P.E Task 2

For this sampling unit I was given the brief “data roaming”. I played around with the idea of data and finally decided on the theme of “traces”, and how data is compiled through traces left behind from people, objects and processes. I glanced around me and realise the many traces left behind such as stains from the bottom of a cup, scratches on the table top ect. I took some photographs and began to create some inspirational drawings concentrating on shape, line, colour and texture.

I entered the textile world of construct, firstly weave and created a collection of weave samples; I took the colour pallet of neutral creams and beiges from my photographs and artist Anne Goddard.

. “Chester based Ann Goddard combines textile elements with non-traditional textile media such as wood, slate and concrete. She describes her work as a mixture of crafting and conceptualising – working on the margins of textile practice & existing in a border zone between fine art and craft. Themes explore the concept of boundaries and human impact on the landscape.”  (www.textileartist.org ) Her theme links well to mine as she looks at the impact that humans leave on the landscape and so the traces that are left behind. Although Anne isn’t a weaver I found her work very inspirational for my own samples for many reasons including her colour palate which is clearly shown through my sample with the muted creams alongside a darker brown tone as with her piece. The way in which her work is very textural is also something I took forward and introduced into my knit and weave both through using different yarns and fibre as well as experimenting with a variety of techniques. Her use of natural media such as wood alongside manmade materials including concrete was and interesting concept and is shown through my use of combining natural fibres and yarns such as wool and cotton alongside manmade yarns; viscose.

The next thinking step for me was where I envisioned my knit and weaves and the context in which they would be, I started by first ruling out fashion and commercial product and realised that they are much more abstract and textural and so more gallery- based work and so I researched this and came along some artists including Jonathan Brilliant’s “To weave.  To stack. To stain.” This photograph became very influential in my woven samples I looked at the forms he created the “loop” and brought this into my weaves through the technique of floats.  Clear influences are shown through the colour scheme and textural effect.

Another extremely influential artist in my work is Sonya Phillips, she’s a knitter who creates both large and small scale abstract pieces showcased within installations in galleries this is one reason I found her work interesting. I used partial knit to create the small sections of colour change similar to that of Sonya’s, I used a varied thickness of yarns and hooking up to give a tactile surface. This artist influenced may of my final knit samples.

To take my samples further I would experiment with scale and composition to create large textural gallery-based installations as this is where I see me work for an audience interested in traditional crafts used in an abstract form. All of my sample link back to my theme of traces as surely a knit or weave sample is a trace left from yarn, needle or a loom.

Sam. (). Featured artist Ann Goddard – Crafting & conceptualising. Available: http://www.textileartist.org/crafting-and-conceptualising-2/. Last accessed 18th feb 2014.