Sally Denton

Sally Denton's lecture was understanding trend and forecasting. Why trends are so important and she says the future has happened,  just it's not distributed very well !!
She also talked about the three stages of trend.
Marco 3 to 5 years plus is thinking differently.
Transitional is 1 to 2 years fashion/fabrics.
Micro trend six months and to be avoided as much as possible as this is the lines that end up in the cheap discount stores.
We looked at the start of trends. First trendsetter is designers. The early adopter is brands. The trend follower is high Street. The lagger is discount stores.TK Maxx has changed the face of discount shops offering quality designer clothes at prices one can afford. Top Shop became a brand in its own right.
As much as I found the lecture enlightening, I felt it was aimed at younger students who will become the designers the of the future, working in companies where they need to understand trends.
It is most certainly worth looking at Sally Denton's website The TrendBoutique to learn more about
her and her company.

Chara Lewis

Chara Lewis's lecture was interesting because she uses light and shadows to produce most of her work. In the Trespassing images she explains she usees other spaces to make her own space and to take the real and imaginary and mix them together. I found this quite fascinating because I do know, how important it is to be original.
 I also thought the idea of going into museum stores and producing artwork to go in the gallery and again using light and shadows to produce images that look gloomy in the Museum storage rooms.

 Image taken in Museum storage room.

 I have to say I loved The Messenger that was installed in Tatton Park to 2012. Unfortunately I never saw installation but still think the image is beautiful on-screen and in pictures.

The Messenger in Tatham Park 2012

 The next image that caught my eye was To Suspend the Breath that was exhibited at Yorkshire sculpture Park 2008. The image is a heart-shaped pair of lungs that inhale and exhale illuminating the bronchioles and alveoli. I've seen the picture of this installation but I've never seen it actually seen it working much to my disappointment.

 To Suspend the Breath 2008


Chara Lewis  is part of a group called Brass Art which also have a website which is well worse perusing.

Unit X working together.

 Unit X it's all about teamwork, group work, collaboration whatever you want to call it. It's all about working together textiles (Leahna, Safia and me)  and media (Jacob,Oliver) working together to produce some art work to exhibit in a location to be announced later.

Unit X is about 175 as The Manchester Art School is 175 years old this year. So to celebrate the art school anniversary this year. Our group Jouer which means play in French is planning to research into
 different aspects of Manchester Art School. The media will be using photographs and music. Textiles are are researching into Alumni (me) quotes and papers ( Leahna) anniversaries (Safia).

Poster for our group and what we plan to do.

A picture of me, Jacob and Safia working together.
(Leahna took the photograph).

 At the poster reveal in Hilton House Northern Quarter
Manchester.





 Food Workshop.

 Plated crudities for dipping in the hummus.

We all attended a food workshop which consisted of making sandwiches with given fillings. I think it was a great task as everybody worked together and we got to know other Tip students in the same year better.

 My fellow students sat round the table ready to eat.

Cutting the sandwiches

One of the lovely sandwiches on offer.

 The students on the same table as me, really enjoyed the experience of the food workshop and eating  the sandwich and crudities with the hummus.

The Buckroyds

The BuckRoyds

At the preview in the Hanover Building at UCLAN

Another image of the project.

My friend's weave project

My very dear friend Abi Townsend with her
work. 

I was invited to the preview of this exhibition by my friend who is studying fine art at UCLAN. The exhibition is celebrating the continuation of the Tom Buckroyd award.

Tom Buckroyd  was next really talented young artists who studied fine art at UCLAN.. His life was tragically cut short in 1997. In their generosity and desire to celebrate Tom's life, his family have since supported promising young artists like Tom with the" Tom Buckroyd Award" given to find our students at UCLAN to help them develop projects. This exhibition celebrates Tom's life and work and also the workers of the beneficiaries of the award. Artists included are Abigail Townsend, Andy Greenacre, Linda Erzliz, William Titley, Alex Daw, Michael Walker and Tom Buckroyd.

The exhibition is curated by David Mackintosh and presents a specially  selected collection of Tom's work alongside individual pieces by previous beneficiaries who have continued to develop as artists after graduation. Also included is work for the current winner Abigail Townsend a second year fine art student at UCLAN.

A peek at the fine art studio.

 I was so delighted that my friend was given this award as I know she is very talented artist. Abi and I were at Morecambe and Lancaster College doing a foundation course together. I went off into textiles and Abi into fine art . At college Abi showed great potential as a landscape artist, printmaker and maker.

Out and about London.

After I been to the Manet exhibition decided to go and have a cup of coffee. As we were near the Burlington's Arcade we decided to go to the lovely cafe on the corner called Laduree. Where we had macaroons, coffee and hot chocolate and have to say they were delicious if a little expensive!

Looking out of the arcade.

 That rose macaroon was very nice as you can see by the look on my face.

 Looking into the arcade filled with  shops  selling
very expensive jewellery, clothes and shoes but it was very nice just looking.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My sister-in-law and I  decided we had to walk off the macaroons.  So we walked onto Bond Street to  do some window-shopping.  The images below are some of the shops windows we passed.

The above images have been taken from the windows
of  Victoria"s Secret. These costumes looked like a
work of art in their own right. I had to photograph them
because they are stunning.

 As I was passing this gallery I took a quick photograph

and photographed the image above who is by Abelardo.

 I photographed this image because I liked the picture,

as simple as that.  I don't particularly like Madonna but

I thought this was a very good image of her. I also photographed 

the artist name and details as well.

 This is a photograph of another gallery on Bond Street.

 Here we are at Butler and Wilson shop. This is a fantastic
shop full of very unusual and showy jewellery and
accessories. They also stock vintage dresses.

One of the windows.

In the shop.

How's this for a necklace !

Another window full of goodies.

Whitworth Art Gallery.

   

            Another visit to the Whitworth Gallery to see: Callum Innes and Beryl Korot.

I was very impressed with Callum Innes work. The way he works
his canvases with paint, turps and paint again. This gives the effect of fabric.

Beryl Korot  work was more interesting to read about
than look at. Maybe I am being a bit harsh or may be
the colours are a bit drab for me. But I do understand her idea and inspiration
she had by the punchcard system of the jacquard loom.




 These were the only exhibitions that I had not seen before at the Whitworth Art Gallery. I have seen Richard Long, Michael Landy, John Piper and the textile displays on the ground floor. 

Portobello Road.

Well my favourite place, Portobello Road and how busy it was!

 I thought this photograph of piles of freshwater pearls
is beautiful the lustre from the beads.