The idea to focus on me came to me from nowhere but I really like the idea of basing it on me so stuck with it. After deciding that I was my topic I began by making a mind map thinking about simple things to do with me like my family, my childhood and dreams etc.

 I then focused on each topic individually such as my likes, dislikes and most favourite things and collected a few images and explained each piece and why I lied or disliked it. One of my all time favourite things, a toy and a childhood idol and something I still like was Noddy, from Toy Town and I did a bit of research on him finding that Noddy has its own site and he’s now a 3D cartoon rather than the old 2D drawn cartoon. I don’t really like the new style Noddy now I think maybe because I grew up with the old style Noddy that it feels as though he is being forgotten for the new improved technology Noddy. I already knew if I used Noddy in my work I would used the old 2D drawing style Noddy as to me he is the original and my true childhood idol.

                I then went on to look at something a lot of children or even adults have owned including myself.  Ragdolls. There the ever so simple soft dolls traditionally made from rags as the name says. When I was younger I had a ragdoll at my nans house and every time I visited I would go and get her say hello and keep her with me until it was time to go home then I would put her back and say goodbye until next time. I now have her at my house along with a few others I collected over my childhood. I researched a bit on ragdolls finding out how they were made and I gave a questionnaire I produced to a couple of people to see if they also owned a rag doll as they are quiet popular and what they thought of them as I know not everyone likes them.

                From looking at ragdolls and my love of Noddy I found my first idea. A Noddy ragdoll! Although I classed this idea as a rag doll my idea didn’t have legs it was more of a blanket at the bottom of which would have my childhood memories on in the form of transferred photos. Although I liked this idea because it would be really personal to me, knowing I didn’t have much time I thought it would take too long and be difficult to plan and make properly so from here I went on to look at other artists work who have used Noddy as there theme.

                This is where I found carousel cottage crafts. A crafts business that makes cushion cases, on their site I found 3 Noddy cushions: Noddy, big ears and Mr.Plod. The artist who creates the cushions a lady named Caroline gave me inspiration to create Noddy cushion also. My idea was to create a cushion in the shape of Noddys face and have again my photos transferred onto the back side of the cushion. I also thought of making a square cushion and have a 3D Noddy face sewn over my photos.

                I moved on from Noddy to looking at the artists Sewartys and Amy Fleckinger also known by the name of fleck who create cushions. Weird and wacky ones that really grab your attention. I loved both their work as it was so colourful and different and the artist Sewartys also made a ragdoll as a piece of her work.

                Here I got my second idea. A set of cushions about me. The first idea was to create four, one of me as a baby, a toddler, a child and then now as a teenager to show how I have changed. Each pillow would of been a different shade of pink to also represent how I have changed over time and I would as some embroidery to each to link with the image. For instance, as a baby I would embroider the word baby and maybe a dummy, and as a child I would put a paintbrush and maybe something to do with swimming. After drawing and thinking about this idea I found it to be lacking inspiration so I developed it further.

                 Rather than just focusing on me I chose to focus on me and my brother as he is a part of my life. Here I would make 3 pillows that would be bright and colourful and have a lot of things sewn or drawn/painted on such as cars and flowers. There were also be 3 photos of us at different stages in our life showing how we have changed.

                I was still finding the pillow idea quite ‘boring’ and it didn’t really seem as though someone would pay much interest in it. I moved on to looking at how to make the pillows more interesting such as changing colour, this is where I found an artist, Ronel Jordaan who uses a material that looks just like rocks and pebbles and  makes pebble shaped cushions out of it. I thought this idea was great as it’s so different and caught my attention and this is the effect I wanted my work to have on people that viewed it.

                I also found blog called Zedomax and on that blog was a paw shape cushion that lights up. This also intrigued me because to me that a fantastic idea and would look really good on a bed or sofa in dim lighting. I think it would make the room feel cosy and warm. The shape of the cushion on Zedomax got me thinking about changing the shape of my cushion to something more unusual. I drew a few ideas of what shape my cushion could be but i still found the whole pillow idea a bit to common.

                I was thinking of other things children may like of something that could be with you through your life. I thought of blankets, and comfort blankets. A lot of people have memories of them or making them. I researched a shop that makes blankets from real wool. The shop was called Dye Studio Yarn Shop. I fought there blankets where pretty and soft looking they also reminded me of something you see over a older persons couch. The blankets I saw where made from patches or patch like shapes. And here I had idea number three.

                For my third idea I designed a patch work blanket. It would be made from plain patches and patches I had made linking to me in one way or another for instance id do a patch on tea, as I love a cuppa tea and then I’d do another patch with a pig on as my family loves pigs. I’d also transfer some photos onto the patches as these are memories and show parts of my life also.

                 I wanted to improve and develop my ideas. I researched for artists who make patchwork blankets personal to you. Whilst searching I found a blog about a lady who makes blankets. Although I couldn’t find her name I found some rather good pieces of her work. The first I found was a patchwork blanket called Antigua, it was made as a representation after she visited the island Antigua with her daughter. The second blanket I found on her site was the work of an artist who won a competition for her work. She creates a portrait out of patch work of a baby on a blanket. I really do love this piece. It must have taken so much planning and it really is well done. These examples had the effect on me that I was my blanket to have the effect on other people…interest and make you look and study it.

                I moved on to look at Tracey Emin. Tracey Emin makes all of her work about her. She has made a fabric piece of which I’m not sure whether it’s a blanket or not and that had quotes on she has made. There is another piece of her work where she has put neon lights on a wall saying I know I know I know with a photo of her in the photo also. Tracey Emin gave me a lot of inspiration because the simple quotes she used make you think and get your attention.

 Developing idea three I’ve now decide to add embroidery and embroidered quotes and sayings onto my work to make it even more personal and hopefully more intriguing to people who see it.

                As I choose to put embroidery onto my blanket I thought I should look at a few other artists as they may give inspiration and ideas. I looked at Jenny Hart that makes small embroidery pieces with famous faces as the main aspect of them and then I looked at a Uzbek artist of whom name I don’t know. She created a fabulous embroidery blanket that took her over a year to complete. Just by looking at it you can quiet clearly see that a lot of hard work had gone into the blanket and it is a really beautiful piece.

                I have now decided my final idea being to make idea number three a patch work blanket all about me and my life. I transferred photos onto it, made patches out of a variety of materials and collected items and embroider onto it as well. I thought this idea would be the best one because although a lot of people have made blankets, this one is personal to me and there won’t me another like it, also as it’s a bigger piece than cushions so there is more going into it so hopefully it’ll interest people more and make them think ‘I wonder why she done that?’ or ‘I wonder why she chose that?’.

                 After I chose my final idea I looked into what materials I would be needing, although there’s a variety the main things are, a variety of fabrics, embroidery thread, glue and photos etc.

                When planning materials was completed I drew a few patch ideas and explain a why I had chose to make a patch how I was. I done this to give a basic idea of how my blanket works and that every patch I make has a meaning.

                I started to make my patchwork blanket but was quickly running out of time. It took a lot longer to make each patch than I anticipated and I didn’t get to complete my blanket before the deadline. There are images in my book showing how my blanket was coming together. Although I didn’t complete my blanket within the deadline I am going to complete it in my own time at home as I think it will be a great keepsake item and I don’t want to give up on something I worked quiet hard to design and think about

I chose me because I know me better than anyone else so all the research about me I already have and whatever I choose to look/think about I can’t be wrong as its part of me.

I am going to start the project by doing some journal work on me. About my life such as what I do and don’t like and dreams or ambitions I have etc and gather a collection of photos from my life as these are memories.

I’ll then move on and show my initial idea of what I would like to create in this project. At this moment in time i would like to make something you’d relate with a child but be all about me such as a doll. I like this because it could be something that people have and that grows through time with them, and would literally show this for me.

I will look at a range of artists who may inspire me, and use them to create develop and finalise ideas. I may make some questionnaires for certain things I focus on so I can see if other people have the same interests etc.

I will make sure I have at least three main ideas during this project one of which will be my chosen idea that I shall go on to develop to use and make as my project outcome. When I have chosen my idea ill have to decide which materials I would like to use, order/buy and collect them also making sure I have the right equipment to use also.

I will then move on to making my outcome recording any changes in my journal and taking photographic evidence of what I am doing along the way.

When I have complete my journal of a suitable amount of research about me and links to artist, at least three ideas I have decided upon, a final idea and a completed outcome I will evaluate my work.

Although I have done a bit of research on druggies Claire suggested to research a bit more on druggies eye so I get what I need to be able to make my mask and show that they are meant to be druggies eyes.

• (Claire)Be care painting the eyes can easily look bad.
• (Claire)How am I displaying my work?

I am displaying my work in my manikin. My dress is staying on it and somehow my dress will be fixed just above it, where the head would be, with maybe wire or something.

• Can display in a corner with the images on both walls.
• How big will the photos be?

I was thinking of making the images A3 size so they are clearly seen and act as a good back drop.

• (Claire) could make them bigger by asking reprographics if its possible.
• (Claire) Think of photos you would use. New road. Star hill. The river.
• Questionnaire.

• (Lindsey) Why have I chosen  to use salt dough for the mask?

I have chosen salt dough as its easy to make and use. I can also colour it and when I am done bake it in the oven. Where as if I where to use clay I would have no way of cooking it as the college no longer has a kiln.

• Experimentation.
• Fashion from found objects

During my research I found some artists who’ve use found objects to create clothing. This gave me inspiration to use found objects in my work to represent the homeless as they are on the floor around the rubbish and find things to eat sleep and sell.

• (Lindsey) Form dress out of pages from brochures or books. Maybe books linking to Chatham. Could find a book about the history of Chatham for the dress.

I experimented with making the skirt of my dress by using pages from a paint brochure. Lindsey the client gave me the idea to maybe use books or newspapers relating to Chatham instead. I could find a book on the history, about the trams or fort etc.

• (Claire) top out of bottle tops/beer can tops

I found an artist who made a dress out of bottle tops. My tutor liked this idea and it gave me inspiration to think about something similar. We said about using bottle tops or maybe to decorate it. And as many bottle tops and can tops are on the floor it links quite well.

• Aim project at school children 13-18 year olds.
• Highlight the bad things in Chatham.
• (Claire) Find templates for design and develop.
• What would the images behind my dress be of and why would I use them?

I thought about using images behind my dress as it would show some skanky places in Chatham people ignore or  don’t know of. It would show where the people I am focusing on hang. The picture would be photos I have personally taken.

• Questionnaire on work.

• The festival of creativity the be held in Chatham needs to be aimed at young people in the area, how have you done this?

I have highlighted issues facing young people in Chatham.

• Have you used too creative disciplines, what are they?

I have chosen to use sculpture and textiles as I wanted to make something 3D and of some sort of clothing or outfit.

• What are your initial ideas?

My initial ideas are to make a dress (inspired by the theatres) and/or a mask (inspired by the theatre and venetian masks.

• What idea have you chosen and why have you chosen it?

I have chosen to make a dress and mask as I couldn’t express all I wanted to in just one of these. I am making a dress to represent prostitutes and homeless and a mask to represent druggies. I thought these would both suit as there ‘costumes’ and costumes are used in theatres and we are displaying out work in the theatre.

            I choose to focus on the bad side of Chatham because our target audience was young people mainly between the ages of 14 and 19 years of age. In my opinion when your in a place for quite a while or grow up in a pace you get used to your surroundings and don’t notice or automatically block things out. I wanted o re-highlight some of the bad things, bring some of the less ‘nice’ people that are in Chatham and make people be aware of the dangerous of them and let them know that these people actually are around even if they don’t realise it.

            I started off the project by looking at some history in and around Chatham such as Chatham historic Dockyard, Fort Amherst, clubs and festivals. This is where my initial idea of costumes came from. As the project was going to be displayed at the brook theatre I thought looking at costumes would be a good idea. Carnival and festival costumes have always been an interest to me because they are so big and colourful and different. I visited Venice once and saw Viennese masks, there is a festival in Venice where the masks and beautiful costumes are worn. In theatres masks are also worn, so this is where my initial idea of a mask came from.

             The mask would show how I see people in Chatham to be like, basically, drugged, worn down and tired looking. I don’t particularly like Chatham; I find it a dirty skanky area. Although I liked the idea of making a mask it would really put the message of wanted across, that although it may seem nice in your eyes everywhere has its faults.

            I moved my ideas into the area of costumes and looked at artists who’ve used fashion to have an effect on the audience. This is where I came across Caroline Castiglano who gave me the original idea of having a layered dress. I looked at other artists including Simon Williamson, Emie Otis and Silvo Schoisswohl and combining all these and others I had more ideas and developed some further creating a great idea of making a dress to represent prostitutes in Chatham but also Homeless. I wasn’t going to show each one individually I wanted to show both combined because people get involved in prostitution because they don’t want to be made homeless but get made homeless when there found to be involved in prostitution.

            I showed m ideas in my journal and decided I would make both a mask and a dress to represent all three major things in my eyes in Chatham. I looked at what effects drugs have on people. I wanted to also look more into the prostitution for inspiration on my dress but due to it being illegal to take photos of people without permission, and I highly doubted a prossie would allow me to photograph her, I chose to create my own prossies. Barbie prossies. I had three all together, Alana, Destiny and Hope and photographed them in places and poses I thought would suit.

             I continued to look at more artists such as Beth Schaefer and Shirn Franklin and developed my ideas further until I had my final ideas planned.

             My final idea was a salt dough mask to represent druggies because it’s their eyes that have the most effect and an abstract dress to represent the homeless and prossies in and around Chatham that I know are there because I’ve seen them myself. I collected materials I may use and tried out a variety of techniques.

             I made my final outcome and although I thought I could of done a lot better if I hadn’t of rushed them I thought they was ok.

            Then came the exhibition which needed to be advertised. As this exhibition was being held by the entire class we had discussions on whether we would work as a group to advertise it or all do it individually. As we have planned and exhibited work together before we decided it would probably be easier and quicker to all work individually as we would have to make something everyone was happy with as this was time consuming and we didn’t have a lot of it.

I created bright and attractive posters to display and invitations to send out, the exhibition was also advertised on twitter and face book so the word about it got around. There were also other schools and colleges exhibiting at the brook so as well as our posters and invitations they also had theirs. I also made comment cards and info sheets for the exhibition so that the audience could read about my work if I was able to talk to them. The comment cards were there so people who viewed my work could leave me feedback on what they personally thought about it. I thought that doing this proved beneficial as I received quiet a few comments and a lot of people said that my work highlighted points that yes they didn’t realise or chose to ignore where there.

            We set up the room with lights and taped round our work to tidy it up a bit and I think that the room looked great. The exhibition was a great successes and I thoroughly enjoyed it and would do it again

            Overall I feel this project was a success and the exhibition went well.

I am going to start the project by looking into some history of Chatham and the surrounding areas, as I no Chatham Historic Dockyard plays a big part in Chatham’s history and a local town to Chatham, Rochester was the home of the writer Charles Dickens. Then I shall look at modern day happenings in Chatham such as festivals, clubs and shows.

After looking at the old and the new happenings in Chatham I should hopefully have a rough idea of where my thoughts are heading and have an initial idea of what I’d like my outcome of this project to be.

I shall look at artists linking to my initial idea giving me inspiration and developing my ideas further and creating new ones. At this moment in time I would like to focus on the bad people in Chatham such as yobs, druggies, homeless, thief’s, prostitutes, some things Chatham is known for.

When I have several ideas, plenty of artist research and inspiration I shall choose a final idea and develop it a further until it is complete and I have a complete plan of what my outcome will be, how I shall make/produce it and what materials and equipment I shall be needing. The project is aimed at being exhibited and the Brooke theatre, in Chatham town centre with an aim at young people aged 14 and 19 years of age so with my class I shall also have to plan for the exhibition, advertising it, how to get our work to the Brook, where it will be displayed, how where display it and make sure it is safe for when it is open to the audience and getting our work home and a few other things too..

I’ll then make my outcome and prepare advertisement for the exhibition while sticking to a timescale I shall plan at the beginning of the project.

When all this is complete advertising will be put out. Work will go to the Brook and the exhibition will take place, I shall record this in my journal and take photos as well. Then write up an evaluation on my town.

                        Zoe Eirene Pease

                        Medway Campus

                                    Medway Road

                                    Gillingham

                                    Kent    

01634 383400

zoe.pease@handbag.com

D.O.B:  23 July 1992

Personal Profile:

            I am a reliable person, who has always managed to complete coursework for school and college for the deadlines set. I have a good sense of humour, and always help others however I can. Despite being a quite person, I do enjoy socialising when not concentrating on work.

Work Experience:

●         GKR Scaffolding Ltd       2007/2008        

            I worked one week work experience with school. Once the week was up I was asked if I would do two days a week un-paid work during holidays. My duties included office work, creating and maintaining spreadsheets, databases, filing, archiving, shredding private documents and making the tea.

●         Splatters Pottery Shop  2007/2008

            As part of my college course I was on while at school I was required to do a day a week work placement. I did this in Splatters Pottery shop. The placement was for 18 weeks and I had a day release from college.

            My duties included producing pottery from a mould using liquid clay and allowing them to set before releasing them and baking them in the kiln and painting some pottery for display. I also worked in the shop merchandising, tidying and general sales, including helping customers and answering queries.

            The pottery shop regularly hosted children’s birthday parties, which I would help out at. At the parties I would help children pick out the pieces they would like to paint, and show them how to paint the pieces, and help out where needed. On a few occasions I stay late to help out at later parties and to tidy up.

• Wire Jeweller 2009

As part of my current college course I was required to do one weeks work experience. For one of these days I visited a self employed wire jeweller were I learnt many techniques she used in the making of her jewellery. I was shown a variety of her work and got a lot of influence from her work.

Since this placement I have brought my own jewellery tools and other equipment and made some jewellery and small gifts of my own. I have already been asked to make some jewellery for people and sold a few items as Christmas gifts.

• Xtreme Ltd. 2009

I spent the last four days of my work experience at Xtreme. A logo company. While here I was shown: how to change a paper logo design into a format a embroidery machine could read and use, how to make sticker logos and how to make embroidered logos and the process in which both were transferred to clothes, bags ECT.

My jobs over these days included: filing documents, stock counting, checking off deliveries, preparing deliveries to be sent out, watching the embroidery machine while co-workers were called away and helping with simple tasks like boxing up and folding clothing.

• Argos 2009

I worked at Argos on weekends as a Christmas Customer Advisor Temp. My rolls included, working in the stock rooms, either with other colleges or occasionally on my own, collecting the items ready for collection. On collection giving customers there items and answering queries. And help keeping the shop floor tidy.

• Clinton Cards

I worked at Clinton Cards for four days in the week leading up to mothers day. I was on tills, serving customers and answering queries. I also helped keep the store generally tidy.

Education

●         Hundred of Hoo Secondary School – 2003 – 2008

●         Mid Kent College 2006 – 2008 (I attended Mid Kent college two days a week whilst at school to do my Art and Design BTEC)

●         Mid Kent College 2008 – 2010. (I am currently studying Art and Design, and hope to achieve four A levels)

 Qualifications:

            The above GCSE’s were all obtained at Hundred of Hoo Secondary School on a 3 day week, and the BTEC was obtained at Mid Kent College.

General

●         I have good computer skills, such as typing and databases.

●         Good DIY skills.

●         Experience in a shop.

●         Patience.

●         Full UK Driving Licence

Hobbies:

●         I am a keen outdoors person, who enjoys walking and camping, which my family and I do several times a year.

●         I have been bought up in a family of motorbike lovers, and this has rubbed off on me, giving me a real interest in bikes.

●         I like reading.

●         I love drawing.

●         I have several pets which I enjoy looking after.

While researching the Historic dockyard I was most interested in the history of the ships, as I liked the idea that the ships we were on, and looking around, were once at sea with sailors on protecting our country. When using the dockyard in my work I decided to use in my in the form of feelings and dreams of the sailors, because while we were walking round, we had feelings and thoughts of how hard it may have been for the sailors. So I based my work on the dreams and feelings of sailors.

 I had inspiration from artists such as Jasmine Beckett-Griffith, Banksy and Tansy Myer, from other artists when visiting museums and from family and friends. I was interested in my influences because they gave me ideas and helped me developed my ideas further; I used my inspirations within my work as main ideas and developed ideas.

My initial ideas where based around the sub-conscious mind, such as feelings, dreams and thoughts, I started off by looking at childhood feelings and dreams then later progressed to sailors in the history of the dockyard. I then decided to use sailors and there feelings, dreams, thoughts ECT as my final idea as it links very well to the Dockyard.

My Ideas and influences made it quiet hard to put my proposal together at first as I didn’t know clearly how I got from one idea to another. When I figured how my ideas flowed and my proposal came together easily. My proposal highlighted my strengths and weaknesses too, while writing it I found I had many ideas but wasn’t clear how I got them and I didn’t link my work well. Highlighting these things helped me link my work and improve it all round.

We had to present our work to an audience at The Historic Dockyard; I wasn’t comfortable presenting my work in front of people so I made a film of me presenting my work. It included me talking about my work with a slide show of it.