David Boultbee workshop

After David Boultbee’s workshop I began to consider incorporating the arduinos in to my work. I like the idea that any lights or sounds that I include in my work could be controlled by the arduino. I could potentially manipulate the intervals between the lights turning on and off, or even use a motion detector.

The workshop was really insightful and has spurred me on to think about combining digital technologies with handcraft. However, I believe that it would take a lengthy period of time to fully understand the equipment and learn how to write code.

I was able to play around with a plastic sample that I had made and the light powered by the arduino, which created some interesting surfaces.

After using the arduinos and looking at the coding software, I’m keen to learn more about it, and even look at using a ‘raspberry pie’. With only a couple more weeks of the project left, I think I will just concentrate on combining light, movement and possibly sound into my work, and hopefully in the future projects I will also be able to control these features with an arduino.

Belle Vue

Coincidently visitors and workers of Belle Vue were giving talks about their experience's of the Pleasure Gardens and fairground. A trapeze artist, who had worked at Belle Vue was providing information about what life was like for a performing artist. At this point I am collaborating my ideas and processes with Nicole, who is also studying Textiles. We took a dictaphone to record the talk and our plan is to edit this recording. We could potentially pick key words out that relate to our research, and incorporate this with a moving projection.

We also took part in a woodcarving workshop, and made a Belle Vue poster. The workshop was interesting as we were able to listen to peoples memories of the Gardens and zoo. It gave us an insight as to what life was like then, and why Belle Vue was such an exciting place to visit.

David Ogle workshop

David Ogle lets spaces and environments influence his work. Using quite simple materials in a technical manner, he creates really unusual light installations. He uses meters of fishing wire and UV lighting in such a way that it almost creates a space within a space. I really liked how light was the main ingredient in his work, and by projecting the UV raise at a particular angle he could create long linear lines of detail.

He also demonstrated how he develops his ideas through drawing. He creates rules in his drawing, instructions and restrictions, however the outcome is striking. One image in particular showed David repeating circles, the drawing itself was over a meter long. The outcome was really organic, and the shapes were so interesting it was quite unbelievable it was only made up of circles. 

We also took part in a short workshop which really allowed me to think about the materials I was using. We were able to manipulate fairly low cost materials and create something on a large scale. I collaborated with a fellow textile student and we started to play around with neon shot glasses, neon straws, glow sticks and el wire. We began to think about the space that we would situate our manipulated materials. We decided to use a floor grid; the metal bars created illusions with the el wire underneath. Although it was only a small example, I could visualise it as flooring, possibly underneath glass, or even keeping the grid incorporated in the design.