What I intend to do: –

• I aim to use serendipity to assemble several figures, the new pieces will be influenced by my memories of growing up in the grey slate slag shadow of Blaenau Ffestiniog , childhood and personal trauma, people I have known, my life experiences of working with people with mental health conditions, homeless, disabled, displaced and that life is not the utopian dream for a lot of people, I want to find my voice through my art, channelling my rage at injustice in a creative manner using mixed media methods.

• I aim to make several figures with some moving parts, using found materials, cast away second-hand dolls/toys, fabrics, threads, wire, buttons, and toy stuffing. These will not necessarily be finished pieces, rather they will be experimental vehicles. As well as the figures there will also be some samples/experiments that have not been fully realised.

• I wish to explore the subject area and I have booked an online zoom lecture “Curious Coffins and Haunted Dolls by Louise Fenton hosted by The Viktor Wynd Museum on Sunday 24^th October 2021 at 20.00.  I have also purchased tickets to visit the above museum, Pollocks toy museum and the Alice in wonderland exhibition on at the V&A museum in London in enrichment week as well as other relevant exhibitions that I will visit during that week closer to home.

• I aim to explore moving parts for the figures and the construction of these joints are influenced from some previous experiments and a very recent course that I attended with the doll maker The Pale Rook, see sketchbook and blog which influenced the way I experiment.

• I would like to use printing techniques on to my figures using possibly paper lithograph techniques, adding images/text to the figures. I also wish to expand my knowledge of the print area to add details to my fabric.  I aim to attend the printing workshops relevant to my practice at the University if this is possible.

• Theories I plan to explore that I feel relate to my subject area will initially be Kristeva on abjection, Anne Carter’s writing on fairy tales, Jack Zipes, “fairy tales and the art of subversion” as well as Feminist theories that relate to my practice to explore what kind of feminist I am, these will be used as a starting point.

How I will accomplish this by: –

• By following this learning plan, ensuring I keep to my timescales, allow for setbacks and changes.
• Read the theories relating to my subject area as above.
• Attend all seminars, workshops, group crits, tutorials, feedback sessions, and tutor and peer support.
• Gathering raw materials together, drawing using the materials and research.
• Gain some technical knowledge of moving parts, print techniques and book binding.
• Document the making process using my sketchbook, blog, photography, print and samples.
• Attend workshop in print, as well as one to one support from Sophie Holliday with my Blog platform.

Evidence that I will produce: –

• Sketchbook, drawings, reports, prints and writing.
• Journal, Blog posts, photographs, research materials, exhibition tickets, evidence folder.
• Samples, experiments with notes.
• Several figures encompassing some form of print, stitched details, moving joints.
• Seminar, workshop, and feedback notes documenting in blog post where these have been influential or not.

Predicted Outcomes

I hope to achieve new pieces of work “figures” “dolls” “puppets” that will be part of an ongoing body of new work looking at storytelling, through drawing the process, print, mixed media, sculpting methods.

I will document my struggles and achievements. I will explore the ‘why?’ in this process of making new work at every stage. By reading the theories whilst making, I will discuss how this process may influence my making and what changes or challenges that I face in the process.

Outcomes that will be demonstratable of critical analysis will be documented in my journal/blog.  Investigating the development will be through my sketchbook, samples, experiments, failed pieces, and final pieces which will include how I feel in the making and about each piece at each stage, my struggles, successes, how each piece has been achieved and at each stage I will question what I am doing, why, and how is it going.  I will include theoretical thinking gained through the seminars and feedback through group and peer which will help me formulate where my work sits in context.