Big Issue.

Today I got a call while I was in college from Rosemary Townsend from the Marketing Administrator for the college, Christian had spoken to me the day before about a magazine article that the college have been asked to write about what students have done, supplementing their course, and said he would forward me the article and then told me to perhaps get it touch with Rosemary to add something to it about what Amber and I do with the Big Issue In The North.

She called me today and we met and had a 10 minute chat about what we do and how it coincides with college, also about the exhibition we are putting on for them.

She took my email address and has emailed a copy of what she wanted to send and wanted to just run it by me and see that we were happy with it, she also wants a photo of us doing Outreach, so I intend to call Claire(from the office) tomorrow and ask her to send a photo to me if she doesn't mind.

In the document Rosemary sent to me, she mentioned that we were putting on a photography exhibition, although this is only where we're taking the images from, so I'm half and half whether to email back and get it changed to 'laser cut illustrations'.

This is good publicity for our exhibition!

We could also get into touch with the West Yorkshire Post!?

Below is the email I received from Rose with the article she has written about it, it's good in publicising the idea of volunteering as well!

I emailed Claire at the North office asking for a photo and she said that she would send it to the communications team at The Big Issue and they have to OK it, but also that she thought it was a good article and it will promote the volunteering well!

Origami.

I've been reading this book about origami, it's pretty fun and very therapeutic!

Pocketful Magazine.

A few days ago I received an email from Yelin Selkifef who puts together the magazine once people have submitted work, he thanked me for my submission and said that he would email me in a few days when the work was online and then from seeing this if there was anything I wanted to be changed before the printed version came out then to just email him.

Well that's pretty exciting...

Green Generations Launch Event.

Today, although very nervous, I made it too the Green Generations Launch Event, at Leeds Central Library. I got there a little early to talk to Jane and Shari about what was happening, we had a 10 minute slot to talk about the Artivism project.

There were lots of Leeds City Council folk there, and people were gathered there to talk about and explain the launch of this idea of Brining Generations together, Leeds Intergenerational approach. There were booklets on the seats explaining what the project is about and what they aim to do...

We were the third of 5 people to speak, once I started speaking I found I was alright and even got a few laughs from people in the audience, I'd taken notes about what I wanted to say the night before so it was a little easier to talk about it...

It seemed I'd set a good example of what the project was about as I got mentioned by the speaker after us a lot as an example. The best thing about the couple of hours I was there though, was an all generations band that had been put together by Jane and they sounded brilliant, you couldn't help but smile and think awww! The best thing was them playing and a boy about my age rapping to the band playing, was pretty spectacular, just shows that you can bring all ages together and they can all relate to each other in someway.

From being there I feel I took lots and lots on board, its such a good project and I could relate to stuff that had already been done, for instance 3 older ladies had done a course at a primary school with 10 years olds teaching them how to use a computer and their mobile phones! My nan could really do with this, it made me wish I'd get my nan got more involved with community activities, being a widow.

Featured Artist Work for Artivism Project Film.

Today I sent my work to Shari although I had trouble with the files being huge, really need to learn a lot more about illustrator. After playing about with ideas for wallpaper patterns for her to fuse over her film I thought about colour, and thought that although I want to add colour to some, and I did print them on one colour, but I thought that black and white line drawings would be easier for Shari- (who's putting the film together), to fuse over the top of her film piece. She also asked me how I wanted to be credited within the film, so I have her my name, practice and portfolio address.

I was pretty pleased with the outcome of them, seeing as I'm usually pretty crap in producing stuff quickly, but I feel that I used all the available time I had, and the end pieces communicate my idea of the teddy bear well. I do prefer the image printed on colour paper though, I might use these as a print on paper, putting them together as origami picnic baskets - along the lines of, 'The Teddy Bears' Picnic' as part of my picnic research. I'm looking forward to seeing how shari fuses my images them into the film now!

Competitive Cupcakes.

Today Paul and I manned a stall at the competitive cupcakes and clothes swap event that was held at HIFI, run by the same girl who puts on Handmade. It was a lovely space, but the weather was so lovely outside today and it was 4 pounds entry into the event. Some reasons I think, for the poor attendance? There was almost nobody that really came to the event, which was a real shame and on our stall we only sold two prints, one of which was a print of mine, so I was pretty chuffed.

We didn't have that much work really that we'd been given to sell by people, and so at the last minute I cut down some barbie head prints that I had done a while ago but had never really got to show or the chance to sell. I was selling them at a £1 and it was nice to see a few people showing interest and then to have someone buy one, as was the book show, it's just nice for people to see my work. At the next handmade, I plan to try and sell them as well as producing new work.

Here are a few photos:

I sold the barbie prints for a £1...

We borrowed this patchwork quilt/blanket from Jodie, which she got as a present, it is SO beautiful! Amazing! With my picnic re-search in full flow and planning my picnic, I'd really like to have something like it to use for my picnic. I might ask Jodie to borrow it, maybe to even draw from...

Interim Crit. 3.

Yesterday, I had my 3rd and penultimate crit with Matt, can't believe we only have one crit left in two weeks until the projects over. The time seems to have rushed past!

I was happy that Matt liked the work I'd done for Pocketful Magazine, this was a real motivation to get on with the work I'm concentrating on now, and nice coming from someone that's really successful in the real world and enjoys what he does, as the 'real world' is what this project is really about.

We discussed the idea of being an artist and what impression you send to future clients or people who are looking to commission you, I brought this up threw talking to Matt about how I found it hard to know what to write to accompany my work for pocketful magazine. I looked at previous issues of the magazine and what other artists had written, but it was hard to find a nice balance between the designers that seemed a little too serious and the others that seemed too relaxed and kinda 'taking the piss' through saying that the like to drink gina and draw. Although this seemed quirky and fun, I guess people that commission you need to know you're reliable, which this comment does not do, but quirky is different and different gets you noticed?

Matt calls himself Matt the Horse, which is a fun name, and he talked to me about other artists which do this like Mr Bingo and illustrator and musician. His name explains who he is quickly as well. Below are a few images from his website, he's brilliant!

Matt also helped me in making my images easier to manage and how to get a really nice black line through using 'levels' on photoshop, and should probably always remember that I call my scanner 'shit' because I do in-fact always scan at 75dpi, bloody idiot! So i have appologised to my scanner for all the horrible things I've ever called it.

I've got this 'teddy bear' wallpaper to complete for Friday to be a featured artist in the Artivism film, and have done a little work for it, but Matt helped me in furthering it and what I need to do to get it done. DRAWING MORE TEDDY BEARS as we speak...

Discussing work that I now want to do: Work for 'On The Wall'/as well as The Big Issue Exhibition brief.

For on the wall I explained my ideas that I had and the subject of 'picnics'...such as the oragami picnic and the cut out patterned postcards, plus I mentioned trying out wallpapers made from wood, cut or carved and also possibly sewing?

Then Matt stopped me and said that I'm doing it all backwards, which he's right and I always tend to do, visage this image done a certain way and then don't think about what I'm trying to or need to say to my audience.

His words have really made me think and it's so true that a designer gets a problem and then puts an answer to it through the use of certain media that are appropriate and ideas which come from re-search, I'm going to try my very best-est to keep this in mind for the rest of my life and hold any ideas I have in my head until they need to be used appropriately.

So Matt has set me off too re-search PICNICS in detail, we brainstormed things which I could think about, so for now I'm drawing Picnic 'stuff' and trying to fill my sketchbook full of little bits of picnic and ideas for pieces. I want to get the paints out and mess about with the idea of the famous picnic Gingham pattern, and also have my own picnic and some primary re-search, take some pretty photos. I asked people and myself what they thought about when they heard the word picnic and I'm going to try and draw and re-search through what people say, here are some notes...

Online Portfolios. My Very Own.

Today I spent time, picking two online blog/portfolio websites that I took a liking too...I want to use them as online portfolios.

The two I preferred, were Tumblr and Krop, Tumblr is more chilled and for blogging and then a more professional looking portfolio on Krop, which is souly used by people to get work.

Below is my new tumblr account and then the work I have on it so far, which is only two pieces, but gives you the idea of a start...

This is my Krop account, which looks a little more swish...

Green Generations Launch Event.

I received an email from Shari today, she thanked me for the interview yesterday and explained that she was talking to Jane Earnshaw after the session and they were wondering whether I would like to come along to the 'Bringing Generations Together' and Green Generations Launch event, next Monday (April 16th) at Leeds Central Library.

She went on to say that it's a Leeds City Council type event and Jane and her will be there telling them a bit about the Artivism project. They wondered whether as well as them both saying a little bit about the project whether I could come along to say a little bit about how the project was from a 'young persons point of view, participating in an intergenerational project.

Im a little nervous as I really don't know how many people will be there, but I think I only have to talk for a bout 20 seconds!

Eeek...

I believe that this is what it's about:

Armly Mills. Last Session.

Today I went to Armly Mills for the last 'making' session, I painted my paper mache bear head and started to put together my structure - made from willow, where my bear head will be placed. From the willow, i put together a shelf with books, where my bear will sit and as time passes. It will be titled 'There bear that nobody loved', or 'Time stands still', something to that affect.

Despite having a few problems with my strength and cutting into the willow to make my structure, the couple of hours I was there, were fun as ever as always! Everybody there has ended brilliantly and with lovely storied to go with them!

Whilst we were working away, Shari asked me if I would do an interview with her about the whole project to then edit and put in her film piece she's doing that will be projected onto the work in the museum. She asked a number of questions about how I'd found the project as a whole and also about what I expected from the project. A couple of other people did interviews and some had written stories to go with their characters, it was lovely to over-hear some of them written by the older people.

Jodie and I didn't manage to get finished and so we're going to get together with Chris and have a lovely afternoon in the sun finishing them all off for the final exhibition at the Mills in 2 weeks time!

She also spoke to us about the film she's putting together and how each persons character has a story and will be in the film, she said that if we could she would like us to be featured artists within the film, and she wants the work by Friday. So yeah, not very long to do it, 5 days in fact! She's also sent Jodie and I an email describing what the film involves and to post her back any ideas we have or suggestions to put to her.

So for the next few days I am going to be putting together a couple of bear themed wallpapers/patterns... here are a few pen drawings of ideas/awful scans:

Handmade 3/Competitive Cupcakes.

It's got a new name this time round, and should be as exciting as ever, Paul and I are manning a stall, although I don't have anything to really put in/on the stall? It will be a good experience to meet and talk to people.

Although, I'm going to try anyway to produce some work for it, I doubt it will be done in time, but they are ideas I am pretty keen on completing over the next few weeks anyway and possibly taking them to Simon at 'On The Wall':

- My initial Ideas were forming postcards like I did for my exhibition a couple of month ago, but of groups of objects. However the objects won't be just outlined objects cut out, they will all be pattern with no outline, so you have to make out the image, I want the postcard to be a sort of 'mobile picnic', which is has everything laser cut out that you would take to a picnic, here's an example of a mock up design and some items I drew up...to possibly make a collection of them, of collections of items you would take out/or set out for a specific event.

- Also I'm really keen on doing some origami and Had the idea of designing an Origami picnic as well, where the origami is the shape of a heart or another shape (I've yet to re-search the wonderful world of origami properly, only had a brief look) and then you fold out the bits to reveal a picnic and items objects you would find on your picnic blanket. I think this could be really cute...If I don't get any of these Ideas finished for the craft-fair then I still want to make them happen as part of my practice, don't want to have to rush them.

Pocketful Magazine Entry.

Well today I sent my design for Pocketfull Illustration Magazine. I'd emailed the guy a couple of days before to ask when the latest it could be submitted on the thursday was and also saying that what he was doing was wicked! He emailed back and said thankyou and that it didn't matter as he doesn't start work on the magazine for a couple of days anyway.

This is what I sent, with the required formats and also with a paragraph or two about myself and the work, which actually threw me a bit, because I've never had to do that before...It was hard to describe where I am at this moment in time...

Wall Art.

As I'm going to be producing some work for 'On The Wall', in the hope that Simon likes it, I started to look at places online which sell 'home' type stuff, and who have art sections on their website, seeing what type of art people buy for there homes, one of these websites was Habitat - which stand for 'this is my habitat', selling furniture and objects to decorate your house.

http://www.habitat.co.uk/fcp/content/Services-Art_on_demand/content

They have work from photographic looking stuff, to messy/contemporatry painting/mark making...

There's also more intricate line drawings and contemporary colour...

There's also type based images...

It was interesting that on the website there was no repeat pattern design work, is this trying to tell me something? Or is it an opportunity for me?

Pocketful Magazine. Design Work. 2.

Below are designs I'm working on at the moment, only got a couple of days till the deadline though...

On The Wall. Brief.

Today I recieved the brief from Simon, about work he would like for 'On The Wall'...He talks more about the shop and says it's important to come and have a look at what they sell, I've been a couple of times though and also check the website pretty regularly.

Through his email, Simon describes really that the shop is very open-minded however: Their interested in work of a more organic nature is not only based on our own personal tastes and interests but it has also proved to be much more successful in the shop than work of a purely computer based nature. However they are not totally ruling it out.

There was no real theme suggested but he also added that if we felt we'd benefit from some guidance in developing the types of themes that do well in the shop then they can make suggestions to us.

Im thinking of taking my ideas for the Handmade craftfair that I most probably won't get done and having those as the projects I set myself for 'On The Wall'.

I'm hoping to get lots of work together over the next two weeks, to then go and show Simon by the beginning of May? Then produce further and more of what he likes...? I need to discuss ideas and things with Matt though, which I will do at the crit this week.

Pocketful Magazine. Design.

My approach to this is to play on the 'I did it my way' slogan by doing things with an image that don't look right? Or don't conform to the normal ways of even placing bits on an image.

Another idea for a concept I've had to complement the 'I did it my way' theme, is to think about how I go about 'being myself'. This also ties into the aspirational image making idea and the slogans I've been thinking about. Recently I've been thinking a lot about how I sometimes I try to make my work, to what I think people want to see, to an extent this needs to be done, but I want to design and do work that reflects who I am and my thoughts. Things that come to my mind are things like:

- What's worse than ordinary?

- I'd rather be anything but ordinary.

- Slow Down.

- Be Accepting.

- Care - Don't Care Too Much.

- Wait In Line Till We Get Happy.

Other ways I was thinking of working to the theme, was to take something that's normally done a certain way and do it my way, for example taking the idea of pattern, being neat and always perfectly well done, but my way would be producing hand-drawn continuos line drawn pattern, this will give the pattern more personality as well.

Below are notes and ideas in my sketchbook...

Here are some sketches I've been doing over the last few days to start me off...