Great Day in Class

Shirley, my sister-in-law, and I started a 3 day class today - Think Big, Draw Bigger.  We had a great time, drawing on paper up to A1 size.  There were 6 in the class, so plenty of group interaction.

The class started by drawing all sorts of objects on the table, on the lining paper covering the tables.  We drew in every type of dry media, and lots of different things, in all different sizes.  Then we identified a piece that inspired us, and cut it out.  I liked two pieces - the first was bright green/yellow necklace beads drawn over graphite stick scribble.  I don't know who in class drew it originally, but it certainly was not me.  I like black or grey combined with a bright colour.  First we had to copy it into our sketchbooks, working out what order different media had been used.  Then we drew it again, enlarged slightly and with a section added via window isolating bars.  Then we scaled up to A1 size on the wall, which makes you much freer when mark making.

My interpretation, A3 size

Enlarged and drawn into using isolating bars

The final exercise used the second inspirational piece.  This had a lot more colour.  My piece was about 8 x 10' and I scaled it up to A1.  Over the past year, I have rather lost my way with colour.  I used to love working in high colour, and while working with cloth, was very free with it.  But since my work has become more conceptual, I have moved much more to black or grey drawing media. Today I was back happily working with colour, but all the colours were already in the sample, which was drawn by others.

Original from group exercise, drawing on the table.
Charcoal and oil pastel. About 8" x 6"

A1 enlargement Drawn in chalk pastels.

Tomorrow I would like to get my head around how to be the initiator in the use of colour.

A3. Drawing without looking at the paper, graphite stick, pencil, pen

Scaled up to A1.  Drawing with charcoal, pencil, graphite on end of long stick

A3.  Drawing of thundery skies, charcoal, paper stump, marker pen

Scaled up to A1. Charcoal and marker pen on end of stick.

I find landscapes/skyscapes very difficult.

Then we moved onto drawing at different scales and with unusual tools.

5' high enlargement of thimble

A1 enlargement of thimble.
Drawn with pastel/graphite stick,  ink and brush on end of stick,  ink on cardboard

A3. Drawing thimble with bubble wrap, and children's bubble blower

A3.   Drawing needle case using paper cup case, pompom and stick with ink

A3 Drawing of lightbulb with ink and drinking straws

Drawing by feel - top of pen box, biscuit and stone.

Drawing with 2 pens - charcoal and graphite stick.
Wet wipe box and pritt stick

Starting to analyse data

My MA class participated in an exercise about Values for me.  I asked them to identify a female, and a male known to them, and identify 4 reason why they valued these people.  Then we did the same with a woman and a man in the public domain.

I have listed below some of the raw data.  I am seeking a few more contributors - there were only 7 in the class at the time, 5 women, 2 men, so I need more men to balance the data.  I will then sort the data by the first column, to see whether values specified can be associated with gender or public/private knowledge.  I should then visit a museum to see whether any of the portraits on display fit any of the grouped criteria.

Interestingly no-one listed power, wealth, status or beauty as a value - yet these are the common values of the paternalistic commercial society.

These will be broken down by age and gender of contributor, and private/public nature of subject.

Female individual	Loves intensely	Reliable and steadfast	Goodness – making sure, doing her best for those around her, kitchen sink and fruit bowl,	Self Sacrifice
Male individual	Clever, inventive	Human	Relation to nature, to the earth	Hard working
Female public	Holding people to account	Incisive	Sense of rightness for society	Measured
Male public	Insight (representing egalitarian, democratic view, image of Britain)	Humanity	Courage	Creativity
Male individual	Energy (lots of it)	Discrimination (ability to identify differences based on criteria)	Supportiveness	Similar tastes
Female individual	Intelligence	Full on character	Similar problems	A beautiful soul
Female public	Massive creativity	Visually creative (amazing clothes)	Beautiful work transcending boundaries – mix of popular and avant garde	Intelligence
Male public	Intelligence	Good ethical person	Transcends country’s own values	Good ethical values
Female individual	Supportive	Collaborative	Imaginative	Honest
Male individual	Supportive	Collaborative	Imaginative	Honest
Female public	Strong	Imaginative	Plays long game – no compromise to get quick solution	Collaborative
Male public	Makes tough ideas easier to achieve	Can do approach	Seemingly boundless energy	Collaborative
Female individual	Kind	Caring	Generous
Male Individual	Patient	Witty	Caring	Loyal
Female public	Educated	Friendly	Interested in me	Patient
Male public	Safe	Friendly	Interested in me	Knowledgeable
Female individual	Honest	Reliable	Grounded	Principled
Male individual	Earnest	Light hearted	Modest	Intelligent
Female public	Self assured	Intelligent	Strong Communicator	Does not appear to take self too seriously
Male public	Challenges	Assertive	Brave	Intelligent
Male individual	Quiet	Unassuming	Wry sense of humour	Focussed
Female individual	Loving	Hard working	Trustworthy	Honest
Female public	Ambitious	Forthright	Unafraid of confrontation	Prepared to be unpopular for her cause
Male public	Ambitious	Direct	Amusing	Truthful

Feeling frustrated with myself

I get frustrated with my lack of skills.  I know I am developing new skills as part of my MA, but I repeatedly do not grasp the level of skills needed in order to do things well, soon enough.

It was suggested to me that I needed a website to publicise my work several months ago.  I dismissed this as "I'm not going to need one".  Since then I have decided I am not going to be a commercial artist (so I don't need a website), I don't have a big ego and thus need to publicise my work (so I don't need a website), actually I talk better than I make (so I don't need a website) ….. but I think I might enter my work in competitions that fit my practice….. so I need one ….. now!

Gareth, a class colleague, showed me how to set up a simple website, and did the first actions for me.  Since then I have been on holiday for a week, and having returned, tried to edit the basic website.  I struggled so much.  None of my work is to a high enough standard.  My photos are poorly taken - wonky, badly staged, etc.  I just don't have an eye for detail.  I can't remember what Gareth showed me to set up the website.  And once I photograph my stitch work, when magnified, I can see all the details that are not quite perfect, that you don't see with normal eyesight.

Mrs Konieczny's crossword

Vanda sent me a competition entry for ALL, Art Language Location, a Cambridge based event requesting artworks to fit artist-selected locations for an art trail.  The theme is text. Closing date yesterday. My work fits perfectly, and the application form requests a website.  I just cannot get it set up in time.  I forced myself to submit an application, but I have to admit it is a poor attempt.  As a shortlister with a lot of experience, I would not shortlist it.

I have read articles about the poor applications that get submitted, and feel inadequate because I have fallen into most of the traps discussed.  But on my side, I have to say, some of the application forms are quite poor too.  Yesterday's form requested attachments, but the attachment symbol did not work.  It requested an artist statement, but no box to insert it.  The work description was limited to 200 characters.  Up to 6 photos were required, but work was not expected to be complete, or even started.

But most of all, if I had set up the website already, my problems would not have existed.

And since then, I have been looking critically at other people's websites, realising how much work goes into getting them set up, and the amount of professionalism that it takes to get things looking right.  As usual, it is not until I try to do it myself, that I have any idea how much skill it takes.

Research musings

Despite being on holiday, I had a trip back to London to go to class.  We were looking at different ways of categorising and coding objects.

We considered why we had paired some objects and not others.   Grouping things makes research easier.  We considered aesthetics versus function; sets; shapes, stacks.  We debated whether associations were cultural - in British culture, we would associate a cup with a saucer, knife with fork; but other cultures would not.  Many cultures use a cup without a saucer, or have knives but not forks.  A good statement to pose is "These things go together because …..".

What role does culture play in creating associations?
What role do senses play in categorisation?  Senses, frequency, constraints.
What role does use play in our categorisation?

It is very easy to get data - we often end up with too much.  So Coding enables data to be reduced to manageable levels.  Things are coded for use as well as appearance.

What use is data to me?  Use grounded theory:

Have no preconceptions
Allow issues to rise/occur to you
Gather data
Approach material openly
Refine the issues - what are you looking at/considering.  What interests you?
Iterative process and reflection.  Is this what I do when writing my blog?
Put into analytical framework.

Glaser and Strauss.  Good writers on this subject

Then we considered Academic Writing.  I suspect our Proposals, submitted a month or so ago, indicated we were not particularly good at this!

Critical thinking - via reasoning and intuition

Have a questioning attitude.  Identify the underlying question.  Dissect other people's dissertations. Reading widely identifies what other people think about your topic.  You can use "I" occasionally, but not to give opinion.  Needs to be backed up by argument, but fortunately you get to choose the arguments to be used!

Quotes.  To be used in every paragraph.  Gives:

- direct evidence of significant points
- emphasises a point.
- writing then analysing deepens your understanding (don't  I know it, from writing a blog!)
- enables a reader to consult original text
- use quotes to compare and contrast different perspectives.

1. Introduce the quote.  Who, where, what was said.
2. Quote.
3.  Indicate important part, draw significance from, and compare/contrast with other quotes.

When reading, write quote in colour, then your interpretation in black.  then you know which is which.

Paragraphs - TEEL

Theme
Example,
Explain
Link.

Stella Cotterell - Critical Thinking Skills.  Good book.

Encounter with Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Walberswick

We are holidaying in Southwold. We went to Walberswick, across the river and discovered a plaque from the Charles Rennie Mackintosh society, at the Bell Pub.

He and his wife, Margaret Macdonald, spent a year living in Walberswick from 1914-15.  I think by this time his productive career as an architect was over, and he was in ill health, so he migrated from Scotland to Walberswick for the milder climate.  He planned to publish a book of flower illustrations, as he was still fit enough to do watercolours.  Apparently he was in negotiations with a German company to publish it.  This led to him being viewed with suspicion by the locals, as he had a lot of post from Germany, had a strange guttural accent (Glaswegian!), and kept himself very much to himself, apart from frequenting the local pub.  The information board in the pub said displeasure from the local residents led to CRM spending a night in the cells!.

Busy day at class

I had a huge wobble of confidence yesterday, specifically when a tutor referred to my work as trite.  But today I had to pick myself up and run an exercise in class.  This went surprisingly well.  Everyone participated well.

Detailed analysis of data still to be done, but general overview shows both men and women known personally shows participants value personal characteristics like honesty, principles, love, reliability.  Men and women from the public domain were seen as having a public persona, but some were seen as personally holding qualities like incisiveness, assertiveness, bravery, strength, collaboration.

Linden thought the subsequent analysis went very well.  I thought I did not control it very well (partly because I had forgotten my glasses and was straining to read my prompts!).  My note taking was not great either.  (Should have appointed a scribe).

Q1 - is there a difference in values between people we know, and those in the public domain?

Reason for us giving visual attention to the public domain.  Difference in positioning between museum/gallery/public.  Apparently modern adverts are based on 18/19th century paintings.  They are designed to make the viewer jealous of what you could be (but are not).  Reinforces what you want but don't have.  I thought it was interesting that what the MA group valued in people in general, was not Power, Status, Material possessions.

Galleries - public status.  Virgin Mary - link to personal stereotypical values.  Public figures linked to personal qualities.  Barack Obama portrayed as a 'decent guy', Michelle Obama shows a lot of bosom but this is acceptable and she is popular as a First Lady.

Old portraits were not designed to be displayed to public - they were the personal possessions of the affluent and showed what the commissioner was proud of - power, status, beauty.

Pre- 20th century women artists e.g. Artemisia Gentileschi, were well known prior to 20th century, but were eradicated by modern historians, then came back into vogue with equality agenda.

Adverts play on the spectacle.  Make spectacles socially acceptable and make us accepting of a norm defined by the advertisers.

Talked about Richard Branson.  Spends a lot of attention to get teams right.  No more than 10 in team.  Trust leads to complacency.  Corporate trust high in UK.  Small companies get less trust.  French don't trust and are not complacent. Go on strike freely(!).  Reliable and steadfast - core values.  Create relationships - this is what they do.  People who are good in the public domain - key ability is acting skills rather than at a personal level.

Mo Mowlem.  Good Friday Agreement.  Stuck to it until agreement reached.  Perceived to do what was right, rather than career enhancing.  Respect - gained by consistency, talk, honest (not disingenuous).  Not highly politicised.  Understanding in order to get solutions, how to use information to get decisions.  "Don't kill the baby, make it together".

Detailed consideration of data to follow.

Then I had a helpful tutorial with Linden.

We discussed my abstract for the Gender conference.  Linden said it was a good idea to put a bibliography with it.  Half of writing should be about parameters and vision - what, how, where, half on the work produced.

Identify an area or subsection of what I am interested in.  Practice based research - leads to an answer in  appropriate media - in my case, stitch.  I mentioned the NPG Collections Policy, and their reference to achievements which they list as sport, medicine, engineering etc.  So I need to work out how to adjust what is meant by "achievement".  Linden advised to think about Aunt Joan's jumper.  Consider medium and value.

Read up on Spinosa.  Defines good because it is socially right and good for many.  Not about absolutes - more about negotiated goods.  Many right answers.  Men have different frames. Work out the differences between the frames men/women.  Conventional values; values from different perspectives.

Advised to read Luis Irigary - feminist writer.  She was careful of feminine e c r i t u r e.  She was not sure where the feminine writing was leading.  In the general imaginary women put self into masculine discourse.  It will take a lot of female input for it to be manifest in general view.  She was not clear where feminine e c r i t u r e would lead.

Need more detail on where we get value systems from - I have stuff on this - push and pull of power organisations and democratic taste.  Linden recommended Richard Shusterman - taste.  Specifics about different value systems and frames within which they exist.

Linden also mentioned that she had been at a conference with Luis Irigary speaking, and because she was not saying what a group of militant feminists wanted to hear, she was unpleasantly heckled.  Linden seemed very rueful that she, as a member of the audience, had not intervened to stop the heckling.  This makes me a bit wary about speaking at a conference (Linden things this is courageous -or maybe stupid!)  However, at least it makes me aware feminists may not be the easiest first audience.  And potential lines to use might be:  "I was invited to speak here, so please hear me out… "There are many different ways of being a feminist - not all are noisy and strident, quiet and thoughtful is just as valid … "Please dim the lights so I can see the audience - do the people not heckling wish me to continue? …  "If the majority don't want to hear what I have to say, I can stop …

I mentioned what a wobble I had after yesterday's tute.  I accepted it was my role to take it all on the chin, and take what I found useful.  Linden said my art practice of samplers was fine.  Check out the etymology of skill.  What I am doing is the meaningful articulation of elements.  Consider the format and syntax of samplers.

A short notice tutorial with James Hunting

This morning Linden sent me an email suggesting a tutorial with James, so I went in this afternoon to see him.  As instructed I took my recent sketchbooks, and Georgian sampler.

I am using samplers and stitch to portray undervalued skills and talents of women.  James said if he made a piece of work about his mother, she would be really upset that he had used the textile media.  I said I had spoken to two daughters of the women I wanted to portray, and they had been delighted at the media.  This surprised him.

I said it was the act of making that was important, rather than the outcome.  He was adamant that samplers were made to be examined and makers would be instructed to unpick them if they were incorrect.  This surprises me as they often have mistakes in them.  We had a debate about whether technique was important to me - which it is not - I find mind-numbing detail rather anally retentive.  He said that if I did samplers, they would inspire detailed examination

We discussed various cross stitch artists, most of whom I was familiar with, but could not name.  I mentioned Matthew Smith, and James said he was a friend of his, but not to look at his work (?).  He recommended looking at Richard McVetis work which is all about the time involved, rather than technique.  He suggested looking at Celia Pym about mending, which is not my subject at all.  He also recommended reading Mary Lou Trinkwon about sampler theory.

Richard McVetis, courtesy of Crafts Council

As my work is about recognition of value, he suggested I might like to think about badges and awards. This horrified me.  I loath badges and awards with a passion.  He was thinking about Girl Guide badges and how they indicate the achievement of a skill.  I was thinking about the honours system, with I think is a corrupt old boy's network, where the people who are nominated are friends of people with power and influence.  My previous employer regularly nominated people for awards, and some of those who received awards for actions during major incidents, were not even on site at the time!

We identified that what I am doing is all about language.  This was an absolute gem.  To me, this is why samplers are so pertinent to what I want to portray.  Samplers have always used stitched words - so it is appropriate to articulate values.  Language about what is to be honoured.  Not just about words, but about what gets done or missed out. Because of this, don't use the word sampler, as it has too many stereotypical associations.  But how to describe instead?

We discussed Judy Chicago's Dinner Party piece.  James said she had been dismissive of the people who did the stitch work, and had refused to acknowledge them in the final artwork - one these people is a friend of his.  I have read the book that accompanies the work and she does acknowledge the skills of other people, required to complete the artwork, although I cannot remember whether they are listed by name.  My critique of the Dinner Party was that it did not elaborate on WHY these women were significant, and there was too much focus on the vulva, rather than the skill of the person.  His disdain for her might have been well earned, but this is why I don't want to meet any of my artist heroes in person.  Top artists don't get their kudos by being pleasant and kind, and sharing their knowledge and acclaim lightly.  Their position is hard-won, and the result of hard work and, probably, hard-nosed business practice. So, with my heroes - Grayson Perry, Cornelia Parker, and a few others - I don't want to meet them, because it would probably burst the bubble.  I just need to admire their work and their concept.

I also showed my Cryptic Cross Wood, where it contrasts the materials that symbolise manual and intellectual value systems.  I said my first collection could be samplers, and the second might juxtapose materials and value systems.   James said he advised making just one sampler because of the work involved.  More likely because he does not rate the idea.

Look at Whitechapel Gallery Intellectual Barbarians - before 13 March when it closes.

James made the point that I need to be really clear about why I am using samplers.  I think my reasoning is quite clear and simple - samplers are a traditional female technique that expressed issues that were important to the women who made them.

I am now feeling fairly puzzled and confused.  I don't think James understands why I want to use textile, sampler and cross stitch to express how I feel about the values of women.  But I don't know how to be more clear about it.

The tutorial has given me a huge wobble and I am unsure whether I am competent to express myself about my views on how UK  society values, or could value, women.