Year 3 Degree Project by Elaine Hedges

After much deliberation and time spent on it, I’ve decided this piece is now complete. I was originally going to put many more layers on top and underneath the black layer, but when looking at it with these four layers and four colours I feel that adding another layer would look overdone.

It’s disappointing to me that I haven’t been able to add more layers as I did want an emerald green colour in order to represent the four main colours we are used to seeing, But I also think that by just using bright primary colours it is offset by the black and white quite nicely.

Because my work is so heavily influenced by the arts and crafts movement I feel that it is important to always look back on where it has originated from, especially considering how my concept is centred on past traditions and crafts.

Looking on the V&A website it shows where Arts and crafts have been particularly prominent throughout the ages.

In Europe it had a revival during 1890-19-14, where it was especially popular in mass industrial engineering. William Morris was especially prominent in the arts and craft movement before and during this time. A leading member of the arts and crafts movement, he was best known for his pattern designs, particularly on textiles and wallpaper.

He was particularly keen that designers and makers should have a working knowledge of any media that they use. This is a reason that I stick with traditional paper cutting techniques as opposed to experimenting with laser cutting. It takes longer and is much less precise but I feel more satisfied with the work I have put into it. Part of the art for me is being involved in every step of the process.

According to the V&A, ‘It was not until the 1860s and 1870s that architects, designers and artists began to pioneer new approaches to design and the decorative arts. These, in turn, led to the foundation of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

The two most influential figures were the theorist and critic John Ruskin and the designer, writer and activist William Morris. Ruskin examined the relationship between art, society and labour. Morris put Ruskin’s philosophies into practice, placing great value on work, the joy of craftsmanship and the natural beauty of materials.

By the 1880s Morris had become an internationally renowned and commercially successful designer and manufacturer. New guilds and societies began to take up his ideas, presenting for the first time a unified approach among architects, painters, sculptors and designers. In doing so, they brought Arts and Crafts ideals to a wider public.’

Vam.ac.uk, (2015). The Arts & Crafts Movement – Victoria and Albert Museum. [online] Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-arts-and-crafts-movement/

Morris has always renowned for his belief into the worth of something that has had time, effort and skill involved in it and this is what the craft movement is all about.

My Larger piece finally has another layer underneath it. This one is yellow as I thought it was a bright rich colour which would contrast really well with the black of the largest layer.

It has been based around the center circle that was originally sketched on the larger layer and I have used that now as my centre point of which the focus shall we on.

I didn’t make the yellow layer quite as large as the black one, nor as circle as it does stretch further in two directions, but I have used the same type of pattern style, very complex geometric shapes which feature predominantly in Islamic and Gothic architecture and I have also used the bright colours which again are predominant in both those types.

This is my Triptych which has been created on A4 Pieces of paper. It began as an experiment to see what a three layered cut out would look like on a smaller scale before beginning it on a much larger scale.

Since it was so successful I feel that it could benefit from becoming a larger piece as a whole by creating 9 different triptychs. It will be presented in a 3×3 format, reminescent of Andy Warhols Pop art designs.

Months Ago I went on a trip to Smiths Row in preparation for my Dissertation. One of the artists that I was researching was Michael Brennand-Wood because of his use of textiles, a craft material and his use of embroidery and pattern to create gallery dominating conceptual pieces of art.

What I enjoy about Brennand-Woods work is that, as Jennifer Harris stated, his work is not easily classified into art and craft but continues to push the boundaries between craft and art.

His eclectic use of colour dominates all his work, Bright cobalt blues, rich reds, a plethora of colours contrasting to create works which you cannot ignore.

His work at Smiths Row was a small but interesting exhibition. He used all the space available to him by using the walls for the larger pieces which are also 3-Dimensional and podiums for the sculptures in the center of the room. The exhibition is clearly meant to be viewed in a certain order whilst being surrounded by it. He has  fused Western military references, a common theme in many of his works, with traditional Eastern Islamic patterns of Central and South East Asia.

I admire Brennand-Woods work from the past also, such as works ‘Stars Underfood’ (2002) and ‘Died pretty- Flag of convenience’ (2005) both of which have very deep hidden meanings which are a marker or Brennand-Wood’s work.

According to Brennand-Wood’s website, he ‘has persistently worked within contested areas of textile practice, embroidery, pattern, lace and recently floral imagery’. These areas are contested because of their association within the practice of craft. His pieces and collections always have individual historical sources, which can be identified through the titles of his work. Because of this changing concept his work can be contested between an art and a craft, and how he identifies as, an artist or craftsman. His concept is subjective to what is displayed on the art work.

I really enjoy how his work is a hybrid between craft and art, drawing from materials and ideas from both mediums and creating his own little niche that makes him stand out, although using craft inline with concept is becoming increasingly popular.

Jennifer Harris states in Michael Brennand-Wood: Field of Centres that his work is not easily classified into art and craft but continues to push the boundaries between craft and art. She continues that his use of historic textiles, such as embroidery and lace, are usually classified easily into the craft category by his use of materials or the method and process used to create it, but Harris states that his work is different from this.

When referencing pieces such as Stars Underfoot (2002), Harris (2004) states “This new body of work may be as difficult as ever to classify but is evidence that he continues to mine a rich seam at the interface of painting and textiles and conceptualising and crafting.” (Harris 2004)

Harris, J. et al. (2004), “Michael Brennand-Wood: Field of Centres“, Denbighshire County Council, Ruthin Craft Centre.

He does this by not making his whole piece about the materials, although they are important to each piece. By using a concept in his works it creates more depth. The textiles materials and techniques he uses enhance the meaning.

Brennand-Wood takes inspiration from a multitude of different areas, historical, war, different cultures and from these concepts he creates work around them to suit what his vision is, not the other way around like most other artists.

his art work does not revolve around a singular concept because it is more important to use his materials and find a concept to interact with them than it is to change his materials based on the concept. Brennand-Wood finds a concept to go with his works and making it fit that way, rather than finding a concept and then creating work around that.

Jessica Hemmings states that ‘He offers us embroidery that refuses to operate in familiar ways. His work is too knowing of art history to fit comfortably into the sloppy craft movement; too serious in its engagement with international events (in particular the senselessness of war) to be treated as purely decorative.’ (Jessica Hemmings, 2013, p.88)

Hemmings, J. (2012). Forever changes. Ruthin: Ruthin Craft Centre.

Jessica Hemmings statement explains that Brennand-Wood’s work is too aware of art history and too influenced by events to be treated as purely decorative. The way he uses his concept in each work disassociates them with the craft movement, of which she is especially derogative, despite the use of his materials. Hemmings even argues that the way he uses his materials is different to what you would expect with a textile artist.