Little sneak preview...

This is what I've been working on so far for my final major project, it's about the 'creative need' of the household and how it isn't fulfilled in today's society, leaving it to overspill into the not so fun chores of the house, those which have no real physical outcome (cleaning etc). I've been looking at the emotional value of domestic crafts, and these pieces will form part of an installation. Only five weeks to go! Uhohhhh.

Knit-tastic

During my research for my major MA project I've found some amazing and inspirational knitters. There's a lot out there at the moment, but here are some of my tip top favourites...

[From top: Debbie New (Tea Cup), Casual Profanity (Fluid Sculpture), Mandy McIntosh (Radiant Circle Face Framing Hoods and Disguises, and Sighthill Gala Queen), Unknown (maybe Judy Chicago? Probably linked to the Subversive Stitch NYC exhibition), and Jim Drain (a Forcefield installation).]

Anger Release Machine

I don't know about you, but I would find one these fairly handy every now and again...























Found on www.todayandtomorrow.net

Say cheese!

Here's a photo from the Penguin Design Award ceremony the other week, of all the winners and shortlisted students. Found on the Penguin blog... link to the blog entry by clicking on the title of this post.

Image-ination

Just some images I wanted to share, including my failed attempt at knitting with shredded holiday brochures. No real reason for any of this, sorry x

Back to the country

We had an amazing time in London, but am glad to escape the heat again! The studios we visited were so friendly, and I managed to fit in a visit to the New Blood private view, another private view down Portabello Road, the RCA graduate show, the Tate Modern and the V&A, plus catch ups with friends. Phew!

Here are some highlights...

























































(top to bottom: D&AD Student Awards identity by Domenic Lippa at the Partners, still from NB:Studio's teaser for their D&AD Award identity [definitely worth a watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YEhcgRV4_4], the Theatre and Performance rooms at the V&A, Thomas Matthew's The Good Design Show invitation and recent Falmouth graduate Alan Clark's Olympic poster which earnt him a placement at Browns. Go Al!)

Knit Club gets a makeover

One of my favourite days of the week has to be Wednesday, specifically between the hours of 7 and 10pm, due to Knit Club at Babahogs art cafe in Falmouth. I've met some amazing friends there, am supplied with superb tea, and get to knit to my hearts content.

We're coming up to the one year anniversary of KC, and Sarah, Jo and myself felt that a mini exhibition and an identity were needed. Yesterday I made a start on a logo which is made of a pair of knitting needles and a rectangular striped block (making a K), which comes off the left hand side of the page. On the first poster and the website banner, the logo seems to have wrapped itself round the page and reappears on the right hand side, then becomes a banner (scarf) for applying type to. This simple visual can be manipulated into other forms, I'm thinking a treble clef for music nights, and a first aid cross for advice sessions.

Its not quite there yet, the colours are too dark, making the text a bit unreadable, and the typeface is a bit splayed at the ends, I want a cleaner sans serif.






















The blog page is: http://www.falmouthknitclub.wordpress.com/

London's Calling

The Penguin Design Award ceremony was on Wednesday up in the metropolis, it was a very nice affair. Unfortunately my A3 board had been pretty much destroyed in the post, but the 3D version looked good. But oh my the view from the balcony was worth the trip alone! 10th floor on the Strand, looking down the Thames towards the Houses of Parliament. Stunning. Back up to London tomorrow, the class are going on the road for some epic studio visits. The line up: Thomas Matthews, Browns, 300 Million, Troika, Pentagram and NB Studio.
I can't wait!

Bruno Munari

This is a gooood book

Website version III

As well as doing a new website for my parents' new B&B venture (www.salcombeclosehouse.com), I've been redesigning my online portfolio. It actually works (version II was a bit temperamental) and doesn't look too bad, more work will be up there soon - photography session desperately needed.

Three of your five a day

A bit of knitting fun from the past week...

More Secret History

The results are online for the Penguin Design Awards, lots of lovely designs, not too sure mine looks that good on the small screen all digitised, it looks better in the physical. Because of the complicated printing methods, Penguin have asked me to make up a 3D copy and an A3 flat version for the awards ceremony, damn it! I couldn't feel my fingertips after the first version. Boo. But looking forward to the evening, much fun.

(Click on the title of this entry to move magically to the Penguin Design Award website, I'm finally getting used to this blog thing.)

Secret History not so secret

I found out that I was shortlisted for the Penguin Design Award! Although I didn't get into the last three I am still very pleased. Prize giving ceremony is in London later this month, so I'll be up for that then the week after we're going on a field trip to various studios in the city. One place we're all excited about is Greyworld, as Andrew Shoburn came down to visit us at the beginning of the year and definitely made an impression. What a character! He got a standing ovation and whistling from the BA kids, now that doesn't happen that often in the lecture theatre.

Kaleidoscopic Hands for all to see!

So I've finally let the piece of moving image from earlier in the term into the wilderness of the www and here he is. I'm mulling over another moving image piece, but the plot isn't there yet. Lets just say it involves custard.

kaleidoscopic hands from hblikethepencil on Vimeo.

Molto Bella!

After a whistlestop tour of the Milan Furniture Show, I feel energised and insipired even more than before. Highlights being work from Danish, Dutch and German exhibits, a selection of favourites shown above. Craft and process were key themes I noticed, which are areas I am looking into in my own work.

Links:
http://www.zpstudio.it/
http://www.rawcolor.nl/welcome/
http://www.pepeheykoop.nl/
http://www.llotllov.de/

That's Design!

Just a quick one to direct your attention to the Falmouth page of the Milan furniture show website, we are exhibiting in That's Design! which is a showcase for students and young professionals from around the world. The scarf is finished and is flying over (cargo - no first class seats left) this week, and I'll be joining it next Tuesday. Exciting times. Penguin book jacket is being sent off tomorrow too - its all go!

http://www.thatsdesign.it/?page_id=1099

Ghost of a Teacup

Fellow knit enthusiast and member of the MA Design cohort Sarah Hunt and I have been collaborating on a piece for the Milan Furniture Show. We've been having study sessions fuelled by tea for a while now as we bounce ideas around nicely and are interested in the same things, namely the relationship of craft and technology. This project started with Sarah coming to me wanting some decorative forms for a box for a set of teacups she had designed, but over the course of the weekend we decided to use acrylic inlay to make silhouettes of saucers and spoons for the teacups. Because it is all being designed on the computer using 3D Studio Max, we can import vectors from Illustrator without too many problems, and will be making the main body of the box out of ash wood using a CNC miller, and the inlays with the laser cutter. This is a test Sarah made on tuesday with some foam, pictures of the final piece to follow shortly, as soon as we can get the machines to behave! It has been a great experience, I've enjoyed working with someone from another discipline, expecially as we can understand each other and are on a similar wavelength, and the potential for more work together and the alternative mediums is very attractive.

FTSE Scarf

As part of my investigation into the role and perception of craft in today's society, I have been knitting a scarf based on the daily results of the FTSE100 stock market. I wanted to make something that depicts a form of data that is normally viewed in a digital context, constantly being updated and viewed by people all around the world, in a format that is associated with very traditionalist methods of making. Simply, it is a knitted bar graph of the FTSE results of the last three months that can be worn round the neck, or displayed flat to make it more readable. This aspect, the way in which it is read and how much information can be gathered, is an area I would like to explore more into. It has been chosen to go to Milan Furniture Show as part of the UCF MA Design stand, which is great. I get to go to Italy! I'm not sure on the stand design, so don't know how it is going to be displayed, all I know is that it will be next to a collaborative piece I am doing with Sarah Hunt, a student on MA Contemporary Craft. See next post for more on this piece, it is hopefully the beginning of an exciting collaborative partnership!

The Musical Meanderings of Mr Martin Coote and more...

Not being known for my musical prowess, I was at a loss for what to give to the ears of the YCN O2 judges when it came to my kaleidoscope video piece. Luckily a very talented friend of mine offered up his services, and I now have a FANTASTIC bit of audio to edit to, it really is the business. He also did a sterling job supporting at the launch of The Black Maria Memorial Fund and Yossarian joint EP, Counting The Moon, on Friday at the wonderful Babahogs in Falmouth. A spectacular evening was had by all attending.

Ooh links:

www.last.fm/music/martin+coote

http://www.last.fm/music/darwindee
http://www.thememorialfund.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yossarian/5868183150
http://www.babahogs.com
Not sure why some of these are live while others lie dormant, I suggest good old copy and paste.

Happy Clappy Technicoloured Kalaidascopes

We've been doing an introduction to AfterEffects and moving image, I spent yesterday up to the elbow in poster paint and began playing around with the results today, it's looking promising! It's for the YCN O2 brief, to communicate the idea "we're better connected". I've been really interested in the part that hands have to play in learning and communicating, so thats what sprouted this idea. A weekend of editing fun is ahead I predict!