Whitby and Scarborough

It wasnt just for a day out, I genuinly felt the need for some insperation!

I defienlty want to look at the idea of memory and collecting for my extended essay, got lots of books out library but wanted to try and figure out why this intrests me so much. 

When I was younger I would visit whitby and Scarborough every year with my family. I havent been in about 15 years so I was very eager to go back!

I felt myself getting quite emotional, desperatly trying to find the same yellow binocular as seen in the photo below; they had all been removed unfortunalty. I wanted to find that same piece of wall to sit on, and think I have been here before in this very spot, i'm not sure why, maybe to feel some sort of closness to this photographic memory.

I think it is important to call it a photographic memory; I can not actually remember this photograph being taken, however it sparks off other memories of the same trip. One of the books I have been reading, Memoranda: edited by Tessa Peters and Janice west, highlights how memories are more often than not about or involve another indivudual. It intrests me so much how one mundane object can help recall the same stories to several people. I am thinking that it maybe an interesting idea to draw, photographs some images of everyday objects and ask a group of people to write down an individual memory that comes from looking at the images( if anything does come to mind that is).

 When walking up the 199 steps to Whitby Abby, I wasnt sure what I would get out of it once I reached the top. I was hit with a sombering thought when I looked at the old grave stones, dotted about the cliff edge.

So many of the stones are completly unreadable with weather damage. There is a stone in place, to act as a memorial but to who? We can not tell now who has been forgotten.

 I am not sure if I could maybe use this idea as a narrative for my Practice 5 project, will need to do some thinking, reading, drawing and of course making to help me establish this.

I think that it is quite intresting being in Whitby and feeling all of these emotions towards the idea of memory, when of course it is the home of jet, so famously used in Victorian mournig jewellery, This is another path of enquiry to undertake.

Ohh and how could I forget to mention the delicious scampi, chips and mushy peas I had! Might need to go back for some more research........................

GNCCF

http://www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk/

On Thursday I was fortunate enough to be able to do a few hours volunteering work at the GNCCF office. It was a great opportunity, not only to lend a hand but get some feedback about my own work, then it was off out delivering leaflets around Didsbury in the the sun.....why did I wear a cardigan and scarf ?!?!?! Now just looking forward to getting to help out at event, where hopefully I can charm up some makers who will let me get some work experience in their studios!

Back to reality

Back to lectures, back to the studio.
So extended essay, fun. Got a few path ways to explore, looking at how mundane objects can trigger a memory or an object connect a group of people together. I am also interested in the difference between value and worth, the majority of the time our most sentimental possessions are of the greath financial worth but we would be lost if anything were to happen to them.
So my library account is max'ed out.

Hello plaster, hello slip, ohh how I have missed you messing up my jeans and trainers!

Again concentrating on the idea of memory, I wish to carry on from an idea that started at the end of my last project. I have previously took slip and by exploiting its delicate fragile nature, drawn similarites between that an old letters. Towards the end I started to use letter stamps to create messages on the clay surface that were most visable when held up to a light source.

By using different process I want to investigate texture and line quality of messages, or images, trapped within the clay.

Today I looked at using artists masking fluid in different ways to create different depths, some very subtle, under parts of the slip.

 As the slip was drying quite slow- for various reasons due to materials not being in use- the wax within the fluid did split the slip. I need to try this test again in better conditions to ensure that the time of drying could stop the split from occuring.

I also tried putting droplets into a bowl mould, so hopefully I shall see the outcome of this over the next few days. I have an idea of using salt or sugar on a flat surface to draw images. We all sit in cafes and play with the salt, spilling it over the table and drawing with it. In one breathe your image is gone. This sits very close to the thought of memories and moments passing by wuickly and not being able to savour all of them in the detail that we would like to.

and what do we have here?

So I have been meaning to do this for sometime now, lets see if I actually keep it up.
I have this great idea that by doing a blog it will motivate me to complete my weekly journal, that is a weee bitty essential to my final year.
Here's hoping that this is not wasted time and shall prove great success!!!