Autumn 2012

I'm now into my 3rd year at CSAD, continuing to push forward both collage and 3D figure work. The context of my work is still unclear at times when I present / exhibit to my peers and tutors. The figures are born from my interest in assemblage of materials into mostly improvised characters. My collage on the other hand is more focused upon the source material itself - Vogue magazine cut-outs manipulated into distorted versions of the questionable 'reality' they present in themselves. 

I'm also currently tackling my dissertation alongside the studio work - still to be given an official title,  I will be discussing 'The theme of the Gothic within contemporary art', focusing upon Oscar Wilde's  only novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (1891) in relation to artist Yinka Shonibare and referencing adaptations made of the novel throughout the twentieth century. I'm constantly unearthing information linked to my studio practice through my dissertation research that I want to clearly channel into the work this term.         

Term started with plans to continue figure making and combining the collage work closer to the overall design and making of them.

Generally, I plan the basic design of the figures so I can then improvise the outer designs. 'Clown' was a very considered piece, based upon an original toy design from the 1980's. The paper weave on the left was specifically made to replicate the orignal knitted blue jumper he wears etc.

 

 

 

Early stages of 'Clown' - Mixed Media (2012) H F M Jones

'Clown? Dorian? Narcissus?' Photograph experimentation (2012) H F M Jones

The photograph above of Clown and the mirror is an obvious reference to Wilde's novel; at this point in the term, I was/am still considering ways to show the figures whether it be in scenarios, as they are, photographs, particular narratives or contexts etc. Photographs of work don't bother me, but they become questions - are the objects the piece or is the photograph the piece? etc.

                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

'Collaged Figures' work January 2012...

So from Christmas time 2011, I jumped back into collage projects - I like to work with materials I collate over time such as glossy fashion magazines, newspapers (the Metro is pretty good),card, paper, envelopes, photographs personal and impersonal, leaflets, tags and labels, tickets, whatever is interesting.

'Agitated Burst' Mixed Media, 2012 H F M Jones 

 

 

It was good to make this piece. It's very personal to me, things were dealt with here.

 

I surrounded my studio space with objects I collect and hoard which led to constructing a recognisable structure of a figure. I treated this as a 3D collage, began to paint it. It was a starting point at least. It was then suggested I make my own figures, not construct from my objects.

 

'Mimi' Oil on Mixed Media, 2012 H F M Jones





 

 

Literally going along with the theme of 'Frankenstein' (Mary Shelley 1818), I made 'Collaged Figures' for the rest of term. I am pleased with the work I produced, the detail of what and how to use things like paper became intriguing etc.

 

 

'Larry' 2012 H F M Jones

'Olive' 2012 H F M Jones

'Mama June' 2012 H F M Jones

'Teddy' 2012 H F M Jones

 

'Annie' 2012 H F M Jones

'Victoria' 2012 H F M Jones

'Greg' 2012 H F M Jones

 

'Benjamin' 2012 H F M Jones

'Stella' 2012 H F M Jones

'Phillip' 2012 H F M Jones

'Lisa' 2012 H F M Jones

'Claire' 2012 H F M Jones

 

'Tony' 2012 H F M Jones



September - December 2011

Year 2 of my BA Hons Fine Art degree in CSAD - a quick overview of the first term.

Collage and painting were still waging war between one another to be the dominant process. From a technique point of view, collage won this time.

I painted from photographs that term, the results were poor. Fair enough really! I still didn't understand how to use oils which did not contribute positively. My collage took a detour from the usual time-shift imagery, but began to slowly introduce my interest in Gothic literature.

A four week project was given to us that term - pick an object/piece/film/whatever that does not directly relate to your practice area and respond to it. I chose a sculpture from The National Museum of Wales, Cardiff of the Greek/Roman character Perseus; famous for cutting the head of the Gorgon Medusa off! A beautiful bronze statue by Frederick W. Pomeroy, I couldn't resist cutting and twisting this image!

 

'Study of Perseus with The Head of Medusa' Graphite drawing collaged, (2011) H F M Jones

 

 

''Medusa  2011' Oil on paper + collage, (2011) H F M Jones

 

I wanted to try and combine painting and collage, but again this was not successful. I thought it was appropriate to practice painting for the rest of the term before considering further where my practice was going.

 

 

'Toy Clown' Oil and emulsion on cardboard, (2011) H F M Jones

 

 

'Amigo' Oil on canvas, palette knife (2011) H F M Jones

 

'Sean 1' Oil on paper, (2011) H F M Jones

 

So painting became frustrating; the subject matter always feels wrong when I paint. Naturally, I fell back into collage - an easier device to convey my thoughts at that point.

 

'Eighteen Oddities/Beauties' Collage, (2011) H F M Jones



A to B ... Painting

I have been looking over, rehashing and wondering at my choices of practice from school / Foundation / 1st Year BA / 2nd Year - Present. It's strange how you cling onto particular ideas and easily discard so many others over such a short period of study. That's what keeps your practice interesting I guess.

Whilst at school, I was convinced that I would be an avid painter today. When I look back on my paintings from this time, I feel as though I have slightly let myself down; I haven't painted in months, I've instead collaged and made 3D figures. I love it, (the collage), but miss the paint.

'Chidgey's Cornet' section study, Acrylic on canvas, (2009) H F M Jones

It's clear from this image I still had a lot to learn about painting anyway!

During Foundation as I've mentioned, I got quite into collage. I was cutting up my photos, my parents old photos, any image I could get a hold of. Even the old Ladybird books fell victim to my new obsession. The merging of opposing images, cutting away and layering images was very exciting.

 

'Great Uncle Alf Cory + Grandad John Bates' Collage, (2009) H F M Jones

 

'Ladybird Window Views' Ladybird Book Cut-up, (2010) H F M Jones

 

 

Image manipulation of this nature has stuck quite firmly with me within my practice (and developed further I hope). In my first year practice in CSAD, I wanted to keep making these forced images to then paint from.

 

'Constant Chatter' Oil paint on canvas, (2011) H F M Jones

 

 

Despite the lack of oil painting knowledge present within the piece and the hideous technical faults (e.g. circle cut-outs mishapen etc.), I thouroughly enjoyed painting this collage. It may not have been a success, but it certainly was a learning curve. To sum up my first year practice, the collages became 'tight' for want of a better word, and my attempt to learn to paint with oils was a slow start.

 

'Looking / She's Gone' Collage, (2011) H F M Jones

Collage - an introduction to my practice.

Florence Bates - My Dads' Mum (2009) H F M Jones

My interest in collage really kicked off during my Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (2009-10). Throughout my time at secondary school, I had rigidly stuck with the formula drawing + painting = Fine Art. The new environment definitely helped me realise that was not the only way to think! The first of my collages were odd drawings and dripped-paint paper I'd cut circular sections from and rotated - I was exploring the deconstruction and reconstruction of TIME - cut + rotate became the new formula for a while. A whole series of images I used were from my family collection spanning the twentieth century; I layered, swapped sections and created my own visual path through time.

Blog Post No. 1

Hello, welcome to my blog!

I'm just about to start my third year as a Fine Art student in Cardiff, Wales - very exciting stuff.

Collage - Drawing - Making - Painting are very keen interests of mine within my studio practice.