In Conversation...

Random Middlesbrough photo - 'ghost' building

S:

'Rather belatedly, I just wanted to tell you how much I'm enjoying reading your blog about your MA. You write so well, it makes it really interesting to read about it. 

I love the piece you've done on the seacoaling, it looks beautifully delicate but with a strong story behind it. The Contested Territories work reminds me of a really interesting programme I caught on Radio 4 a while back about how archeologists were getting a lot of stick for finding evidence that went against commonly held beliefs about history, in places like Israel and the Palestinian territories. 

It was great to see your sketchbook too. I've always liked the idea of the presence of absence, it can be a surprisingly strong force but not always consciously known about. I'd just been thinking about starting a discipline of doing something in a sketchbook most days even if I don't know what the end purpose will be, and so seeing yours has inspired me and spurred me on.

I hope it's going well and that your Brian doesn't get too stressed by it. 

Cheering you on from the sidelines ...'

 C:

'Thank you so much for your encouraging words!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to give me such great feedback...the tables have turned :-)

I AM less anxious about it now and I enjoy being there although I would get more work done if I just stayed home, although then I might as well have done long distance learning and not had the intellectual stimulus (!) and I'm sure I'll find time whilst there at some point to get on their machines, I have done a few samples but I'm still not enamoured by machine embroidery per se (yet).

The 'embroidery' MA thing is still unclear mainly because I have been too embarrassed to ask WHAT qualification I am studying!!! (Maybe its an MA in 'Design', I should know by now!)

I'm glad you like my textile piece, there is a lack of background samples but I hope it will suffice. I will be exhibiting it at college (CCAD) in March - we  all (dept staff ) have to put our research work up so it will come in handy, although as I won't be in Paris this time I will have to hang and style it myself, but it does mean I will have the opportunity to add a soundtrack.

Will look forward to seeing your new sketchbook!!! '

To present (in a formal and ceremonious way)...

I present...

A research study project on a (local) contested territory.

On a productive and painless morning, the last session with my lovely group, we surveyed our (very hard to get) exhibition space and then went and played a game to generate a jumble of phrases to describe our joint 'production', it was a great idea which luckily worked first time, whether anyone else will be able to understand it is debatable (though not that necessary) but it's conceptual and fits with the theme! I will be really sad not to be in this class anymore. I am thinking of going to do a 'Contested Territories' MA instead.

Contested Territories Selection

So then, I had to centre myself and focus on the 'presentation' of my work to 2 lecturers. It went much better than I had hoped, because they were nice. It was very positive overall although my blog should be more academic and my final piece should really have been more minimal/abstract. I can live with that. I think I may even pass but only if someone lovely irons my exhibit before it gets hung. I am grateful it's getting hung (and wafted).

Now just to electronically submit and turnitin. Then on with the Practice 1 module (after Paris of course).