Practice One

Introduction

My instincts are to use a narrative approach to create my embroidery work, however I have challenged this and specifically developed new techniques involving sequencing and repetition to produce different styles and results.   This has had variable success but most significantly has helped me reflect upon ways I can incorporate mixed methods to enhance the narrative approach that I prefer.  

I use my surroundings as inspiration alongside researching artists’ methods that are like my own. For example: Tracey Emin, Tilleke Schwarz I have also on undertaken technical research from practitioners who use ink and watercolour. I can blend these skills as an embroidery artist.

Research

‘’ for a lot of young women today, when they see your work for the first time, it’s the first time they see themselves represented in that context.’’ (Forthnum, 2007 :61)

‘’…but representing the person who has an option about the world which we are all entitled to whether it’s wrong or right…’’ (Emin, 2017: online)

I have experimented with ways to translate innermost thoughts through textiles. Using Tracey Emin’s work as inspiration. The works I have developed have a dual purpose in that they to express my point of view and personal experience but also raise awareness of the difficulties within mental health support systems. 

Figure 1: Something Terribly Wrong by Tracey Emin, (1997)

I was aware of using my own personal unhappiness and bringing visual message of my own personal struggle, may not be relating to the audience, therefore, I researched Tilleke Schwarz work to address this limitation.

 Figure 2: Author’s own (2016)

‘’…I include anything that moves, amazes or intrigues me. Daily life, mass media, traditional samplers and cats are major sources of inspiration…

…Every work contains narrative elements. Not really complete stories, with a beginning, a storyline, and an end. On the contrary, the viewer is invited to decipher connections or to create them…’’ (Schwarz, n.d : online )

The idea of letting the audience create their own narrative meanings within my work gives me opportunities to create less obvious pieces. This is in stark contrast to the original inspiration for this body of work. Emin arguably creates obvious work.  Taking a creative risk to produce work that is more abstract consequently pushes me out of my working comfort zone. It has meant different successes and challenges have been met.

Figure 3: Artist research for drawing cats by Endre Penovác (2011): online

In my research, I have found that having cats around gives me the same amount of comforts that I would have required from my friends from day in and day out, for I live alone and most of my time I spent working indoors, therefore, I have found cats to be a better companion comparing to dogs. As in, the article mentioned that cat’s offers physical touch and even though it is mainly focusing on children, I too personal requires extra physical touch and hugs.

Penvoac (2011) has inspired me to think about ways to use my embroidery skills to design beddings, such as creating an image of a cat sleeping on your bed. Such as I have considered Jane Norman's bedding designs, as an early stage of idea, I would like to use poly cotton with digital prints of my design on as I can sell it cheaper and mass-produce.  For my idea of marketing, I plan to select out a section of my work and project it onto other products.

For my outward facing projects, I have been asked to exhibit my work at the Fashion and Embroidery show on the 16th - 19th of March, Birmingham.

For this exhibition, I intended to display three pieces of my work from this research, however as the work progressed in scale and I started to produce tangible embroidery pieces I realised I should exhibit my best works only. Therefore, I will be selecting some of my latest best work for this exhibition, as I believe my idea of using commission based line of work will go more nicely with it.

As I was trying to relate more to the audience and use my artworks to explain what mental health is to a new audience, I have become increasingly focussed on the negative impacts of depression and mental health. A shift in mindset allows my work to focus on the bright side that are also within mental health crises. A particular example of where this has worked well is realising what really got me out of bed in the morning was being a pet owner, it was my two cats that gives me a sense of purpose in the morning. I realise this is the case for a wide audience base and therefore found a niche to target my work towards. 

The message that I want to bring out from my work was to keep trying, as I realised myself the moment  that I stopped trying is the moment that my depression had gotten the better of me.

‘’ …depression can be life-threatening because it can make you feel suicidal or simply give up the will to live…’’ (Bailey, 2013 : online)

Figure 4: Research for composition Tilleke Schwarz – Purr Chase 

Reflecting on Schwarz (2008) composition I am reminded that this project could benefit from the use of the Irish embroidery machine, embellisher & Phaff (digital sewing machine). 

Figure 5: Author's own (2017)

The idea within my work are to design cats’ for the reverse side of a duvet cover to give the illusion of a cat peeking out of the sheets. My work will be limited by the flatness of digital print is colour resolution to add depth and texture but making it washable and suitable for function. There is scope to also embed this onto clothing in the future as a motif.

There is further symbols within designing bedding for sufferers of depression.   It can be argued that people do hold optimistic tendencies at the start and end of a day when they are in their beds. In addition cats offer the person a daily opportunity to look after something and have responsibility for it, which in itself can be motivational. 

In conclusion, the key context of my work has shifted from narrative, to abstract and is now blended in between both theories. The methods I have used have changed with the product changes from images to bedding.

I am now using a broader range of disciplines within my work.  Using my experiences from working at Alexander McQueen and Q print and my undergraduate studies I am now in a better position to market within personalised fashion and accessories.  The target audience remains adults who enjoy playfulness and whimsical images. The most significant challenge I have overcome ids to marry difficult adult life circumstances such as health and wellbeing and at the same time create work that is artistic and useful to them as well as offering options for personalisation and mass markets.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Something Terribly Wrong  Emin, T. (1997). Something Terribly Wrong. [image] Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/emin-terribly-wrong-p11565 [Accessed 11 Feb. 2017].

Figure 2: Author’s own (2016)  As my attempt of showing the beauty of self-love within this drawing, as growing up as a female, I being called ugly, being told what I should do and should not with my body.

Figure 3: Penovác, E. (2011). Watercolour & Ink Cats. [image] http://penovacendre.com/node/35?titles=off  [Accessed 11 February 2017].

Figure 4: Purr Chase  Schwarz, T. (2008). Purr Chase. [image] Available at: http://www.62group.org.uk/artist/tilleke-schwarz/ [Accessed 11 February 2017].

Figure 5: Author’s own (2016)  The embroidery details within this might take backstage to the digital print in order to have this commercialised for a wide audience and to make it affordable however I could also save personalised embroidery of specific designs for higher market clients:  As for a higher market, I would embroidery onto Egyptian Cotton Linen or 100% cotton fabric, as they can be commission based and one off designs.

References

Bailey, A  (2013) [online] [Accessed 6 April 2017]  http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-behavior-cats-therapy-anxiety-depression-in-kids-children

Fortnum, R (2007) Contemporary British Women Artists in their own words.  Tardis London

Penovác Endre (2016) Image Research [online] [Accessed 6 April 2017]  http://www.boredpanda.com/watercolor-cats-ink-paintings-endre-penovac/

Penovác Endre (2016) Artist Research [online] [Accessed 6 April 2017]  http://penovacendre.com/node/35?titles=off –

Rutherford, M (2016) When People With Depression Function 'Too Well' [online] [Accessed 6 April 2017] https://themighty.com/2016/09/the-difference-between-perfectly-hidden-depression-and-depression/

Saatchi Gallery (2017) Image of Tracey Emin [online] [Accessed  6 April 2017] 

http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/tracey_emin_my_bed.htm 

Smith B,L. (1995) Essential Stitches. Surface design journal vol. 20. No1 pp 17-19

TATE  (1997) Terribly Wrong by Tracey Emin [Online] [Accessed 5 April 2017]  http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/emin-terribly-wrong-p1156

The 62 group of Textile Artists (2017) Profile of  Tilleke Schwarz [online] [Accessed 5 April 2017]  http://www.62group.org.uk/artist/tilleke-schwarz/

Woods, K (1971) The Little Prince.  Harvest San Diego.

Bibliography

Barchas, D., Mlynar, P. and Bailey, A. (2017). 5 ways cats are great therapy for anxiety or depression in kids, Catster. [online] http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-behavior-cats-therapy-anxiety-depression-in-kids-children [Accessed 11 April  2017].

De Saint-Exupéry, A. (1943). The Little Prince. 1st ed. France: Reynal & Hitchcock (U.S.), pp.50-53.

Donen, S. and De saint-Exupéry,A. (1974). The little prince. [video] http://sockshare.net/watch/oxqdkzvn-the-little-prince.html [Accessed 11 April2017].

Emin, T. (1997). Something terribly wrong.: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/emin-terribly-wrong-p11565 [Accessed 11 April 2017].

Fashionembroidery.co.uk. (2017). Fashion & embroidery · 15-18 march 2018 ·NEC, Birmingham. [online] http://www.fashionembroidery.co.uk/birmingham/ [Accessed 11 April 2017].

Gordon, B. (2011). Textiles the whole story Textiles. 1st ed. United kingdom: Thames & Hudson Ltd. pp.200-245.

Hall, A. (2011). Illustration portfolio. 1st ed. Laurence King, pp.13-16 199-200.

Jackson, I (2012). Embroidery print. [image] available at: http://www.luckyjackson.ca/prints-of-embroidery-work/ [Accessed 11 April 2017].

Medina, M. (2014) "Tracey Emin: life made art, art made from life", Arts, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 54.

Mind.org.uk. (2013). Depression | mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems. [online] http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/#.wo-z_ojyuyi [Accessed 13A pril 2017].

Penovác, E. (2011). Watercolour paintings. [online] http://penovacendre.com/node/35?titles=off [accessed 11 apr. 2017].

Penovác, E. (2017). Watercolor & ink cats. [online] http://penovacendre.com/node/35?titles=off [Accessed 11 apr. 2017].

Saachi Gallery  (2017). Tracey Emin - my bed - contemporary art. [online] http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/tracey_emin_my_bed.htm [Accessed 11 April. 2017].

Schwarz, T. (2008). Purr chase. http://www.62group.org.uk/artist/tilleke-schwarz/ [Accessed 11 April. 2017].

Schwarz, T. 1992, "quotes from Tilleke Schwarz", Embroidery, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 28-29.

The Little Prince. (2015). Directed by M. Osborne [online] available through Netflix [Accessed 19 April 2017]

Embroidery Festival

On the 16/04/2015, I have agreed to participate in the embroidery festival. They were interested in having myself to deliver a talk on my work as part of the festival. The festival runs from Thursday 16^th April to Saturday 18^th April.

I delivered a talk at Blackpool Central Library. Talked about my textiles work and practice. I selected several samples and sketchbooks for the audience to see. 

 

I have no idea who would be my audience, therefore, I did a practice talk before hand with my placement director. I was very thankful for her help and support to help me prepare. For I did not know the skills of involving the audience, such as asking them questions. This helped me change the tone and speed of the presentation.  I changed my delivery to allow audience participation to help keep the group engaged.

Lynn signposted me to this opportunity and most of my audience were textiles artists themselves, have a knowledge of artists research. 

I used a script as a prompt but felt very comfortable engaging my audience and using the visuals on the screen and script to remind me what to say next.

Shabby 2 Chic CIC Up Cycle Furniture  promote my work on a regular basis. I promoted their business cards at this talk.  

Figure 2: Repeat design

I have spoken to them about the Photoshop skills that I use to save time. For I have a deadline to meet.   

I explained Photoshop was to the non-technical members of the artist.  

I explained the repeat pattern process that Photoshop can help develop at a quick pace.  I explained that I can concentrate on one image and repeat it several times.    

I also explained about the standards of MMU School of art.  I explained the technical skills involved in my course and even anecdotally explained that tutors would not tolerate a crease in the fabric if it was being formally assessed. 

I explained about the competing deadlines that fact Art students and how realistic deadlines might impact the scale of projects and how you would successfully market it.  I pointed out the independence of working as a student artist and having to practice all the skills of making, selling refining and producing work.    

I also discussed the budgeting process that I follow within my world I explained to the group that I have made mistakes within a commissioned piece so that the audience were aware that I reflect and improve my work on a regular basis.  

 

I have spoken to them about the Photoshop skills that I use to save time. For I have a deadline to meet.  I explained Photoshop was to the non-technical members of the artist.  I explained the repeat pattern process that Photoshop can help develop at a quick pace.  I explained that I can concentrate on one image and repeat it several times.   I also explained about the standards of MMU School of art.  I explained the technical skills involved in my course and even anecdotally explained that tutors would not tolerate a crease in the fabric if it was being formally assessed. I explained about the competing deadlines that fact Art students and how realistic deadlines might impact the scale of projects and how you would successfully market it.  

I pointed out the independence of working as a student artist and having to practice all the skills of making, selling refining and producing work.   I also discussed the budgeting process that I follow within my world I explained to the group that I have made mistakes within a commissioned piece so that the audience were aware that I reflect and improve my work on a regular basis.  

 

Figure 3: Repeat design

Figure 4: Repeat design

This is my first attempt at repeat pattern.  This was a huge challenge. A good repeat design is supposed to look like a non-repeated pattern from a distance.  I used this idea within my work.  The festival allowed me to link with other artists.  

Overall, this was a very enjoyable experience.  This allowed me to reflect upon my choices as a textile designer.  I was able to talk about how my skills at college from hand-stitching on A5 scale to machine embroidery on a larger scale has developed through university.    

I am very passionate about my practice and was able to share this with other artists and the audience. 

 

Figure 5: Photoshop

This is a finished repeat pattern design. From a distance, this looks like flags, only when you look closer you can see the details within the work.  I am conscious of keeping the pattern as the main focal point.  I chose a neutral background in order to appeal to the widest variety of audiences.

In order to improve this, next time I would be more strict with timing.  Due to the nature of the talk, the timing was not a significant factor, but I appreciate that in other contexts this would be significant.

I would conclude in the future with my research recommendations and projects ideas that I want to develop next.