After the John Blakemore workshop I have been inspired to try to make a box John had one with him we didn’t try to make it as he said it to difficult to do on a weekend workshop, but I thought it would be a great accompaniment to my final photographs and can’t wait to try my hand at making it.
Finally finished any very proud of myself it was quite difficult to make but well worth the effort.
I have been looking at Matt Collishaw’s project “Last meal on death Row” and loved the quality of his work, while I was researching I came accross this article in the Independent online that I found very informative:
Accessed 4/12/2015
After much deliberation and thought I have decided to photograph Janet’s belongings in the style of 17th century still life the main reason for this is I want to treat her belongings with reverence by taking them taking them out of her setting and into the studio. In preparation for this I have been researching artists and reading a book called “Oil Painting Secrets From A Master” by Linda Cateura, it has some great tips about light and composure.
things I noted:
Still life is not about looking it’s about seeing, still life asks us to stop and see something new.
Light comes form the left on almost all still life paintings.
I have also watched the BBC documentary
At out exhibition meeting this week, Greg mentioned trying to get sponsors he suggested friends and family if we could get £20 per person and all aim to get 10 sponsors we could raise £2000 relatively easily, I posted on my face book and had 4 sponsors within an hour this drove me on to create a sponsor form, I decided to walk the length of Castle St approaching shop owners for sponsorship within two hours I had raised £160 plus my family sponsors £240 in total.
It was great to see Colette today she gave a excellent lecture on the “Golden Thread” this is the thread that runs throughout your work and is the constant throughout your practice, she also said sometimes we don’t know what the thread is until later in our career. Colette made a “hash tag” goldenthreadlectures on twitter before coming into college and invited friends and colleagues to participate.
These are some of the tweets.
The lecture was full of good advice and reminiscence of her story so far.
I found Colette’s lecture very interesting as the golden thread running through her work is “community” which is a thread that has run through my own practice and my final project. Colette speaks with great passion for her work and incite into the way she has managed her projects.
I have had a great weekend at Manchester Art Gallery attending the John Blakemore workshop I have learnt a lot about making different types of bookbinding and I have made a book of my own that I am rather proud of, we also spent an afternoon editing and sequencing Prints it was good to see how the professionals do it . John is a lovely man who doesn’t mind sharing his secrets. I am definately going to use my new skills as part of my final project.
This Weekend we have been at Burnage Community Sports and Social Club, for the last four days the weather has been mixed sunshine and rain, we had lots of people on Friday and Sun but Sat and Monday were quite slow we did Face painting, card making, and a photo booth we raised nearly £200 over the four days which was not as much as we hoped but we learned a lot, about resilience and team work and I learnt how to face paint, the people that came responded well to what we were doing we just needed a venue that attracted more people, there was such a lot of free entertainment in Manchester for Easter weekend people were spoilt for choice.
Today I visited Janet to record her thoughts, she told me more about her life, a lot of personal thoughts, at the end of her interview she had just been telling me about a man she had worked with on a mental health ward who had been to prison for murder, when they were in conversation he had stopped and said said he would never hurt her and she was comforting him and sympathising when she thought out loud..
“There was me giving out all this advice I’m still living in the past I can’t move forward, I can’t! I keep thinking about: Will I ever drive again? Will you ever go on holiday again? What happens when the stair carpet wears out? What happens when my tumble dryer is not working? What happens when my Cooker is not working properly? Washer and dryer touchwood? Hoovers okay No carpet down here Two rugs that need a bloody good steam clean I’ve got “NO MONEY” I want to get myself a job I want a couple of days supply teaching I’ve got to “STOP DRINKING” and I can’t And I don’t know what to do I don’t think I have got much more to say Any ideas! We sat in silence”.
We can hopefully collect lots of money for our show!
I can’t wait to attend this next weekend..
Date: Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 March
Venue: Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3JL, Tel: 0161 235 8888
Time:
Saturday:10:00 – 16:45
Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00
Event listing on Redeye’s website: https://www.redeye.org.uk/programme/events/editing-sequencing-and-handmade-books-photographers-john–blakemore
Outline event plan:
Day 1 Why make books?
To make a book is in itself a pleasurable activity, necessitating decisions on book form materials, methods and so forth, but beyond this the creation of a book requires an intense engagement with the images through the activities of editing, sorting and sequencing.
Together with John, participants will explore these problems through the examination of a variety of hand made books. Participants will be encouraged to browse and question the books to gain a better understanding of the process.
There will then be a consideration of the tools and materials required to create a book, and John will demonstrate the making of two simple book types. There will then be a chance to discuss your work, to work out the sequencing, and most appropriate book type for your prints.
Day 2 Creating your book
On the second day, John will work with participant’s on the final consideration of work to be included in the book.
John will then guide participants to produce a handmade book with the opportunity to review the work at the end of the day.
On Arrival:
The workshop takes place in studio 2 on the ground floor – see floor plan attached.
Please make your way there for registration.
Diane Scott-Thomas Photographer 