Workshop research presentation:
Community…
I thought a lot before I decided to make this presentation about trying to find or think about an art project that is about community, as opposed to a community are project. However, I came across this community art project and it really grabbed my attention. It has obvious links to Mike’s workshop for next week as we will be creating our clay community in a model village and this project I have researched is about the strength and building of a community. The project I researched also links to running and my own project and my own interest in art therapy. I think having those links that I find personal makes the presentation more engaging as I have a real engagement with what I am talking about.
The things I did well: I got a cohesive presentation together and I stood up and presented it without any big faults, I am happy about that. I researched the topic well, I made good links to the workshop and my projects and I had enough content to almost fill the allotted time. I am very pleased I managed to speak clearly ish as I do find it a paralysing experience and my body goes completely discombobulated and panicked.
Things I can improve on: I know balance between text on the slides and my speaking on top was not at all correct. I put too much text on the slides and then attempted to read off all the information but I didn’t do it to the word so it must have been confusing. Next time, I should put simple bullet points on the power point and then read from cards or notes the extra information. That way, I can also face the audience more.
My project:
Reflection…
I have got to the point that I feel a bit stuck. I’m annoyed with myself as well as I know why and I know what I have done wrong, albeit not exactly my fault I got ill in the first place. I started off really well, I like the idea and I made new work and I found a way of making this project that I liked. I have no been doing a project about running without actually been able to run for the last 4 weeks. That in itself is not a huge problem as I have adapted to it and used the feeling of not being able to run as fuel to create a project that is more emotional. The real problem is that I have basically lost 2 weeks of work on this project if I’m being completely honest. One week I was in bed as I felt so ill and the other week I had no energy or motivation and I made a decision to use all my work energy to the other modules. Sometimes we have to prioritise but I do regret it a bit now as I know the reason I feel stuck is because I haven’t done enough.
Another aspect I need to improve is that I just need to do something but do something brave. I have been and want to be too safe. I have dabbled in different styles of text and image combinations, but now I really need to pick something and run with it. I need to create something honest, that I like and that is experimental. Too often I worry about the audience, if things make sense or if things look nice. I just need to trust myself and not bother about if it is ‘good art’ or not, whatever that is. I do think some of my experiments worked a lot better. I preferred the use of digital text as opposed to the handwriting and I think the more ordered text worked better.
Experimentation…
I decided on the structure and form I thought worked best from my previous experiments, so I have focused on developing that and tried to be bold. I decided to use only portrait format photos and to use digital text. I went with the idea of the text being a snippet from my brain at the moment the photo was taken.
I now have an idea of how the final outcome would look in real life. It would be booklet with one of the above images on each page, with a photo of something mundane and binary on every other page like the shoes, numbers, stats or similar. The thought being it is like an illustrated and conceptual diary.
Running update…
I can’t run properly still, I have now got a plan for a comeback now though. I am going to do a week of longer walks, light gym sessions, stretching and drills to build up to try easy jogging a bit in a week or two depending on how that affects my energy levels. I need to build up fitness very gradually when recovering from glandular fever, if I go too fast it will set me back. Project wise, it means I won’t really be able to create many new photos from new runs, I will have to use my memory.
well you gave yourself some honest and brutal feedback, a kick and you moved forward, what can I add! well done! and it worked the new series is looking great, the text is open, informative, honest, personal..totally engaging and accessible. Why the red and black? black for training, red for race? keep playing with fonts and arrangements, I have to admit I like the empty path rather than seeing you or others, it might also not be so obvious you are a runner, for a while anyway, I like the ambiguity, the mystery, the sky in the Cardiff image, just the sky, so just the roads, just the sky – for me thats interesting..the absence filled with your thoughts, no need to describe anything visually, could be that over time the image just turns into colour..?