collaborativeresearchintwodays

The presentations yesterday were an extraordinary success. They were in the form of pitches at the end of a weeks collaborative project between small groups of students on the textiles BA at nuca. The project was the result of an internal staff workshop at the end of last Summer where ideas around learning and teaching were discussed. It was felt that students needed to have a more structured course within year three. So it was decided to rethink the two long units into multiple smaller sections - so that the students could create a wider body of work, more finished pieces and experience a range of teaching approaches.
So far so good - a mass of learning has taken place, the feedback is very positive and I believe they are better designers and individuals, more ready to take on the challenges of the workplace because of it. Looking forward to building on this after christmas.
The day today was all about staff research - an opportunity to see some of the research individual members of staff are engaged in at nuca - a space to share good practice and build relationships with people one only sees at staff events.
The morning was comprised of a range of exciting, thoughtful and professional presentations - I really am surrounded by some most excellent people doing fantastic things.
meanwhile - finally sorting the station at beccles!

unabletosleepexcitedandlost

Its Wednesday but just getting round to this - a weekend of films – both with a focus in the middle east – Argo a Hollywood romp that sets you on a thrilling ride with final scenes that take your breathing away.  Ben Affleck does a wonderful directing job and acts a beard well, don’t leave the cinema as the credits add another layer. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/ Incendies blows up in your face – less easy to find but worthwhile as it has provided a restless night and the inability to sleep past 6.00 (hence writing this). A staggering journey of what it is to encounter the past, the film beautifully, brutally unfolds leaving a kind of open scar as it undoes itself. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1255953/

Looking forward to a week of work in Norwich both at nuca and then at the Costume and Textile study centre and also a day at MEAL. 

Starting the third stage of the rethink around the structure of year 3 on the textile course at nuca. Stage one was an open phase of finding your practice, then after a presentation there was a period of focused study – today I introduce the first of two group collaborative projects – its only a week but working together will be an interesting test and good practice for the future. http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/005-briefing-for-unit-8 have started the countdown to the moment they leave in seconds - it makes it seem longer.

Next week - gets a little hardcore in terms of time left. Time to get on - http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/briefing-10th-dec

Continuing to work in stitch and the pleat – slightly obsessed – I don’t think that it will pass.

lookingforwardbackwards

a busy week coming up - looking forward to the private view at The Eagle Gallery of Espaces Silencieux by Heiner Thiel et Matthew Tyson– London on Thursday night – its on from 26^th October – 23^rd November http://www.emmahilleagle.com/ - on the book art front its the first day back at Camberwell with symposium 1 on Tuesday – it’ll be interesting to see the work of the new students and to listen to their aspirations for the year – their facebook page is a good starting point and promotes good links - http://www.facebook.com/events/29346902735440 - more time looking at and considering the fold in the castle museum at Norwich and general teaching and admin at nuca including training in the new on-line assessment forms. came across the connection below - really pleased with the link at firstsite to the big book http://www.firstsite.uk.net/page/the-big-book  the book i created for the library of lost books looks good but is best when opened and sitting as a 3D object http://thelibraryoflostbooks.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2012-07-20T05:30:00-07:00&max-results=3&start=3&by-date=false.

rapidbriefambition

a day of briefing at nuca for the year 3 students on the textile course – some interesting revelations all round with exciting discussions around ambition and personal aims for the future. the new spaces have gone down well and my ‘rapid response’ feedback forms indicate that we are doing the right thing by the students!

here are links to the two briefings held

http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/unit-7-project-briefing-14527040

http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/what-is-a-learning-agreement-formulating-one-year-3-1-oct-2012-14528662

theendisnigh

1 day down – 1094 to go for the new cohort of textile design students at nuca - a good day with lots of input and information for them to take in mixed up with interaction with each other.  and the construction of the letter that they write to themselves to be given to them 3 years from now just as they start to put together their work for the final show -  its a moment to consider why you are on the course, what you want and to construct your own version of success.

working on a Pecha Kucha presentation for the Research into Practice Unit on the Post Graduate at nuca has thrown up some images from Malta – working with string to create mass and images within a space – must add this image to talk about materials and their inherent qualities.

the show at Imago Gallery is now down – a nice link to CAMAC blog site - http://londondesignfestival.tumblr.com/post/31788106469/camac-design

gettingreadyatnuca

its all good – spent the day in Norwich organising the studios for the arrival of the textile students at nuca – everybody in the 1^st and 3^rd year gets their own space, something that the students have requested - with the 2^nd years having a more flexible space as most of term 1 and 2 is spent on work placement. we also have a huge new free studio space to have mass group work – seminars, drawing sessions  and professional practice workshops. looking forward to the arrival of the new students next week – we’ve been planning some exciting bonding workshops for the 1^st years in induction week.

got to snape on saturday evening to see the new opera by david toop - a star shaped biscuit – http://davidtoopblog.com/ sitting outside in derelict buildings listening to the most extraordinary voices floating in the air mixed with distorted harp and a hurdy-gurdy which was attacked with much vigour – and bats - it doesn’t get much better –topped off with the walk back in the dark through the reed beds to iken cliff.

hangingshowsandparalympicfire

another doorway and its all go – the show is up and the marks are in for the MA Textiles in Norwich and all is heading to the private view – this week i’ve been hanging/curating the MA Book Art show in Camberwell which has a really diverse range of book related outcomes, next week its the assessment and then what is always a most excellent private view. Off next to the Paralympics flame celebrations at needham market   http://www.eadt.co.uk/entertainment/needham_market_paraylmpic_flame_celebration_day_details_revealed_1_1487531 it sounds like an all out extravaganza! and then there is the Paralympics orchestra at snape tomorrow http://www.aldeburgh.co.uk/news/british-paraorchestra-and-paralympic-flame-visit-snape-proms at the Paralympics i will be watching out for Dan Bentley – the guy i worked with as part of journey to the podium – he’s playing Boccia at the Excel centre and I’ll be glued to a screen on sept 2^nd meanwhile http://paralympics.channel4.com/boccia/

hangingtheend

The post graduate degree show at nuca this year is well organised and looks professional - worth a visit - http://www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery/madegreeshow its been  interesting hanging the textile show for 3 days this week in norwich and a very successful culmination for the students. Next week its hanging the MA book art show at camberwell for two days http://newsevents.arts.ac.uk/event/camberwell-ma-show-2012/
i've also been working on the bookwork for the library of lost books project in birmingham - http://thelibraryoflostbooks.blogspot.co.uk/ the work is becoming a multi-part response both physically and conceptually to the collection of annual hopkins lecture pamphlets.

meaninglesswarfolding

well after the appalling corporate meaningless non thing that was the ticketed torch party in the park it was a joy to walk down to Ipswich town hall and enter the world of http://www.switchfringe.co.uk/ the fire night was an alternative – and it was - ypsmael http://ypsmael.com/ and tonesucker http://www.onoma.co.uk/tonesucker.html    were highlights. tonesucker felt like all-out music as war – most excellent.

the event in the park really was bad – i am struggling to remember something so insidious. it was devoid of anything meaningful - this was apart from the interventions of real people presenting real experiences – Aldeburgh music and Dance east – this session stood out as having something to say about or at least connect to Olympic ideals - how is it possible to get something so wrong?

anyway today is all about digital folding - I have managed to secure TESS funding from nuca to support smocking is evil research and I’m working on the images for the windows for the imago gallery show in September.

finalshowprintandtrip

The private view at nuca last night was a full affair – with some interesting work on display http://www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery/badegreeshows the textiles are represented well by the web site designed by year two design students Mike and Adam – check out their site and the work of textile students at http://www.nucatextiles.co.uk/ or go to norwich to see the work.

The bookmare design for print is finished and a visit to the printers on thur will be added to the itinerary during a trip to London with MA Textile Design students from nuca for new designers and the RCA. http://www.camberwell.arts.ac.uk/camberwellspace/futureexhibitions/bookmare/

bullinachinashop

i’ve spent the last three weeks working on a project for the ideas factory at nuca. http://www.nuca.ac.uk/about/news/516-ideasfactoryatnuca the bride and bull project with crockery designers Maxwell and Williams (get it!!) will be revealed soon.

scalfpresentations

thursday saw the first day of me as unit tutor for Award Specific Unit 4 and Self Negotiated Unit 3 on the textile ma at norwich! – it was a day of presentations the links are below.
http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/formulating-a-learning-agreement-briefing-for-asu-4
http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/what-is-a-journal-for-asu-4
http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/briefing-project-proposal
meanwhile - year one students from the textiles course at nuca are participating in their first ever external exhibition at CRAFTCO at 40a High Street Southwold Suffolk IP18 6AE - 01502 723 211. the show will run from Saturday 04/02/12 until 27/02/12.
it should be a good show – the students have developed a range of work based on the theme of scarves. there are scarves that you can wear and scarves that need a space on a wall!
the exhibition showcases the diversity of creative practice on the course and the range of skills that year one students have developed over a relatively short space of time.

assessingstuffandmaking

assessments at camberwell yesterday – spent the day looking at some solid work which should lead to exciting outcomes for the final exhibition
some student blogs to check out
http://chrisgibsonart.blogspot.com/
http://margaret-cooter.blogspot.com/
http://karenapps.weebly.com/
then off to the jerwood space to see formed thoughts – which had some interesting work by glithero and then onto tacita deans piece for the turbine hall. the most exciting piece in the space downstairs was the stop frame motion film of the large holes they are digging for the new galleries. meanwhile at home working on the box for the firstsite large book which i think is going to be most fabulous and then tomorrow night its the private view of the journey to the podium – only have to get through watching the artist tonight and the MA briefings at nuca tomorrow.

finalworkreflections

just back from the repeat private view – the show has a very professional feel to it with some really interesting work. It was good to catch up with past students who i see vey infrequently and to talk with other members of staff at nuca who I only see at staff meetings. my work looks okay – couldn’t resist getting the work from behind the glass and explaining how it operates to people who looked interested – i also enjoyed the reflections of St George’s building in the glass.

puttingthingstogether

started to put together the display of my work for the repeat show at nuca – testing the layout under the glass – making the public unable to touch or manipulate the pieces will be an interesting experience for me to undergo.
the flyer looks good - the typography I designed for the title has been used and the publicity department have followed the general lay out i proposed – unfortunately the image of my work has been printed on a 90 degree rotation to its original – but it now looks unsettlingly interesting.
the day at nuca has been about focusing the students minds around the time they have left and the work they need/want to do – http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/dates-to-go

localpresssure

when i first came across the wonderful Langlands and Bell in the mid 80s two artists working together in collaboration as one was intriguing and went against everything I had read or been taught about art - the artist as heroic master, a genius of all they survey. the role and position of the artist has evolved since then and collaboration seems de rigour. ss somebody who makes books i understand the very notion of collaboration so it was with this background that i asked Langlands and Bell in the question and answer session after their presentation at UCS to talk about the suspicion they may have encountered during the course of their career. little had i underestimated the role of the 'general public' and local press in warping a discussion of this kind. Langlands and Bell have obviously undergone the hostile, tedious and uninformed what a waste of public money and the woeful is it art? barrage as my question was met with muted hostility and the look of fear. it was a shame as i went to listen to two very intelligent artists whose work i admire and all i learnt was that they have to endure this nonsense. on a lighter note i’m working on a seminar for students on the MA Textile Design at NUCA about context and practice and looking forward to discussing this whole at some length.

factoryvisitandsometeaching

took four textile students to Anstey’s of Loughborough for them to undertake presentations for the Historic Wallpaper Society competition. the factory visit was instructive and threw up many issues that the course could pursue and discuss – ethics and sustainability being two. they have worked really hard and all of them could benefit from the opportunities generously offered by the society. tuesday i ran a very intense and occasionally combative seminar at camberwell which explored a maker’s relationship to audiences and the work they make through flow diagrams – some wonderful thoughts and thoughtful comments mean that some of the diagrams I present will be changed and some added. we also looked at the individual students plans for the final show in the actual space – the course has been altered and we will be showing the work in September – after jumping on a train to Norwich for the nuca BA private view – as ever a very social affair which was glamorously busy with lots of textiles being sold.

buybuybuyfinalshowatnuca

the show at nuca is up and looks most excellent – recommend that you bring a cheque book as there is some fabulous work to purchase and commission. BA Textiles and Surface Design have two spaces - in the gallery space at the front of the building we have created a retail experience and upstairs the presentation is more about explaining the background to their work.
the private view is on tuesday – i’m rushing back from running an audience development seminar at Camberwell so will meet the experience that is the private view after a full day
the shows are on from Wednesday 22nd June to Tuesday 28th June 2011
http://www.nuca.ac.uk/the-gallery-at-nuca/forthcoming-exhibitions

makingandassessing

a busy week of making – both for the Kilkenny Arts Festival in Ireland and the Sunderland book project – i have finally finished the edition which centres around the idea of the scribe and transposition. the project gave me the opportunity to reconnect with the work of the Bede. it uses folding and digital printing alongside the handwritten to explore the idea of the scribe, the next stage after life and the labyrinth of thinking involved in developing understanding.
meanwhile assessments at nuca and camberwell have been exciting – there are some excellent students with wonderful work this year - really looking forward to both shows.

i am in the middle of creating a workshop for the peer assisted learning scheme (pals) at nuca around the development of a publication of a booklet to help the pals support the cohort of students who come to nuca next year.

followingblogs

wanted to share some blogs that i have been following - http://butter-brass.blogspot.com/ a wonderful collection of fashion and photos and style - http://iamnotagun.blogspot.com/ a great eye for good design - http://bookshelfporn.com/ organised and disorganised bookshelves - http://amazing-maps.blogspot.com/ it is what it is amazing maps of all kinds - http://bigthink.com/blogs/strange-maps mapping and maps of all and everything - http://culturepopped.blogspot.com/ general and specific graphic illustrations. meanwhile at NUCA – working on the MA textile design http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/context-audience-understanding-for-ma-textile-design and the fda surface design course http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/presentation-briefing-ba6-contexts-collaborations-audience-and-employability-briefing