Welcome
back :)
This
post, I'd like to share my works and discoveries from my most
absolute favourite Tafe course ever, Certificate 4 in Design at
Kingscliff, 2007.
I
loved this course for so many reasons. The year prior to commencing,
I had just gone through a harrowing interferon/ ribavirin treatment
to make my liver less angry after 13+ years of it asserting itself
negatively. It worked, but nearly took me out with it. During that
treatment, I had lots, and lots, and then some more free time. Not a
lot else to do when your body is extremely weak, muscles burning, eye
sight blurring, hair falling out, white cell count dropping and all
joyous symptoms like that, including severe and debilitating
depression. To combat the depression, other than for a time- rely on
needed medication, I created. I finished my first kids book
illustrations. Even with diminishing eyesight, I managed to collage
my way to completing 32 pictures for Adventures with Beebe. Those
days were fun and messy with my garage floor literally covered in
food dyed and painted sheets of paper! I also wrote, and illustrated
most of, Mardi LOVES Lipstick! I
had a passion to write and create like never before. I also tackled
my novel and it flourished into a fully fledged story- 41,0000+
words. I still need to polish/ pad and edit it, but the basic
framework is there.
2006
ended with a successful treatment, an amazing 3 week holiday to
Thailand (can't decide if this trip, or Japan, were my favourite
holidays ever!), and an clear direction on where I wanted to head
with my future. On return from my trip to Thailand in late November,
I received an invitation to sit for a drawing competency and be
interviewed by a 3 person panel, after completing a self portrait.
The self portrait didn't have to be life like, but it had to reflect
who we were, elements of self. That is when I did the first version
of this painting, The Only Way to Live. After
the year I'd had, I felt like I'd just taken a leap of faith off a
mountain into a bright, colourful and amazing future. The sunrise
symbolises a new day/ new start. The original was smaller and had my
dark curls, but otherwise, this painting captures it clearly...
Getting
accepted into the course was just the best feeling ever. I knew it
was going to impact me, and I was right. Though it was really a
'taste tester' of many things, including graphic design,
illustration- including perspective, painting and mixing basics,
fashion design (not a fan!), architecture basics (not my favourite
but making mini shop mock-ups was fun), and movie making/ photography
fundamentals, I loved it, and did learn quite a lot. It also
reconfirmed my love of kid's art and the use of humour in what I
create.
Below
are some samples of work completed during the course. The first 6
pictures are of an Alice in Wonderland inspired series we had to
complete, using different techniques in each picture...
These
were actually fun experiments using a capsicum as our inspiration. It
really helped me explore the use of mixed media in my art, and
considering collage is my favourite method, I was inspired...
These
fish were so much fun! We had to pick one of 3 options, a fish, wine
glass and something that escapes my memory! The idea was to create 60
small squares, focusing on patterning. I did include some
patterning, but for me, the desire to include humour was too strong.
I only scored a credit for this, but it was my favourite project :)
This
is my first attempt at spray painting. I loved this project as we
could only make one continuous cut out line. It was hard, but I managed to
pull it off...
This
was a fun project too, mapping our journey to Tafe each day. Again,
humour and simple designs are my favourite form of expression. And
yes, it's collaged :)
Making
a 3D card that sealed on itself was a great challenge, and I'm really
happy with how this card turned out...
Meet
Cyril, the disco cowboy USB prototype! We had to create a computer
version and story to go with our projects. I won't share mine, but it
was special. He was fun to create, and I can't part with him just yet
:)
And
lastly, though I'm not a brilliant photographer, I enjoyed playing
around with some pictures I'd taken in Thailand. I did of course do
many other graphic design projects, but don't really feel they
warrant viewing!
I
passed the year. Actually, I received a nomination for a Tafe Award
of Excellence and got to attend a ceremony at Murwillumbah, which my
proud Dad attended with me. I also received letters from uni saying I
had instant admission into their Graphic Design Degrees. Whilst I did
very well, computer design just wasn't for me. I need to feel the
creative process with my own hands- I like the more tactile approach.
I
hope you have found this interesting. Of course, the story doesn't
end there. Though the year was amazing in learning and discovery, it
also had a dark side, like the fall out from a severe treatment the
year before that still at times left me crying in the school toilets
as I fought depression once again, a side effect that persisted
longer than the aching muscles did. But, that story will be touched
on in another blog.
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