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]

Sketchbook and Textiles

Figure 1: Sketchbook drawing

I have tried a new method of creating my textiles piece. Previously I would draw the outline and use it as a blueprint, however this time I have created my fabric sample then I drew afterwards.

Figure 2: Machine and Hand stitch

I have used my imagination to create a patchwork background to work with, for example, my subject matter is an old woman, therefore, I imagine she would like vintage patterned fabrics. Then afterwards I have noticed her features blended in with the background as the stiches are not so obvious. Therefore, I cut out the outline of her face to make it stand out more. I also carry on practicing to control the Conerly machine as they create beautiful lines with chain and moss stitches.  These are the 2 main stiches that I use.

Figure 3: Sketchbook drawing

I used one colour in the sketch, so that I can see tones within the drawing. The colour reflects the mood of the character. This gentleman is represented as blue. From my observations he was quiet in relation to the woman who was represented with more vivid colours.

I am finding that people with distinctive faces are more interesting to draw. In this example the aged skin of the gentleman gave more possibility to be incorporated into the stitch work.

Figure 4: Machine stitch

It is easier for me to progress with what to do next. I have trap down thread with stitching as the hair, to create a 3D effect. However, because of the boldness of the line quality, I find them only suitable for decoration. For example, the clothing in my fabric sample, instead of using the same quality line (free stitch) I used chain stitch and moss stitch to represent the sharp edges of the clothing grease.

The next step is to explore, as I find it helpful to case study my work. Repeat the same subject matter in order to study, but by combining different techniques and be playful around it. Such as thinking about instead of using free stitch to create the face, switching around, using Conerly machine to create the face, for the boldness of the line, and use free stitch to creates the details of the clothing, for they are folding up.

During the case study of my own meaning of Urban I come to realize that I am more interested in drawing people. For I enjoy the atmosphere that I will only 

see that person once. This also fulfils the meaning of drawing on the spot. I like to capture the moment and capture movement. The reason why I did not enjoy drawing buildings is that I work better with figurative pieces.

However, instead of abandon the idea of buildings, I would like to bring in some elements.

Figure 5: Tilleke Schwarz In memoriam, 1988.

I am very fond of Tilleke’s work, for it is very figurative in my eyes. I was inspired by the use of colours and blending in the figures with text and this making it meaningful and personal for the artist herself. The whole composition and choice of colour was good.  She is taking her expressionist piece and linking it to the figurative and narrative through text. This is similar to what I want to achieve next. I would like to create bigger scale of textile work and also bring in the text work.