The past few weeks have been full on as I settle back into the degree course and ground myself – to find my way around a new university, meet new lecturers and technicians and start thinking about what ‘on earth’ I am going to do this year. Added to all this I must get used to being part of a much larger group of 16 after my previous group of five – I think this will be really positive though with a much broader and dynamic platform for discussion. I am on a part time course thank goodness as transferring two thirds through the course has its issues – so at least I have two years and not one! I have submitted a proposal for the Negotiated Practice module, which basically starts where I left off last year – I am still involved with these images and am looking at ways, I can use them with print and layering techniques. I am now working on the proposal for the Critical Studies module – last week I had an ah ha moment during our group discussion and changed very suddenly from the thesis option to the Praxis project – this provides the opportunity to focus on a research subject through the parallel practices of both practical art work and written enquiry (the practical work has to be a separate body of work to the negotiated practice) it will be demanding I know but I really want to push myself – my working title for the Praxis project is ‘Chance, unpredictability and the ART of failure’ and has come about from a chance quotation by a friend of mine when she was asking why I was doing the degree – for the degree itself or for the experience – my answer was for the latter. The quote by Malcolm McClaren is ” it’s better to be a spectacular failure than a benign success” – that is really something to think about!
Pushing myself is also writing this blog on a regular basis – my aim is to post weekly, at least during term time. The intention is to share the journey of my fears, failures and successes and by doing that I have more insight into my practice. I really welcome your comments and thoughts on my journey
