Week 15: Monday 20th January 2014:

Week 15: Monday 20^th January 2014:

Work Placement: Harvey Nichols Manchester 1 week.
Working with the Visual Merchandising team, I am feeling apprehensive but excited, as it is a career, I would like to peruse after university. I have been reading up on the ideas and theories behind shop layout and consumerism in an attempt to help me with my week of work.  Over the week I was given many duties, I helped the team install the windows (see images) and I chose the garments and shoes according to colour theme of each window.

 I used In-design and Photoshop to print out designs in vinyl on the plotter and then stick them in store or the windows. The skills and breath of ideas you have to have as a Visual Merchandiser made me realise how important independent research is and keeping up your own knowledge of the products you are selling; in this case luxury high end products.
Overall, the experience was priceless and one I am glad I had the chance to participate within. The team work extremely hard, creating the best possible displays and choosing stock in which will look ideal in the display. It enabled me to see where my own practice would sit in the Visual Merchandising world and although there are jobs, for Freelance installation artists (whom Harvey Nichols employs at busy times) the income is uncertain and it is a risk I feel I am not ready to take.  Therefore, my practice would be best suited for an independent art gallery or site specific.

Week 14: Monday 13th January 2014:

Week 14: Monday 13^th January 2014:

Week 1 of Spring term:

 Over the Christmas break, my practical work has been lacking, but with a two-week deadline for the LIVE project, I felt I had to get back into things. 

I have worked on my samples and painted, stitched cut into them, thinking about, colour and texture and revealing and concealing as main concepts and themes

The plan for the LIVE project is to collage six or seven together to create a multimedia textile piece, It will be lightweight as it needs to travel and will be hung on the wall.

For my major project, I have again been visiting new places and recording my feelings and emotions to help me provoke emotion within my work place and space are still very important within my concept and learning agreement, which I have re-written this week.

To inspire my installation work I have collected new materials over the Christmas break from old lighting to plugs, wires anything that plays with the idea of place and emotion.

I have a week on placement next week, so will be working on my dissertation in the evenings and researching for my project, as I will not have time to get into the studio. 

Christmas holidays

Christmas holidays, weeks beginning 

Monday 23^nd December 2013 – Christmas week, small amount of research and researching current exhibitions in London to visit for my project.

Monday 30^th December 2013 – Focusing on Essay and continued researched for practical and LIVE project.

Monday 6^th December 2013 - Focusing on Essay and continued researched for practical and LIVE project. 

Week 13: Monday 16th December 2013

Week 13: Monday 16^th December 2013

Over the weekend, I produced some new samples for the LIVE project. I discussed the influences and ideas that had come to mind. The samples I produced were becoming something new and interesting using mix media and materials. I selected and chose materials that were important to me, they provoked emotion, from my grandmas ‘curtain and my mums’ handbag.  The plan for over Christmas for my project is to research and create interesting samples to push myself further and create high quality samples for the LIVE project.
This week I also received my essay feedback, from which I am now able to edit and refine in detail over Christmas and in January 2014.
To enable me to gather a full understanding of the  context where my work sits in the real world I have contacted small independent galleries from ‘The Old Police Station, London to attending  two interviews for work placements, one at Harvey Nichols in Manchester and the other at Mary Katrantzou.

Hi Lois

Thank you for your emails, we have been really busy with Christmas and events so I’ve not had chance to get back to you sooner

You will need to come in to be interviewed for a voluntary work placement, we normally do them for 1 week and unfortunately the role is unpaid, if you could let me know some dates before Christmas that you are free I can book an interview in with HR.

The front windows for next year are going in from 20^th January just to give you an idea of dates

Thank you

Kind Regards 

Claire

From: LOIS-MICHELLE NORMAN [mailto:lois-mnorman@hotmail.co.uk] 

Sent: 05 December 2013 13:59
To: Claire Calderbank
Subject: 2014 visual merchandising work experience

Dear Claire,
Hoping you received my first e-mail regarding visual merchandising work experience for 2014. I was wondering whether I would be able to meet you regarding dates? I have tried calling you this week but it seems I keep missing you.
Kind regards
Lois Norman
07908932087

 Both of which were for different jobs, Harvey Nichols is working with the Visual Merchandising team and the other is working as a fashion embroidery intern. I am pleased to say I got the weeks work placement at Harvey Nichols this is such a great opportunity for me, as I want to pursue a career in this line of work after university. The insight it will give me into shop layout and consumerism is something I am also interested to learn about. Although I see myself as a hybrid textile artist, the feedback from Mary Katrantzou was that I am not influenced by fashion and although they liked my work it made me realise even more the context for my work is gallery based.

Each layer I have cut sliced and arranged to produce samples which are heavily based on layer and texture opposed to colour 

Playing with the idea that materials and symbols provoke place and emotion, although the colours are similar colour does not play a part in purpose or concept for my samples and will be wiped out.

Week 12: Monday 9th December 2013

Week 12: Monday 9^th December 2013 

PE presentations on Monday were vital to attend although; I was not presenting myself, as I did last week. It was a great way for me to see how other students’ projects have evolved and how they tackled the presentation themselves. The past three weeks have been very slow moving for my project and I am for the first time feeling unsure where my project and ideas are heading. 
My samples for the LIVE project are improving slowly but I am not creating them as fast as I would like.  The problem and the uncertainty I have with my project is due to the lack of continuous research and visual research, my project has moved on incredible amounts since September and its important I keep gathering new information.
I have this week been in the library and out visiting exhibitions to gain some new inspiration: from Manchester to Birmingham.

These photographs of Birmingham City Library are perhaps too modern for my emotion, revealing and concealing concept. But the architecture, colour and space were inspirational and it confirmed my concept and modern spaces were not where my work lies.