Tuesday 21 June 2011

Shameful!

Here are the pictures from my final Degree Show! Can't believe that I made it! And managed to get a First in the process - I'm very proud. Here are my efforts:


















Well, what do you think?...
xox


Tuesday 24 May 2011

A Mess of Galactic Proportions

It's the last week of my degree this week. My assessment is next Tuesday and then the Degree Shows open on the 10th of June! I'm not feeling as terrified as I know I should because it really hasn't sunk in yet... I just feel a bit excited about the adventure! I'm prepared for that excitment to be swiped from my grasp by reality any time soon now.
Now, I haven't posted you up much work recently have I? The reason being that I decided I'd like for it to remain a surprise until the show opens!
But, I'll let you in on the mess of sorting out the studios if you like?




It's getting slightly less hectic in this place by the minute, thankfully. Can't wait to see everyone's work up and running! Right, it's time for me to go home now. I've got so much to do - I've given up any hope of the chance of sleep for the next seven days!
xox

Friday 6 May 2011

Not Just Anybody.

The costume that I'm currently working on is based around the idea of exhibitionism. And so, I've focussed on underwear and 'reveal' without focussing on the body at all - the body is absent but it is what the clothes suggest that is present... But I'm not really sure how it's all going. I, personally like it very much. But I'd like to know what this piece says to you (so far anyway):


I've printed this paper with cellulose transfers of monoprints and felt tip pen drawings of underwear, and I'm planning on making a trench coat with it - I have a fair few meters of it so I've got enough. I think it'll be really good to make something that has sleeves so that I can add some personality and gestures in to the costume.


I've also been working on making the underwear to go under the coat. What I've been working on is really bright and colourful - reflective of the circus. I thought that this was a really good connection to exhibitionism as that is basically what the circus is!



And what I've made is this:





Obviously I still have a fair bit to do on it yet. I like how outrageous and colourful it is. I'm considering adding text to the paper I've printed, and cellulose transfers to the circles.
What do you think so far? Any feedback would be really nice - thank you
xox

Tigers Play Too Rough.

I finished the dress that I showe you a snap of in the last post... Here are some pictures of that:




The cut out on the back says 'But, right now I don't feel empowered at all'. As I said, the dress is about hiding how you feel with a certain amount of bravado. I think that it's much more successful than the others I've done so far, and my tutor liked it as well which is always a good thing! So, I'm definitely moving in the right direction now. There's just a lot of work I need to get through to achieve what I want to achieve... I feel like a machine!
Right, I need to dash for a bus, but I have some more stuff to post up for you later - I need your opinion on it in actual fact!
Bye for now
xox

Sunday 1 May 2011

Paper Crazy.

I'm so sorry that I haven't really posted anything for absolutely ages! I've had a bit of a break over the Easter weekend, as it was my 21st birthday as well, so I felt I should have a few days off! But now, it's all systems go again to prpare for the degree show! As I said a few posts ago, I'm working with paper now. For me, it feels like a much more natural progression from my 2D work. It's a really rewarding and satisfying way to work as well, as I can make costumes in the same way as I make my monoprints and transfers, and really turn them out quickly but effectively - which is how I like to work. In fact, I've been using mono printing and cellulose-ing in abundance for the costumes. I feel very positive about my work now, I just need to keep pushing it and make really exciting pieces. I've also been told that I need to silence the voice that tells me when I need to stop!
Here's some stuff I've made so far:

This is the dress that is closest to completion. It's meant to be representative of the proovocative/erotic side of a person, but both myself and my tutor don't really think it's quite there yet. For my tutor, I think it's mainly because there's so many more shocking things within art that this doesn't even come close. And for me, I don't think that it's raw enough.

I'm considering wearing the plain strapless dress to the opening night of the degree show. If I can be brave enough!


Since deciding to work with paper, I instantly started to make Fortune Tellers (do you remember those from school?). At first they were just something to do whilst I was thinking, but now they've taken on a meaning of their own. With leaving uni and trying to get in to the real world fast approaching, I've been thinking loads about the future and how it's both exciting and scary. So, I'm making lots and lots of Fortune Tellers and they're going to be an element of the final dress I make:


This is the dress I'm working on right now (I'm just waiting for some glue to dry):
It's about putting on a front, and having a attitude that completely betrays how you feel inside.


I have a group tutorial on Wednesday. I want to have this dress and at least one more finished by then - I'll keep you posted. I hope everyone's had a wonderful Easter! There's been so many bank holidays it's been great! And the Royal Wedding was so lovely.
Talk to you soon!
xox

Sunday 10 April 2011

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Turning Tricks

Having lived in Plymouth for about half of my life now, I don't think I've ever really appreciated its character and charm. When the sun comes out in Plymouth, it really is a lovely place and it makes me feel so happy and inspired! The other day, I though it would be nice to walk back from the studios via Union Street... Which is considered to be an absolute dive to be honest!
Do you know what I found? some really beautiful buildings!...

[Grand Theatre]

[Dance Academy]
[Dance Academy]

[the Malthouse]

[Dance Academy]

[The Clipper Inn]

yes, they're a little run down I'll give you that. But Union Street isn't really where the money's at.
I would really like to use these, and other broken down buildings around Plymouth, as inspiration for my next costume. I think that it might be quite a provocative piece as I've never done that before - it would definitely be pushing the boundaries. I think using he buildings on Union Street to inspire the aesthetic of something centred around sexuality would be highly appropriate.
I think my favourite is the abandoned Clipper Inn... Looked abandoned anyway.
You should know that I rarely ever edit my photos. So, unless I say otherwise, they're unedited. I like using improvised filters though, which tend to be clobbered together from sunglasses and organza. I just really like the look of them.
I also have twitter now, my ID is: @jessiewellie.... Feel free to follow.

It's not sunny anymore, its raining and miserable. I hope the weather is nicer where you are.
xox

Monday 4 April 2011

Love Bug

Just need to sew it together now. It's looking completely different from the first one I showed you... Its completely silk now, fragile and vulnerable. I'm going to stitch it together with the minimal amount of tiny stitches as well to emphasise this.
xox

Monday 28 March 2011

In a Progressive Key,

Here's a work in progress. I thought that the silk, canvas and thick net (its a plastic-like netting that you can't really see very well in the pictures) were a good mix as they all really contrast each other well. I wanted to base a dress on bugs, as I see them as a manifestation of fear and contamination - two things you wouldn't usually base a dress on. It was an idea that came to me from the silk really, and the idea of making something beautiful out of something repulsive. I think I've involved so many contrasts within this costume as I want to create something that'll provoke reflection and contemplation. Hopefully I will achieve that with the end result!
When I've finished it I hope that the top half of the dress will be covered in silk painted insects, and then I'm going to make some to crawl up the skirt of the dress and look as though they've been trapped in the netting.

I'm thinking about moving the panels around a little bit. I think I might try the bit you see with bugs already painted on as a hood possibly. I like having the huge hip detail on just one side as well, it makes the dress a bit jaunty and unpredictable, like a bug, whilst still looking very feminine and elegant in a way.
I think that canvas and calico are going to be base fabrics for the rest of my costumes, to reflect the 2D work that I've been doing... I'm contemplating doing something with paper as well, but I don't want it to seem like a cliché, so it's going to need a bit more thought yet.
I'm going to finish painting these bugs now!...
xox

Saturday 26 March 2011

Laid Back Chic



So... My beautiful friends Katie and Kat helped me out the other day by modelling my first two costumes. I don't think I want to show either of them as final pieces, but it was really fun to do it and good to see people wearing what I've made. Katie is wearing a dress based on camping and fishing. And Kat is basically modelling my thought processes. She started off by wearing just a plain black two-piece and I added something to it in each shot. Here are some of the final results, let me know your favourites as I'm undecided:














I like the blurry, hazy ones.
I don't really know what the hell I'm doing next with my project and I'm feeling pretty bad about it today. I'm going to go and eat a lot of crunchies and bagels. Maybe that'll help.
Hope you've all had a nice weekend?
xox