Getting into the term time spirit

Maybe this doesn't apply too directly to many of our readers, but term is soon to start. It baffles me to think that one day, when I'm a big grown up, June and September will mean little more to me than the Summer Solstice and my best friend's birthday.

Not that it'll go totally unnoticed by me when suddenly my commute to work is devoid of chattering school children and the funfair moves into the park across the way from my house and the university students who rent a house next door to me seem to think it's alright to be having a party until three o'clock on a Monday morning.
I have been very irritable this past week and I get the feeling it's largely due to the fact that it's September now, and I start university for the first time in three and a half weeks. I'm scared, quite frankly, not just at the prospect of being in a new place with new people, but also at the idea that I'll have to get out of my routine of doing what I want when I want for three months into a 9-5 timetable (bloody art and design degrees taking up three times as much of your time than any others).
I have done... a little preparation. The power of Facebook and the Internet in general means I've been able to talk to a few people on my course already. I gave myself a few projects to keep myself busy over the summer, of which I've completed... half of one.
So maybe this isn't a big time of your life, maybe you ARE a student, and you still are unaffected by this transition... you're probably one of those cool laid back people who takes everything in your stride and can suddenly switch from getting up at 1pm every day to 7am every day with minimum jet lag. Maybe you're a grumpy old man who associates with no young people and locks himself up in his house always, except to get his shopping on Saturday mornings when the streets are guaranteed to be free of anyone under the age of 28 all year round.
If you're a student... I wish you luck, especially if you're going in to a new school or college. Just remember, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE DONE IT BEFORE YOU, IT CAN'T BE THAT BAD. Read more...

Digital-Natives

As part of my research for my MA thesis on digitalization and its effects on culture and photography, I set up a Flickr group with some of my A level photography students. It is called 'Digital-Natives', which is a term that was coined by Marc Prensky in 2001, referring to the generations who have been 'born digital' in Western society. Born after 1980, these 'screenagers' and young adults have not known life without the Internet and mobile phones... Whereas those of us born before the 'digital revolution' are 'Digital Immigrants', we have had to learn the digital language, secondary and have varying degrees of 'accents', such as printing off our blogs/emails... because we might not trust the Internet fully... for example!





As a teacher, it is important that I recognize the differences between my 'digital native' students and how they learn from the way I was taught... They do have shorter attention spans, for example, but this does not necessarily mean that they are lazy, they do things differently - often multitasking - being switched onto 4 or 5 different media at a time - rather than sitting and reading a book or just watching the TV without being online and listening to music at the
same time for example...
The idea behind the Flickr group, was to create a place where we could take discussion outside of the classroom, taking it to a higher level than the time we have in lessons allows for and to work on a collaborative project with no hierarchy. I wanted to involve students in some educational research - giving them a voice for a change. Aware that I may be learning from them as they are more 'connected' than me!
I started the project by getting all of my students to answer a questionnaire, asking them what photography was to them and how they use it... this resulted in fairly predictable general answers, such as "capturing a moment" and the fact that they don't print their photos very often, as it's cheaper and easier to share photos online and store them digitally... I was concerned as to how useful the analogue techniques and philosophies that I teach in class were to them... but it was unanimous that they were very keen to learn traditional photography and this is of great importance to them! I believe that despite the ever changing climate with digitalisation, it is integral to photography education, that learners start with basic analogue equipment and techniques - processing and printing negative-film in a darkroom, in order to understand how photography works and to learn its history...



The next stage was a series of lunchtime discussions and debates about photography, with a group of volunteers and from there we formed the Flickr group and have been continuing the debate and discussions online.
This is the first time I have worked with students in this way and it has proved to be quite fruitful in engaging them in issues in photography, outside off their coursework...
Although, I hoped that we would be equal, I have had to take a leading role, both in facilitating meetings and keeping things going online, but some of the students have shown initiative in starting new topics... Surprisingly the group has posted a lot more discussion than images; because the project is quite conceptual they seem to be finding it difficult to visualize and I have had to return to my 'teacher' role, briefing them on ideas... The fact that these students are giving their own time freely to the project is a very positive sign of their interest and commitment to the subject. Is this way of working more suitable for todays generation, rather than setting them a 'summer project' in a sketchbook for example? Or will the same dedicated students always put in more work regardless of media? I think that doing a project like this may tie in with the way young people use media - checking this site and adding comment, as often as they check their 'Facebook' and emails... it's just another 'page' to look at...



The Flickr group is open to people who want to join us and from august it will become 'public' (people wont have to join in order to contribute) I would be very grateful for any feedback on our Flickr group and whether people think it is useful, how intelligent it is... ideas for improvement... as I intend to incorporate it into my thesis exhibition as well, at the beginning of September... Please check it out by clicking here and join us if you're interested!


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ARTSBLOG LIVE WEEK

After much preparation we’re all set, and frantic with excitement – welcome Artsblog Live Week! And what a programme we’ve got planned for you... with two fantastic live events, accompanied by a deluge of online activity, including videocasts, tweets, podcasts, blogging and more. It’s all aimed at exploring how artists and audiences interact with, talk about and create art works using the internet. More than that though, it’s also a celebration of the achievements of the Artsblog to-date. Have a quick scroll through the blog archive - with a huge range of live art, theatre and exhibition reviews, and coverage ranging from national service in Nigeria to un-appreciative Turner Prize visitors, the atheist bus campaign to performance art weddings...is it any wonder we’re rather proud of ourselves? Read on for full Live Week line up details...



NEWSFLASHES
Released at 3pm on Monday 25, Tuesday 26th and Thursday 28th May
Streamed live from 8pm on Friday 29

Log on to the Artsblog to see live videocast footage of the Artsbloggers preparing for the ‘Artsblog Live’ event on Friday, and then take part yourself on May 26th. Expect a quirky take on everything from promotion to some rather physical preparation, all with the comic and unusual slant of our diverse set of Artsbloggers. Newsflash 5 will be streamed directly from the ‘Artsblog Live’ event on 29 May, enabling an intimate insider-view of Friday night’s action, as it unfolds.

PODCASTS
Downloadable from the Artsblog, from 12pm, Wednesday 27 May

Download a podcast walking tour to guide you on your journey to the Artsblog Live event on Friday 29, or just to listen to and follow at your leisure. Choose from two Podcasts recorded by our Artsbloggers: a burlesque Jack the Ripper Tour or a soundscape DJ set, both based in the area around Commercial Street, London E1, with one starting at Liverpool Street Station and the other at Aldgate East Tube.

ARTSBLOG LIVE WEEK DISCUSSION
7.30pm, Tuesday 26 May, Brick Room, Toynbee Studios, free

Join us at Toynbee Studios or online, here on the Artsblog, for a round table discussion that everyone can get involved with. A group of performers, bloggers and artists will be invited to share their views on the relative merits and complications of using the internet as a space to present work, and will be open to your questions. We’ll discuss issues such as developing new audiences, questions of ‘quality’, notions of truth and representation, and the impact of all this online activity on ‘real life’ books, print media and art. The following group of individuals – who all spend their time writing about, observing and performing art works, music, fashion and current affairs on the internet – will be attending and giving their views:

Tassos Stevens (theatre-maker & game-designer, Coney)
Isabell O’Carroll (blogger, Catwalk Queen and Brandish)
Anna Goss (music manager, music blogger and blog PR)
Linda Duffy (artist, ‘Encounters’: Accidental Festival)
Holly Revell (teacher and photographer)
Ben Beaumont-Thomas (blogger, Bad Idea Magazine and playitasitlays.net)
Justin Allen (artist, Switch Performance)
Ant Hampton (artist and performance maker, Rotozaza & The Other People)
… and the Artsbloggers themselves (yes – you’ll be able to meet these cultured wordsmiths in person!)

ARTSBLOG LIVE – INTERACTIVE EVENT
7.30pm, Friday 29 May, Artsadmin Arts Bar & Café, Toynbee Studios, free

Witness the virtual and real worlds collide at the Artsblog Live interactive event. Come along and try out some surprisingly lo-fi versions of social networking tools, join us in creating an online collaborative piece of work, or even grab five minutes of fame by featuring in the recording of the final Newsflash.



ABOUT THE ARTSADMIN ARTSBLOG

The Artsblog was set up in September 2008 by Artsadmin and a group of participants from past education and participatory projects at Toynbee Studios, as a way of talking about the arts. It continues to be run by this group of young artists, students, teachers and performers, all of whom are driven by an interest in live art and performance. We all contribute for free, and no money is earned through advertising or sponsorship on the blog. The Artblog is fuelled by our passion for opening up the often small circles formed in the live art and performance world: we want to encourage conversation and debate. It is with these objectives in mind that we have developed the Live Week programme of activity you’re about to experience – get involved!

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'Sneak Preview'

It really is all consuming putting on an exhibition, I'd forgotten how much work is involved! The whole process of getting it organised and publicised has been quite stressful due to lack of time and this weekend was lost to framing and hanging; a tiresome task - bring on the day when I have my own minions to do such things for me! As if! I have been questioning why the hell I'm doing it and who it's really for - I feel a bit guilty for being so absorbed by it all - as if my work is so important! But I've committed - my head is on the block and it's gotta be good!


Here's a statement I wrote for it:
Emerging from collaborations and adventures with friends and muse, these photographic pieces seek to capture a child like innocence and a playful spirit within adult themes. Un-posed, subjects are caught semi-unaware in an attempt to capture intimate moments with themselves or a playmate. The work subverts the idea of a so-called masculine, feminine and 'gay-gaze', and concentrates on members of the gay community in London, to which the artist is drawn. The show also includes the beginnings of a project based on the artist's experiences and identity as a 'fag-hag' and invites other ladies and their gay friends to take part in a collaborative project. The artist also desires new 'muses' and welcomes any 'gorgeous' gay men to satisfy her artistic needs!




This is the first time I've exhibited in a while, since becoming a teacher over 4 years ago. The work I've been making is very different to that which I did previous to teaching and to be honest is quite the opposite to the more 'socio-political' work I try to advocate. Since falling into teaching photography as a subject, rather than general fine art, I have moved into a more photographic practice of my own and have been inspired to experiment with new skills and media... which is good for me and for my students and the resulting work is often quite beautiful to look at. I have always used photography but more as a documentary tool for my own performances and interventions or set up ideas and observations. I never made 'pretty pictures'; they were more like statements or comments.

So over the last few years I have collaborated sporadically with my friend and muse Nate, who is a gorgeous young gay dancer. He has been a great source of inspiration and encouraged me to get out there and show off the fruits of our labour. The work is quite self indulgent I guess, it's been fun to make and was possibly an escape from the reality of full time work. It is nice to look at (mostly) and I feel almost apologetic for that because there isn't a hard hitting message in there. It's quite ironic because I'm also working on some critical, theoretical work about photography and digitalisation for my MA in art and education. I have also worried (unnecessarily I think now!) about the content of some of the images which are a bit 'saucy', because of certain ideals of how teachers should be... and wondered whether I should invite colleagues and students - (I did in the end).
But what the hell - here I am exhibiting in what was once one of our locals and was in fact where I first met Nate when he was working behind the bar. And now it's all up and looking fabulous, i do feel quite proud and excited!
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Foundation Art and Design Trip to Berlin and Prague: Teacher Perspective

Now that me and the 17 foundation art and design students that i took to Berlin and Prague are all safely back in Blighty, I can breathe and say "Wow, that actually went quite well!"


Now that we've been back a couple of weeks, I've had time to digest our week away and pat myself on the back for organizing it all! Being my first time taking students abroad, I was quite anxious as to how it would go and convinced that I'd forget something crucial or lose a student... Of course there were some blips along the way but generally it went very smoothly and I was impressed both with the students and with myself!

It's such a privalidge for students and staff to be able to get out of the classroom for a week and have this experience,and although the main purpose is to give students the opportunity to witness art and design, galleries and museums in a different country experiencing other cultures... the overall educational benefit is far greater. It turns out that one of the main things our students took from the trip was mine and my colleague's ability to eat like hamsters at the all you can eat breakfast buffets in order to maintain enough energy to walk the many miles required each day! I don't know why but despite having enough money these days to pay for a decent meal, I still cant help myself if it's 'free'! Luckily by the end most of our gang of adolescents had cottoned on and we didn't look like such pigs in comparison!

Another lesson we all had to learn was patience and optimism! Particularly at points where we had no idea which direction to take or how to buy a train ticket - such situations can be trying at the best of times but when you have a big group all looking to you for the answers, you really feel the pressure! Having traveled alone quite a bit in the past, I tend to be fairly relaxed in such situations, knowing that I always get there in the end, despite my dispraxic tendencies! A solution to my poor map reading was to put the students in charge of navigation - a nice idea until we realized that most of them were worse than me and anarchy arose at the first crossroads, plus it was taking even longer to get from A-B! I also found that I was slightly oblivious to the sensitivities of others in the group at times - a leaning curve for me! As a large multicultural group from east London, it did not surprise or bother me that we attracted attention from passers by, taking a good look at us, but many of the students found it intimidating and thought people were quite hostile towards us, particularly in Berlin.

I think that such experiences are a significant part of their education and believe that they will grow from them and they are lucky to be able to do this with their peers and educators. Although some of the students returned feeling slightly jaded by Berlin for example, I hope that in time they will appreciate all that they witnessed and learned there and hopefully be inspired to return one day as there is so much more than we were able to fit in... I went on a solo mission to Berlin in 2000, whilst doing my degree and it is has changed significantly in the last decade with far more shops and finished buildings, it was like a different city but it still has plenty of edge to it once you get your bearings and delve into its nooks and crannies...

It may have been a little ambitious going to 2 cities in the short time we had, we certainly would have benefited from more time in Berlin as the 2 and a half days we had couldn't do it justice, but doing this gave us the benefit of 2 very different experiences and Prague really was quite magical. It was my first time too, a bit of a perk! We spent much time simply exploring the winding cobbled paths and bridges, soaking up its Gothic charm. For me this was where we found the most exciting gallery too - in amongst all the twee painting studios was the City Gallery showing '1960 - present: Slovak art + Czech Hosts'. It was contemporary but with a very different feel to anything I've seen elsewhere... and in the context of Czech history it was very interesting. The gallery itself was also quite wonderful, with extra rooms appearing here and there like a maze, with lots of hidden gems!

Overall I feel really proud of this trip and think that we saw a lot of stuff from warehouse art shows to holocaust memorials to dancing houses, and then some, not to mention the many culinary delights such as the goulash in Prague, a personal fav, that I enjoyed introducing some of the students to and the saurkraute of course, not to mention hot chocolate to die for and some very odd looking sausages served in a pot of water!

It's funny but the one thing that really stressed me out or made me feel anxious was worrying whether the students were enjoying it or felt that they got lots from it, that it was worth it etc. I really hope that now they've had time to digest it all, that they feel fulfilled and inspired, and confident to pursue more adventures...
Its so hard to tell what young people are thinking and I know it's uncool to show too much enthusiasm! I hope they can appreciate the stuff they didn't like as well as what they loved and understand the value of their experience!
It will be interesting to hear Lisa's student perspective of the trip (link to follow)
I'm interested to hear other perspectives on art school trips abroad from other teachers and students - what have you gained from such jaunts?

Last week I was back in London on an introductory trip to some west end galleries with my AS photography students, again anxious that they enjoy it and develop the confidence and passion to return independently... The photographic portrait prize at the National Portrait gallery was a squeeze just 15 minutes after opening it was packed with school kids... Cork streets Waddington gallery on the other hand was empty and spacious but unfortunately my east end teens were greeted with contempt by the gallery assistant and only 10 were allowed in at once, despite the amount of space.. they were then observed like shoplifters and we all felt very uncomfortable. I really hope that the students were not put off by this experience and I did explain that normally the smaller galleries are pleased to have us... They did find some compensation though (well the girls at least), in the 'hunk' up the road at Abercrombie and Fitch, who they were photographed with (some bizarre campaign)!
We ended our day at Liberty for the Photographers gallery off site show of Landscape photography, I was worried we might get more hostility but not at all - the show is a real joy and the balconies at the top of the department store provide a delightful viewing experience - see pick of the week.
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Little Gems

(Image from 'In the way of things' Damien Griffiths)
Last week I took a group of A level photography students from Leyton into Shoreditch to sample some of the lesser known galleries that make up Photomonth this year. Most of the students hadn't visited exhibitions in spaces like these before & it is a bit of a gamble taking teenagers on a such a trip, rather than a safer option like the Tate for example, although the level of intimacy at these smaller galleries can create a higher level of educational value than that offered at bigger institutions. I think it's important to introduce students to alternative spaces that they wouldn't really know about or have had the confidence to visit before, let alone press that buzzer! I was slightly nervous as to how they would respond to our outing, there'd be a fair bit if walking (at student/snail pace) in the rain, and if they didn't like the work they'd find it all a bit pointless, & there's not much worse than dragging 22 miserable teenagers around London in the rain!

The first exhibition we visited was Tom Hunter 'Are you being served', a small show at the V&A childhood museum. My concern as to the success of the trip grew as the students didn't really engage with Hunter's images of east London shops and their keepers, despite its social-cultural content, the work was a little mundane in comparison to his usual contemplative photographs of people on the periphery of society in the east-end. But as we were in a museum, the students were able to go off & find other areas of interest or a corner to hide in! In this case I was both relieved that there were other things that the students were more interested in and could explore for themselves, but on the other hand I was disappointed that they didn't spend more time studying the photographic work. Some of the group had not found anything of interest (ce la vie), & my concern grew as I knew there'd be less on offer at the rest of the galleries, teenagers can be so difficult to please! Next stop was the Gallery Cafe on Old Ford road for 'A walk on the wild side' showing photos of drag queens and counter culture. We piled into the bustling little restaurant & peered over & around the diners to see the work, it was a little awkward at first, with people eating &; relaxing as there were so many of us, but the students soon loosened up & started to study & discuss the work, sitting amongst the cafe goers & in the sofa area. It was probably a combination of the slightly garish content of the photographs & the ambiance of the location that got them involved. This is more like it I thought! A bus up Hackney road & a walk up Columbia road to the Shipton gallery, which is literally someone's living room. I'd called in advance to warn the owner of our imminent arrival & he gave us a very warm welcome as we crammed into his 'lounge', saying he'd offer us a cuppa if he had a kettle big enough. Conversation flowed & questions were answered, the students seemed comfortable in such informal settings & our host Peter was happy to have us break up his afternoon of DIY. Next we slowly snaked our way through the streets of Shoreditch & made our way to Redchurch street. I was aware that we'd probably spent more time on foot than in actual galleries but the group were in high spirits & were enjoying taking in the environment, it's surprising how few of our students have ventured out this way despite living in east London for many years. Studio 1.1 was our next stop, 'In the way of things' by Damien Griffiths, a conceptual installation of mundane, some might say boring photos. My initial thoughts were "oh dear they're not gonna thank me for bringing them all the way in the cold & wet for this!" But upon arrival, we were greeted by 2 men from the gallery who were keen to explain the ideas behind the show, they gave a short talk which fueled our interest. The work considers the photo as image & as object, playing with elements of scale, juxtaposition & variations of mounting, 'demanding the viewer's attention, yet parrying it at the same time'. The students really got into it & made intelligent associations, conversation was energetic, the gallery alive with their responses to the work. This is what art should do & the curators were quite taken with my rabble of east London adolescents, saying they'd fill the artist in on our visit, as he'd appreciate the feedback. Again I think that the intimacy of the gallery & the enthusiasm of the people there helped make the experience. We finished up on Leonard street at AOP for 'Polaroid Retrospective', which was a bit more white space & full of seductive images. Then finally Pure Evil gallery, where we were warmly welcomed again & allowed to explore the basement while they were setting up for my friend Twinkle's private view.

On trips like this, my own personal experience is heightened by the company of my students. The artists are interested in their responses & gain from the experience too, there is more of an affiliation between viewer, artist & gallery, than on other trips i've done to bigger well known galleries & museums. These relationships form a significant part of the creative process, the ongoing conversation & debate is what art is all about...I think more should be made of such galleries & although I love the Tate, it is so packed everyday, while many other galleries stand empty.

Some of my A level students wont continue onto art school & i feel that it is important that they are made aware of the art scene that thrives in their neighbouring boroughs...Students, what do you think? What sort of trips do you prefer? Have you had any particularly good or bad educational experiences at a gallery or museum...?

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It's all about Meees

‘Meees’ translated into English from Welsh means ‘Baaas’ – the sounds that sheep make – in Arabic it is ‘Maaas’. Meees is a Welsh children’s TV show, similar to the Tweenies or Teletubbies, consisting of colourful animatronic heads and costumes worn by trained actors enacting educational and often moral scinarios, with the aim of making the innocent ones of today the PC-minded citizens of tomorrow. Meees Takes this further; rather than hinting at racial equality and freedom of lifestyle by, say, pastel coloured outfits, or subtle statements such as the sex-less purple one sporting a red purse, Meees conspicuously has a dark skinned sheep as the mother (ethnic minority), a father sheep from Greece (immigrant) and a daughter sheep and her partner, who is step-dad to her 2 children.



The TV network Al Jazeera recently bought the first series of the show and is in the process of translating it into Arabic, to be broadcast to Arabic speaking countries. Tanya El Khouri is one of the vocal artists and is well aware of the radical cultural differences; “The show is very open-minded … they are not used to seeing this”.
Having watched Arabic channels via satellite over the years, I have seldom come across such forward-thinking concepts, perhaps they do exist and are just not openly broadcast. The reaction to Meees will be a good measure of tolerance in the Arab world (where it is allowed to be shown) and I will be keeping an eye out for further developments and reactions.


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A well hidden secret

The Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool is a rather masculine and heteronormative institution, therefore 'Hello Sailor' is a brave exhibition, as it reveals some of the hidden histories of gay seafarers and their 'floating gay havens'. I'd heard about it in a seminar about exhibiting the 'Other', and had it not been for that, I probably wouldn't have known about it or discovered this secret history.

On visiting the museum, I found the show itself was rather well hidden, but on my second trawl around the manly, navy blue surround, I saw a sliver of pink out of the corner of my eye and thought "ah-ha that must be it", immediately identifying it through a stereotype. The disposable flat-pack display with harsh lighting and pink candy stripe boards, stands in stark contrast to the somber darkness of the permanent exhibitions, making it feel like a bit of light relief from the preceding 'important' history on show. Most of the visitors I saw had stumbled upon it by mistake and were quite surprised, many finding it interesting and a part of history they'd not considered before, then there were the embarrassed sniggers and cliche homophobic responses, (sadly not surprising), although I think it's terrible that such history is still quite hidden and difficult to handle. A show like this should be permanent and taught as a significant part of history, aspects of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) life should be embedded in general history, rather than segregated as an 'other', then maybe other sexualities would be normalised and people wouldn't be so ignorant and fearful. It can be difficult to identify LGBT historical items though, without avoiding stereotypical kitsch, camp fashions, or pride memorabilia for example. Much of it is everyday and can be lost without cataloging and labeling, museums are often guilty of omitting information that may be seen as provocative or sensitive.

Hello sailor is dressed up in 'camp', with an installation of a gay man's cabin, as its centre piece, a flamboyant, bright orange feathered ball gown, swings from the wardrobe amongst feathered boas and other bits of frilly tat, posters of Rock Hudson and other sexy beefcakes of the time adorn the walls, and camp icon Kenneth Williams stars wearing his sailor suit in a photo pinned to the mirror. This is fun and entices the viewer in, but is it really an accurate portrayal of these seafaring men, or does it just feed stereotypes? Although dressing up and putting on cabaret shows was very much a part of life at sea for these men, their history goes far deeper...

My visit to the exhibition was very informative and enjoyable, it was intimate in the telling of stories and celebratory of the sailors lives. It was a step forward but could go so much further like the accompanying book does. Despite the stereotypical nature of the show, it does open up history and debate though. Is it ok then to use stereotypes in the teaching of 'other' cultures and histories? Is it avoidable? How far should the museum go in portraying an accurate account of what really went on, if it means being controversial and offensive to some? And what of so many more hidden histories and stories?

Hello Sailor is at the Merseyside Maritime Museum until January 2009.

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Delicious Mixed or Separate

I am currently two weeks into my Foundation Art and Design course and I have been spending most of this time being encouraged by my tutors to explore all of the corners of the visual arts spectrum. Up until now I have been learning the arts in specific categories; in my fine art classes I did painting, drawing and sculpture and had to make sure I didn’t veer too much into design. In my graphic design classes I spent most of the time on Photoshop and little traditional art found its way into my coursework. The other three classes that formed the art department were photography, textiles and 3D design. I only got to touch on the basics of these disciplines in my classes.

Now I’m a BTEC student I’m finally getting a taste of everything and it’s peculiar to me how it all mixes in so easily. In textiles projects we can make sculptural 3D design clothes, in 3D design projects we can use graphic design to create beautiful shells and packaging, in photography projects we can use a paintbrush and make a traditional fine art painting out of photo paper and chemicals.

I can’t quite explain how refreshing it is to not have to worry about which discipline I’m following. However, as I’m planning to follow the graphic design aspect of the visual arts, I’m going to have to be careful to not get used to doing whatever I want. Artists can do whatever they want. Designers can usually only do what their client wants. (Although that’s not to say that I can’t put my own little spin on anything I create).

As Foundation Art and Design mainly functions to get us into university, we’re encouraged to mix the disciplines. Our 3D design teacher told us how when he went to his interview for his architecture degree, the interviewers showed little interest in the 3D work of his portfolio and instead quizzed him about his intentions and criticisms of the rest of his work. Universities and employers like artists and designers with a broad knowledge of art. After all, a photographer can only bring so much to photography, whereas a photographer/fine artist/graphic designer is going to have a lot more experience with composition and lighting.

In art, a jack of all trades will often do better than a master of one. Read more...