Cindy Sherman

Although not a main inspiration of mine, Cindy plays a part in influencing me in my work. She does this by the way she uses herself within her photography, and as I've stated numerous times before, I will be using myself within my work also. The main inspiration I have gained from looking at Cindy is to use myself within my own photography. She liked to dress up and then take pictures of herself, as if becoming a whole new person, almost as you would as a child during 'dress up' play time.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled film still #14, 1978

What I like about this picture is that it's perfectly staged yet she has created this on her own, she has no assistant, just her camera and a work table with the appropriate sources. I also like the authenticity of the photo, as it is old, it shows with the grain and way the black and white also has a worn out sort of feel to it. 

Alice Anderson

I stumbled across Alice's website after looking through Kate McCgwire's. I immediately took an interest in her work, I find it extremely interesting and even more so when reading how she describes her own work. I feel as though she relates to my own work as much of her work is based on past happenings of her own life, the way she's been brought up and the people that surrounded her.

Alice Anderson, Immured, 2008

This piece is made solemnly out of dolls hair, I think it's fascinating and quirky. I personally haven't seen anything like this before now. In an interview with Maud Jacquin, Alice goes on to say that her work is 'a compulsive and obsessive production through which I explore and give shape to my child hood'. She also says that she watched a lot of films and read books where the characters had red hair, hence the use of red hair within her sculptures/architectural pieces. Another reason she relates to my work is that during this interview she starts talking about the circle symbol and saying it's another of her obsessions, and as previously stated the circle means a lot to my self, in a different manner, but it still means something, for Alice it represents anxiety and refers to enclosure whereas I see it as a symbol of eternity and warmth, almost a comfort blanket. 

Alice Anderson, Spectre, 2008

The image above is of a piece she created of a doll size model of herself, in an interview I have read (unfortunately noted that I can no longer find it) she mentioned that the doll began to take over, she felt as though the dolls was becoming more her then she was herself. Almost as if the doll was alive. So she locked it in this glass coffin casing as if to put it to rest, I suppose you can say so she feels safer, more secure knowing that it was in locked casing rather then being free. I think that this links in well with my own work as the circle being a symbol that I think is extremely important, previously stated, the circle can hold things within it, and keep unwanted things out, like a security blanket, and Alice has done the same here, by locking away the unwanted.

Bibliography

www.squidoo.com/divine-birds 

www.lindamackenzie.net/chartbird.htm

www.superstitious-minds.info/Magpie-Superstitions.html

www.katemccgwire.com/index.php?pid=1

www.juxtapoz.com/Features/fly-away-with-kate-mccgwire-exclusive-interview - KATE MCCGWIRE INTERVIEW

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuxZdrtcIfc&feature=related - INTERVIEW WITH EMIN, WHY ARE YOU CREATIVE?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi2z-zpA6gg&feature=related - TRACEY ON NEWSNIGHT

www.youtube.com/watch?v=15jVnBlt6e0 - TRACEY INTERVIEW ILLUMINATIONS

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/aug/17/arts.artsnews

www.hockneypictures.com/sketch_book_london.php

www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=26390&searchid=9498&tabview=image - SARAH LUCAS ART AT TATE TEXT AND IMAGES

www.artintelligence.net/review/?p=65 - SARAH LUCAS IMAGE ANALYSIS

www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=-1&workid=26305&searchid=false&roomid=false&tabview=text&texttype=10 - SARAH LUCAS REVIEW ON BUNNY GETS SNOOKERED

www.whats-your-sign.com/magpie-symbolic-meanings.html

www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/visual-grammar-shapes/

Sarah Lucas

I have chosen to study Sarah and her work as the majority of her work is 3D and within this project I want to experiment within this area. She worked along side Tracey Emin during a period of her life, they together opened a shop. Like Emin she is very sexually orientated and this comes across in some of her installations, not all, but some. What I like most is how she has the tendency to create work that's rather bawdy. Sarah also uses photography to produce her art and in addition this is another reason as to why I feel my work relates to hers.

Sarah Lucas, Is suicide generic?, 1996

This is part of several piece titled the same. These works are Sarah's realisation of self destructiveness and pleasured habits such as smoking. A lot of her work involved cigarettes, in all sorts of forms. From reading a few articles (Art intelligence, Tate collections) on this particular piece it seems as though this resembles the filthy habit of smoking and death. In one case though it seems it represents her fascination between filth and sexuality. 

Sarah Lucas, Bunny gets snookered, 1997

These 'bunnies' are a representation of the female form, the term to 'get snookered' would mean a tactic in the game itself, but Lucas has interpreted that in a sexual form, replicating the coloured snooker balls to the colour of each bunnies tights, the most important being the black, which is substantially 'skinnier' then the others, also nick named 'pauline bunny'. Quoting from a review on this installation, 'But bunny gets snookered seemed a conventionally direct shot, the abused rabbit fuckees forming a developmentally simple, illustrative diagram of the complaints of dysphoric sexuality and gender' (Frieze, Neal Brown,1997). This suggesting that, as in the game snookered would be an INDIRECT shot, the bunnies have been sexual involved in some manner and have indeed had a 'direct shot'. For me this also is suggesting that, as the game is somewhat known as a males game, Lucas is playing around with the gender of the game and involving sexual mannerism that wouldn't normally be involved. 

What I particularly like about this installation is how disfigured the bunnies are, how the bottom half of them are stuffed and the top half, the 'ears', are limp and sag.

Feathers & symbolism

I have always been fond of feathers, they have many concepts that I admire, such as the way they are formed, smooth one way but rough the other, how certain types reflect the light and emphasize the colours. There is also the symbolism behind each type of bird, thus then connecting to the feathers. I am researching into this as I mentioned before, my project start basis is myself, and these two subjects relate to me greatly.

Looking specifically at the 'Magpie' species, as this is the bird that means the most to me. The poem, 'one for sorrow, two for joy..' is something I follow like a religion, the  superstition of gaining bad luck from one and joy from two and the spitting, saluting, throwing salt and saying that follow the seeing of one. Although in different places the rule changes. For me I salute. 
It started off in the ancient European cultures, the Magpie was said to be able to predict omens, which is where the song/rhyme began to be produced. 

Another symbol that I particularly am interested in is the symbolism of a circle. Undoubtedly underestimated, the circle represents a number of things, it's seen as warm and comforting and also to give a sensuality of love. Another meaning is that it's a never ending symbol, i has no points and could go on forever, this gives the concept of it standing for eternity. It can also be seen as a symbol that protects, the things within the circle are protected and restricted to others, it keeps unwanted things out.

Kate McCgwire

A recent artist I have come across. I immediately felt passionate towards her work, I feel it draws you in and just absorbs your thoughts. It relates to me, more then my work as she uses feathers a high amount within her sculptures and feathers are something I admire and love. As my project starter point is myself, I feel as though researching further into Kate will influence me in my work substantially. Another reason for Kate inspiring me as in an interview she goes onto discussing the mythical side to birds, and with my project having an aspect of superstition and symbolism, she fits in perfect to my research.

Kate McCgwire, slick, 2010, photo; Tessa Angus

This image is incredible, Its beauty has great depth for me. The way that the feathers are entwined with each other, as though they are still alive and the bird has just taken another form. I particularly like the way the lights bring out the multi tones within each individual feather. I think elegant would be another suitable describing word to use. When thinking about the texture to this piece, from the photo it looks as though it would be soft but when stroked against the natural flow I can imagine it being quite rough, it would also disturb the way the feathers lay. On a close up photograph, as the piece is 3D, they are formed in a tube type manner, but they look hollow, as though the feathers are just a casing. 

Kate McCgwire, Wrest, 2009, Photo; JP Bland

In an interview with 'Juxtapoz magazine' Kate goes on to say that people label the Pigeon as a 'rat with wings', yet the Dove is seen as the symbol of 'purity, peace and hope', even though both birds are the exact same type, the Dove just has white feathers. In this image of Kate's work, 'Wrest', you wouldn't label it as a piece made from rats with wings, as it's beauty is overpowering and resembles a Pigeon in no way, yet is created from that itself. Again the word popping into my head to describe this is elegant, the way that the sculpture twists and turns but has no edges, it looks completely smooth. I also like how she has used the same type of feather throughout this sculpture as, as in the image before, this makes it look alive, as though it could be a living thing, this again though, is my personal opinion.

Kate McCgwire, Vex, 2008, Photo; Francis Ware

Mentioning before about Kate discussing the mythology of birds, some of her sculptures represent, for me and others, the resemblance of a mythological creature, on her website, there is a small review on this particular piece, it describes it also as a mythological creature, it goes onto saying that it could be alive and hibernating. Her sculptures create many questions in the viewers mind, some strange and some that don't make any sense to the point where you're justifying to yourself that it isn't real, it can't be because it's just a sculpture, but there's always the question of, 'what if?'.

David Hockney

The main reason I am researching into David is because of his sketch book work from the 00's. It relates greatly to my work as this is what I am doing for my project, study sketches of places I visit and general day-to-day life. Where he uses colour in his sketches as well, I will just be using your average HB pencil set but I may experiment using only two colours much like David has in the following.

David Hockney, Sketch book London/Bruges, June 2002

Although you can only see one of the images from this sketch book, it you follow the link below, click slide show and then you'll understand which images I am talking about.

Sketch Book London/Bruges June 2002

The first sketch you see, it's quite difficult to understand what it is, but I like this fact, he's drawn it from his point of view, what he likes about it, so to him it doesn't matter what the viewer sees, it's what he sees that matters. I like working with line drawings, very minimal, and rarely any major detail. Sometimes less is more so they say. 

The second image you see is much like the first, quite difficult to see what the sketch resembles. In this he includes text, and as i've stated before now, I like to include text within my own sketches. Here he is just informing the viewer  of a place and date, presumably the date he was in London.

In the third he begins to use colour, but only the colour red. I think that for him, this works well, it emphasizes the objects within the image, creating a small contrast between the two. 

I really like the forth image, mainly due to the fact that the main point of focus being the most detailed item, I think that this is a good way of making the point of interest stand out, adding more detail to that area and leaving the rest your basic outline/line drawings. 

As his drawings go on after this I find that they become more and more detailed, not in depth, but detailed for rough sketches. I think that they start to get like this because he possibly had a longer period of time to do these, or perhaps his first few sketches, he intended them to be basic and minimal. 

Overall I think that David is perfect inspiration for my rough sketches, the way he uses two colours to create contrast and add minor detail to a sketch is experimental and I intend to try this myself. 

Tracey Emin

I have chosen to research into Tracey Emin as she is one of my favorite artists. I admire her work greatly and find she always inspires me within my own projects. She believes strongly in what she produces and I think that, that is important when producing your own work. I feel she relates to my work as many of her projects begin with herself as the starting point, and the majority of her work reflects on events and memories that Tracey has experienced and holds. I also think that it relates to my own work as she uses a lot of visual text in her work, the majority include quotes, feelings or thoughts whether they are the centre piece or whether they are just another part of the piece. 

Tracey Emin, 'I know I know I know' 2007

The neon sign piece you see above is one of Tracey's art works, with this one i like the way she uses repetition to emphasize the point she's trying to get across, in this case being 'I know' or in other words that she knows something. I like this piece because I think that using neon as part of your work creates a new atmosphere, as it's using lighting I'm presuming that the room would of had to of been darker or dull for it to be powerful, I feel that this would enable the viewer to have full concentration on what's in front of them rather then their surroundings. In my own work i want to create a similar atmosphere, I want the viewer to have full concentration on my work and to enable them to become deep in thought to the meaning behind the piece.

Tracey Emin, unknown, unknown

Again in this image Tracey is using text to support her work with added imagery. I like this contrast as in a personal opinion; I think that it also creates more interest as it contains a variety of concepts rather then just one. When going through my own sketchbooks I can see where she has influenced me sub-consciously as I tend to use text as well as imagery within them. What I like most when it comes to Tracey's work, is the how brash and forthright she is, using what's known as 'foul' language. I also find it be rather blunt in some cases, like in this piece she's telling the viewer, or the person who the piece was about, that if they don't like what she's stating they should 'go and fuck your self' (themselves). She makes sure she gets her point across. Generally I don't think that this so much relates to my own work, but within this project I'm going to experiment with different text inserts, such as feelings and statements like the likes of Tracey's but about myself or things I want to put across to others, or even certain people without saying it directly to them, but using art to do so, therefor it being open to state what or who the viewer thinks it's aimed at. 

Tracey Emin, My bed, 1998

Tracey's bed is a well-known installation. It creates a lot of questions in the viewers mind, and from the people I've looked at it with, it has been mainly 'what is the point in it? It's crap'. To me this question is irrelevant, to say that an art piece is, is very narrow-minded. I think Emin's bed is a piece that should be idolized as it pushes boundaries due to how outrageous it is. Although saying this, I do think questions should be asked but not ones that question the artist’s skill. This piece is created using alot of textures, this is mainly from the broad range of materials that Tracey uses. 

Along with this piece came a lot of up roar, it's much like marmite, you either love it, or you hate it, there's no in-between. Some have described the bed as 'dirty' and have said that the smell churns the stomach, then others have been able to push past such thoughts and see the real beauty of it. How it represents the teenage years of alcohol, drug and sex Emin experienced, she described the time period of 'my bed' as a time when she was 'mentally ill' although not being medically analyzed for this, this is how she felt (illuminations, tracey emin, everyone I have ever slept with. video interview). 

Tracey Emin, anyone I have ever slept with, 1995

This tent is another of Tracey's works that people question why and what the point of it is. In an interview with illuminations she discuss' that when people left the tent they were, 'thinking of anyone they've been intimate with' (illuminations video, interview Tracey Emin) and this is the effect she wanted it to have. The tent wasn't just about who she'd had sex with, it was about anyone she'd been intimate with, including just sharing the bed or sleeping. It gives a huge impact on the viewer, as leaving the tent thinking of such, would of been rather emotional, it would be something you would remember. 

Statement Of Intent

Section 1

Throughout the exploratory stage I have learnt many new process’, all of which have helped me to understand which area of Art I want to specialise within. Before attending the course I knew the basics, drawing skills, painting, batik, the general knowledge of using photo shop and I had little experience with print. During the exploratory stage these skills have improved immensely and I feel as though I’ve learnt a high amount. Particularly in print, as this is where I lacked in experience.

The field trip Pembrokeshire I found to be a success I used the skills I have gained over the months and put them into use.

Section 2

Overall I decided to focus my studies within a fine art specialism, I came to this decision because I found that I prefer to use a broader range of processes and not just sticking to the one practise, fine art allows me to experiment more to my own success. This chosen area will lead me on to studying more in depth at hull university where I have applied for a BA hons in fine art, my future aspirations are currently un known but lie along the lines of furthering my practises’.

Section 3

For my personal confirmatory study I am going to be using my self as the beginning starter point of my project.  Anything I produce will be linked to the beginning point in some form, this relates to my chosen path way because I stated I want to use a broad range of process’ and experiment with a broader range of techniques also, this enables me to do so. To support my project I will be producing a blog with research in which will relate to my work and provide evidence of knowledge and understanding of my chosen area, the focus of study and it will include research to where I will be looking into depth at other artists work.

When I come to developing my ideas for a final outcome, I will do this by producing a sketchbook containing study sketches, a sketchbook created on a day to day basis, a page or 2 done daily, as a diary; this could include emotions, quotes, sketches, pictures, almost anything to do with what I feel should be documented about that day. I will also have a general sketchbook, as I have also produced throughout past projects. To help produce these I will be using physical resources such as a camera, computer and a tripod, but as my specialism is fine art, I do not know as to what exact resources I will need, so any that I use will be added to my weekly evaluation.

The types of media I wish to use consist of, print, 3D, mixed media, photography and possibly photo shop. Again as with my physical resources, if I use any other form of media, this will be stated in my weekly evaluation.

For my final outcome, although I do not currently know exactly what I wish to produce, I am going to try to produce an installation or a 3D piece, this is out of my comfort zone and I feel as though this is where I should be experimenting most, in areas that I’m not completely comfortable with to expand my skills in these areas.

To name a few I will be researching into, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, David Hockney and Cindy Sherman.

Section 4

Throughout the duration of this project I will be reviewing my work on a weekly basis, this will help enable me to see where I could be going wrong, if I’m following my time schedule and see where improvement is needed, doing this will help me in my future development as it gets me used to frequently evaluating my own work.