All About Bridget Riley

For each module you have to study an artist that relates to the theme, and for me an obvious choice for the colour module was Bridget Riley, who has produced some wonderfully striking works with bold colours.  I attended an exhibition of her work at the National Gallery just a few months ago with this module in mind (Bridget Riley; Paintings and Related work) which was really inspirational and it has certainly made her works more 'real' and made researching her a lot more interesting.

I wanted to come up with a different and slighly more inventive way of presenting my work about an artist, rather than the usual couple of pages in a portfolio.  So I decided to create a consertina booklet.  (I like to make things difficult for myself!)  When I started out I had a plan of how I wanted it to look but I was a bit unsure if I was going to be able to put it into practice, and create it to a standard that I thought was good enough for C and G.    After a lot of fussing around with text size, alignment, etc. and wasting far more paper than I care to admit, I am pleased with the final result.  So here it is...

The Front - with a 'band' to hold it all together made from a copy of one of  BR's Paintings

The whole 9 yards (well almost!)

Close up of the first half 

And Close up of the second

So all in all it's not bad for a couple of days work (including looking after Freya, of course) and I am pleased that the presentation is a bit different. 

In relation to my timetable, I am already slipping a little behind but it is certainly useful to have a plan of work so that I know what to focus on next.  Which this time is finalising my research on colour, which sounds fun but it is such a HUGE topic!  Hard to narrow it down but I think I am getting there!

One Direction

Well I am finally back from our lovely holiday in Crete, and also the Hay Book Festival in Wales, and ready to continue with my work. Good news is I have had my feedback on Module 2, and it was really positive, with some very encouraging comments.  My tutor said that she is 'delighted with my progress' so that has really spurred me on.  She commented that she really liked my Nelson collage,and that she wanted me to develop it further by putting it into computer software and manipulating the image and creating a few more designs.  This I have done, and it has been very interesting.  The other thing she said was that the stripes in my Ohio star should all be going in one direction, and that I should amend/or redo with this in mind.  So here is my second, and ok, yes, better (!) attempt... 

Ohio Star - Stripes in One Direction!

And now I am working on module 3.  I have ordered myself a lovely A3 red sketchbook, (in keeping with the colour theme) and I have started my research on Bridget Riley, my chosen artist to study.  It seems that for this module there is mountains of work and outcomes, all of it so interesting, I just wish there were more hours in the day!  I have put a 12 week plan together and I am going to do my best to stick to it...but we shall see.  Sometimes life gets in the way...

Foundation Piecing Fun?

It has been a very busy week, trying to fit in as much coursework as possible, go on a school trip, (yes I must be mad) host book club, catch up with friends, do extra tutoring and get ready to go on holiday.  (Crete, here we come!)  But I somehow managed to find the time to complete my foundation piecing samples, which basically involves stitching fabric to a piece of paper with a pattern on it.  It sounds crazy and it takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it starts to become quite fun...

My first attempt

And the second 

I have now managed to complete all of the work for module 2, and have submitted it this evening.  There is always the horrible fear that you have done done enough, that your work is not good enough, that you will have to re-do lots of it, and submit it again.  Anxious times!   Anyone who is doing the C and G will know how I am feeling! But for the time being, here is a picture of all of my sketch books and portfolios.

I am going to have a week off now, as I will be busy sunbathing by the pool, but I am taking all the information about module 3 with me so I can have a really good read about what is required, and I'm also going to take photos of the Cretian landscape, in readiness for the module on 'textures' which is based on landscapes and the natural world. 

Freya joins in the collage creativity

True to form I have been working hard again today, this time to create a collage.  But before I show you the pictures of what I have been creating, perhaps you would like to have a look at Freya's attempts at collage this afternoon too...a heart, to go on the front of her great grandmother's birthday card for next week.

Not bad for a 2 year old! 

My collage is not a great deal more sophisticated, it is based on a photograph I took of Nelson's Statue at HMS Victory.  I had great fun tearing up this summer's John Lewis Catalogue (very disappointing collection this year) while watching Radio1's Big Weekend on the internet, and reminising about when I was there three years ago.  

Nelson Statue

My collage

I made lots of mess but it was good fun!

So all in all quite a productive day.  I am so close to finishing my portfolio, but as usual I have run out of things, this time, blue card, and double sided tape.  Again.  So it's back to the shops for me, then full steam ahead.   

 

My Prize Arrives

I waited with baited breath for the arrival of my sketch books, here they are, ready and waiting for me to fill with works of art...

My prize!

I have also been working every hour under the sun this week (every time Freya is asleep) to get my Shape module finished.  So here are a couple of pages more of my portfolio:

More designs

And more

I think Pete feels he has not seen me all week, and I certainly feel I have been hiding in our study, working away. (And blogging!)  I have nearly completed the 'Outcomes' document that needs to be completed for each module, this is something that generally takes a couple of hours, so I am glad to have done the majority of it.  I still seem to have lots of loose ends to finish off, so it will be another week of hard work I think but well worth it to get it finished and sent off in time for our holiday.   

Jackpot!!

I have some very exciting news to report...

I have won first prize in the Royal Competition with the School of Stitched Textiles!  I am so over the moon and I have won a 'stack' of Pink Pig Sketch books, which are various colours including pink (obviously) which will be perfect for my Colour Module.  

It would be fair to say that there weren't many entries for the competition, but even still the ones that were there were impressive, so I am thrilled to have won first place.  I feel that all the hard work I put into my wedding quilt has paid off and I now also have more confidence going forward with my course.  

Watch this space for a picture of my prize! 

HMS Victory and Designs for Portfolio

I have to say I feel thoroughly ashamed that I have set up this blog and then not got around to posting for nearly a month - where does the time go!!  I have however been busy with my coursework, and as evidence that I have actually been working hard, I have some pictures.  

I did indeed go to HMS Victory and managed to get some lovely photos and inspiration for my work.  I have also spent time developing designs and mounting my work in my Shape Portfolio, and below are a few examples; 

Front cover of my Shape Portfolio

Photos of HMS Victory 

More Victory

Design work

More design work 

 

Another design

My aim is to complete module 2 before our holiday in two weeks time - I hope it's going to be possible but it is going to be tight, what with so many other committments, including a (nearly) 2 year old!  But fingers crossed I reach my target as I can't wait to start Module 3, Colour.