

Evaluation of The Mending Project

'One man's trash is another man's treasure'

I begun this project by researching the idea of mending and how far this word can go. I love traditional craft methods and was immediately drawn to the concept of using my embroidery skills to 'fix' found objects.

I became immediately interested in the work of Yoko Ono and he performance work, Promise Piece (2010). I love the idea of breaking ceramics and attempting to put back together. I find it interesting when you see something as delicate as a ceramic reassembled in an old shop.

I also became heavily influenced by Kader Attir's work. I love the exaggerated mended marks and the concept of creating sculpture from 'broken' things.

I want to use everyday objects so that they can be mended in a messy and exaggerated way, yet still retaining their original purpose. I begun to experiment with plates as the flatter surfaces I felt would of been easier to work with initially. I ran into complications from the off as the surfaces were to hard and delicate for me to use thread to attach together. I wanted to drill holes in the plates, but due to everyday ceramics being fired at high temperatures, this was impossible. I then had to develop a new plan of how to achieve my concept. 

In the end I settled with glueing part together and darning over the holes. The negative space is really important within this works as this is the area to be darned over. I used red thread as a constant across all the final works. I enjoy the symbolism of red and I feel like when my work is exhibited, the red thread will make it the concept stand out and help to make the work look like a collection.

The underlying theme that I wanted to put forward was the perception of recycling in a traditional sense. 20 years ago if say you accidentally broke a plate in your home, often they would be mended and not thrown away. I believe that through mending, we can live in a more sustainable society and learn that beautiful things can be made from broken things.

YEE SOOK YUNG

Yee Sook Yung is a Korean artist who recently exhibited with the Saatchi Gallery.
I love the structures that are formed and how elaborately put together they are.
As I have lots of leftover bits of assorted ceramics, I thought it would be nice to do something with my left over pieces and this is the perfect inspiration.

These sculptures are entitled Translated Vase (2010). The broken pieces of vase have been re attached using glue and gold leaf. This makes me feel slightly better about using glue within my project. I love the sculptures so have attempted to fix my spare parts together too. I see this as something that can grow and develop over time as I find more pieces of broken ceramics.

Mending Ceramics

From my charity shop hunt I have found a variety of old plates that I am going to mend. I began by smashing them all and glueing most of the pieces back together.

I realised a simpler way of fixing the thread to the ceramic surface. I have taped down the warp threads with Sellotape, and it worked wonderfully. I was then free to weave in the weft threads over the surface and tape to secure. AS only one side of the ceramic will be on display, this has made it a quick and tidy way of presenting my work. I then started to darn over the holes in red thread. I wanted to use the same thread throughout the project so that there was a theme running through. I like the symbolism of red and i feel it reflects upon this project through anger and the concept of breaking the plates.

I like the arrangement that these photographs show. I can imagine them being up on a wall in this formation. I was most pleased with the two plates that broke with holes in the middle as this replicates my paper samples the best. I want to continue before the exhibition with this until I get 10 samples that I am really happy with.

Problem Solving

Hallelujah! I have discovered a solution!
Although i am very adverse to using glue, I have come to the conclusion that for this to truly work, I need to use glue to hold the pieces in place. I have found an old antique plate that I broke apart. I then glued all but a few of the pieces back together along with some bias binding and experimented with darning over the whole using red thread. I was thrilled with the outcome as this will ensure the work can hang in a gallery space and also have a darned area where the missing piece would have been.

Next I will visit a local charity shop and source lots of crockery for me to 'mend'. I want to use old fashioned plates as this reflects upon the traditional craft methods I am using as well as a society when we would normally fix things as oppose to buying new.

Further Oil Experiments

After focussing on acrylic for the past few weeks I was getting tired of the fast drying aspect of the paint. I enjoy using oils because you can leave the image and come back to it a few days later and re work the same area.

I am getting slightly concerned however that the images are looking less like dreams and memories. I want to bring some sort of form and structure back into the work. This is I feel the greatest achievement of my initial photographs that is getting lost in my latest studies.