During this project I have developed my work through a connection between practice and research. At the start of the project it was the visual research that forwarded my project and helped me settle on an idea.
An important part of the project was to edit and select ideas to develop the work further. This technique was introduced during the machine part of the textile world. I was creating samples, then looking back over them to edit out what I liked about each sample and then creating another one. This was very useful as it taught me how to look at my work in a different way. It also taught me how one idea can lead onto another idea, that the more you do the more ideas will spring from it.
Whilst working on this project I have made some important self discoveries that will hopefully in the future will help move my work forward. One of them being stopping during a project. At certain point in the project, I stopped at a point and just made the same samples over and over again. I felt that i didn’t push my idea further enough and played it a little too safe rather than experimenting. I felt that I was worrying too much about what I was creating rather than just sampling.
During this project I have learnt to take a step back and look over visual research properly and take time to notice what the picture is telling me. This is something that I have never really thought of doing before, which I believe is where my downfall is when I stop during a project. Again, this was pointed out in my assessment as something I should be doing often on every project I do.
Looking back over my work, I don’t believe I used my contextual references very well. I think that I picked good artists and designers to influence my work, but never looked back over them and used their ideas in my work. Again, this was brought up during my assessment, I was told that I should broaden my research and look at other artists, not necessarily textile artist.
I believe that I am using my studio and workshop time wisely. During the start of the project I didn’t make the most of the time and focused on working from home on independent study sessions.Then as the world went on and I switched to machine embroidery, where the work was a big more structured, I began coming in and using the machine rooms. I think this has got me into a good routine of coming into university and working in the studio.
