Little and not Often!

This seems to be the way my blogging goes, for my followers i am sorry i dont post often, but hopefully that im now a free person i will post more often. I have recently finished my degree, had my final show as a DMU student.

A few photos below.

Me and my framed pieces

Sails.

Times (close up)

 Final Main piece.
 75 indervidual sails. all threaded up. and attatched one by one with fishing wire.

 looking up.

Artsist statement for above project.

Everything in life affects the outcome of my work; it could be a walk in the sun, bad news in the family or even a pile of offcuts in the studio. The world surrounding me and my experiences are what motivates and influences my work.

My current body of work is greatly influenced by a person so close to my heart, a father figure, a best friend and an amazing role model, my Nannan (my grandmother). In May 2011 just before my final show as a second year student the family found out my Nannan was suffering from terminal lung cancer, with only a short time of 3-6 months left. Hitting me hard I struggled through and my Nannan came to see the show, I was so proud she had travelled the 89miles to come the show after such bad news; she hadn’t and wasn’t giving up. I hadn’t yet found the strength to be quite so normal all I could think is this is the last show of mine she will see. I became withdrawn, until the 10^th of August 2011, when I rang my Nannan as I do every night, I recorded the time I called, 8.32 pm and the call lasted 8.32 minutes. I’m still unsure as to why I did this but I carried on till I felt I no longer had too. These numbers are the basis to my work, the glue that holds it all together, just as my Nannan holds my life together.

Capturing the positive attitude of my Nannan carrying on as normal, showing no weakness, I wanted my work to show strength and structure but look fragile at the same time. This was to resemble life, how the strength can be weakened, the structure can change and it can all fall apart from one element changing. These elements are shown in my choice of materials, the fragile handmade paper, thin yarns and invisible thread. All so delicate, but hold together strong.

It is also a big part of all my work that it’s not self-explanatory, that people don’t know what it’s influenced by, so they can make their own story or just appreciate its beauty. I don’t wish for people viewing my work to feel sad because it is based on bad news, but to know that it has benefited me in many ways. Kept me busy through the hard days, and given me and my Nannan something to talk about during our nightly phone calls. 

Thats it for now bloggers. keep a look out, and check out my website too. www.ajsmixedmediatextiles.com

The beginning of the End

Bloging again, hi strangers, i know its been a lil while since i last typed up.

below is a photo of a sample of what im creating atm, its handmade felt paper, then shaped by punching holes along the sides and threading cottton through. small detail shows just how thin my paper can be.

Well its all coming to an end now. time sure is going quick, myself and my friends are feeling the presure, producing totally different work for my degree show, compared to my exhibition of 2011.

I like to keep things fresh and always try new things, although i had lernt the skills i have used in this project from as far back as college, i have addapeted them and pushed them further, creating some exciting things. happy with what i am currently doing, I will be more than please to be relieved from this pressure, i cant wait to be an independent maker, and make things in my own time create my own deadlines, and most of all not have to have so much legwork behind such simple beautiful ideas.

Art in my eyes is something to relax me, creating new things is what makes me, me. What makes me happy. It relaxes me, i dont mind having a story behind my work, but a story thats easy to tell thats simple and doesnt give you a headache, displayed in a simple picture book. Or even better id love my viewers to look at my work and create there own story, give my work meaning to them.

All welcome to my final exhibitiom at DeMontfort uni in leicester. private view 15th june,5pm till late. the show is open to the public then for the week. will be much quieter after the private view, enjoy the work just a little bit more then.


(appoligies for spelling mistakes its been a long day) :)

Slow Summer

Well although my summer has been extremally busy since the exhibition, each day seems to be going slow.
i have a busy july ahead of me also but the new project begins in august for me.
Recently i visited the New Designers in London, i recomend all art lovers to visit, its an amazing exhibition, and hopefully i will be there next year.

I know this is a short entry, but like i said im a busy girl, i have no internet to hand as ive just moved out so wont be another entry for a while. as the DMU library isnt my best friend at the moment with silly opening hours.

Hope my follows, have a great summer.

x

Better late than NEVER

S.P.Path

Just over 2.5 meters this piece took over 26hrs to make.

Laser cut pieces (the loose bits from the other pieces and samples)

Calico, tracing paper and fabriano paper, on wire.

This piece brought back great memories from my journey through college one perticular year, with a great tutor SALLY POSKITT. Whitout her I wouldn't be here today, she is and always will be a great tutor and I can NOT thank her enough for the help and support she gave me for a whole year. (Well pretty much still to this day.)

THANKYOU SALLY

Throughout this project my life was average, easy going hard at work at uni, and paying the bills, glamorous I know, but I had some bad news about a dear family member very close to my heart, this amazing woman is everything to me, she's my daddy, my best friend and my rock. She's been there from day one, she's told me off and grounded me, gave me hug when i've cried and laughed with me when im happy, oh and laughed at me, plenty of times.

At the end of every phonecall, on every evening of every day of the year, she always says the same thing, and this is where the name for these pieces get their names from.

It gives me the greatest joy to name these pieces after my NANNAN.

nan - "be good"

me - "I always am"

nan - "Just like me"

me - "yup Just like you"

I look forward to hearing these words for a long time to come.

Love you nannan x

"Just like me" on the right "Just like you" on the left.

"Just like me" Different sizes, each  piece is a laser cut piece of Fabriano paper.

The design if from a crochet sample, I drew in the gaps to creat a lace type pattern I then spent hours recreating the patteren on cad, to make such beautiful work.

"Just like you" same thing just bigger and not sculptured. Set of 3, layered.

OH and to tell you all i'm of to cornwall, on friday with my family my Nannan going to be so happy down there, best money i've ever spent. Visiting all her favorite places, newquay, st ives and lands-end.

Too little too late

Hi all i know i havn't updated this in a while, and this wll only be a little post, the exhabition went extremally well. my family got up to see it was a great pleasure as well to see my old tutor, good old Sally, I wouldn't be were i am today without her.

When i find my memory card i will upload a few photos of my work in the gallery, unfortuantly I didn't sell anything but if you do like any of the work do let me know.

well thats it for now. do keep a look out there will be more really soon.

The Set Up

Well the time came today to go to the gallery and set up some work.

As you can see a few of my group are extremally happy to be there, yeah sure. this been at 11.30am and the stress levels are running high.

Although not us all there are some smiles about.

Below on the left we have Charlie aka 2D obseving her work been done, just kiddin she's a hard worker just taking a break. Another pair of hard workers of the day on my right we have Rini and Emma aka Chocoholic and Gobby, I see a smile.

Another big smile from louisa aka Weeza, working hard as always, weeza has been my support throught this whole event, we have shared some stressful times, but we keep smiling through it.

Although it may seem that i walked round with my camera all day i did NOT, indeed my work was delayed but i expected that as my place in the gallery is the door way No 1, the 1st you see good place i think, but this came with its downfalls waiting for people to move things, making sure everything had arrived so knowone would stand on my work while coming through one of 3 doors.

After painting plinths that wasn't mine, wall spaces that wasn't mine and eating a Mc D's it was my time, the time being 3.45pm.

In the hour and 45mins i had left of the day i did manage to get up one of my three pieces. SUCCESS!!

Things were looking up, and had taken a good turn from the hetic morning, I walked out of the gallery with a smile on my face, cuts on my hands and paint on my bum.

Then came more trouble, but all in a days work.

Happy reading my followers, and at the hour of 3am the following day, i wish you a happy wednesday and they will be more photos later on today.

The statement

Not alot to update working hard getting my work done for the exhibition.
But i thought i may just share with you my Artist Statement. Was told to be less flowery, but then it wouldn't be me, and i think this is inportant.

let me know what you think.
e-mail: amanda.a.j.s.sanders@gmail.com

Everything is beautiful in different ways or when partnered with other things. In this world we waste so much, remnants of fabrics, pages from books and clothes with worn patches. These are just a few to mention but things like these in my eyes don’t have a use by date, they just become interesting in a different way, a project to complete. Seeing the world like this opens up all kinds of possibilities, you see extraordinary things in the most unlikely places, a piece of art in a pile of loose threads, and this is exactly what inspired me to work the way I do.

Having a love for knitting I used this as a starting point, roaming charity shops for unwanted items knitting and crocheting with found balls of wool. This quickly developed into a pattern from my process of manipulation of items, a pattern that can be altered to any size and still has an impact. Finding inspiration from shop displays I knew big was the way forward. The love I have for natural tones, I walked the path of canvas and paper, transferring my pattern in many ways both by hand and machine. Laser cutting then became my new best friend creating a precise cut of such a delicate pattern, flooding with hundreds of remnants that any other would disregard, but in which I found beauty. Using both the piece produced and the remnants I have created the varied selection of art that you see before you, not wasting a section from the original pieces of paper or canvas, proving that the things we throw away in life can still be used and still is beautiful.

Like the world my art is unpredictable, and works with its setting, and in each place it will look different from every angle you will see something new. I invite you to explore my art, to see the beauty I have created and see the possibilities of a single sheet of paper of a piece or canvas.

Hope you enjoy reading.