ATV5 Reflection

 Reflecting over this assignment and the work I have created from start to finish. From starting with choosing a direction to take my studies in. I am always drawn to the natural route when it comes to my studies, I feel most inspired with nature. I have developed my skills throughout ATV and then bringing those skills together to using observation and development skills to create drawings, colour observations, yarn, and samples.

Seeing those initial observations developing into an almost finished piece. Using techniques learnt throughout this learning journey such as French knitting and fabric manipulation. And then bringing in new techniques such as natural dyeing and macrame.

Using my research skills to find other artists to help inspire and develop my work. Amanda Cobbett who also has a love for nature and develops realistic, textural pieces, capturing the fragility in nature and displaying it in a box to show it needs protection.

To Sue Hotchkis who uses the world around her as inspiration and then captures the beauty in the surfaces. Layering, manipulating, and piercing the fabric into beautiful structures. You want to run your hand over the pieces and feel the ridges and bumps created in her work.

I had some ups and downs along this unit, time playing a big factor in this unit. It made me think in a more practical and ruthless way. Realising when a sample or even the theme was not right. At the beginning I had thought big thinking of lots of different fruits with interesting textures, which I then came to realise was to elaborate and needed to be paired back. This led me to the mushroom theme.

Looking at this final unit as a whole made me realise how much work goes into a collection. At each step you can see the development onto each start finally leading to the final six. I wanted to write here about a few of the pieces I preferred the most. But actually, I cannot pick, I think they all turned out well and how I wanted to, well apart from the one I replaced. I am sat here thinking how great they would look if they were just taken to that next final finished step. Maybe one day I’ll be able to push them to that stage.

I do realise though in my practice I do play it safe with colours always choosing a natural palette to follow. I think I have a slight fear of bright vibrant colours, I think I am going to need to just rip that plaster of and open my world to colour. As even in nature there are some amazing vibrant colours, looking through the natural dye book there are so many colours I can play with but still stay within the natural and nature them.

I am pleased to have finished ATV but even more excited to more onto mix media and be even more experimental!

Assessment Criteria

Demonstration of technical and visual skills- Throughout this unit I have tried to be creative materials and techniques used. Learning new techniques and developing them to fit in with the pieces I was developing. Using my initial observations of the mushroom to develop my work on and returning to those images through each stage of the work. My sketchbook has been an important tool throughout my work. Off loading the ideas as they came and using it to store my samples or materials.

I feel I have grown enough in my practice to know when I was going of the theme and knowing when to stop with a sample that was not working. Whilst maintaining a high level of creativity in each step of the process, creating original creative pieces. 

Quality of outcome- I feel I have demonstrated an application of knowledge in this assignment, using research skills and techniques learnt through out this unit. Creating a varied collection of samples, observational sketches, and research. These all helped to me to focus on creating a cohesive body of work. Creating a capsule collection that embodied my ideas of texture and nature, using a sympathetic colour palette to the theme.

I have logged my ideas confidently and clearly through the use of my learning log and sketchbook and you can see the development and reflection of my work. Which lead to my final capsule collection.

Demonstration of creativity- Throughout this assignment I have attempted to push my creative limits, trying to be experimental. Learning new techniques and then pushing them further with my creativity. No limiting my choice of material to work with, making the material work for me and experimenting with it to see what could be created.

Reflecting on my work and deciding which samples to push forward with and which ones had limited scope. Ensuring the end result was a coherent, creative, capsule collection.  

Context- I have tried to ensure I have learnt new techniques, research methods into techniques, using the internet and books to find new techniques. Researching artists and confidently linking my work back to this research. I have tried to be critical with my work a skill I have learnt throughout ATV and the Foundation course. I am yet to attend a physical exhibition; I have attended online talks and exhibitions but struggle to take anything away from them. I would like to get to a physical exhibition and do my own guided learning looking at physical pieces and items I am drawn to.