I have finally hung my college show... I cant quite work out why it felt so stressful, not the actual hanging but the lead up and decisions about what to hang and how to! I suppose its the public persona on display and it needs to feel like a reasonable representation of me as an 'artist'. Whats ironic is, I certainly feel I have hung my best work, my beautiful colourful scarves, but do they represent me? They are so very digital!!! I think to me personally and to anyone who has known me over the last year they will represent a journey from actively fearing digital art to an almost ultimate embracement of technology - although I must point out my scarves are mostly hand rendered and then finished digitally - however there is no disputing they needed both processes for completion to my satisfaction!!!
I chose to display the scarves over my other work not only because I love them and I am amazed I produced them but also because they are finished!!! So much of my work this year has been experimental, and consequently often 'unfinished' and in some cases it will probably stay that way. I have tried different ideas and techniques out with varying success and mostly enjoyed the processes involved. This is where the stress factor comes in, there I am in college, surrounded by talented young artists who are busy mapping their lives out - capitalizing on increasingly knowledge and ability for ever changing techno design -and I find myself trying completely different things, knowing I don't have to make a career out of this precious time at college. So this should reduce stress!!! but in fact it means I don't have much of 'industry standards' design work to display, my work looks entirely different to everyone elses, it mainly represents constructed rather then printed textiles and I feel next to the streamline clean cut digital work my weaving, and embroidery can look just a little bit too shabby chic!!!!
My stress is about am I compromising my style and presentation? The conclusion I've come to is - possibly- but that the show like everything else in the design industry has a agenda. The displays are part of a 'process', its a 'selling' point and they have to conform to this industrial standard milarky. I wanted to be creative and hang my scarves on a washing line and dress a set - my fellow student wanted to put hers in a garden and these ideas were not considered as they don't conform to etiquette! So be it at - the end of yesterday I was very happy with how my work looked, and how our course work sat collectively - for a class that is so very diverse its nice to see some of our work hung together for the first time. It something to be proud of and a chance to show off some of the skills learnt over the last two years.
I now graduate with a textiles foundation Degree - how to next progress - still stressed about what next year will bring ha ha... time will tell
I chose to display the scarves over my other work not only because I love them and I am amazed I produced them but also because they are finished!!! So much of my work this year has been experimental, and consequently often 'unfinished' and in some cases it will probably stay that way. I have tried different ideas and techniques out with varying success and mostly enjoyed the processes involved. This is where the stress factor comes in, there I am in college, surrounded by talented young artists who are busy mapping their lives out - capitalizing on increasingly knowledge and ability for ever changing techno design -and I find myself trying completely different things, knowing I don't have to make a career out of this precious time at college. So this should reduce stress!!! but in fact it means I don't have much of 'industry standards' design work to display, my work looks entirely different to everyone elses, it mainly represents constructed rather then printed textiles and I feel next to the streamline clean cut digital work my weaving, and embroidery can look just a little bit too shabby chic!!!!
My stress is about am I compromising my style and presentation? The conclusion I've come to is - possibly- but that the show like everything else in the design industry has a agenda. The displays are part of a 'process', its a 'selling' point and they have to conform to this industrial standard milarky. I wanted to be creative and hang my scarves on a washing line and dress a set - my fellow student wanted to put hers in a garden and these ideas were not considered as they don't conform to etiquette! So be it at - the end of yesterday I was very happy with how my work looked, and how our course work sat collectively - for a class that is so very diverse its nice to see some of our work hung together for the first time. It something to be proud of and a chance to show off some of the skills learnt over the last two years.
I now graduate with a textiles foundation Degree - how to next progress - still stressed about what next year will bring ha ha... time will tell
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