This term I sought to collate information methodically by trying to categorize my (often)  meandering thoughts and assigning different sketch books by topic. At the start of term I planned to post notes of each artist and the lectures straight to my blog.  But this stalled, as I felt the resulting information and ideas were illegible, and I found my blog software, or at least the way I use it, not compatible with multiple pictures or creativity.  

This is something I want to work on. I need to find a way to efficiently and eloquently record and present my notes and ideas.  

I find looking back through my, admittedly unstructured and borderline chaotic, notes an interesting experience.  The composition of notes, with the scribbled thoughts, arrows, sketches and ramblings bring the topic to life to me and bring on ideas and create a visual representation of my brain thinking.  I notice that these notes have a lot of movement and energy, creating a sort of visual landscape of thoughts.  

I have been inspired by various artists particularly Bedwyr William who lectured this term as well as my growing interest in incorporating text into my paintings. 

The significance of text is not uncommon in art, with artists such as Gabrielle de Punte using the power of the words  to communicate her objections to changes and lack of diversity in the art world. The physical act of writing something down can make the audience believe in it more - people can view the written word as having more credibility, especially to the modern ear with technology making it easy to create  thousands of copies, showing the power of simply expressing one's opinions and thoughts. 

I have found this term’s lectures largely directed toward installation and performance art. This is not my instinctively preferred area, but works by renowned artists such as Marina Abvohimavi and Yayoi Kasuma have emphasized the purpose and significance of the space surrounding art. They have inspired me to consider the whole experience of art. The experience starts from when you enter an art gallery, as you walk up the stairs into the gallery, for example.   The setting of a piece is significant:  what’s around it - before it and after it.  This is not something I have thought about before, but when I look back to galleries I have visited, such as for example the Tate in St Ives or Liverpool - with the glimpses of the sea as you walk from room to room -  I realise how much of an impact the surrounding  space has on the pieces. 

It has interested me as previously I viewed the surrounding space of an art piece as an element that couldn't or shouldn’t necessarily be controlled. However after learning and understanding more about installation art I view this differently.   I would like to start to utilize all spaces and areas visible to the audience. 

Installation art is meant to be transforming the perception of the space around you and i think this is a really interesting idea - and something I would potentially like to experiment with whether than be painting or sculpture.

This other-wordly experience reminds me of the work of Louise Bourgeois. I enjoyed learning of Borgeous’s work and views on  the art world. Her use of simplistic imagery struck me - I loved her ability to tell a narrative without having to over-explain anything. This was significant to me as this term I was focused on bringing a layer  of narrative to my work, but thinking about Bourgeois’ work and message I realised I was taking the aim a bit too literally resulting in me losing creativity.  It made me decide to try and focus on creating a narrative through metaphors and symbols. 

At times this term I found some lectures difficult.  I found the focus quite different to my usual painting-based world-view.  I sometimes felt a bit out of my depth, which was uncomfortable, and it made me feel at times  like an outsider.   For example, I  found Alex Frost's lecture on sculpture rather dry. Despite his interesting liberal ideals his work was predominantly focused around modern sculpture which does not usually grab my attention. I find it hard appreciating sculpture, it seems  constricted and hard to relate to. However after his lecture I went to his Q&A and did some further research online.  Thinking later about what I had come to understand of Frost’s intentions behind his work, my mindset to the possibilities of paintings becoming three dimensional which later inspired my “spread butter on your toast like you normally do” piece. 

Painting styles in artists such as Jai Chihan and Jaquia Hallum have made me reflect on my own work and reflect that my painting has become less free and more restrained.  I think this may have been the  result of my focussing on details more whereas I feel I do better  work when my work is impressionist and expressive.  It may be that I will get there, by working on the details till it is second nature, so that I can then feel free to express.  

Chuhan’s work inspired me. I admired how she built up fine layers to create a flowing overall composition with so much depth. You can also see examples of this in Hallum’s work; the pieces are assembled on top each other and rely on one another to create the overall effect. This influenced me to consider other mediums to work on, as a simple painting on a board or canvas will simply be stuck to the wall whereas using different base mediums, such as Hallum’s sheets, the possibilities are endless and bring a whole new lease of life into the art. 

Overall my experience this term has been about breaking boundaries and discovering and embracing new ideas and methods. I began this term feeling opposed to ever working or even particularly enjoying sculpture or installation works.  But I have been encouraged to put, what I now see as a narrow rather prejudiced viewpoint to one side, and to see the benefits of broadening my work out of the two-dimensional restraints of a canvas or board. I have learnt the importance of atmosphere and I have started seeing art and art galleries in a new way appreciating that the process of viewing an artwork is a piece of art itself. 

Many artists who came in to speak are  experimenting and expressing themselves in ways I had never considered. They break down this barrier against what is, and isn’t art . They have taught me to see  that art  isn't simply for beauty or as a message, the layers of what art can be are infinite and there are no rules. You cannot  block any ideas, instead you need to be open to see the art in anything and everything.