Symbolism within Aboriginal art is very important and tells stories of the people and their lifestyle and surroundings. A key feature of Aboriginal art is the circle, or circle within a circle, depicted by small dots close together, which represent a meeting place, campsite or watering hole.  People sitting, recounting stories, folklore and hunting tales, the spoken word strengthened by the visual image. This simple motif is central to many rich, colourful artworks, capturing moments in time and in- deed moments in history. The following Australian Aboriginal Proverb describes life and death:

‘We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through.

Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love, and then we return home’.

Like many indigenous people, the Aboriginals were always searching for a place; a place to be, a place to live, a place to create, a place to die.

This work in progress is a fused glass piece which depicts a microscopic view of mahogany wood. Trees are an interest and focus at the moment, the broader theme being Landscape. As mentioned in my Statement of Intent for year 2, I plan to develop my artworks to a stage where they become quite abstract but retain a quality of their own. I also hope to experiment with new media, such as glass as I love the colour and reflective quality it can offer to a piece of artwork.  Surface textures are also important and perhaps I may incorporate glass  with paint and felting to create mixed media pieces. This glass piece could become part of another work, become a series or simply stand on its own.

My place/space is the dining room table which has become very much a communal area in the house not only for myself as an artist but for my two children and the family in general at meal times. I have several other fantastic photographs of this working space, Continue reading VAP2 Voicethread Discussion:My Place/Space →

VAP peer review 1

Reminiscent of Hunterwasser in terms of simplified shape within shape, repeat linear pattern and harmonious colour, these elements combine, creating a dreamlike quality to this painting. Naive yet complex, on closer inspection one can distinguish the figure. This image is of a city, in any country, one which we may have inhabited or still might. Continue reading VAP2 Peer Review Voicethread →

VAP2 STATEMENT OF INTENT 9^TH OCTOBER, 2013 DIANE PLENDERLEITH

Bearing in mind the spirit of the Artist Teacher Programme, which is very much premised upon the reinvigoration of one’s own creative arts practice, please state in the box below your intended aims over the period of this module. State in as much as it is possible where you intend ‘to go’, what form[s] of inquiry you intend to carry out and using what medium/media? Clearly, many of you will want to follow on from work developed in Year 1, if so, tell us how you intend to deepen your enquiry still further. Continue reading Statement of intent →

I feel both inspired and disconcerted by the work of Egon Schiele. His subject matter is often questionable but as an Artist/ Teacher I am learning to ‘Unlearn art’ (Baldachinno, 2013); to put aside preconceptions of what art should be and allow myself to look at art anew, with an open mind. Therefore I have chosen to include Schiele in my study as there is much to be learned from him. In particular I am drawn to the group study of ‘The Family’ and decided to depict this in two different media; pen and ink and scrapper board. Previously I have worked around the theme of family and produced a mixed media piece, ‘Mother and Child’, which can be viewed on my title page.

Egon Schiele was an Austrian artist born in Vienna in 1890. He lived and worked at a time of the continents turmoil, amongst others, namely Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Sigmund Freud, Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Schiele was greatly influenced by Klimt whom he befriended and Klimt became somewhat of a patron to Schiele, introducing him to wealthy and influential patrons of art and the Wiener Werkstatte.

Schiele founded the New Kunstgruppe (New Art Group) in 1909. Klimt continued to support Schiele , introducing him to wealthy industrialists and surgeons. Schiele was also influenced by Toulouse Lautrec and painted ‘The Evil One’ in 1910. Many prominent figures within Vienna commissioned Schiele to paint portraits for them and his popularity was growing.

However on April 13th 1910 Schiele was sent to prison amidst allegations of seducing a young model and many of his works were confiscated and destroyed. During his time in prison, despite not having a mirror, Schiele produced many self-portraits and would often write sentences under his signature. For example ‘I do not feel punished, but cleansed!’  ‘I will survive for art and for the people I love’.  ‘It is a crime to set limits for an artist’.

Gustav Klimt died on 6th February 1918 and Schiele became the most acclaimed artist in Austria. Tragically Schiele died on 31st October, 1918 at the age of 28, of the the same influenza epidemic which had stolen his great friend from him.

Egon Schiele The Great Masters (1993) Park Lane

UNLEARNING/ UNDOING ART

As an Art practitioner it is vital for personal development to unlearn, coming to my practice armed with prior knowledge and experience of what art is or should be. Studying 20^th Century art has informed the learning and teaching process within Critical art and design studies as well as Contemporary work by artists such as Alison Watt and Alison Dunlop. Looking back at the Dutch masters of the 16^th Century has provided research information and style and methods to explore. Therefore embedded in memory are images created by these artists which have become a source of inspiration at their skill and mastery within a specific area. Nostalgic memories have been informed, perhaps etched in the mind. So to unlearn would mean to abandon a Romantic notion and forget works so beautiful, good and true. Therefore one must be prepared to unlearn, not have expectations. Continue reading Art as Unlearning →

The technique of collage is widely used cross curricular but is largely associated within Art and Design. Garoian and Gaudelius (p.90, 2008) appear to criticise the use of collage within the classroom, describing it as being devoid of critical choices or concept. My experience of the act of collage is that it is a vehicle which enables pupils to demonstrate skill and ability and great mastery while creating images which mirror the work of other artists, or real individuality and skill in bringing together images and materials which work together successfully, incorporating popular media. Continue reading Curriculum and Pedagogy as Collage Narrative →

Unlearning is about changing your perception and looking at things in a different way. Professor Baldacchino  in his seminar in GOMA, 2013 stated that as an artist one learns by ways of unlearning, by making mistakes, by turning art works on their head, we see things from a different viewpoint, with a different perception. Continue reading (Un)learning/(un)doing art →