Alice Bradley - Artist statement.

Growing up in south Devon I’ve been surrounded by nature, and somehow that always seems to sneak into my work. I’ve always watched television and films and loved the fantasy side, a world that doesn’t exist but when you’re sat watching something for 2hours you can get so caught up that you can sometimes forget about the outside world. I have the problem of always noticing dresses. It’s what I love. Ballroom gowns, the detail that has to be applied to just one item of clothing to end up with something truly spectacular. And then you can look at period dramas, the reality of what our ancestors were wearing 200 years ago, how simple some of it seems in comparison.

I really am taken with costume, when it comes to understanding a character having to figure out their own view and what would seem realistic to them, but then I do like to add my own details, that link to the personality of said person but in reality makes their outfits seem a bit to special for everyday wear.

Currently in my textiles work I’m looking into the tale of Alice in Wonderland. After seeing the Tim Burton film of the story I think that I was truly inspired by the different outfits, dresses, gowns that the character of Alice is wearing. Traditionally Alice is wearing her simple blue dress with an apron, but in this interpretation she’s now a young women no longer a child and so this gave the designer more room to play around with her clothing, to give a more womanly aspect to her dressing.

Artist Statement-Alice Woolliscroft

As an artists i am forever frustrated by the fact that when you go to a textiles exhibition you have to conform to the traditional boundaries of typical art institutions, i want to abandon this idea that work cannot be touched and i want people to be able to use those senses that are usually forbidden when viewing my work. I feel that when viewing textiles work, the tactile dimensions of the work are of the upmost importance, so i don't feel they should be placed behind screens or glass cases, but out in the open for the public to have a personal experience with the work. 

My work was initially inspired by the idea of; How can Art be enjoyed by people less fortunate enough to have the use of all their senses, predominately sight. I started by looking scientifically into the ideas of, touch, taste, sight, sound and smell, and how art can be changed or manipulated to help or inspire when there is a lack of one or more of the senses. This made me realise just how many ways we can look at the senses, is it to benefit those with a lack of sense? Or is it to play on the senses, to entice, intrigue and maybe even confuse them?

I quickly became more intrigued with the idea of touch within the use of my textiles work, and how the choice of material can stimulate so many different reactions and emotions when used as a fabric on a garment. Once i chose my fabric i decided to use the technique of drawing with stitch as a embellishment to the garment. Using the idea of touch within my work, led me to think about how touch is used within the human body and in turn this led to researching anatomical drawings, especially those of Leonardo da Vinci. 

When people see my work, I'd like them to get up close and personal with it, touch it and use all their senses to enjoy it.

1. Alice Woolliscroft

No one likes change –Project- Exhibition Work

       Examining change in a personal way has been the central investigation in my current project. Art for me has never before been truly personal or conceptual; but this illustrated emotion has, in hindsight only benefited me with my work, allowing clear direction and personal motivation.

‘No one likes change’ is extracted from my personal memories of a difficult time. This, in broader terms has allowed an insight into the contradictions of the controlled and uncontrollable aspects within ‘Art’. I am also exploring the idea of pursuing the mistake, allowing it to perhaps change the direction or encourage and benefit the spontaneity of my work in an otherwise controlled structure as such.

The use of colour suggests warmth and familiarity and juxtaposes with the phrase suggesting change, There is a range of medias within this body of work, and simultaneously explore text, the visual and the audio, in the use of sound waves to give direction of line, and illustrate change of direction.

In essence the current work explores the juxtaposing feelings of good and bad change, the contradiction of controlled and the uncontrollable, and amid that, using a colour palette of comfort, warmth and stability.

Alice Falvey

ARTIST STATEMENT

 Alice Falvey

      To present myself as an artist is a difficult task at hand, due to the sensitivity, individuality and preciousness of your own art there is a vast feeling of vulnerability in sharing with others. The art world is competitive, as, within reason, everything has been done before; one cannot stand alone as an artist, but are formed and constructed by other influencing artists, people, places, media and history.  It is therefore; who has inspired me, what inspires me, and contextualising my place within ‘ART’, that suggests who I am within my art world.

      Contemporary Art is emphatically broadening, allowing an expressive interdisciplinary attitude suited to my method of creating art. At the age of 16, I Found enjoyment in drawing with anything but pencil, this led me onto stitch and into the idea of fusing together fine art and textiles in any way possible.  I began to use stitch in the way pencil or paint may be used to define line, shape or direction. I am, to suggestively pigeon hole, a textile artist.

      Colour is possibly the most integral aspect to my work, colour affects mood, atmosphere and allows pre assumed connotations, which assumingly allows the viewer a personal connection or empathy with your work. I find that my colour palette is influenced by fashion and interior design of the moment, as it is what makes an art piece contemporary, and contextually of that time.

      My art works of present are developed ‘collages’ of mixed media; paint, print, paper, fabric and oil pastel. I play with scale and enthuse in layering, seeing the progressions of work clear within the actual art piece. I also suggest ‘art for art’s sake’, allowing the beauty of the piece to speak for itself without need for analysis or interpretation. The direction, thickness or style of line or stitch express the movement of my hand or arm, motion can portray personal mood. I tend to work in an abstract way, but often use a primary stimulus of an everyday object, or sometimes work from the figurative.

      Influenced by the four P's; past, present, people and places, my work is ever expanding, evolving and developing but remains within the textile/fine art area.

Molly Gibbons - Artist Statement.

I am currently in my second year studying Art and Textiles at Bath Spa University. These two creative subjects allow me to express myself within a range of different materials.  I have enjoyed the opportunity this course has given me to focus on the work I feel most passionate about; something which I feel is reflected through my art.

I specialise in hand and machine knitting which is influenced by the shapes and patterns of maps.  I use computer aided design to create my own patterns and knitted words in an efficient way. I enjoy mastering complicated patterns and experimenting with different types of wools and colours. The medium I use dictates the type of wool I favour. When using the knitting machine I prefer lamb’s wool and when hand knitting I prefer to use acrylic. The quality of these materials combined with my favoured techniques produces pieces soft in texture.

More recently I have been inspired by three dimensional forms, sculpture clothing and text and image.  Experimenting with different materials has developed my ideas through the use of recycled fabrics, wool, paper, wire and wax.

The artists which have influenced my work include Cat Mazza, Liz Collins, Ruth Cross and Lisa Anne Auerbach.

http://www.mollyswork.blogspot.com/

Cake Sale at Sion Hill!

The poster for the cake sale was created by Molly Gibbons.

CAKE SALE TODAY AT RECEPTION!

10AM - 2PM

All profits will go towards our group exhibition 

called Esoteric Illusions.    

Fundraising for our exhibition!

Today our group held a cake sale at our university art campus at Sion Hill in Bath, everyone in our group made a variety of cakes to sell. We raised £43.70 towards the cost of our exhibition. As a group we have already raised £112 from two cake sales which were held at Newton Park Campus.

The group has been impressed with how much money we have raised from our three cakes sales. We have now made a profit of £155.70. 

Thanks to everyone that supported our cake sale!

esoteric illusions goes on tour

Esoteric Illusions has been given the opportunity to display their art work at The British Inspiration Awards on Friday 8th at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London, EC1Y 4SD. Hope you can all come see it, and do some celebrity spotting with us, winners last year included;

Alexander McQueen

Matthew Bourne

Sir James Dyson

exciting stuff!

Work in progress

by Amy Jones

'Skinhead Stamper' A small preview of a comic strip by Andy Hughes.

My good chum is creating a zine for the Bristol music scene, and rather stupidly, asked me to come up with a comic strip for it. I have made a rough drawing to give him an idea what the front cover for it will look like...and hey presto.

Skinhead Stamper follows the misadventures of a moronic, beer swilling, racist, ignorant English football fan. The locations vary from council flats, canals (where he tossed the body of his pregnant girlfriend) and the Northern English streets. He is a disgusting character and the material is purely satire. I am also illustrating a friends novel so I will post pictures as I am doing much work on them in the upcoming week or so.

Olivia Mason's work

livimason.blogspot.com

Camila Sadler - Home, Posessions & memories

www.wix.com/camilasadler/camila-sadler

James McNeill's work

jimicus.blogspot.com

alice woolliscroft's work

My work is a direct response about my frustration to not being able to touch textile work within a gallery setting.

Alice Falvey, Textile art of the moment, abstaction and exploration of colour code

Free Screenprinting and collage of mixed media, progressions in bookwork.

Geometric abstraction with stitch, acrylics and oil paint.

Begin to look at line in terms of the figurative, a hint at illustration/storytelling.

Colour exploration

Alice Bradley - Some pieces from my sketch book