Portfolios and Pamphlets

Obviously since I finished working on my degree I haven't been making much art. Generally the creative stuff I have been doing is practical stuff, usually as favours or part of work. I have been working for an organisation in Bradford called Fabric. They have a lovely art space called Pop Up (Facebook profile can be viewed here: http://www.facebook.com/PopUpArtSpace) My main job is to invigilate but I have also been working on a pamphlet that promoted small, interesting venues in Bradford. I've been looking around to find these places, restaurants, bars, galleries and local shops, then adding them to the guide with pictures and descriptions in a nice design. It's been interesting doing design work as I usually try to avoid it. I also had to make a map which you can see on the back of the guide. These are meant to be simple folded pamphlets so the designs have been very free and unrestrained by the layout of the booklet.

The other work I have been doing is making portfolios. The picture I have attached shows one I am making for my friend Joe who is hoping to become a designer or design teacher having just finished a PGCE year. He hasn't got a website yet but when he does I will be linking it cos his work is great! I also made a teaching portfolio for my sister who managed to get the job she needed the portfolio for, so obviously very proud/ jealous of her! I don't have pictures of that portfolio yet but I will try and get some soon.

The portfolios are very simple, I just get some photos of fabrics from Leeds Market and send them to whoever I'm making the portfolio for, and they choose what design they want. I then use the chosen fabric to cover some A3 boards and a spine, attaching ribbons to the sides that can be tied to keep the loose boards inside. With my sister we spent a whole weekend going through all the photos and papers she wanted in her portfolio, organising it, sticking it onto the boards then annotating it. I expect something similar to happen with Joe's, currently it's just drying. I love making these as the result is usually very satisfying!

On a last note I found out I got a 2:1 for my degree which I am very happy about! Looking forward to seeing my family and celebrating with them, my Dad has the champagne ready!

 

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University of Leeds Degree Show Website

Here it is!! > http://www.leedsschoolofdesign.co.uk/

 

The pictures on there will probably be on here as well, but look out for my friends- Theo Durrant and Sarah Kaul in particular- but also all the other art students, lots of amazing work!

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Work submitted!

Heres a quick look at the submission set up of my work, a lot the books there I won't use for the final degree show to make sure its all good standard of work. I'm aiming to keep the simple layout though. Also I will have the projection all set up at the show. 

 

Finished my degree! Lets hope I do well enough to graduate :P 

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Show Me the Monet

A quick post just saying that anyone interested in art should watch this programme- on Mondays at 5.15pm, not sure how long for. It's a competition for artists to get an exhibition and sale in the Royal College of Art in London. Heres a link to the facebook page for more info- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Show-Me-the-Monet/104610129609798

Look out for Belinda Durrant who I know, her work is very good! http://www.belindadurrant.co.uk/

Not much happening with my own work right now. I'm thinking the next thing I will do (having pretty much finished my uni work now) is to make a sci-fi book for a show in Portland. Should be fun just to make even if I don't get in! 

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Two New Books

These are the two books I have made as 'final pieces' for my final year of uni: 'Thread and Ink.' and "Thread and Hands.'. They are an summery of all the other books I have made looking at printing, sewing and xerox. They were made very simply as concertina books using my printer. I composed the images and threads on my scanner and photocopied it onto heavy weight paper then glued it all together as a concertina. I realised after a few experiments and visits to book fairs (went to the Bristol Artists Books Event last weekend- it was great!) that the simpler the printing and construction, the better the quality, therefore these books are all paper, with soft, loose covers as the binding. Hope you like them!

 

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Artist Book 3.0

Artist Books 3.0 is a site I have just signed up with. You become a member and customise a profile page, adding your own images of your work, others work and galleries etc. You can also blog on it. It's much like this except its dedicated to Book Art, making it a great resource for book lovers! It also has this thing called 'groups' where certain aspects of book art are discussed and explored, such as "book art in education", or "libraries and artists' books". I have only been on it for a day now but already it seems to be providing lots of useful info. Annoyingly I didn't know about it when I was writing my dissertation because it would have been a great way to discuss the issues I was addressing with others in the book art world! However I just got my thesis printed today so thats that :P 

 

I found it at the UWE book arts website http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/ which has been a massively useful resource throughout this term! If you want to see my profile or become a member of Artist Books 3.0 yourself (I do recommend it!) my page is at http://artistbooks.ning.com/profile/RosieDodds, you can link it to your twitter if you have one.

I will keep posting on here I think because it spreads my posts across twitter, facebook, blogger and obviously on here. I will mainly use Artist Books 3.0 for discussing things with others and finding out more of whats out there. Have fun!

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Leeds International Artists' Book Fair 2011

It was a couple of weekends ago now. I'm sorry I only just got round to talking about it, I've been focussing on getting it into my dissertation first because it was just so useful!! It was held in the Parkinson Building at Leeds University, with the hall filled with tables all exhibited artists' books from tonnes of different artists. It was incredible for art lovers and book lovers alike.

 

One thing I noticed was how the fair itself reflects Book Art. It's history could be seen in the contemporary work being shown, with concrete poetry, zines, livre's d'artists and every kind of genre possible being shown somewhere in the hall. In a way it also reflects the sequential nature of books, with lots of different tables of work coming together to make one entity. In my dissertation I made the point that it is only in events or exhibitions like this, where every different type of book art can be seen and compared under one roof, that the nature and scope of book art can be fully understood. It worked to depersonalise what be art can be. Rather than only having your own idea of what it can be, you can see everyones view, and therefore its diversity.

 

I sold a couple of small books. My first ever sale of my own art (yay!). Most of the books I sold were my acetate books which you can see in the image below. That was the table that the University of Leeds Art and Design people had. It was great fun! I also got some books- my first artists' books for my (hopefully) growing collection! A very successful day!

 

Thanks to Chris Taylor for giving us that opportunity! If there is ever an artists' book fair where you are, or if you are in Leeds for the 15th book fair next year make sure you go! 

 

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