Seminal Moment Occurring…

Hospital No. 2, Pripyat

 Why was I so struck on producing a 'flat' looking outcome? Just to make my work seem seamless and because it's been noted that my sketchbook work appears very flat, I now think that meant my 'painting' style. I have come to the conclusion that that doesn't mean ALL my work has to have a similar feel/look, I am multi faceted and a multi disciplinarian. 
Anyway, I am happy with the 2D impression my visual studies portray but equally so with a textured, more 3D sample sketchbook. I deal or rather this project is dealing with layers, as it turns out, who's to say that that is even determined yet? It should need never to be determined actually, surely?
Can you tell I've been to a creative writing workshop … a 'free' (not in £££'s) writing workshop. I think it means on some occasions you are allowed to produce 'drivel'.

I've designed something... and then tweaked it and submitted it as a 'beautiful'(?!) scarf to Front Row Society, if it gets through the first bit please be ready to vote...thank you!

Look at this vertically :-)

I made myself cry (a bit) in a tutorial, I think I was so overwhelmed by the passion I felt for my research subject. Talking about it, and just realising and recognising a eureka moment (keep reading - it's further on);  we were discussing the layers within my work, how they might be a timeline of images one transparent layer over another, depth-wise, and my idea of an installation (can't give too much away) and realising it was imperative that I bring both spaces together, the one over there and the one over here, the one from 1986, the one from 2016. I wish I had recorded the conversation, looking back it doesn't seem like an especially intense thing but I suddenly realised I FELT like this was the beginning of my life's work, it feels like this was meant to be my life's work,??? AND I had a brilliant idea borne from only inklings of thoughts that have been simmering and have now come full circle. It can be known as 'site specific' for now.

Silk Thread Stitching

As for my Pecha Kucha presentation, it went ok, one of my video clips was sideways - it didn't matter, just gave everyone a crick in the neck. Feedback was that I should have included more examples of my practical work responses, I knew that as soon as I watched the first students'. I think my work is good too. I am going to do another, an updated one, for fun. And I may subject my students to it again. I had practised it on them, they had more critical feedback for me, maybe I'd successfully ironed that out, I was more aware of the importance of 'silence' at particular points and didn't talk over the 'emotive' Auschwitz slide this time. I would like to do one on only my process and the development of work, it could form the basis of my reflective essay, that I need to start to write, right now. Or maybe I actually won't. 
The afterwards pairing of '3' was very useful.

How to change the world with embroidery...?

Before I reveal the answer I shall update you on my beautiful day...

Starting with a 'CT' (know what it is yet?) meeting in the canteen at 9.30am to devise a plan for an early little reconnaissance outing. I think I was kind of still a little asleep. We didn't make a plan except 'to just set off', but it was suggested that we could go somewhere, return, then individually draw a map from memory where we had been, and layer the results on top of an actual map and each other's. I think that would be kind of interesting although I'm guessing scale may be a bit of an issue. It would be a fun 'aside'. 
I feel I should be doing more of the 'suggesting' within the group instead of taking more of an admin role (i.e. writing the minutes for our Facebook page!) Mmm, I was reminded today that this module has the same number of credits as our Practice 1 (main design) module, damn. However, I do know that this option was the right choice even when I see what the 'Object in Context' people are doing.
Anyway, we were looking for examples of contested territories which we can then map. I think we discovered about 2. But the Urbexing was fabulous anyway...

The rest of the day, everyone except part time year 1 (which includes me :-)) did their Pecha Kucha presentations about their (practical) work so far, with varying degrees of charisma. Nick's was brilliant but he is from Liverpool. I found that most had no physical work either by the look of it. They could always be hiding it though. Unfortunately, they all had really good, amazing ideas that would change the world, or at the very least improve it for some marginalised, disadvantaged, disabled, or 'needy' part of society by inventing/designing an incredible product or such like. So much so that they would be deserving of a Noble prize or a knighthood. (This may be a slight exaggeration- 2 weren't that good). So... in terms of my confidence levels being fairly healthy this last week it has done a lot of damage in that I have now decided I must sort out my stuff RIGHT NOW and fix it (well on Saturday).
Honestly, I know what my problem is, I want to continue with the project I started in the summer, i.e. develop it and see how exciting it can get. To be fair I don't even have that much - just some drawings, photographs and paintings and half an embellishment sample. But, what I need to do is throw all that out and start afresh with nothing - however, I really don't want to. 

So the answer to the title question is.. 
'You actually can't, so just make it more fabulous'.

Finally, I have devised this confidence graph which I will plot for the duration of my MA;