Just a Quickie

So this is just a quick update on what I've been doing the past few days.

I haven't had much of a chance to do any quote unquote "real" work as this is just the research stage, for a pretty big thing I might add so I am going to be taking my time and thinking it through. As you can see I've been posting a lot of my "Inspiration of the Week" and all of these are going to be included in my artist research sketchbook. So as of now I'm just taking what these artists have done on board and I have also been brainstorming a few ideas as well. So this time next week I'll have a PLP and a (hopefully) formulated idea to talk about.

In other news I've finished my presentation for my contextual studies class and I am quite happy with how it's turned out, now just a few practise runs to see if I can fit all those words in there :P

Here's a quick preview:

Another thing that I've been working on is my submission of mini portfolio for Edinburgh university, this isn't so much a hard process, but it is definitely long and tedious at times, but I am getting there.

So that's all for now,
Until next time,
byyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Róisín -x

Inspiration of the Week - Rachel Maclean

Rachel Maclean is a Glasgow based artist who makes videos where she performs her work dressed as different characters lip syncing to previously recorded audio, she also designs prints which feature these characters.

The reason that I am looking into her work is that for my final brief I don't really have a solid concept down for it but I wanted to look into Scottish Identity/ Culture. I first saw Rachel Maclean's work when it was part of the Travelling Gallery and it came to college. Her 'I Heart Scotland' exhibition which was featured dealt with issues surrounding Scottish and British Identity and Culture.

http://rachelmaclean.tumblr.com/image/53016495520

It had references to the then upcoming Scottish Referendum and the Scottish Commonwealth Games, and other issues concerning Scotland such as Golf, Wind Farms, Oil, The Jacobite Rebellion, Unicorns, and Nessie.

http://www.travellinggallery.com/past-exhibitions/spring-14

http://rachelmaclean.tumblr.com/search/scotland/page/2

With my work I am thinking about tackling issues such as Scottish stereotypes, what it means to be Scottish and Scotland as a part of Britain. Macleans work is a great point of reference as a way to look into these issues as she deals with them in a serious way, but in a way that is very tongue and cheek. I think that this work is great and does highlight a great number of issues that are important to me and Scottish society.

http://rachelmaclean.tumblr.com/search/scotland/page/2

Another thing that I like about this work is that the artist takes a completely unbiased approach towards it. It was only  few months before the Scottish Referendum when I saw this work and it had influenced a number of the pieces in the gallery, however I don't know what Rachel Macclean's status was of the whole thing. With her work she managed to highlight the issues that should be important to everyone in Scotland, whereas her views on Scottish/ British politics were completely hidden.

https://vimeo.com/72097465

https://vimeo.com/72097465

https://vimeo.com/72097465

The travelling gallery also featured her video called "The Lion and the Unicorn" which discusses the concept of national identity through three characters, the lion (England), the unicorn (Scotland) and the queen.

http://www.rachelmaclean.com/thelionandtheunicorn.html

http://www.rachelmaclean.com/thelionandtheunicorn.html

http://www.rachelmaclean.com/thelionandtheunicorn.html

NB - all photographs here have been taken from these sites which her work is featured:
http://www.rachelmaclean.com/
http://rachelmaclean.tumblr.com/
https://vimeo.com/72097465
http://www.travellinggallery.com/past-exhibitions/spring-14
I do not own any of the pictures on this post.

I really do like Rachel Macleans work here and will use here work to further develop my concept.

That's all for now,
byyyeeeee
Róisín -x

Sketchbooks

So I thought that I would do a blog post before I went on my weekend away so that there was something on my blog for this week.

We found out today that next week that we are going to be getting a mid module tutorial so that our lecturers can see where we are. I am kind of glad that I get to have a formal discussion with my lecturer about all my stuff so far, however it does seem to be happening a bit late in the game, what with there only being a month left. :/

Anywho this week I did some sketchbook stuff, so I thought that I would show all my sketchbook pages (except for the first one because I don't have that with me, but maybe next time ;)  ) :

I was also coming up with some final ideas for my protest work in class and thought about repeating the word "Again" over and over again to give the idea of scale and also show hoe nothing changes when it comes to war or conflict.

I did it twice to see how it looked on white and on other colours. I think the white works best, however i think having the contrasting pages side by side works well. I'm not sure how far I will take this, but I thought it was a cool idea and wanted to get it down into my sketchbook. 

So with being on holiday this weekend, I have a to do list to get through by the Monday I get back, and I will also have some time on the Tuesday to get through some stuff. I seem to be making my way through it, I wanted this done before now, but things kind of got in the way, but I still have time.

So that's all I've got for you now, but I shall talk to you again when I get back and my to do list is done it will be good to have a bit of a relxing break and get some things done, then when I get back, I shall be on to the final pieces aaaahhhhh!

Anyway, until next time
Róisín -x