Unit X Evaluation

This Unit has pushed me to figure out who I am creatively and what I am about.  I have developed a process that I think is unique and exciting and have enjoyed exploring the different possibilities of scale, material, colour, shape, form and context. Developing my website has made me consider the aesthetic of my work, my range of skills and how I want to present myself to the outside world. And my upcoming photo shoot will allow me to show off my work in a professional way. Securing an internship with Sarah Angold has provided a confidence boost. It’s great having something to look forward to and I can’t wait to experience how a multi disciplinary design studio operates.

Engaging in a collaborative, outward facing project for Manchester International Festival has been a fantastic opportunity, and presenting to a panel of 10 professionals was a great experience. It was definitely the hardest thing I have done during my degree, but the most rewarding and has given me the confidence to pitch in a professional environment again. Producing the seat covers on a large is going to be challenging, but the methods and systems we have developed as a team during the sampling stage will help us achieve this mammoth task and hit the deadline.

The Lost Carnival project has been a great experience, especially designing for a specific context, and aesthetic dictated by the client. I have utilised and developed my skills with more traditional materials and textiles techniques and would feel confident to work in this way again in the future. It has been great to develop a body of work over the last two years outside of university from the opportunities I have engaged in through Wild Rumpus Events. I have developed a wide range of skills for to theatre/outdoor events/installation, and I hope this will lead to further work with Wild Rumpus and other organisations in this field.

The Vertical Gallery proposal has been great experience, pushing me to develop my work to suit a gallery space, whilst working with the client so that the work suits their requirements.  The project has also demanded accurate costing’s and dimensions which was tricky but beneficial as I feel more confident to do this in the future. Balancing this along side M.I.F and the rest of my work will be challenging but I am confident that my time management skills are strong and I will achieve everything that needs to be done to a high standard.

Over the past year I have realised that I work best whilst balancing a few projects at once, and I will continue this way of working after graduation. My internship with Sarah Angold is 3 days a week, so I plan to balance this with part time work, whilst applying for residencies, commissions, and other internships. I would like to gain experience working in different design studios over the next year or two, learning about the running of a business and different working methods, whilst developing new skills. I would then like to go back and do a Masters when I have a better idea of what area of Art/Design I would like to pursue.  I am excited for things to come.

My website: http://cargocollective.com/elliebirkenheadjones

Practice Evaluation

This unit has been both challenging and exciting. I have developed several strands of work that can be applied to a variety of contexts including interiors, surface design, body adornment and architecture. My interest in repetition, rhythm and pattern in the environment has driven my ideas and sampling. I have explored piping and tassel making using unconventional materials and have used the laser cutter to develop functional surfaces. My larger scale surfaces are fun and tactile with the intention of providing rest bite from the sometimes stressful rhythm of life. I have engaged in two live projects and competitions, all of which have boosted my confidence and developed my design skills. I have also realised I work best when I have a few strands to work on so will continue to do this in Unit X.

Moving forward into Unit X, I am keen to push the scale of my work further and will develop the perspex surfaces so that they are secure and could potentially be applied to a commercial context. I am also keen to develop a colour pallet for my work. I will work on developing a website/online portfolio and also aim to communicate my ideas through alternative media such as film/animation. I will continue to photograph repetition and pattern in the environment and translate these into my drawings which will drive my work forward.