Assignment one

In a few short weeks I've come a very long way.  I've tackled all sorts of tasks and enjoyed them all.  Towards the end of mark making I was very ready to move on to stitch but I can see with the benefit of hindsight that the mark making practice is going to be the crux of what I will do whenever I stitch.  My most recent work was very dependent on what I had learnt in Project 1.

I found it surprising that my least favourite medium in Project 1 (oil pastels) was the one where I think I produced my best work.

This is a real lesson in prejudging where my skills might lie!    Another big lesson is that there is no right way - if it works it's fine.

Some of my learning is of the "life" variety. I've always been of the opinion that work shouldn't be put off until tomorrow.  In this Section of the course I've found that an attitude of "manana" often solves a dilemma or changes initial thinking.   For me there’s a freedom in this way of working.

I feel I as if I have permission to be spontaneous and experiment not caring (a great deal) if things don’t work out.  I’ve enjoyed this so much.  That said, not everything works well that way.  My Sample in Project 2 Stage 3 was not considered sufficiently and I was most dissatisfied with it.  I’m going to have to find a happy medium that I feel sure will involve good planning and an ability to make changes if necessary.

The idea that everything is inspired by something sounds obvious but to me it needed pointing out.   It has amazed me that my drawing can be cropped and re-interpreted   to become something different.

I have read some of the set books but don’t feel at the moment that I have used what I have read.  I suppose the ideas have filtered in somewhere but I haven’t done much by way of formal research therefore my reading remains unacknowledged. My sketching as I go about my daily business isn't working well - in fact I'm not doing much at all.  I can really see the value of it but somehow cannot seem to integrate it into my work.

During the first few weeks of the course it so happened that I visited lots of exhibitions and I found I was viewing them quite differently to previously.   However, I find it very difficult to be critical about artists whose skills are far ahead of mine. With mark making in mind even a trip to M&S is not the same as it once was.

I know I have to look at the assessment criteria and comment on how I think I'm performing.  I'm more concerned about this than anything else I've done as I really don't know where to start.

I was very excited about starting the course and I’ve not been disappointed.  I’m looking forward to the next part and hope I find the same sort of satisfaction.