Wow-Oh-Wow // Day Two, Three, Four

I'll begin to try and write about these past few days... (I'm sorry if this doesn't make any sense- I'm still trying to digest everything myself)...

WOW

I've finished my first weeks work placement with Sam Winston. If you don't know who he is, I suggest you click on his name and find out.

I had the great opportunity yesterday to have a look at Sam's original 'Orphan' story.

These are a few pictures of his piece.

beautiful

Then later on in the afternoon we went to see George, a very talented print man who has an exceptional eye for imperfections. Sam went to get some prints of his Death festival piece.

I really wanted to attend the exhibition at the South Bank Centre but I unfortunately couldn't make it down but he was kind enough to let me draw my very own circle on the birth piece.

These were all drawn by hand.

The tally's Sam created to keep track of how many circles he had drawn.

TEA!

I'm gradually making my way through Sam's extensive tea collection. Peppermint, camomile and honey, white tea, elderflower etc etc

This is the view form George's studio floor. This was just before the sun started to set. 

(A really yummy very berry smoothie I had this morning... NOM!)

Today I had the opportunity to work on another project Sam is currently doing with Oliver Jeffers.

I was cutting out the type from children's stories to scan in to create another form of artwork. (If this book gets published, I am running to the nearest book shop, buying it and I will scream in excitement that I had a very small input into a great piece of work)

All in all, an absolutely great week. It's nice to have a change from the same day-in, day-out routine I have and to travel and do something different and learn something new and to simply meet new people and enjoy it. 

Manifesto: If things were different

For the first university project of this term, we were asked to write a manifesto. I wrote two, one serious and one less serious- see one here. Here is my other written, designed and produced manifesto. It was only a week project but I did a publication, four poster designs and set up a twitter account. 

Jonathan Barnbrook was meant to come in and critique our work but he had a call from a client to get work done for a client so he couldn't make it. He kindly tweeted back however, and apologised :)


The manifesto is about things that I would change if I could / if things were different. Some of these things are things that irritate me as well. The twitter account is set up for anyone who would like to join this little campaign to share what irritates them and what they would change if they could. So if you have a twitter account, tweet @irritate_ with #ifthingsweredifferent and tell me. My favourite tweets will be produced into posters for an entry into my 3rd year end of year degree show. So get tweeting!!

The publication is a concertina and stretches out.

Little information strips to get people tweeting to @irritate_

Posters

I think therefore I am...

A manifesto written to inspire and provoke thought. Written by yours truly;

I think, therefore I am. If I can think, I am alive. If I am alive then I have interest and meaning. If I have interest and meaning then I have a purpose. If I have purpose than no-one should ever make me feel like I’m less than what I am.

I believe that destruction is a form of creation.

What you think is lost isn’t lost at all.

What you think is destroyed can be rebuilt.

What you think is hard may be just a challenge.

What you think can’t happen, just might.

What you think can’t heal, has the potential to recover.

What you think is too big could be significant.

What you think is bad news could transpire into the best news you’ve ever heard.

Subvert expectation completely. If you never expect, you are never disappointed. I’ve been disappointed too many times to recall. This is something I’ve simply learnt- to not expect anything from anyone. At the end of the day, everyone is out for him or herself.

You certainly don’t want anyone who doesn’t want you- one of the best bits of advice ever given to me from my Dad. You must value yourself more than that. I can recall lowering myself for individuals who weren't even worth it and I was only used. I will never put myself in a position where anyone will treat me any less than I deserve.

You need to get up everyday and get on with life, because if you don’t then you’ll only go crazy.
Never look down at others unless you are helping them up - simple as that.

I believe that you should treat those you love with respect- if you don’t treat those closest to you with respect and love then you won’t have anyone who you can call ‘close’. I was always told to talk to your parents how you would talk to your friends parents.

Work hard then play hard. I heard this ‘crap’ all the time growing up -but another one of the best things my Dad ever said to me, and he’s dead right. You will never achieve unless you put in the effort in the first place. Really beginning to understand that balance is how I’ve managed to produce some great work that I’m personally proud of. My parents have always pushed me and preached to me when I’m ‘burning the candles at both ends’. There’s nothing that I cannot do.

I believe you should always be sincere, free of deceit and untruthfulness. It will come back and bite you on the bottom. Sometimes the truth hurts, sometimes it breaks relationships and trust. But what I’ve learnt is that more often than not you can’t expect people to be honest with you if you aren’t honest to them.

Life is too short to spend it with assholes. I read this somewhere and it’s so true. Unfortunately I’ve been surrounded by assholes all my life but I’m gradually pushing them out my life one by one!

Be thirsty to learn. I’ve accepted that sometimes I need to learn about things I’m not interested in. Sometimes you have to learn about different thngs in order to learn and generate new ideas that you can apply to your work. If your mind doesn’t grow then neither will your ideas.

Maybe you can read this and take something away from it.  Maybe you can't. Maybe it's at least provoked a thought.