My 100th posting!
There have been many things to do to get ready for the show. Online profiles, blog posts, posters, sketchbooks, checking the degree catalogue not to mention the work itself. Its been full on to say the least.
Poster Presentation:
Learning new technologies like Indesign, Photoshop and online profiles has been stressful especially when they don't work like you want them to. Jumping through so many hoops with little training very close to the end of the course has been a lot to take on. However I have somehow done it!
It has been very beneficial to complete the online profile as artist biography and artist statement are both needed for this show but they are also needed for other opportunities which I am applying for at the moment. It has been a challenge to condense what you want to say into a small number of words. Submitting information particularly pictures into certain formats was at times frustrating but valuable experience to take forward. As I had submitted my work into a number of competitions a few weeks earlier I had completed a lot of the ground work for the online profile which meant I was familiar with some of the process.
Online Profile:
We have our assessments this week, which include our body of work, test tiles, maquettes, sketchbooks and other supporting material. While the plinths were drying I decided to move everything to the MA room and coordinated my layout on the table. Looking at all the work I have completed for Practice 3 was quite a proud moment. There have been a number of disasters for me especially with kiln firings towards the end but best to stay calm and carry on, as getting stressed about things isn't going to change anything and can just damage ourselves mentally and physically. Now I need to focus on cleaning up my home studio and cracking on with my work.
Body Of Work:
Choosing work for my degree show was more difficult than I expected. I knew I wanted to display the wide variety of my project, tell my story but still present a cohesive show. The bigger pieces were easier to choose as I had lived with them in the workshop for weeks if not months before setting up day. More challenging were the smaller items which were still coming out of the kiln after having to go back in for re-firings, many of which had glaze runs and were stuck to the shelves or had suffered under firings or problems with glaze application.
Did a better job at painting the plinths this time and was pleased how the plinth display looked in the end. I was particularly pleased with the granite slab that Geoff gave me, which Rob cut into a square, it just finished everything off nicely. How we present and place our work was a valuable exercise on the final day of setting up our show. What I learnt was that a slight change to the angle makes a huge difference to how a piece looks. I was conscious not to over crowd my display and I believe this really worked given I had a number of large pieces on show.
Degree Show:
I have a lot of energy to go forward with this work and I am excited for the future. It has given me a big boost in confidence that my new work is being received well. I have sold three medium sized pieces I made in Practice 3 and one of those pieces has been chosen for an award. Applications have been submitted for art/design competitions and fine art exhibitions plus I will apply for a ceramic fair next year, probably Ceramic Wales. Exhibiting at the GNCCF show next month will also provide an opportunity to share my research. This MA has definitely been worth it as it has allowed me time to create a signature style I am passionate about and given me insight into my new career.
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