As I approach the official start of term and with induction only a day away, I decided that I would set the tone and the vibe of the studios with some thrilling house music whilst the students start the course. I want to open them up to the creative atmosphere we have here in the art department that streams work hard, play harder and gets you in that creative mood. Well it was only through flicking through various different artists and songs on you tube that I come across some amazing videos "some official" that just use a beautiful balance of performance, video and photography. A bonus also is that the songs to compliment the videos are also very good. Have a good weekend and enjoy!
06.09.13 - Tea for 2
A very good colleague of mine, who over the last 2 years became extremely close and now my very own "cake buddy" aka Nastassja Simensky left the South Essex College this week to pursue her MA at Goldsmiths University whilst working as a artist/fabricator on some very tasty and exciting stuff. Known for her witty charm and sheer obsession with cakes and tea she has now left me and dear friend Maria only having to order 2 pots of tea now "Hence the post title". In the true spirit that is Tash she emailed her close colleagues a home made collage that will live on in her memory at the college. She will probably hate me for posting it up but my god, it made my Friday when I received the following. I will obviously be in contact still with Tash and with year 2 of her MA about to start I am sure there will be some exciting shows and art commissions ready for me to visit. Good luck and thank you for the many fatty cake and tea party's we have shared!
02.09.13 - New Book "Kissing Architecture" Sylvia Lavin
Kissing Architecture is one of a new collection of books by POINT, each book discusses in short a topic with theoretical and critical knowledge alongside an extendable amount of research into artists, designers who dealt with this topic. Kissing architecture could be taken in many ways as a book title and with its pink outer cover could suggest the action of standing face to face with your favorite piece of architecture ready for a pounce. Sadly "If you was excited by that" is not the case of this book written by Sylvia Lavin who describes and uses the kissing as a boundary for intersection and the attraction that architecture has with forms of contemporary art and installation. A key focus of the book is the notion and use of new emerging technology, multimedia installations, sound and video and how artists now select and use their chosen sites to best communicate their piece.
With an interest in architecture referring back to my degree I wanted to know and gain clarity into this idea that more so than ever architects and designers are collaborating making buildings to serve as a primary purpose in the support and installations for contemporary artists, this said then makes the architecture and the fabric of the building somewhat its own installation and contemporary art piece standing strong ready for interaction with its chosen user.
The book applies a series of references alongside imagery to support its topic and arguments and really involves you in its contents. I found myself "as an avid book collector" stuck in this book whilst away during the summer, intrigued by the new found act or "Kissing". I am looking forward to collecting the POINT series and have already got my next one sitting on the book shelf.
29.08.13 - Central St Martins Foundation Plus
Team Course leader Luke Watson, had created some good links over the summer break, making contact with the course leader from the Central St Martins Foundation Diploma course. St martins has been a brand name for some time, and with the University of Arts London now stamping their name on it, there is no wonder why students are applying to go there. It has a big reputation for the intake of international students with its location in central London and range of creative course and string industry links. With that in mind I am only but expecting that some of the new Chinese students will have this on their list on progression interest.
The Foundation Plus course runs over the summer break where students may have already taken a Foundation Diploma and wish to enhance it, or may attempt to fast track int St Martins or one of its sister venues (At this moment in time I'm not sure what one it is). We decided as a bit of a team bond and also an opportunity to see what had been delivered to visit the private open night and take a look around. The university we knew had fantastic resources to offer and with the remaining students on summer break, all eyes were focused on those completing the Foundation Plus course. A total of 25 students had completed the course (22 international) and were all going on to a UAL affiliated university and course. Overall there seemed to be a large emphasis on Fashion with a huge collection of garments on show and with many of the students progressing onto London College of Fashion. In the way of graphic design, illustration and print there wasnt many who had delved into this pathway, and from what I saw in my honest opinion I was surpised by the quality and questioned what other work they had they may of supported their application onto a BA program. What surprised me and the team the most was the amount of support and staff surrounding this program, a total calculation of 13 tutors, 5 technicians and 3 support workers to run a 13 week course.
A good night none the less, making new contacts, a chance to see rivals work and in the teams eyes it has set the minimum that we would expect from our coming students, I am not going to sit here and type about how much better we will be, but we are going to stay in close connection with St Martins inviting them over to our shows. Game on! easy to say I will let you decide with future posts.
27.08.13 - Clil Exam
Anyone who knows me well, will tell you that despite writing a 10,000 word dissertation, passing a teaching qualification and communicating on various levels daily, I am constantly faced with the fear of "spelling & meanings behind language" I don't know what it is, but I have always found it incredibly difficult. So with that in mind you can only but imagine my facial expression when I was told that those involved in the delivery to the Chinese students would have to take a Cambridge English CLIL exam!!
CLIL (content and language integrated learning) in a nut shell is about understanding the approach and delivery of subject content and language to learners whose first language is not English. It involves looking at the core of my practice in a sense of general "slang" and language used whether formal or informal. Before I broke for the summer a selection of us were faced with a week long intense training course, where we went through the entire CLIL module handbook attempting to store in our minds all that we could. When I arrived back from the summer I sat my official CLIL exam (bringing back memories of GCSE's, I am still awaiting the result and will post up my certificate "If and when I receive it".
Despite not having a particular strength in language, I did become really involved in the subject and it has definitely made me realize just how much we as professionals working daily in a specialist sector can take language and content that we understand for granted. I feel that it has improved my confidence and will ultimately enhance my practise for all students who I will be delivering to this new academic year. The delivery level of the course I will be teaching on does ask for critical, reflective and analytical creative language, that students may/ may not know where to begin.
19.08.13 - New dawn, new day & New term for me
Well, what a summer break it has been for me, I have been busier than ever and even before I broke for the summer, new plans were discussed and put in place. I have officially left my position as Course team leader of Level 3 art & design and despite looking forward to the prospect of writing all the new year 2 modules and having such a good year 1 group, I am pleased to say my new and official role at South Essex College is Pathway Leader in Visual Communication for the UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in art & design.
Personally I feel this is a great step in the right direction in terms of professional practice and the level at which I enjoy most. The students on the course have either experienced either A-Levels or one of our Level 3 courses that now wish to take on boards the challenge of a fast paced foundation diploma to essentially build a creative portfolio. The entire team has now restructured and changed with some of my closest colleagues being part of the new team (always helps working with close friends to share that some drive and ambition). I have had delivery experience on the foundation since arriving at the college back in 2010, yet never the opportunity to run one of its creative pathways and write new program and material.
Another added challenge which I will discuss in further at a later date is that we have an exciting and refreshing challenge in the way of oversees students arriving. If you are a regular reader of my Blog you would know that back in May I designed promotional material for the course, that my faculty manager presented to several colleges and agency's out in China. Well between the material I designed and my managers presentation we must of done something right, as we have had several students confirm interest and apply for a position.
This academic year for me I feel is a chance to really put into perspective all that I have achieved at the college so far, with my teaching degree completed and with the responsibility of pathway leadership rather than course I can really get my head stuck into my creative output and my leaner's work. I feel it is also a key opportunity for my to start creating a teaching practise portfolio. Documenting not only the material I design and deliver, but the outcomes and student experiences showcasing my rich and diverse contribution to teaching art & design. For now though, I have a few weeks to work with the team in creating a dynamic and rigorous creative program that will excite not only the students, but myself and my team. Everything I deliver is going to be posted up, so please keep your eyes peeled, a lot is coming your way.
3.07.13 - Padlet "Paper for the web"
Padlet is a great new web resource that was introduced to me a week or so ago at a recent staff development event. Focusing on emerging technology and how to use it effectively within the studio for students, Padlet offers users a free we-based mood board where you can store a selection of resources including, images, notes and web-links. This is a great resource for someone like me who is always trying to remember specific details about a designer or artist that I read about last month or who was recommended as a to pass on their details to a student.
It now means that all of my inspirational sources and anything "cool & creative" I come across, will go straight up onto my wall and stay there. It goes beyond that though, depending on how you wish to treat your privacy and security you can open your wall up to other users posting additional content and comments to compile a huge communal forum. I would advise anyone who wishes to store digitally their resource list, or who may have a pinterest, to jump on the Padlet wagon.
01.07.13 - Graphic Design tool Kit
There has been for many years a stereo typical image associated with designers and graphic designers in particular, always having the latest gadgets, being on trend (or attempting to). Since becoming a lecturer in design I have slowly equipped myself with what could only be identified as my tool kit, as well as an ever growing extensive amount of books and magazines I own, there are certain possessions that I deem highly beneficial.
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From Left - right top - bottom: I-pad mini, Macbook Air, AArk Watch, Pantone Notecards, I-pod Touch, Muji 0.5 Black tip, Muji Mechanical pencil, Graphic Deisgn rule book, Pantone note book.
21.06.13 - "Jack in the box"
After the recent success of the end of year show "Autotelic" some of the students' at the private view were approached by the colleges marketing team for a local press release both internal and external. Below is the article released discussing Jack and his "Fashion Vision" project.
You can’t accuse Jack Rayner of not throwing himself into
his work, he’s quite literally a part of it as he sat in a see-through perspex
box as part of a performance-based installation! Thinking, er, inside
the box the 19 year old from Rochford found himself in the cramped confines of
the clear box of his own making as part of his final major project on the Level
3 BTEC General Art & Design course at South Essex College. He’d picked two
words from a hat, fashion and vision.
Jack said:
“Throughout my course I’ve worked a lot with computers but wanted to take it
back to basics. The idea was that I was sat in a perspex box and I would record
my thoughts and feelings on the inside of the box which everyone could see and
then people viewing it could respond or ask their own questions. I guess you
could say it was a physical embodiment of a social media feed – there for the
whole world to see and interact with.”
And people certainly
responded, over the three and a half hours that he was sat in his somewhat
claustrophobic surrounding Jack had messages asking him how he was through to
some deeply personal things. Jack added: “That was
what I really loved about it, the whole unpredictability of it all but I think
sometimes people like opening up more to total strangers.”What isn’t
unpredictable is Jack’s next step; he’s off to Swansea Metropolitan University
to study a degree in Graphic Design.
17.06.13 - UAL Event
Well after much speculation and recent events of staff leavings and changes it has been confirmed that I will be leaving my role as Level 3 Art & Design Course leader, and have been appointed as the new pathway leader in "Print & Design" for the UAL (University of Arts London) level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design. To gain clarification of the course and an insight into the expectations, myself alongside the newly founded team took at trip up to Nottingham where UAL held an external event at new Nottingham College.
The events main aims were to discuss the year just gone, highlighting any factors of success and areas for development, alongside an introduction to any changes due to take place as of September 2013. Another main focus was assessment and in particular ensuring that across the country colleges delivering the qualification kept a level of assessment and standards that swept across the board. It was an opportunity for us as a new team to have a look at Nottinghams' students work, their exhibition and assess according to the UAL grading criteria. Overall, it was really beneficial in agreeing grades not only as a team, but to then find out we were correct according to the external about the marks giving, (a bit of confidence embedded into the team).
The prospect of going onto the Foundation Diploma initially caused doubts in my mind, I was really pleased with my development and progression on the level 3 course and alongside my former colleague Lee, and felt we had recently found a strong brand identity and house style of work. Not only that but the opportunity to write the new course modules as we transferred over into UAL was something that I felt was a great development point. Having spent many weeks discussing the potential of next year I have started to see the benefits in other areas of development, my CV and a new challenge that is something I always strive off of. I will certainly continue being creative and continue to progress, and of course I will continue blogging, it will just be in a new role.
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