Blog Summary

Blog Summary

Link - https://lanamay03.wixsite.com/alannahmaybrownart/blog

Overview: This summary will discuss my personal and professional development over the years at university leading to my degree show and how I intended to progress once graduating from university. What I consider as my best progression over the years is that I have worked in a variety of media especially sculpture which I have not done prior to coming to university.

Before the beginning of this module, I already had a grasp on the blog which I started at the beginning of university in first year graphic design, which I also created my own brand. The blog has made me understand my practice when I have been reflecting.

Reflection on Lectures: Guy Mayman Andrew Davey Henry Pulp Wendy Mason Fig Taylor Callum Peters Kate Gater Laura Robertson Sophie Lee Lesley Halliwell

During these past three years, there have been many guest lecturers that have been in to discuss their practice and how they have got there. These guest lecturers have made me think of what routes I may take in the future, from further study to residences to freelance work. These guest lecturers were an opportunity to gain knowledge from the about working within the industry of art and design. The lectures were from different areas, such as Fine Art, Graphic Design and Photography. They provided career information which will help me in the future.

Live Projects: I have taken part in many live projects and some competitions for example, ‘The V&A Illustration Award’. This allowed me to put my skills to the test. There are other projects that I have taken on which have been orders from commissions for pieces of work that I have done using the decoupage technique. I have had many orders for decoupage pieces over the past year when I learnt it at one of my work placements. I have had many regular customers who have asked me for more because they believe that these are unique bespoke pieces that are very personal.

Third Year Studio Work (Chosen discipline): During these three years at university, there have been differences of what I have made in fine art and in graphic design. From what I have made, I can see which area I want to go down. In my Fine Art, I feel as though I have mastered using a specific material. Even though I have used it a lot, it hasn’t become repetitive or boring because I had found interesting ways to use it which is what I do best. I work best experimenting with materials and once I experiment several times, I can master it.

I have also reflected on my third year work in my blog which included reflections on pieces of work and project reviews. Also I have reflected on the feedback that the different lecturers give me during the studio practice session.

Catalogue Statement: I am an Interdisciplinary Designer and Multimedia Artist and I can operate within a variety of different formats, enabling me to produce work that might exist as either, 2D images and texts, or 3D objects.

I enjoy experimenting and producing a large amount of work that I can use as a basis for further editing, until I can eventually tease out the most successful works.

For the Fine Art aspect of my degree I have worked with one specific object and one specific material and explored them in a variety of ways to master and exploit their properties. Using a fishnet sock material alongside expanding polyurethane foam I have made works that propose connotations of constraint, pregnancy and fashion.

For the Graphic Design element I have looked at the subconscious and how we should value and utilise the doodles and drawings that we produce.

Exhibition Visits: Mostyn (Llandudno) UOC – Photography Interim 3rd Year Exhibition Grosvenor Museum - Techne (Chester) UOC – OBJECT. AGENCY. EDGE. By Wayne Robinson Titanic Museum (Belfast) City Hall Exhibition (Belfast) Passsoul Studio – Soul Vessel Collection 2017 (St Helens) UOC – Degree Show 2017 The Curve Fashion Festival 2017 (Liverpool) World of Glass – Art Exhibition Competition (St Helens) Pop Art in Print Exhibition (Chester) British Style Collective 2017 (Liverpool) Tate Liverpool Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool) Chester Cathedral – Sculpture Exhibition

The list above shows that I have attended many museums, galleries, exhibition and events which I have reflected on my blog. I have been to a few of these a few times, for example, the Mostyn, Tate Liverpool and the Walker Art Gallery. These places on the list have allowed me to figure out what I need to do in my own practice through similarities and inspirations.

Degree Show Task Groups: Design and Communication Promotions Fundraising

At the beginning of the professional practice module, we chose which groups that we wanted to be in to prepare for the degree show. The degree show task group that I have picked is promotions. When we got together, we arranged for there to be group leaders within each of the task groups and I was picked for the Fine Art subject, we wanted a leader from each of the disciplines to make it far so that the degree show wasn’t too much of one subject. In the promotions, I created the Facebook page, email and Instagram page. The Instagram page was to allow the viewer to see progress of everyone’s work by reposting it and preparing the studios.

Professional and Personal Promotion: I have made business cards ready for the degree show. Also I have my very own blog, website, Facebook page and Instagram page to show off what I have been doing. I have also used other social media to promote myself.

Instagram – @alannah_may_artist Website – www.lanamay03.wixsite.com/alannahmaybrownart Email – lanamay03@gmail.com Facebook Page - @alannahmaybrownartistdesigner

CV – Alannah Brown

lanamay03@gmail.com

10/07/1997

07375056662

I am currently studying Fine Art and Graphic Design at University of Chester and I am in my 3rd year. I am looking for a part time job that could work around my timetable at university and can be flexible.

Education

• St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School (2000-2008)

• Cowley International College (2008-2013) GCSE

• English – C

• Maths – B

• Science – C

• Art and Design – B

• Design and Technology: Graphic Design – B

• BTEC ICT – Distinction Star

• Geography – C

• German – C

• Spanish – D

• Religious Studies – D

• Cowley International College Sixth Form (2013-2015) A Levels

• Art and Design – D

• Design and Technology: Product Design – D

• BTEC ICT – Distinction Star

• EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) - C

• University of Chester (2015-)

• BA(Hons) Fine Art and Graphic Design

Work Placements/ Experience/ Volunteer Work

• In Year 11 I was a Prefect for that year. I did an interview in year 10, for this interview I gain valuable experience and skills to use in interviews for the future which was good practice. I did many tasks and events during that year, I helped at parent’s evenings and also I did dinner duty. I have learned a lot of skills while doing it. For example, I learned to increase my confidence more and also I learned how to act around other year groups. I had taken responsibility when I was doing prefect duty; I had to make sure that everyone was behaving correctly.

• I have taken part in work experience twice, once in Year 11 and once in Year 12. I did both of the work experiences at the Primary School that I went to when was younger; this allowed me to become for confident with interactions with other people and have responsibilities. In Year 11 I went and did my work experience when the year finished early. I did it for four weeks. Also in Year 12 I did the work experience for one week which I got through the St Helens Chamber. In the earlier years of high school I came to work with my mum at the primary school and helped out because I was the only one off or broken up earlier than the rest of my family. This work experience helped be to decide whether I would like to become a teacher in the subject that I choose. This helped me to consider what I want to do in the future and it has helped me to be more confident with speaking.

• When I was doing karate I was a Junior Assistant (Sempai) which I taught the younger students and helped them to achieve belts. I also help newcomers in my own class and help them know to do the skills that are needed. This helped me with my confidence and teaching skills, also let me know what responsibility is. My current belt is a purple which is two belts away from a black belt.

• During my second year at university, I did three placements that where in different areas in the UK.

• First, I did a placement at ‘Alison Bradley Gallery’ which is in Chester. I learnt various skills from three people who had different roles in the business. I learnt from the artist herself, I learnt what process she goes through during producing a painting. I also learnt from her partner that she works with who focuses on more on the business and the frames that are used when they display the work and people can get the work framed. Also I learnt from another person who has work for sale in the gallery, I learnt how to stock take, how to price a work, how to price a frame. I did a learnt the process on how to price a frame by looking at the type of frame, mount board and size, this is all shown on a document that they have.

• Second, I did a placement at ‘Mostyn Gallery’ which is in Llandudno. I learnt how to invigilate a gallery and I learnt about the pieces that were in the exhibition. I helped the people from the public who came in about pieces of work that they didn’t understand. I also learnt about the history of the gallery and the history about the focus that the exhibition was about.

• Third, I did a placement at ‘Beautiful Things by Amanda’ which is in St Helens. I learnt a skill that Amanda uses in her work that she sells which is called Decoupage. She has other peoples work in the shop that is for sale including mine. Also she does various workshop classes including arts and crafts and painting. I learnt different process and examples of the Decoupage technique which can be on any item, for example, candle, mug, box, plaque and bottle. I learnt about pricing work as well since I would be selling my own work in the shop.

Jobs

• Paper Round for local newspaper

• GENO’s Kebab and Pizzeria

• I helped out on the till by taking orders and managing the till. Also I took phone orders and making the orders. I got several skills when doing this job like communication skills with contact with customers and other staff.

• Fresh Student Living, Tramways, Chester (2016-)

• I am currently working at my accommodation. Before I got this job I had an interview for it and I didn’t have much experience in that area but in the future this experience will help me to do it. I am a RAA which is a Residential Accommodation Assistant. I help in the office in the evenings and weekends. When I am doing this job I have responsibilities and tasks that I need to carry out. I have helped people who are moving in and moving out, by sorting out information and showing them to their rooms that have been allocated. I have explained what the accommodation is and what is available. I also did this for viewings of the accommodation.

• CO-OP (Customer Team Member) , Chester (November 2017 – March 2018)

I do have skills using computers and different types of software. I do work well in teams and individually. I have good communication skills and I will listen to people if they have a problem. I am hard working because I get the work done and I don’t leave it to the last minute. I have worked with machines in the workshop and I like painting and drawing. I have a website/blog which I update regularly with the creative work that I produce and I also have a Facebook page. I am a hard worker, I learn whilst doing a job or task and I am punctual.