After going Here there and everywhere work and deadlines are getting closer and closer. First on the agenda, Catalogue Statement. 100 words wouldn't take long. Unlike most, I actually don't mind talking about my work as it something that means something to me. Unlike the art history essays which are always about something i don't understand and always are a struggle to achieve. However, once complete i always think it wasn't that bad, i enjoyed it really. After finishing the catalogue statement i also continued with the dissertation, now around 2000 words, i am enjoying the process. As much as i hate being in the library when the weather is like this, There are much worse places to study- a room with a view as they say, But as i see the sea all i want to do is paint. After another day in the library i have managed to complete my personal statement for my masters and sent of my application, as well as the catalogue statement. Amazing what you can achieve when you're in the right environment!- Back home for a flying visit, two nights, its the time of year where all the males in my family meet for the "greenwood cup" an annual golf competition. As i don't play golf, i was on baby sitting duty, nothing t complain about, i love having quality time with my family, and they were so well behaved i managed to get some work done! After the early morning start, i managed to get on a train to crew, not Aberystwyth, so getting up before sunrise was pointless as i was waiting round for a few hrs until i got the next train. lack of sleep made this day very unproductive Sunday: After a good night sleep, my boyfriend and I went for an English breakfast as a little treat after not seeing each other for a couple of weeks. We then both headed up to the library spending the whole day working on our dissertations, We left at around half 10 and had a well deserved pint. Tomorrow university would be back open and the real work starts. some small studies made from the last few days and today. the weather is delicious at the moment, so i am making the most of being outdoors and painting on location.
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Saturday: I had an interview for some part time work, if i'm going to do my masters i will need to fund it somehow! I was supposed to be leaving today, But the extra day came in handy, tidy of the house before the off, packing my bag and time to go for a lovely walk with my boyfriend before going home for a week. I need the time of Easter to do my work, But home is calling. Wednesday: News that after posting my painting 2 weeks ago, It had finally arrived safe and sound in España. Good News day! Tuesday: Back in Aberystwyth, Feeling very dizzy, lots of traveling and not a lot of sleep, I need to do work but not today. Today i will sleep. This last week has been fun but very busy, Been to Manchester, midlands, London, Cardiff, Beacon Beacons, and its safe to say I'm out of routine. But worth it to get to see everyone.
Thursday: Back to doing some painting, as i haven't painted in over a week i decided to just do a few studies and sketches to get back into it before attempting any larger works. It's a lot easier to et out of routine than to get back into it. Tuesday: In he studio all day, We had thought that there was a possibility that over the Easter break students would be allowed to come into the studio and do work, however due to health and safety apparently that was not a possibility. This week would be stressful, consisting of trying to finish paintings started, keep them safe and get new boards ready for paintings, take them home to paint on over Easter, and luckily as i'm painting in acrylic this is a possibility. I wouldn't like to have to paint in oil in my small flat. With the final year coming to an end, i'm not getting o stressed which i thought i would be. But i'm too busy sorting everything to think about stress. I also had to take back some larger canvases from last semester, other boards and bits and bobs which I've sold and need to finally sort out getting them to their new homes. This painting hat i have been working on i would almost say is finished. Its hard finding the balance for me, as if i'm not careful i get too much detail which is not the work i'm trying to produce. I want the life of the painting to remain, the freshness, i really do not want to kill them. Consistency is my main priority, as i want the works to look like they are meant to be together. Wednesday- Lunch break. I think that people forget that to be happy we need our minds to be happy. And to produce art it very important remain happy for me. Getting stuck in a rut or stressing about the work is the last thing that i want to happen, especially this close to the end. This is why it is so important to take time to break the routine, do something different, go for a walk, sit on the beach, call your family, go swimming. Those who say they don't have time, are busy spending all there time on the wrong things. Life is about balance, and getting it right is hard. But today, i knew i needed to eat my lunch on the beach, not in side, especially when the weather is lovely. I know how much work i need to do, that wont change in an hour. Thursday: Rain. I wont be sat eating my lunch on the beach today. However i did go a for a stroll this morning, to go and paint the sea in the studio, i find it helps if I've been outside first, it helps me get some of the atmosphere and movement, which i don't get from looking at photos or videos. Friday: Snowing again Back home. I've managed to miss all the snow, oh no what a shame! Morning i spent lugging back boards, adding some final touches to the paintings and i feel that the paintings i've got so far, if worst came to worst would fit together in the exhibition. I am proud of them but i want more still. Some of these will for sure go in the exhibition, now to add titles. After lunch i wandered up the hill looked around the art on display in the art centre, returned my books to the library and finally got round to visiting the Kyffin Williams Exhibition. Which was brilliant. I love his work, and it was interesting to see his sketches of the sea he had done, as i found they were very similar to my own sketchbooks, I find that very interesting when artists are working on the same subject matter. My only issue with Kyffin, is that his work although is great, didn't seem to change, its almost like he found the answer straight away and carried on like that. However, he gets the welsh landscape down to the tee, but i wasn't so fond of his watercolours or European work. But that could be because I'm spoiled by my grandads. Whilst we were leaving the exhibition we had a chat with a woman working for the welsh magazine about the exhibition, it was interesting the questions which she asked us, relevant to how the work was displayed, the quotes, etc. It got me thinking about the graduation show. Some of my works as of Friday 23rd of March.
Monday: The last few days I haven’t felt myself, just generally unwell, which always makes my work ethic none existent but today I felt w bi better and amazed by the incredible skies I set out to do a painting . Which is still unfinished like almost everything in the studio. Time will finish these paintings but I need to be in the right headspace to so them. This painting has been one of my favourites , I love creating dramatic scenes at the moment trying to capture movement and my feelings towards the subject. I have com back to sky a bit aswel as the sea, i love how they connect and create natural rhythms and I want that to be a main factor in my work but I’m still working on it. I like the challenge. as of Wednesday. In the studio touching up some older oitninfs aswell as completely painting over some that I don’t feel are right. It’s time that I put them all together they need to link for the show and I want them to stand out on their own individually and as a series.
The dissertation is starting , and time is running low. I will g t there bun these next few weeks will be tough but so worth It, I’m loving everyday and I just feel so lucky to Even be here. Monday: 09:00- Early start, on the seafront collecting information and up to the school of art to continue with paintings, With no painting done since Thursday, A full day in the Studio is Neccessary. Spent the Whole day on this, something i started last week, But needs to be left alone untli i have a fresh pair of eye to fix the parts i'm not happy with . Tuesday: The light again taking over the photos, But touching up some paintings that i've been leaving alone, so far this is my favourite piece.
Few Hours in the Studio, Board fell on my arm off of the wall, which did not tickle. Headache approaching from an overload of turps spillage inhalation and another student falling off a table. Maybe today is a right off. 15.30; Home. Catching up on other work. Thinking of ideas for new paintings and continuation of the drawings, Quick tidy up, and an early restful Night. Wedenesday: 08:00- Early morning and start today, Gas man coming so need to work from home for most of the day. 19:00 Two of my friends coming over for Scrabble and Vegan Thai curry. Social Events are a lot different from the average student, We sometimes even knit! Thursday :12:00 in the studio. Tutorial In a few hours, been struggling through trying to finish some work but as much as I love starting paintings I do not enjoy finishing h em. It’s always been a struggle Of mine a battle of looking and debating what is important to remain in the painting aswell as what it needs with out killing it . This weekend i was supposed to be heading home, delivering paintings and seeing the family, But with Storm Emma, That wasn't possible, but very pretty photos from home. In Aber, we tend to get the bad parts of snow, the cancelled trains, the closures, the late deliveries, broken boilers, but no sign of snow! Unfortunately not the best quality photo, the light in the studio is sometimes difficult to get around but, overall i am happy with the progress i have made on my paintings this week. Friday: snow Day, Uni closed, My paint and board in uni. so i decided to make a start to my extra 10 credit four pieces which I'm going to make drawings again of the coast.
Investing in a new sketchbook, brown paper, i feel that on a none white paper the tones are nicer, something i have been trying to do in painting is eliminate white unless necessary, and i am enjoying the challenge. A4 Conte Crayon on paper. Painting on square, Still trying to get consistency in my paintings but whilst developing and getting more challenges from painting them, the last thing i want is for them to become easy, and therefore boring for me and sloppy, but so far my interest in the subject is maintaining itself.
Monday: 09.00 Early start out on the seafront collecting resources, painting, sketching and enjoying the sea. Tuesday: 08:00. Planning on painting things from Yesterday, the weather was so lovely that I decided to paint out. Opportunities don’t arrive quite so often. Although the weather is pretty lovely, the colour pallete im going for for my exhibition isnt of today's weather, but i find it quite difficult to paint miserable weather on a day like today. Drawing from location is always a good practice either way, and will help me move forward in my paintings. Update on this painting. not quite sure if it is finished, but im trying not to over work paintings and trying to keep some of the energetic marks and the layers with out painting over them and over fiddling, keeping the drips and artist marks but only how ones that add to the painting. its difficult but i'm sure ill get there i love the excuse that being on the seafront is my form of "working", i always like to remind myself how lucky i am to be even doing a degree here, where i can be in lectures and the net minute walking across the sea, it is truly my favourite part of being here and i really don't want it to end. The reason for my subject matter and how it has developed is that the sea brings me happy memories of where i have lived, and enjoyed throughout my life, but also, whilst i'm in Aberystwyth i feel i should be painting something that interests me from my surroundings, i always feel we should make the most of what your give, if life gives you lemons as they say.
Morning fog, 8 am. I’ve started to come to the conclusion that my degree show isn’t going to do itself, and although I haven’t been happy with my paintings at the moment, I need to do I to myself: it’s the end of my three Years here and I want to make it count. Painting for me. scrubbed back some boards I don’t lik and drawn out some ideas to paint. It’s got to start somewhere and no time like now. from everything I have learned through painting, I know what I like and what I don’t by now, and I feel that by best comes out when I enjoy what I’m painting. There’s plenty of time for me still to develop and st the moment I care most about trying to capture the essence of a place and letting the colours live. Getting movement and real life in to the painting. I love that when I look at my work it brings the memory back of painting it, and the place. Some hint that always amazes us me.
mixture of days, got my essay mark back and am so pleased. Highest mark I have ever had on a piece of writing and won’t bring my grade down. Very happy about that. But not entirely happy with the Assesment as suspected they loved this painting, I suppose it had got more of me in it, but that feeling of you s not good enough is hard to take. presentsuon went well nervous as usual but pleased, And after my results this semester I’m happy, I got pretty much the same mark in everything of a high 2:1 , always frustrating that you’re that close to a first, but it’s not why I’m here, and as long as I always do my best I can never be upset by a number. snow again. Work progressing slowly but surely.
Snow has been non stop, coming and going. But my deadlines are only coming, and they’re not going anywhere. So now is the time to press on. drive back from home at Christmas is Never the nicest of journeys but I’m so happy to get back painting my favourite place. As usual I had plans to get some of my art history work done, but a week home goes very quickly so all my deadlines have to be done. And will be. aswell as finishing some paintings and nesting them up I started some more and it has been very enjoyable. Let’s hope assessment goes alright. not quite sure about this one, most recent one I painted and is from a half hour study that I quit as i didn’t like it, which will probably mean university Will think it’s the best. Normally the way.
last day of lectures, including last ever art history lecture at th school of art, a moment of bliss or a sad turn of events? Maybe a mixture. Every week that passes this year I realise how close it is until the end of University? What will I do next, masters? Who knows. Time to go home for a week or so and relax- even though I have so much work to do, I know I will get it done, and my degree can wait, and still be completed, but family time comes round very little. - as I’m one of 7 little times are we all together . I really enjoy looking back at old disposables- and Polaroid’s. They’re more precious than digital photos, and for me are a memory, a part of you. These elements are something that I really like to get in my paintings. I’m not after realism, if I was I could do that in an instant. What I’m most drawn to is getting the essence of a place, and for me when looking back it brings back a memory of maybe blur, but hopefully happiness. And for someone else to connect with it in anyway, maybe. Bringing them a memory, or showing them what they saw but in a diffwrb t way. That’s much more important to me. Otherwise I may aswell have s crummy photos on my walls. That I can’t remember taking. I’m not quite there yet with my art but if I was why would I still be painting? Once you can do something it is very boring for me. I constantly have to find new challenges and for now it’s the movement in a scene and picking the important elements- in some way an abstract of a scene. But in my mind everything is abstract art as no one can recreate reality, reality is reality and that cannot be represented. anyways, merry Christmas all. Enjoy all.
as the essay deadline day is fastly approaching and is normally where I let my grade down, I have been extra specially working very hard on trying not to fail. Libraries actually have information? Also came to realise that a lot of the art books on my shelf at home have lots of helpful information in. Who would have thought! I have been finding this essay incredibly difficult to start, at 3500 words one of the longest pieces of writing I’ve ever written, and a week to write it. I mean I’ve been writing drafts but after a tutorial with the project lecturer I have a better idea of how to tackle it! And can’t wait for it to be over. with all the essay writing and preparation for the art history modules I found it quite difficult to pick up the paint brush at the moment. But I need to always keep painting in my mind and practicing so I don’t get out of practice so I went out for a couple hours essay break and did a couple of studies, very calming for once which I think is shown in the paintings and has made me take a more calm approach to this essay! unbelievably I managed to get my essay done, and it was time for my birthday treat, what was getting me through the week, seeing the kooks in concert. A band that originated from my town, and in my top 10. But haven’t yet seen them in concert. I like to have things to look forward to when doing my degree it’s like little rewards for everything I’m doing- and giving other elements of joy to my life. Which is very important for us to achieve our best. We must be in a good frame of mind, and it brings the best out of us. the weekend in Cardiff, Christmas is approaching. Enjoying the winter wonderland. A very nice treat. Let’s just hope my essay is good enough.
Group crit went well and had some good comments about the newest paintings. Really started to see my work going somewhere but this painting wasn’t for me. With that in mind, I’m sure I will always look back at this painting as a breakthrough. It changed my whole perception on painting, in my head it is representational but apparently many people see different things and evokes a lot of emotion. But that’s not all I have learned, through exploring paint application, brush sizes, applying the paint straight from the tube aswell as glazing and mixing my own colours using water to thin down the paint, I realised there is so much more for me to discover in paint. However painting clouds is no longer for me. after deciding clouds were not for me I looked back at some old work and thought that waves and the sea was something I always liked to have in my work. The water. And a lightbulb moment was I realised I have always been interested in movement and light and the forces of nature. And the paintings that are the weaker are ones where they are of something still.
Capturing movement in a painting rather than representing nature is my new goal. I went out to test my theory and instantly was drawn to the water, the way it reflects the sky aswell as how it can be entirely different to the sky. And how it can be calm or how it can be so powerful. I was only at the seafront for around an hour and I’d already filled half a sketchbook with sketches of the waves and did about 8 oil studies and felt so happy that I had something to work on and develop. Now time to channel all this enthusiasm and get meaning in to the paintings getting the sense of place rather than a pure representationz Group crit went well and had some good comments about the newest paintings. Really started to see my work going somewhere but this painting wasn’t for me. With that in mind, I’m sure I will always look back at this painting as a breakthrough. It changed my whole perception on painting, in my head it is representational but apparently many people see different things and evokes a lot of emotion. But that’s not all I have learned, through exploring paint application, brush sizes, applying the paint straight from the tube aswell as glazing and mixing my own colours using water to thin down the paint, I realised there is so much more for me to discover in paint. However painting clouds is no longer for me. after deciding clouds were not for me I looked back at some old work and thought that waves and the sea was something I always liked to have in my work. The water. And a lightbulb moment was I realised I have always been interested in movement and light and the forces of nature. And the paintings that are the weaker are ones where they are of something still.
Capturing movement in a painting rather than representing nature is my new goal. I went out to test my theory and instantly was drawn to the water, the way it reflects the sky aswell as how it can be entirely different to the sky. And how it can be calm or how it can be so powerful. I was only at the seafront for around an hour and I’d already filled half a sketchbook with sketches of the waves and did about 8 oil studies and felt so happy that I had something to work on and develop. Now time to channel all this enthusiasm and get meaning in to the paintings getting the sense of place rather than a pure representationz |