Talk by Jon!

(23/03/09) This morning one of the Interactive Arts tutors talked about the artwork that he had previously completed. His earlier work includes ceramic work that is based on the relationship between people and places reflecting upon how he lived in the countryside of Cheshire and commuted each day to the city of Manchester were he went to University. He then became a specialist in cardboard as he recognised what cardboard was tolerant to water as he made sculptures by dampening cardboard and overlaying it upon objects. He created many fascinating pieces during the time he was a full time artist.

One piece I particularly liked was a large sculpture of a shirt that was made out of recycled clothing, it was hung on a hanger that had been made out of scaffolding. Lighting had been placed within the shirt so that when the lights were turned down it looked beautiful. This sculpture was positioned in a barn near another two sculptures, one of a dress and one of a pair of trouseurs. It was fascinating to see a photograph of this artwork that included a person next to it as it showed the huge scale to which it had been created.

Below are a few points that stook with me after this talk:

• You can complete artwork simply just because you have an idea and you want to see if it works rather than having to have a symbolic meaning/theory behind it!!
• If you want to learn something why not teach yourself (for example art history as I would like to know more about the many art movements).
• Makesure that your artwork is accessible to your viewers!
• If your ever stuck within a situation, for example a meeting, why not change the dynamics of the situation? for example stand up/sit down, swop seats...may help you look at things in a different dimension/way!- example he gave was that he threw a pile of postcards (relevant to what he was talking about) upon the desk-everyone then started to look at them + get ideas.