Welcome to my blog for my final major project for FD art & design 2012

This is my blog for my FMP where I will put thoughts, ideas, photographs.   I will give the address to those I want feedback from along the way.   So far I have a rough timetable and have submitted my draft Statement of Intent to Emma for first thoughts.


There are many "drugs of choice" for addiction: alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling.   In my own family there is gambling and alcoholism that I know of, some in recovery, some not.   I will share my personal experience, and that of addicted people both in recovery and not in recovery.   


The title of my project is “My experience of addiction”  which will include my active addiction and recovery from alcoholism.  I will be working towards producing a wall hanging/throw using a range of textile materials.  I will include images and narrative using a range of textile media. To achieve this I will use and create a range of samples and then sew them all together to make one large piece.  Through visual language I will show emotions and feelings through use of colour and different fabrics from chunky wool to smooth red velvet.   Previously I have created patterns from a collection of bags and from this I took it to screen print and heat transfer, adding embellishment to add texture.    As my project is based on my personal experience my work will be unique and individual.  (125 words)

My starting point will be to gather research from artists that I am influenced by currently, and also seek out more influences.  Currently, Frida Khalo’s self portrait work and her drawing style, Tracey Emin’s textile work and Jane Waggoner Deschner’s work with photos are all influential. I will also look at Jamie Reid whose work contains strong emotions including anger and humour.   My decision to do this foundation diploma course is part of my recovery and this project about my experience is also part of the healing process.  I have had some art therapy and was fascinated with how the brain works when producing art for example the absence of a mouth and hands on my work was relevant and it wasn’t something intentionally done it was my subconscious.  My primary research including childhood toys and photographs to literature.  (139 words)

I will be using heat transfer for some photographic images.   I will also be using old photographs of my own and sewing text onto them. I will be knitting using a variety of media including wool, strips of fabric, ribbon.   I will be dyeing fabric and producing patterns onto fabric using ink and bleach, and trialing natural sources of colour such as beetroot.    I currently have access to studio space 3 days a week so I will trial some things at home and then take them into the studio to create final samples.  Embellishment will also feature and also hand sewing and freehand sewing on the sewing machine.    For applying text I will use Lino prints and also sample using an eraser in the same way as lino.  (128 words)

As regards evaluation of my project, I will do this not just at the end, but from the start by asking tutors and some peers for feedback and input and also people in my support network.  I have created a blog called “lardyeric-FMP” (http://lardyeric-fmp.blogspot.com) and have started to circulate the link to peers and tutors and have asked them to comment.   I will use a comment book or cards at the final exhibition so I can do a final evaluation from that.    I will also do mid term feedback again from tutors and peers.