Easter is not chocolate flavoured or egg shaped.

Back after nearly a month, I'm drained, just a husk in plaits. However, I've finished my 'Shrinic' essay (colour me happy), submitted flowery paintings to Bristol Uni and an idea has begun germinating for a series of textile designs inspired by Kodachrome slides from the 1950s and 60s.. think Milky Bar Kid meets Alton Towers 'The Smiler' combined with some pretty slick '80's dance moves. The offset pattern workshop last Thursday started my creative thinking and coincided with a final tutorial with my Research module tutor Clair Schwarz who provided perspicacity and distractingly beautiful fingernails. 
Now I'm trying to decide whether it's ok to eat my body weight in chocolate or continue to construct a Shrine to it, using loads of mini eggs, marmite and my imagination.  Check me out Mary Berry 🐣

4 weeks & 3 days and no sign of summer

There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
The Dalai Lama

I have been quiet for the longest time and I am sorry. Over the last month or so I have attempted to express myself in the third person, used words which are over 14 characters long and behaved rather like the scary bunny boiler in fatal attraction - bedlam mood swings and close up shots of nasal hair. I have had my heart broken for the third time, scratched the patterny, textile surface of wall hanging design ( using found family slide imagery of the 1950s and 60s), and worked on 3D sculptures in Fabrication, using silicon and plaster. 
My mini Shrine in homage to The Shining by Stephen King, frightened babies! 

With the theme of 'Shrinage' in mind and my heart in tatters,  I am attempting to write my research module essay and have worked on a presentation to be given imminently. The idea that we as humans create Shrines to our loved and forgotten is my attempt to unravel the mysticism surrounding bereavement and loss. Unfortunately, academic writing is an anathema to me, although my vocabulary has become less Vulgarian and more Vulcan (RIP Leonard Nimoy).

I am continuing with my quest for creative knowledge and have come to the realisation that perhaps WE are the Shrines. This then makes the words of the Dalai Lama more resonant. Therefore, if life is a journey and Shrines are the visual soundtrack to that journey, then it would be spectacular to share it with you. Come on in, don't be shy... 

Stereoscopic Photography

Artwork for Dr Brian May and Denis Pellerin

I produced this version of 'Death of Chatterton' by the artist Henry Wallis for a Stereoscopic Photography workshop held at Colston's School in Bristol. The workshop was hosted by Mr. Denis Pellerin (Dr. Brian May's partner) and Mr. Michael Doble, Chairman of the Thomas Chatterton Society.
www.thomaschattertonsociety.com
My layered acrylic painting was photographed by Year 8 pupils and then converted into stereoscopic images using 3D freeview software. It was a Killer for this particular Queen. More details to follow in a Flash ah ah etc etc......
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zrC3KQ-rfsE
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QxgXM7sndp8
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8JdgcQlInW8

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cyIIYerdlUA

my painting for a stereoscopic photography version of 'Death of Chatterton by Henry Ward'

Original Painting by Henry Ward

The Cautious Anthropologist 
My response to the lecture by Dr Shawn Sobers 
(enthusiastic maker and facilitator) 

Lecture slide illustrating "H. Powdermaker - objective/subjective self'

In this lecture Shawn Sobers described his intellectual and creative journey with a seam of philosophical and auto ethnographical examples to reinforce this ideation. His research practice was informed and coloured by a direct personal response and reaction to his own experience and cultural heritage. Shawn identified with the work of Hortense Powdermaker (who included her own narrative in anthropological studies- see Stranger and Friend: the way of an anthropologist). 

In my opinion, his ideological and auto-ethnographic approach, illustrating his career path, using emotive moving and still imagery and his referencing of the work of Augusto Boal (Theatre of the Oppressed) and Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed) gave rise to the concept of 'Edutainment'. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7R8n7nIBc0
Footsteps of the Emperor, 1999 - Shawn Sobers
http://vimeo.com/94698909

Here he uses the tools of an artist, filmmaker and photographer to allow an eclectic range of multi-disciplines (visual, aural, tactile) to critically educate but also 'liberate' the student.
Shawn is clear in that he advocates an education where the student is empowered not passive - allowing a 'Dialogic Pedagogy' which is described by Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed -page 52). 

Finally remembering that truths aren't fixed - all theories are adjusted or constructed around 'the socially constructive nature of knowledge production'.  Perhaps this is where the theme of a 'cautious' Anthropologist comes in.  Where each of us choose to draw the line of our own identities is subjective and the idea that 'nothing matters',  but in reality 'everything matters'.

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Shawn Sobers 2014
Jack and Delia Joseph T. Zealy / Louis Agassiz South Carolina, 1850

We are constantly reviewing and re-evaluating our practice because as Shawn said of these productive failures (during the course of the lecture) ,  'any project involving the concept of humanity gives one an awareness of motivation and human values allowing you to work at the core of yourself'.

Shawn Sober's lecture compliments but also resonates with the first lecture in this module given by Alex Franklin. I think when one attempt's to project meaning onto images and text, 'subjectivity'  rather than 'objectivity'  is the thread binding these lectures together, hence 'working at the core of yourself'. How can one distance oneself from a subject, dispassionately, when the subject means so much? How do we fit in? 

I said before We are human not machine.. for me Empathy over Ethnography every time.

Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place'.
Daniel H. Pink (from his book 'DRIVE') http://agilescout.com/book-drive-daniel-h-pink-quotes/

References

Pedagogy of the Oppressed (Paulo Freire)

Arlene Goldbard on writing the history of community based practice – (New Creative Community)

Stranger and Friend - the way of an Anthropologist (Hortense Powdermaker)

Reflexivity vs Narcissism: Autoethnography as a research method.
'These are just things I say, they are not my opinions' Josephine Pryde

life collage 

Making a mark, making YOUR mark... that is what this life is all about isn't it...researching or searching for an original creative ideation?

I am an artist and a teacher. Teaching is creativity and teaching in my opinion is, by definition, auto-ethnography. In order to impart some aspect of your knowledge to others, you give away something of and about yourself. Subconsciously 'marking one's territory', on one level attempting to inspire without prejudice, but conversely, tenuously allowing personal experience and presupposition within your psyche to infiltrate any ideas and concepts shared because one is human not machine. 

All life experiences taint, influence or colour one's views however objective a person purports to be.  Is perhaps Subjectivity the new Narcissism and Reflexivity and Autoethnography concepts too similar to deconstruct? 

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/josephine-pryde

This initial 'Research Module' lecture was given by Alex Franklin and my views on the given title are described above. Alex was forceful, passionate and yet self deprecating. Her inspired 'Umbridge' account of family life in rural Hertfordshire made her appear more human and less academic professor. Alex' lecture on the comparisons between 'Ethnography, Autoethnography, Narcissism et al' caused me to dig deep, unravelling thoughts about words and concepts I had not considered because they were alien to me and generally I'm thinking of unicorns and magic. Therefore I may have the attention span of a boiled egg but I am intrigued and using aspects of 'Autoethonography'  as a creative research tool may be advantageous and the way forward for a shallow, sparkly unicorn lover like me. 

Abracadabra. Watch this space (if you have 3 minutes to spare)! 

my favourite unicorn

Malcolm William Hardwick Pocock

June 2nd 1944 - 18th December 2014

MWP - taken 10th June 2014
Thursday 15th January no illustrator or laser cutting workshop for me. I attended the funeral of Malcolm - an amazing photographer, teacher, boss and friend. He influenced scores of students and staff at Filton Technical College in Bristol where he worked until his retirement in 1995. Malcolm said I could do anything, be anything and I believed him. I will always love him for that.

'When people ask me what photography equipment I use - I tell them my eyes'.

"Essentially what Photography is is life lit up..." 
Sam Ebell

George Wood with too much light

Introduction to Digital Photography
The camera (whether using film, digital, mobile) could be described as an additional eye. This mechanical eye has the ability to tangibly capture and hold ones environment, depict ones emotions and retain memories in solid form using a combination of light and the artist's imagination. This eclectic mix, in turn allows a palpable insight into the photographer's mind and is an evocation of their own creative journey, 

'Chris' enigmatic as ever.

however insignificant. 

'Liz' playing with depth of field

With a Nikon D80 Digital SLR camera we began our Introduction to the Digital Photography workshop session; dissecting the mechanics of the camera with George Wood, who, despite the heat of the studio room, and this being our first session back after the Christmas vacation, made the complexities of the Aperture, Shutter speed, FStop, White Balance and the Light Meter accessible and interesting. I learnt about 'Focal Distance', (the distance between the lens to the corresponding focal plane) and found that by zooming in to decrease the focal length, the image produced was more distorted than if the image was taken with a lens zoomed out. This created a more natural (eye view) photograph retaining an image which appears more like the one you see with your own eyes. (The optimum Focal length is 50 mm). 

The scientific nature of the information imparted made my brain quiver a little in my head (like lemon jelly) but I remained focussed and, along with my fellow students, attempted to retain this smorgasbord of data in such a small, hot space. Therefore, with my physics head on, George led us on a journey of discovery highlighting the three main areas of importance when using a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera - Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO.

Aperture sizes change the 'Depth of Field', ie. how much of your chosen photograph appears sharp and in focus. The smaller the aperture setting, the smaller the area of focus. The Aperture is an adjustable iris: the more dilated the aperture the more light enters the camera. The Shutter speed is the time taken to open and close the lens of the camera to allow light in - the longer the shutter is open the more light enters the through the camera lens, the shorter, less light. The ISO reading is the sensitivity of the sensor within the camera to light- which relates to film speed. (The higher the ISO the more sensitive to light the camera becomes. This setting also refers to film speed.) It boosts the sensitivity to light which in turn affects the images taken. 

'Scary Lady' experimenting with Camera Raw 'clarity' settings.

We were all released into the wilderness to capture moments in time relevant or irrelevant, diverse or obvious. I took a range of textural images, finding it difficult to get to grips with the manual settings - focussing and retaining the correct aperture and shutter speed so that my photographs were not blurred and actually appeared in the viewfinder. Many of my images were too dark or else looked like they were covered in a fine layer of soot. However, as time went on the process, although complicated, was rewarding.

From here our images were transferred onto the computer and imported into Photoshop via Camera Raw software. This software is extremely versatile for  'non destructive' editing giving much more control over contrast, white balance, exposure and saturation of photographic imagery before editing and retouching commences using Photoshop. In this programme one is also able to batch process and synchronise specific image settings (useful if working with a series of photographs). 

'Graffiti' Automatic Aperture example

Rosemary's Baby - automatic aperture and shutter speed

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.
Aaron Siskind

To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.
Elliott Erwitt

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.
Dorothea Lange