#tusworkshops

In TUS we have an extensive library resource where I like to spend some of my time researching the many books and fashion editorials.

I'm particularly interested in hand weaving skills and textiles.

I attempted to work on a piece by using a technique Called 'smocking' which I thought only applied to my mothers curtains back in the 80's.

Through Colette Wolff's book, The Art of Manipulating Fabric, I have been introduced to a more fulfilling creative adventure to learn new techniques to apply to my final design.

These are some of my final test piece results..

Exploring ways to create ruffles, frills and shapes using smocking.

Monday evening I spent 2 hours in the Digital Fabrication workstation with tutor Jennifer O Riordan making a large scale version of the Mayfly wing on the laser cutting machine scaled up from my first prototype from last weeks trial.

I choose this image as the viewer can use it as a window while seeing the fragility and brokenness of the wing structure maintained by threads as I imagine how the Mayfly's wing may look after it has descended into the water at the end of its own lifecycle.

I continued to experiment and play with my fragile wing after it dissolved in the river.

As the weather here is at -3 it was a perfect opportunity to get an array of images as it froze in the cold misty air.

A little gif while it is caught in the movement of a frozen plant.

Continuing to work with my swatches I progressed to working on the clothing mannequins.

I continued to place my swatches on the mannequin on Thursday. I have taken inspiration as a result of seeing them in place and visualising a final piece.

Below is a collage of process images taken in the second week of the ceramics workshops. We are now glazing the square box pieces from last weeks w.shops into these pre-made black and a blue glaze. We had to stir the mixture as the bentonite /Kaolin clays in the glazes tend to settle quite quickly on the bottom after stirring we dip the piece in being careful to not fully immerse it as we didn't want to fully cover the bottom of the piece.

Elaine then showed us how to mix up underglazes as some students preferred to paint directly onto their finished pieces instead which also gave them a variety of coloured glazes to apply.

For the second part Tutor Elaine Riordan took us to the ceramics studios to demonstrate a method called 'extrusion'. We took lots of photos to visually document the process and the results. I enjoy using equipment to achieve a variety of structures with clay.

For my primary research I have taken the theme of Movement to be represented through water.

These are images and short clips of videos taken recently of rapidly flowing water after a heavy downpour of rain and some others of sleet / hailstones shower.

Today I attended this workshop given by tutor Sharon Legear. We discussed in detail the use of language when we are describing our work to our peers. The importance of having a clear concept and then being able to relay it through the avenues that we choose to express our project work was vital to developing my own understanding between literally and laterally in the end result.

This workshop was constructive and conducive to helping me clarify my concept and how I can push forward for the remaining two weeks.

The images below are from my second small Mayfly wing, this one is more delicate and without a frame, so the resulting images are different to the first batch I did. I like this method of working exploring color, layering, light, textures, digital technology to further my concept of the Mayfly lifecycles.

As a continuation of our 'Temporary' project after I did Yvonne Sweeneys Draw/redraw workshop I was able to develop my plans to move forward. Yvonne introduced me to other tools she uses in animation and interesting artists to research. As a result I created these images in studio 4 and studio 8 using photography, light and colour.