ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART - AWARD WINNING WORK

I submitted this piece of work for a competition with the title, 'Our Living World'.

The composition presents a scene from Blantyre, Malawi where I grew up. This pen drawing and painting itself was done over a map of Malawi. The square, rigid, monotone mark making of the building contrasts the vivid, flowing sky in the distance.

Expressing a need to escape outward and away from the dull city life. Making 'Our Living World' one that is wished for.

I wanted to express the expectations of womanhood with the absence of a figure, instead focusing on the stereotypes of make-up, mirrors and artwork.

BODY ART

Lots of my artwork focuses on women's bodies and the views of women. So, for this project, I painted directly on my own skin. Using muscle, line tones and lines that become more and more abstract as they move up my limbs.

LIFE DRAWING

I have attended many life drawing sessions, and here I have selected a few drawings taking 2 - 15 minutes, using coloured pencils and charcoal.

METROPOLIS INSPIRED PRINTS

Using mono-printing, block printing, and lino printing to create compositions that are inspired by iconic scenes from the famous film: Metropolis.

SELF PORTRAITS

Here are various ways I have portrayed myself using different mediums, each focusing on a perception of myself.

In these compositions, a sense of intrusion and a progressively gruesome atmosphere is presented. The vibrant colours and harsh, coarse textures make the viewer feel overwhelmed, increasing their sensitivity to an imposing image.

FEELING VULNERABLE

This series of cloth, paint and chalk encompasses images of female figures as they rest and stretch. The softness of their action matched with the delicate nature of the mediums I worked with to create these pieces.

The message behind this series of artworks follows the same feeling. Women are vulnerable, often feeling too unsafe to be delicate and soft. By hiding, only emerging in parts out of the protective cloth and paint these women stay safe enough to be relaxed.

They need to be hidden away to feel safe, and this in turn projects a women's vulnerability.

CLAY FACES

Inspired by Jonathan Baldock's 'Facecrime' and my own contorted faces, I created these faces continuing the recognisable motif of red lips, blue eyes, pink cheeks and long lashes.

CREATING MY OWN SPACES TO DRAW FROM

The setting of a bathroom shelf showing toiletries was composed to feel medical, like pill boxes stacked without actually showing this. I used pattern and green tones to reflect this feeling further after etching. The use of etching created a scratched texture that protrudes from the page.

BUILDINGS

I composed the art space to feel colourful and messy but like something was missing. Needing an artist to make it whole. Using the technique of reduction lino printing to emphasize this emptiness.

By piling boxes, tubes and objects and then draping cloth, I created interesting, contrasting hard edges with flowing curves. Exploring texture and line through mark making in this life-drawing practice.

The setting of a bathroom shelf showing toiletries was composed to feel medical, like pill boxes stacked without actually showing this. I used pattern and green tones to reflect this feeling further after etching. The use of etching created a scratched texture that protrudes from the page.

I sketch throughout my explorations, finding scenes and settings to be recorded. In Sicily, the streets were surrounded by beautifully constructed buildings.

3D Design Project

As an A-level student in the UK, access to design is limited. However, I have worked multiple times on creating simple sets, sourcing props for school productions and making scale models.

Making a Productive Workspace

This project aims to develop a user-friendly application that enhances productivity and organization.

Through experimentation and questionnaires, I found what my target audience preferred and then I further developed this design by incorporating ergonomic research. Learning different skills in production and organisation.

Making a scale model of my design meant that I was able to sustainably conserve materials and allowed for more experimentation with cardboard before finishing the product. Then to ensure my design was fit for customer use, I tested how much weight it could hold and made scale models of typical items that would be used alongside the product to test that the product was the correct size.

These skills are transferable to all future projects and have taught me to take research, experimenting and testing further than first anticipated to make sure what I'm producing is the best it can be.