Project Reflection.

Looking back over this whole unit of work from my initial urban sketches to my final mounted pieces I feel like the project has been a project that I have learnt a lot from and got a lot out of. This is not just in terms learning knew techniques within my specialist area but also in terms of context and how I see my work would fit in the world outside of university and furthermore, about risk taking through experimentation and learning from mistakes made.

Focussing on this idea of “risk taking and experimentation”, I believe that I have evidenced this throughout the project in various ways but I feel that there is so much further that I could have pushed this if given the time. I think that this experimentation is clear through my cross disciplinary approach to the project, specialising in knit and experimenting with new techniques, but also bringing in techniques that I learnt last year in embroidery. I have always intended to use the knowledge that I have in both of these areas so I am glad that I pushed this idea throughout the project. Not only this, but experimentation occurred right at the very start of this unit under the “urban influences” brief to go out on site and try out observational drawing. For me this was a big step as it is something that I have never felt confident enough to do, but looking back, I am glad that I did, as the drawings that I produced in that week fed into some of my best visual research for this whole project. If I ever was to do this unit again, I would probably try to be even more experimental, and this whole idea of constant experimentation and sampling is something that I find enjoyable.

 

In terms of the whole concept of this project, I feel that there could be room for improvement in future projects when producing a concept for a project. I think that being split into groups at the very start of the project and choosing the “urban influences” seemed like a positive thing at first due to my interests in modern architecture, which is something, that I have always been interested in. However, getting this “urban influences” brief did at times make me feel restricted especially when moving into my specialist area and being asked to explain my concept. This meant that I had to think about a concept for the drawings, which I had already produced, which I think would have been much easier to do at the very start of the project. However, in a way I am thankful that this happened, as I will definitely be more aware and be more thoughtful of my concept at the very start of my future projects. So, my concept of dissecting or distorting architecture through these detailed pieces of textiles has been supported through my project from artists research such as Daniel Libeskind, Cathy Reed and Serge Ferrari which have given me great inspiration within my drawings and sampling techniques.

This leads me on to the context of my work. Getting this chance to start thinking about my work and where it sits within the outside world and how I see myself in terms of a career has been a highlight of this project for me. I have always seen my work fitting into the broad area of textile art, which would be for a gallery space or commission work due to my interest in the audience and experiencing textiles in an unusual and interesting way. I have been greatly inspired by the artists Michelle Stephens and Lucy Brown throughout this project, as the way in which they work and present is where my interests lie.  I love the idea of people seeing textiles as something different to how they usually would in a fashion or interiors collection, and I feel like this project is the start of something that holds the possibilities to be explored so much further through lots of experimentation and development of ideas that makes me excited about future prospects.

Lucy Brown

Michelle Stephens

I feel like I have become much better at being much more considered and reflective throughout this project as I was in the first year of the course. This is through communicating ideas in my sketchbook in a way that actually aids my practice as a working sketchbook than a sketchbook to be presented. Also, my weekly blogging has helped greatly in realising where my strengths and weaknesses where each week in my drawing or my sampling or research, and being critical in reflection definitely helped in this process.

 

 

Furthermore, I feel that this project has left me in a position where I am full of inspiration that gives me lots of ideas and a sense of direction in which I would like to take my practice which I think is really important. This constant sense of development and movement that flows from one project to another is something that I think is key to finding a career path in the future.