business is business as usual...

My business cards for my professional practise module:  I've gone with the 2nd idea, with front and back, as I think they hold their own a lot better, and are simple, using just black font and design, and I love the double-sided design:

These two go together

If only I had as much work done as I do Ideas...

They just keep coming all these ideas, and it's pretty cool.  I just have to make sure I pick the right ones. 
My idea at the moment is to move away from actually working onto the roots I have found and instead of using them as the art, use them for the influence of the art.  I've displayed my roots as artwork for the Bunker Project Exhibiton and I used it as a stepping stone for my ideas, I wanted to see how they work as pieces themselves, and I'm not disapointed with the result, I just feel I could do better, and do something that shows my interests more and something that I enjoy more. 

I'm not 100% sure on installations as a final piece, so I was thinking about going back to the idea of wallpaper, but without the repetition of pattern.  I wanted to use as much organic material as possible, but include the experience of screen printing, laser cutting and using different materials and ideas, so I feel confident in things I've already done, but still be learning new things.  Finding a balance with all these things with the time I have left.

So the idea I have going at the moment is as follows:

Using lightly coloured fabric (possibly bamboo as it's the closest kind of fabric made by trees I can find)  (instead of paper, as it will add to the texture of the piece) as a base for a wallpaper, carrying a large image of tree roots, drawn on using different textures and structures of mud and soil (this will create different shades).  It will be drawn on from actual images of roots I can project onto the material strips, and wll include mark making into the fabric from screen print and laser cutter (the laser cutter will burn into the material with a brown finish which will fit in brilliantly, and the screen printing will be based with different muds too).
The images I can find which are closest to my ideas at the moment are images from japanese art, as they use similar layouts, colours and background ideas:

So for now, I'm going to carry on experimenting with the different techniques but with this aim in mind.

what a lovely day to be laser cutting...

So I think I'm ready to cut into my fabric and daff bulbs to start with.  I've booked in but have never been into the laser cutting room before...it will all hopefully go to plan.  Here are my designs I want to put onto fabric and then stretch across a really wiggly frame made from bits of tree root...(if that doesn't work, just an ordinary square frame!)

They will be turned into the correct files through Illustrator so will look slightly different.  I will try and document through film or photography, which ever is easiest at the time.(probably photographs)

foraging...

The first roots I found were massive.  This was a few weeks back when I still had no idea of proportioning of my roots and the heaviness of them.  So a few days before I came up with an idea.  If I couldn't take the whole root, why not take a section, to show the complexity, the size range of roots, the form and shape of each and every root in that area.  So I ventured down with a few saws a camera and my dog (big mistake taking him as he likes to bark constantly, if he's not centre of attention!) and get sawing.  Without realising, I think I picked the part of the rrot system that contained the thickest part of the roots, so after a good half hour I retired home.  Next day I came back (without the headache of the dog) and was patient.  I got through it all in about another half an hour with a beautiful piece of root system:

I managed to carry it to the car, and drive it back home. Happy days!

Next I retrieved my root from a week or so ago.  I'd left it in the back of my brothers van to stay safe and dry out slightly.  I managed to move it to the car and take it to my dads where I drilled in newly bought screw-in eyes.  2 large in the trunk and 2 small on some of the roots, so I can attach it to the ceiling by other screw-in eyes and cable ties.  I just hope the ceiling can take it.  If not I'll have to find some supports or add wood to the ceiling and screw into them.  Fingers crossed it all goes to plan.(Photos of screw-in eyes etc to come, click on featured photos for a closer look)

work in progress...

Ive' got my root,
I've got my bulbs
I've got my ideas...

It should be all go from here.  I just hope I can fit it all in for the exhibition, and all my ideas go to plan.  That's not too much to ask now is it?

Here are my root ideas:

• Attach root to ceiling, attempt the idea of including mud 'clumps' on fish line or to make it sustainable and more eco-friendly, use human hair?
• Play videos along next to tree root, of diffing up root, chain sawing, and general root videos, edited together.
• Work into roots by different methods, of lazer cutting, soldering iron, wheatpasting onto them, or drilling.
• Create a collection of root obsessions, by painting roots, photograms, screen prints etc
• Cut areas of large root into squares and frame in an open and backless frame.  Possibly light from behind to show the silohuette of the root, highlighting its form and shape.
• Cut off one single root and attach it to a metal pole attached to a plate, allowing it to sit vertically on the floor, as a single sculpture.

I'm going to move away from the bulb ideas at the moment and possibly come back to them again in a while, once I've got these root ideas rolling.
Another artist I came across today is Philippa Lawrence, amazing work, very influential, and quite similar to Claire Morgan.