Category: Professional Practice Year 3

To make my creative cv more professional I chose a different colour scheme and chose to brand my name in a way that will make me stand out from a crowd.

My initial reaction to the collect online exhibition is wow… it is so inspiring to be able to see makers, artists and designers working and thriving in their fields all in one online exhibition (even more so in the current environment we find ourselves in). From looking at the collections it still seems there is a need and want for art and craft, as well as people working within the specialism of paper.

It is interesting to be able to browse the companies and collections that are representing the artists, their pricings and how they photograph and represent themselves digitally (for me this is quite important that I am able to get this right so that shapes, textures and surface qualities are captured in a way that allows the audience to respond accordingly, because in a normal world my forms are quite tactile and I would want my forms to be handled). I am almost able to visualise where my work could sit and whose would actually be interested (although i’m not quite there yet!)

The exhibitors that caught my eye are:

Maison Parisienne, who represent French craftspeople in the field of using wood, paper, cardboard, textiles and basketry, who combined are both traditional and innovative.

Sarah Myerscough Gallery, who represent international artists, using traditional craftsmanship, organic materials and focusing on the tactile and sensory.

Jagged Art, unusual and delicate use of materials, organic works. Using Ceramic, grass, wood, paper and textiles.

Coralie Laverdet (Maison Parisienne) is a paper sculptor whose work explores the sensory and sensitive material qualities of paper by repurposing and recycling natural fibres. Laverdet’s work is priced between £1,500 to £8,000 at Collect 2020.

I was drawn to the way the forms resemble organic rock like forms, these look extremely tactile, touchable and even huggable (?) the depth created by the ink creates a really interesting emphasis on the texture, I was also drawn to the use repurposed and recycled materials that when formed into these organic quite flowy forms

Jane Ponsford (Sarah Myerscough Gallery) is an artist and paper maker whose work explores working in response to place and landscape, working with collected materials. Jane is a member of The International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists, she exhibits nationally and teaches papermaking. Ponsfords work is priced at £950 at Collect 2020.

I was really intrigued by ponsford’s work and with a little bit more background research, I have gained a real interest in her discipline of making paper and using collected materials and working within nature.

Jeremy May (Jaggedart) is a Jeweler who transforms reclaimed paper and books into jewelry. Often inspired by specific quotes, each piece of jewelry has a history and story to tell. Mays work is priced between £1,080 and £1,130

Although not directly related to my own practice, i was really intrigued by the use of paper to make jewellery, and the way the repurposed artwork carries its own story. It is interesting to see how paper can be built into a solid three dimensional form such as this.

Moving Forward, After researching and looking at the variety of work shown in Collect 2021, I want to look into the work of Jane Ponsford further as her work and who she is involved in and the projects she has undertaken are really inspiring and has informed some of the decisions I have made recently in my project.

As a maker, my material of choice is paper although I have experience in a wide range of multi medium techniques and materials and often combine them.  I take inspiration from my surroundings and make forms that reflect on the environment. My multi media work explores the fibrous, strong, fragile and opaque qualities of handmade paper though its functional and decorative use in both books and sculptural forms. I make, combine and manipulate handmade paper using stitch, letterpress and printing to create three dimensional sculptures and artist books. My work combines both traditional and contemporary techniques and materials. My ambition is to make work that is inspired by nature and my surroundings. I want the viewer to handle my work to appreciate the tactile nature of the materials and the layering and collage. I am very comfortable working both as part of a team or independently. I enjoy the process of collecting materials and foraging for supplies for paper making, often using materials that are local to me, or traditional to the craft of paper making and book binding. I enjoy making books that express awareness, emotion and often tell a story. My interest stems from wanting to exploring the traditional methods of paper making and binding and along with the varied methods of constructing and making using paper with text, recycled and natural materials. Which often involving the use of the senses of sight, smell, sound and touch.