Fine Art talk

Our last talk for this unit was presented by Melissa Jordan and Anna Ilsley, both ex long road students.

After Long Road Melissa did an Art Foundation at Chelsea, after this she completed a two year Masters degree, again at Chelsea. In the presentation we noticed that she uses a lot of dyes, varnishes and wax as her main materials. Jordan explained that she especially likes the consistency and the flexibility of the materials that she often uses. As one of her first major final pieces at Chelsea, she created an instillation piece consisting of a large amount of Lard on a large table, surrounded by constantly operating Hair Dryers, as the Guests watched the lard began to melt and form interesting and flowing shapes and forms.

Melissa's work often involves both the inside and outside of the pieces she creates, linking these together with inner lighting effects or constant changies, often this inlvoves the melting of wax, which flows from the inside of the pieces creating interesting forms and colour changes. Melissa frequently uses photocopied images which she manipulates and repeates for a surreal and fasinating effect.

Anna Ilsey did a NVQ at Long Road, before doing a foundation course at Norwich in Fine Art. She used mostly found metrials and objects in her early years. Anna especially liked using varnish and 'slidy materials' that collided together. Anna then decided that she needed to change the focus of her work and became heavily involved with sketchy, almost surreal drawings, which she then paintes from later, using mostly oil, applied with both brushes and fingers. she has not exhibited many of her works, yet is currently working on a commission and has sold quite a few paintings.

It was very interesting to hear from both artists about their experiences in the Art world and theiur use of materials and I think their advice and works will help and inspire us and our work in the near and distant future.

Textiles Talk with Gizella K Warburton

Gizella is an Artist, designer and maker.
Warburton completed a foundation year in Art at Leicester Polytechnica and a BA Hons degree. In both courses she experimented with different textile forms such as printed, woven and constructed textiles. She then became a commercial designer, looking at different forms of knitwear, embroidered textiles, leisurewear and graphics. After this Gizella became a Design Assistant, then Head of Design, Design Director and Consultant Designer in a part time basis.

Gizella has been involved in many Galleries and even spent time curatating a gallery herself. Gizella also attends ,any craft and textile art Fairs including the Knitting and Stitch shows which she will be participating in again this year and of which we attented earlier in the year ouselves.

Her work is fresh and clean, with her inspiratiuon comes for natural forms and decay. This talk was extremely interesting and helpful for those of us considering a textile piece for our final exhibiton.

Trip to Kettles Yard

We visited Kettles Yard yesterday, we looked round the Kettles Yard House first, then at the exhibition space attached.

Kettles Yard house has remained the same since the owners Jim and Helen lived and worked there, the extension, where the permanent exhibition resides, was built in 1973 and in 1990 Jim and Helen donated their house and collection to University of Cambridge yet remained in the House as live-in Curators, allowing Under-graduates to visit the house between 2 and 4pm everyday for the remainder of their stay.

Helen and Jim were very particular on where they placed there possessions. They looked at how the objects fitted together and the composition of both furniture and artwork. Jim was especially interested in light and the way it could be used to create different spaces and moods. Both particularly appreciated minimalistic interior spaces and how the shadows moved, changed and effected the placement and effectiveness of objects around the house. They considered everything they put in the house with great care and precision yet the house was still very much used as a domestic space.

The group found the non-permanent exhibition that was there by Agnes Martin a little less informative or helpful as the House, although the pieces on display were pleasant, they were extremely simple and minimalist, and despite having an interesting concept behind therm, the artwork itself was a little less interesting.

This trip to Kettles Yard was extremely interesting and enjoyable and will be of great help with our 'Changing Spaces' project.

Freelance Working

This morning we attended two talks from two independent and different artists. The first was an artist called Seb Antonio, a graphic designer and painter. He has been working freelance for two years now, and works for both small and larger businesses, alongside private commissions. He began his career teaching at Long Road, then went freelance, working as a graphic designer and painter. One of his First every jobs as a graphic designer was creating backgrounds for a children's show, 'The Cramp Twins'. He has also done graphic artwork for a book cover and a graphic novel, and is beginning work on graphic art for an entire graphic novel soon.
Our second talk was from an ex-student who only left Long Road a few years ago called Marcus Barns. During his first year at Long Road he Began his own freelance photography business, doing work for magazines, small events or work in his small studio which he set up at his home. As well and studying and succeeding at photography, he also studied business and that helped him greatly at managing his small business and finding work.
Both Marcus and Seb talked to us about their specific subjects and how to succeed in the business side of their work. It seemed their success in their business was down to their productive and positive attitude towards getting 'out there' and making themselves know to potential clients. I'm glad that we had the opportunity to hear their points of view about the business and art world and how to succeed in both and i think their information will really helpful with our Changing Spaces project.

About Us

We are a group of Long Road students who are doing a Art and Design National Diploma course. Currently we are doing a project with Changing Spaces, an organisation backed by the Cambridge City Council, which exhibits local Artist's work in the windows of empty shops. After a year of success, and for the first time, Changing Spaces will be exhibiting student work. And in three weeks time the year 12 NDAD(us included) will be setting up exhibitions in the empty shop windows of Cambridge. Over the next three weeks we will be working towards our exhibition in groups of six, and whilst working together, we will all be coming up with our own final piece to exhibit.