Artsthread

Should you want to see any more of my work, please visit the following link for my online portfolio: http://www.artsthread.com/p/tanyaventress

Dissertation Prize

I am also very happy and proud to say I am the winner of the
Cleveland College of Art and Design,
Principles Dissertation Prize
For my dissertation
'The True Nature of a Gift'

In brief my dissertation was on the True Nature of a Gift and investigated a brief history and current values in society about the meaning of gifts.

I really enjoyed researching and writing the dissertation and feel that despite tackling a difficult topic that what I have learned has enlightened me, though unfortunately I can never look at gift giving the same way ever again!

Again I'd like to thank everyone who helped with ideas and stories and proof reading skills, and for anyone who would like to read it, I believe a copy is being kept by the LRC and is available to look at.

Degree Show Display

So all is well, with the degree show night now gone the gallery is open for all to see,

I’m really happy with my display, and it’s much better to see it firsthand!

If you still haven't been to see the show its open for its final few days this week

Tuesday the 14th - 18th of June, in Hartlepool Art Gallery, 10-5pm

Still Buzzing

So I have lots of good news...
I've been selected to go to New Designers and I am so excited for the opportunities I might gain and the fact I’m going to London for a week!!

I'm also entered for the dissertation prize so fingers crossed for that, which I’ll find out about at the Degree Show night on the 9^th of June.

My Professional Studies marks are back and (provided the external examiner is happy with the way it has been graded) I’m really happy with my marks.

And my hand in is over- which means I can have a little relief before the Degree Show.

As for design I've been getting on with a lot of the little projects I have started over the past few years, I am continuing with my quilting project, i.e. teaching myself how to create a quilt and creating one suitable for a double bed, and have been working on designs for a stained glass window for my house, researching glass and coming up with appropriate designs suitable for the space. I’ve also started researching for my next self set project, looking at recent trends while I can still use the college facilities.

I've been really struggling to get on with printing my business cards out as the college computers are not suitable for uploading to the website I wanted to use, so despite having created some interesting and innovative designs in professional studies, I've not been able to do the same designs for the degree show cards :( But I have come up with some new designs I like.

I've got lots of good things going on at the moment, so I've got exciting things still to come in my life and its all go with my own little projects. I’ll just have to wait and see what opportunities come along! How exciting!!

Just an observation...

How pretty are fine lines on screens, looks like fretwork!

The Final Length!

So finally I've done my last length.

This print on wallpaper is 3 meters long and took about 4 hours to print, not bad in the fact I'm definitely getting quicker! I'm really glad with the result and can't wait till the degree show when I can display it and do it some justice!

Views down the table- part-way printed. 

Views of my final print fully completed

My screen part way through printing the last layer.

Thank you to Heather for helping me move those ginormous screens about.

Long time, no see

So it’s been a while, my work has been going well but my camera memory card has climbed out of my camera and gone on a voyage, and my phone is running out of battery (why is it that these things happen all at once) so instead you're going to have to rely on my vivid description of life as I know it!

So I'm excited about doing my final length next Wednesday and will be glad when it’s over. I've been toddling along doing bits of printing final samples for this design, working on my professional studies (will I ever see the end of the great pile that is Prof Studies) and am trying to figure out my next steps. One fantastic thing is that I have been told I can go back to my old Guide unit when I get back to York. I kind of wish that my old school existed when it comes to asking for work experience though, as I feel I will be very lost (which is probably a good thing in terms of experience but we all like our little familiar comforts).

Today a man Mr Ian Lamming came in to tell us all about press packs, he seemed nice but seemed taken aback when I didn't want to travel all over the world like a fashionista. It doesn't really appeal to me jet setting constantly; however I can’t wait to get going off to work experiences!!

Anyway I am really hoping to get a work placement somewhere, and that I don't mind travelling for, so fingers crossed.

Other than that I'm thinking my press release is going to be pretty boring unless I get doing so onwards I go!

Print Development and Final Designs

So I've been working dead hard this week- starting on Monday by printing my final samples for my first design...

My creative desk! Well at least its messy with work not food!

Final Design One- I love the colours in these designs- especially the foiling- it went exactly to plan- which was a happy surprise.

Final Design Two- With fluffy horses- I do love it- but I think my other two samples are stronger.

So onward with the next set of work and into the print rooms. 

I have been coming up with fabric developments for design two to be posted when I find time.

Update of painted out designs too!!

So this is the original painted design that my length design came from- Its funny how much my ideas change! I just can't wait to be on with the next design- though I best do my other finals for this one first!

Creating a three meter length- not so easy as it sounds!

So this was how it all started- foolishly (possibly) decided in my brief to do three lengths, wallpaper and fabric for bespoke interiors...

Developing samples took 4 days

The cut through took 1 day

My coda trace took 2 days

My Developing screens took half a day 

The print took half a day

So all in all this print (minus the actual design and drawing of it (which undoubtedly took as much time again)) took me...

82 Hours!

And I'm betting it takes B & Q 10 seconds- but I'm proud of what I've done...

 and when I've stopped aching I'm sure it will have been worth it!

So part way through printing- each colour was Repeated in 8 prints

Finished results!!

I'm glad I've done it and I will do 3 lengths- but I've got to say, it's a learning curve. Hopefully I will know much more next time so I can speed it up a little!!

Professional Stuff

So today has been a trial of many different things I have had to be getting on with. I have finally caught up with where I think I should be for professional studies and am slowly but surely coming to realise that I'm really going to struggle finding a work experience that is affordable and that results in employment.... but aside from that I've been buzzing along with business cards and letterheads!

Dissertation

So I got my marks back today and am dead chuffed, did it on Gift Theory i.e. the meanings behind giving and receiving gifts, a very interesting and difficult subject. Saying that though given the choice again I'd probably still have chosen the same thing!!

For anyone who did questionnaires and gave me wonderful insight to their gifts, and helped me by proof reading, I can't thank you all enough for your help.

Today is one of those days that makes you feel like the hard work is worth it. I'm mounting up for the Bradford Textiles Society Competition today and hope it all goes well and gets sent off soon!

So since I've been a busy bee...

 Such gaps in time since my last post! Time has been flying by, to the point I have to catch my breath these days. I've been trying to get on with professional studies, as my tutorial is on next week and I'm painfully aware that the Bradford Textiles competition needs to be presented for next week and I always have things to do in the studio. So far I have done 3 (and a bit) final designs, but with it taking about 3 days to each design and everytime I have completed one it is criticised, I'm staring to get a tad frustrated. But as soon as I get into the print rooms I'm sure I will be more inspired.

As for this project called 'Treasured Objects' I have been working hard, having done many drawing sheets over christmas, and some more when I came back, and as a result, my design development and all other parts have resulted in me having 10 designs I love and want to push into print and no idea if it is realistic or not- i don't know how I'll do it, but put it this way, I'm going to be a very busy-bee, If I'm not already!!

 






With a vague essence of William Morrris and many dots that took me 2 days 9.30-9pm I think this design drove me mad! 

 







My other design has bright contasting colours, I wanted an unexpected design to come from a very boring image!