This has been a challenging time for everyone and as for me I have found the limits of location challenging. Since returning to university I have been using roath park as an excuse to escape the current situations and observe and enjoy the little bit of nature I can get my hands on.

This made me think why not focus on my project here. I wanted to illustrate through ‘modern day’ storytelling, the current covid 19 situation unfolding in front of us. by observing how people are behaving in response to guidelines and whether people are ignoring advice/ distancing and if people are actively discussing covid or if it has become a taboo conversation and we try and get on with our lives. The lake is a popular place for dog walkers, runners and people who want to stretch their legs. I have found observing people and place has became the focus of my trips to the lake.

My plan is to take my observational drawings and to make them into drypoint prints onto my handmade covid article newspaper paper, then forming these into illustrated bowls that tells the story of how I see covid. I have taken inspiration from traditional storytelling and how illustrations were used to record events. As well as traditional bowl making using paper mache from kashmir. Grayson Perry has been a heavy source of inspiration for me as a ceramicist who tells stories onto vessels, his sometimes political approach creates powerful representations of current affairs and this also creates conversation.

The Lockdown Challenge

I, the undersigned, hereby agree to undertake the following for 1 week;

1. DAILY: 5 MINS OF CONSCIOUS BREATHING USING ANY METHOD
2. DAILY: 1 DANCE, OF ANY TYPE IN ANYWAY
3. DAILY: 15 MINS OF EXERCISE -WALKING, STRETCHING
4. DAILY:  TAKE 1 GOOD PHOTO
5. DAILY:  DRINK WATER – AIM TO INCREASE TO 1 LITRE PER DAY
6. DAILY: DO 1 DRAWING A DAY IN ANY FORMAT OF ANY THING
7. DAILY: REDUCE TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
8. WEEKLY: GO TO SLEEP EARLY AT LEAST ONCE
9. WEEKLY: READ FOR PLEASURE FOR 1 HOUR – ACCUMUALTIVE
10. WEEKLY: COOK A NEW MEAL FROM AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS
11. WEEKLY: TAKE A COLD SHOWER/BATH FOR A LIMITED PERIOD

+  One other action of my own choosing please add here ….

In reflection undertaking these I have seen an increase in productivity. I don’t necessarily think it is all down to these tasks although I found that some did help me to become focused and in time more creative.

I have tried to reduce my time on social media and have found a profound difference in my happiness and probably my creativity. i regularly take photos, this helps me to focus my mind and challenge my skill in capturing a good composition. i have been exploring new routes for walking and enjoy this for exercise and exploring the areas around me.

I wanted to incorporate a ethical aspect into this project, with consideration to traditions of paper mache and my interests in paper manipulation and bookbinding, paper seemed a good pathway for me to undertake this project.

After discussing my ideas with Nigel I decided making paper would be the best place to start. As my interests lie with current storytelling I thought it would be appropriate to incorporate Covid 19 Articles into the paper I would be making into bowls. ( I have already been experimenting with previously made hand made paper but I thought it would be more appropriate to use a paper with more relevance to the ideas I am exploring.

Usually this paper would be rolled but I have purposely made some of these sheets thicker for textural value so i may only roll some of them. This paper will be what I print my dry etching plates onto.

I have booked a one to one tutorial with Nigel so he can go through the process and safety protocols for printing. so this is what i will be doing next week.

Moving Forward I want to use this paper for my dry point printing experiments to see if the paper would hold the print well or if it would disintegrate , alswell as this I want to have a second go at making this paper but including more chunky bits of text and even collaging news paper articles or words into the paper before using the mould and deckle to form the paper sheet.

After being in communication with Nigel over email we arranged to have a chat in the studio to talk through some of my ideas. this was an extremely valuable thing for me to do, as having an outsiders imput into my project threw up new and exciting ideas for me. these are some of the things that came up for me to experiment and try with…

Explore and refresh using the letterpress on my hand made paper. could this be embossed straight into the bowl or could it be printed?

As a starting point look at drypoint printing and experiment with different processes and manipulation of the paper pre and post printing. exploring other printing methods such as lino and coligraph.

do I need to make some more hand made paper, could this be made from covid related news articles?

exploring how I would bring in text, would it be from overhearing conversations? using peoples topic of conversation? the news? how does this inspire my own “story” on the bowl?

go for a walk and document the noisays, imagery and conversations heard by others. observe and document this through quick sketches to observe body language the use of masks and public behaviour, would this be in response to new announcements?

could it be even more obvious than that? could a mask be a bowl ? could i make a paper mask that represents the times that we are living in now. is a mask even a bowl if it is upside down? it’s a vessel and it could hold something so in my opinion … yes it could be a bowl.

be current and up to date with changing news and explore imagery that underpins public responses ?

Looking into the British museums (The British Museum Blog. 2020. A History Of Storytelling Through Pictures. [online] Available at: <https://blog.britishmuseum.org/a-history-of-storytelling-through-pictures/&gt; [Accessed 28 October 2020].) I came across some research sources about storytelling through imagery. i am interested in the origins of storytelling and how I can transfer this traditional practice into ‘modern day’ storytelling with regard to one of the biggest factors we ar experiences currently… Covid 19. I am hoping by researching traditional storytelling I will get to grips with understanding what was of importance of that time. and what kinds of of stories, historys, facts and tales that were recorded through imagery.

African rock art is one of the earliest forms of human made imagery, dating back to 30,000 years. often painted, engraved or drawn onto rock, often conveying narratives on social lives.

Assyrian Palace reliefs, carved from stone situated within the place tell a story read much like a comic strip as each stone carving is the next in the sequence around a room. they usually depicted strong magical figures to protect the king from supernatural forces.

Bayeux Tapestrys are a widely recognised medieval art which also represent an important historical source for the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. this is a form of embroidery onto 8 pieces of linen. likely to have been worked by Anglo-Saxon women to describe historical conquest events of the time.

Monterrubio uses storytelling and illustration to give new relevance to traditional ceramic surface design. Incorporating polychromatic imagery with his experiences and current affairs and contemporary themes from Mexican, immigrant and American urban cultures.

The Narrative has the biggest impact on me with the work, he uses very poignant powerful messages through his work and the imagery is enough to tell a story. Monterrubio intrigues me as the loose dream like imagery depicts explicit sometimes real life events, you could say they become a little controversial to Mexican tradition. the forms highlight the importance of social issues and creates a strong narrative for exploration, I feel I get drawn in by the eye catching intricacy of the designs. you can see a definite inspiration from the artists former graffiti interests.

Craft in America. 2020. MANO-MADE: NEW EXPRESSION IN CRAFT BY LATINO ARTISTS, GERARDO MONTERRUBIO. [online] Available at: <https://www.pbs.org/craft-in-america/objects/mano-made-gerardo-monterrubio/&gt; [Accessed 28 October 2020].

I have been in conversation with Nigel from the printroom to discuss the possibilities of printing onto paper bowls. I mentioned I wanted to use printmaking methods and letterpress to express storytelling. the difficulty for me is how I get these prints onto the bowl. Is it possible to print on a 3D or curved object or is this something I have to print onto 2D and then transfer or paper mache into the bowl? I guess the only way to find out is to experiment! I have booked a studio space to have a discussion with Nigel and for him to possibly show me some methods.

I have previously explored intaglio, Collagraph and lino printing and letterpress. But I am also a bit rusty, I am very keen to expand my knowledge and explore other types. The main types of printmaking are woodcut, this involves the carving of wood to create areas of negative space. it was a tradition that was used during the 15th century print text. It was one of the first ways that literature became accessible to people.

Linocut is also a relief process print. developed in the 20th Century and involves cutting into a sheet of linoleum. this material, unlike wood has no gain so you have more freedom in the direction of cut.

Collagraph printing involves using collage of material and fabric glued onto a board to build up a printing plate, this a good technique to get textural value into your print.

Intaglio simply means to ‘cut in’ and is the oldest form of printmaking, Engraving and drypoint involve scratching into a surface, inking and wiping away before printing. everything scratched into the surface will transfer during printing.

The engraving process involves an ‘eating away’ of metal using the “biting” process using a metal plate coated in a waxy like substance called ground, this you then use a needle to draw your designs in.

Hill, E., 2020. 9 Types Of Printmaking You Need To Know. [online] Artsy. Available at: <https://www.artsy.net/article/editorial-nine-types-of-printmaking-you-need-to&gt; [Accessed 28 October 2020].

Thinking about storytelling in craft got me thinking about the work of Grayson Perry. I have spent some time researching traditional and old methods of storytelling and I wanted to now consider the modern equivalent. A lot of old and traditional methods of storytelling where to preserve events or stories of the time and I thought it would be interesting if I were to document my experience of the current time (in lockdown) through my own storytelling of the current times. whether this would be my routine, my daily walk or documentation from my little window in my student house.

Storytelling has been used as a method of narratives on vessels as a way of expression and representation of cultural beliefs.

This idea drew me to the work of Grayson Perry who uses storytelling of a means to illustrate social problems, identity, current cultural affairs,sexuality, religion, social status and other contemporary themes. he uses this as a way of commenting or documenting society.

According to an article by the National Geographic called storytelling and Cultural traditions written by the national Geographic society. (Society, N., 2020. Storytelling And Cultural Traditions. [online] National Geographic Society. Available at: <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/storytelling-and-cultural-traditions/&gt; [Accessed 22 October 2020].)

Storytelling is an old tradition, dating back as long as culture itself. before writing oral storytelling took the form of poetry, chants, rhymes, song ect. not everything is historically accurate or true and can also encompass myths, fables, religion, prayers, proverbs and instructions.

Choctaw storytelling, this is a form of Native American storytelling from the Choctaw tribe. they were used to preserve the tribes history and educate.they frequently included history as well as life lessons and moral teachings . This is similar to native Hawaiian storytelling explores history, legends, traditions. it also used song and dance.

African American folktale evolved during the 18th and 19th century by enslaved African Americans. The illustrations often depicted stories that have evolved over time. This was often their way of expression. they often took the form of parables and conveyed ideas, morals and cultural value. they often depict animals and explain why animals looks and act the way they do. they often depicted the hardship, they were often used to make hard times more bearable.

This research has made me think more about the traditional storytelling evolved through different cultures. Moving Forward, and possibly take inspiration from these. I want to consider more about the narrative of my bowls and why I am picking the stories. As Well as explore and inherit methods of traditional printmaking. that explores the traditional storytelling.