Melinda Gibson workshop

Thought I'd sit down and reflect while my thoughts are still running through my head. It was interesting to see work that was not necessarily visually pleasing but the concept behind it was very impressive. With the start of this course I am starting to convert more and more into the idea that the concept behind art is very important. What does the project represent to the artist? What energy does it carry? Perhaps doing the journal and documenting all the steps is what gives more clarity to that process.  What energy does it carry? I am realizing the freedom we have as photographers as the medium changes. What Melinda does is cut up pieces of printed images from a book and make collages out of them. The idea that she as a photographer is most successful with a body of work that is not even her own photographs is quite amazing. In a way I am  relieved that I have total freedom to do whatever I want and step out of the confinements of my box. This was exactly my intention before I started the MA. At the workshop we talked a lot about photo books which is a topic of great interest to me. The idea of a hand made book is quite appealing but I am wondering if this would not be stretching myself a bit much to produce a book as my MA project. I am also realizing it is important for me to set myself realistic goals so I will think about that. The idea of a photo book with hand made prints or perhaps wax covered hand made prints even better, something both visually and technically special seems something really exciting. I have to think about this. Also how we send things out to represent ourselves is important I think i might take things a step further and produce some more "handmade" stainless steel images or small wax works to send out to people when need be. I am really keen to get into the colour printing!! :-) Anyway Melinda also mentioned a body of work that she has been working on for a while reflecting on and dealing with her issues about the suicide of her best friend if I remember rightly, this really made me think that in a way most artists are "healing" themselves through their own work. In a way it is a fine line to differentiate between therapeutic and what is just expression of ones issues and reflecting on them. It made me think that perhaps I ought to speak to more artists and see how this has worked out for them projects like that. On the way out of Bonington spoke to one of the 3rd year students and he mentioned he has done something similar inspired by Jo Spencer which was a clear sign I ought to interview a few people and see how it has worked for them. Will post some photos later. Gotta pic up Daniel now. :-)

The start

Starting seems to be always the hardest part from there things just seem to flow... until the next block I guess. For me maintaining a routine is important every time I break the routine it is like starting from the beginning so I will hopefully get a routine going that I will not interrupt too often... we shall see. I am hoping this will become a place of inspiration and documentation of my work and thoughts related to its progression.  I am going to be overly ambitious and try and upload a photo every day something that inspires me something that reflects my mood my mind or is just a part of me, meaning that quite literally sometimes. :-)

I get inspired so often and I can feel my energy shift in those moments, my mind gets flooded with thoughts and ideas, often if I don't seize that moment I am unable to reproduce it again in the same way later, that is why I am going to keep a hand written journal as well which I will scan or photograph and upload on to here whenever appropriate. I have bought some new camera equipment so I wanted that to mark the start of my reflective journal as equipment always gives me more inspiration and I end up being more inclined to take more photographs and to carry the camera with me.  Anyway I will finish with this post now and start working on my more specific posts.