Talor Thornton. @talor-thornton - Tumblr Blog

Presentation feedback.

5105 Evaluation.

Personally, I found it hard to get this project started. I struggled to find a site with a piece of art and/or design in it that I wanted to work with. Before I could make a Decision, I looked at 3 possible artists; Louise Bourgeois, Beth Derbyshire, and Andy Goldsworthy.

I finally decided to base this project on The Rootless Forest by Beth Derbyshire. I chose this work based on the Birmingham to Walsall canal because I was inspired by the movement and journey along the canal, and decided Birmingham’s water ways would be a great site to base my own work. As a response for this site I produced a series of origami birds made from bio degradable paper. These would be left along the Birmingham and Fazeley canal, and left open to the elements to symbolise that nothing is forever and that we should appreciate it while it lasts. The aim for this project is to make people more aware of there surroundings and the nature that thrives along canal sides throughout the city.

Throughout the duration of this module I have acquired a series of new skills such as the art of origami folding and wire drawing. I have also gained knowledge on applying for funding for future projects, the canals in and around Birmingham, and also the wildlife that habitat along these canal sides. This new knowledge and skills will help me in future projects and even though I never used the wire birds in my final design, I plan to develop this skill further.

I feel the most successful piece of work I produce whilst doing this project was my paper mache Kingfisher, as I had never used paper mache before I think it was a successful first attempt and represented a kingfisher well.

The aspect of this project I found most challenging was coming up with an idea to base my project on. I failed to come to terms with what was expected from this project so for a number of weeks and I was just going around in circles before my project finally started to make progress. I think in order to improve this in future projects I need to be more organised and plan out my time better instead of losing time I could be developing my work with.

I need to practice using photoshop as I found my little knowledge in the program meant I was unable to complete a professional looking leaflet design for one of my ideas.

Overall I think this has been a Successful project but If I have learnt anything it’s to improve my time management, practice with programs like photoshop so I am not restricted in Future projects, and finally develop my skills in wire drawing so I can possibly come back to them in future projects.

Funding?

My site Specific artist I started developed my work from was Beth Derbyshire and The Rootless Forest. The Rootless Forest was funded by Arts Council England.

To also get funding from Arts Council England I would also have to fill out an online application.

“There are two stages to the applications process: Stage one- You must complete an online application form telling us about your proposed capital project, the amount of funding you would like and how your project will contribute to our long-term goals for the arts. We will then assess your application and let you know whether you have successfully made it to stage two of the application process. We will also indicate how much funding we have provisionally set aside for your project.Stage two- If you are invited to stage two you will need to complete a second application to secure the funding we have set aside. This application can be submitted at any time within 18 months of our stage one decision so you can develop your application to meet our stage two requirements.” - www.artscouncil.org.uk/

If I was unsuccessful in getting funding from Arts Council England, they offer a source for funding from other organisations.

Development of design idea 4 - Final design.

Design idea 4 - Final Design idea.

This design consists of origami animals made from bio degradable paper. I chose to use bio degradable paper because it's Eco-friendly and also because it symbolises the life cycle. Nothing is permanent, changing habitats risk the nature living there. As with the bio degradable paper, change in weather conditions and the origami animal will start to disintegrate.

Final Design Idea.

For my final design I plan to develop design idea 2. I will produce a series of origami animals out of bio degradable paper, and leave them along the canal side. I plan for them to be no more then 15cm tall, so they are questioned by anyone who comes across them. The whole basis to the idea is that they are not permanent, like the forever changing habitat along the canal. I also want to make people more aware of the nature that runs through the city’s canal sides instead of being ignored on a daily basis.

Development of Design idea 2 leading to Final design idea.

Slinkachu - Street Artist.

“The 'Little People Project' started in 2006. It involves the remodelling and painting of miniature model train set characters, which I then place, photograph and leave on the street. It is both a street art installation project and a photography project. The street-based side of my work plays with the notion of surprise and I aim to encourage city-dwellers to be more aware of their surroundings. The scenes I set up, more evident through the photography and the titles I give these scenes, aim to reflect the loneliness and melancholy of living in a big city, almost being lost and overwhelmed. But underneath this, there is always some humour. I want people to be able to empathise with the tiny people in my works.” - http://slinkachu.com/bio

I came across street artist ‘Slinkachu’ when looking into ways to display my sculptures. His aim to encourage city-dwellers to be more aware of their surroundings intrigued me as my aim is also to make people more aware of the nature that thrives through the city along its canal sides.

Development of design idea 3.

Design idea 3.

This design is based around a public event, where people would be given a leaflet full of facts about the animals that habitat on the canal. In the leaflet will also be a map for people to follow trying to spot the animals along the way. The animals they are trying to spot will be made out of wire. I chose this material as it isn't likely to fall apart if left outside, durable to all weather conditions.

Design idea 2.

The idea behind this design was that nature is often over looked and littered with rubbish. Turning somewhere beautiful into an eyesore. The idea is to include origami sculptures along side the littered canal side. This is to connote the nature we overlook on a day to day basis. This is not a permanent art piece. It is a piece open to the elements and will decay in time.

Design idea 1.

A series of wire bird sculptures attached to a shopping trolley is the basis to this idea. I thought of the idea when researching into canals and the fact canals and stereotypically littered with shopping trollers. Wire would be my material of choice for this design as I want the birds to look as if they are part of the trolly itself. The kingfisher is one of many birds that live in a canal habitat. I chose the kingfisher as it is the hardest to spot, despite its vibrant colours unless it's in flight.

Further Material Development.

After doing a few experimentations with wire my birds were becoming more defined. But I still wasn't 100% satisfied with how they looked. I feel they lost the delicate feel I got when experimenting with paper. I then thought why does it have to be a permanent sculpture.What if the sculptures worked with the weather instead of fighting against it. The structures would be given a life span of their own like the animals they were based on. Why not use Bio degradable paper, see the different rates of decay in the different weather conditions. Would it be like the king fishers where in the deep winters upto 90% of their population perishes?

Material Experimentation: Wire 3 - Kingfisher 2. Here are what my wire drawings turned out like with 1.5mm colour coated enamel. They are much more successful then the other two attempts. The colours are much more accurate to a kingfisher and the detailing has improved drastically. As the wire was thinner I was able to neatly attach the different coloured wires together in a spiral technique as well so this one has a more refined finish.

Material Experimentation: Wire 2 - Kingfisher. I brought some 2mm thick coloured enamel coated wire to develop the original wire drawings I created. I took on Steve and Dans advice and put the black wire aside and started working with the selection of coloured wires I'd brought, but something wasn't right. The colours weren't the right shades for a kingfisher and the detail of the contour wire drawings were lost because the 2mm wire was to thick and wasn't as malleable as the original black wire. Instead of just giving up I placed an order for wire that was only 1.5mm in thickness to see if I could improve the detail.

Material Experimentation: Wire 1 - Bird. I experimented with using wire to produce these 'wire drawings' for material experimentation. I really liked the effect it gave of contours. After a feedback session with Steve and Dan we discussed how I could take this further. What specific bird, why not black wire, some birds are known for there bright vibrant colours why not express that in the sculptures? They were right, so I placed an order of coloured enamel coated wire to develop these wire drawings.

Material Development.

I know I want my final piece to be made out of recycled materials but I struggled with the idea that the piece would be outside, meaning I would be restricted to materials that are durable, and will last in all types of weather.

To over come this I decided I would do some further material experimentation with wire.

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Talor Thornton.