quick project- 16may14

The last couple of weeks have been filled with getting things done in preparation for Collect 2014 and after being away for a week in London, I come back to the studio ready to work. I got lots of great feedback and I'm buzzing with new ideas. While talking to people at the exhibition about my work, the more I repeated and explained my concept, the better I interiorized what drives me to create and why. Especially, I have been pondering on the importance of preciousness and the role this concept plays on the development of my work.  

Preciousness not only represents valuable objects, but more so ideas. I find that my quick projects are precious because they jump start creativity and led to the creation of new ideas. And this friday I treated myself to a day of playing in the workshop to recharge batteries and start fresh.

So this is the particular reasoning behind this quick project: 1.My friend Che gave me one of the porcelain bowls he works with. I was drawn to the material and had an impulse to interact with its form. 2.Engraving or taking away to create pattern. Love how the diamond 'v' wheel creates a pattern that reminds me of leaves and nature-like arrangement. 3.Applying paint to use markings as a stamp. 4.Beautiful prints as product of the engraving. 5.Different mark-making with black pen to create more texture. 6.Cut-outs of the pattern. These remind me as if I was looking into a microscope and seeing tiny organisms. 7-8.From the off-cuts of the paper, played with the paper and created these mini 2D sculptures.

I love to document these type of exercises because these are the starting points to great ideas. Giving myself the time to execute and play around with the material without anticipating the outcome. 

~Photos by julibd~   

Back from 2011 at the ASL New York Exhbit

I just happened to stumble upon this video of the exhibition I had the chance to participate at the Art Students League of New York back in 2011. The whole exhibition was of students under Bruce Dorfman in the Combined Media, Assemblage and Art in Three Dimensions.

I participated with 'The Aura of Things' piece. This framed several everyday objects and highlighted to show their particular ephemeral beauty.

"...an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (like the halo or aureola irreligious art). The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, all people, or all living things, or all objects whatsoever are said to manifest such an aura. Often it is held to be perceptible, whether spontaneously or with practice..." source

This project came about when I found an old printer destroyed in the reuse box - in 1,000 little pieces. These were about to be thrown out, so luckily we crossed paths on time. After closely observing the particular objects for a while, I noticed how the light interacted with all the different volumes creating intriguing shadows from various directions. Each of the pieces came to life as their auras showed themselves and portrayed their own particular beauty.  

Title: “Aura of Things” 

Inspiration: Everyday objects. 

Medium: Mixed media, illustration board, plywood & homosode base. 

City / Year: New York City, Feb. 2011 

Framed dimensions: 72'' H x 29'' L x 4'' W 

Photography: julibd

quick project- pattern & color blocks

I sometimes find myself repeating this pattern on and on... I wondered why until I understood that this relaxes me. Very simple and effective way to decompress the mind, just let ideas flow and relax. Then again, this is the reason why I do these quick projects.

In this particular one, the words that came to mind when appreciating the outcome were: stamp, rugs, patten & wall mountings... Imagine this on a greater scale, in fabric and woven onto a wall? Ja ja lots of ideas come from one simple sketch and never know what can come from this later on.

~ drawings by julibd ~

quick project- Limón Dulce or Sweet Lemon

Its been a month since I got to Costa Rica for my holidays, and it has been lovely to be able to relax and compare/contrast how different life is here. Not to mention the 20º + weather and constant sunshine and how this is soo different to the scottish one (of course !) ja ja. But this is a great opportunity to really savor and be grateful for our way of life here. 

One thing that I really love from here is that if we fancy orange juice, limón dulce or lemons, we can go out and take it from the tree. It doesn't get better than this (in my opinion). As my vacation is coming to an end, before going back I want to observe my surroundings and record some of the aspects. This is the purpose behind this quick project and hopefully works as inspiration for a new body of work...

ps. Sunshine loves this too ;P
~ photos by julibd ~

  

Recap of my last year of MFA

This last year of my MFA has been very full on in a good way. It was a crash course in pushing artistic ideas forward through the different research methods; building a cohesive and concise body of work, further communication skills to support the concept and the development of the professional practice. All of these aspects came together for our final project and the goal was to put on a professional exhibition. First was the Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show where Ode to Intuición made its debut and The Scottish Glass Society awarded Laura Reid and I the Prize for Best Student of Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2013.

-Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2013- Ode to Intuición Debut May 2013

A month later for New Designers we traveled down to London to show our work among 3,500 newly graduates from all over the UK’s leading universities. In my experience, New Designers was a great platform that jumpstarted my artistic experience because of its exposure, chance to network with a very specialized crowd and all the opportunities that came from it. I am happy to say that I got awarded the New Designers Contemporary Glass Society Associate Prize and was shortlisted in the final 12 for the New Designer of the Year Award.

Also I was invited by Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections to go to SOFA Chicago this October and Collect London in May 2014 and be represented by her as my agent.

-New Designers 2013- Edinburgh College of Art Stand June 2013

 Shortly after all of that, we traveled back to Edinburgh for Graduation. So it was a great way to close up the MFA experience.

-MFA Glass Graduation Proof ;D- June 2013

All of these are amazing opportunities that otherwise would no have been possible and New Designers was a stepping-stone for greater things, not only in the UK but also internationally. Here are some of the pictures of the exhibits since then:


Stanislav Libenský Award 2013. Prague Gallery of Czech Glass. Royal Summer Palace at Prague Castle. Prague. Czech Republic. September 20th- December 1st:

-Stanislav Libensky Award 2013- Royal SUmmer Palace at Prague Castle September 2013


SoFA Chicago 2013 with Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections, Navy Pier. Chicago. USA.

-SoFA Chicago 2013- Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections stand October 2013

And some more new exciting exhibitions are coming up so I will keep posting and look forward to what new projects are on the horizon. Happy 2014 !! to all and hope this year is even better than the last :D

~ photos by julibd ~ 

New Book: Ode to Intución Series

I have been meaning to show you guys my newly printed book of the Ode to Intuición Series. I am very happy with the outcome because this compilation becomes the principal storyteller of the project and portrays my journey as an artist. It is a personal space in which ideas where proposed without any restrictions and consequently, these became frozen moments that synthesized the preciousness of that intuitive thought. 

Looking back, I am glad I gave myself the time to put this book together because the value of the bound collection of sheets is as precious as the final Ode to Intuición Series. Also it is a great way to communicate my research and demonstrate the essence of the series.

~ photos by julibd ~ 

Starting my Artist in Residence at ECA

This was a very eventful summer to say the least, and I am working on 'clip notes version' post to explain myself fully. But for now, just wanted a quick note to mention that I am very excited to be one of the Artist In Residence at the Glass Department at ECA, alongside Anne Petters (mixing the hot shop with kiln casting/ Pâte de Verre), Andrea Walsh (cast glass with bone china) and Carrie Fertig (flame working mixed with performance)! The group is very diverse in techniques and expertise, so I can't wait to see what will come out of this experience.

I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to be an Artist in Residence. This is a scheme specially designed to support emerging artists and designers with the chance to access the studio free of charge, develop new skills and further their artistic career; acting as a stepping stone from student life to the real thing. In exchange, we assist staff members and  support students in the development of their creative and studio practice.

My plan for this one year residency, is to continue to evolve my studio practice by expanding the Mix&Match Series and explore new possibilities in the studio. Also I will be exhibiting my work, expanding my experience and exposure as an up-and-coming artist l designer. In the photo above, I am in the process of creating a new piece in the studio (mixing & matching though play) and on the left is the final non-functional vessel and it is called 'Abejón".

~ photos by Ainsley Francis and julibd (respectively) ~

Degree Show Setup of [Mix&Match] Series

Officially my Degree Show work was handed in on friday and here is the evidence of the setup in stop motion and the behind-the-scenes action. For some more information on the final piece and all its creative process visit: Go Here!

~ photos by julibd ~ 

[Mix&Match] Series Preview

So this is it. My final hand-in for my MFA is due tomorrow and these are some of the images of the [Mix&Match] Series that are going to be part of the written project. The aim of this reflective journal is to communicate most of the research methods used throughout the studio practice and illustrate the creative process from beginning to end of the 21 pieces.

  

The top image shows the visual thinking through the sketches of the non-functional vessels and the second, shows the 'chamán' from the series.

~ photos by julibd ~