GALLERY VISITS _ Natural history museum/ The Minories/ Firstsite

My main module was looking at skulls and taxidermy, and incorporating floral into that. So what better place to start than the Colchester natural history museum! Id never been in my life, so I wasn't expecting wonders. However it was very informative, and contained many a skull and dead animal. Perfect.
I was Interested in the textures and shapes formed by the skulls, the natural decay and rough, jagged edges. I recorded this by taking photos and making sketches and references, but in my head all sorts of ideas for garment shapes and prints were forming.

Minories visit and the exhibition was 30yrs of 12pm, which was formed in 1984. It was a direct response to the need to provide mutual support and enable a group of like minded artists to meet frequently and exchange/ discuss ideas. Artists such as Jane Frederick and  Doug Selway caught my eye because of the use of abstract printing. Jane, who used monotype printing, produced a wonderful piece using different layers. It struck me as quite sinister, maybe because of the colour palate, but upon research I realised she wanted to get a sense of panic across. The print almost seemed as if it was magazine cut outs layered and collaged, and it made me think of ways in which I could I could incorporate this into my own work, maybe through fashion illustration.
Doug's print appealed to me because of the scratchy, textural approach. The drypoint was wonderful and sketchy, and made the viewer come to the conclusion of hat the print is about. I really enjoy the two tones in the print, and the outline of the drypoint covering this. I felt this print was very similar to some of the mark making i have been producing, and it inspired me to perhaps become more abstract with the way I draw objects.

Firstite- Bruce Mclean: Sculpture/ Painting/ Photography/ Film.
If I'm honest I hadn't actually researched who was at this exhibition space, but I was wonderfully surprised. I walked in and was bombarded with colourful posters and drawings, with quirky outlines over the top. Very inspiring. Perhaps I didn't find inspiration from him and his sources, but i definitely did find it from his work. I loved the simple illustrations and the quick continuous line technique was very similar to the illustrations I had produced. The quick, vibrant burst of colour were very effective and eye catching. I enjoyed the sketchy illustrations, the quick style in which they were drawn, perhaps with writing or colour over the top.

The trio of paintings that really appealed to me were Fish and Pan head (1983), Going for Gucci and The Gucci Girls (both 1984). These were a large series of paintings that playfully comment on the conspicuous consumption and social climbing in the British society in the early 1980s. They were absolutely gorgeous (in my eyes) fashion illustrations. The acrylic is hastily painted on to give a long brush stroke with texture, the garments added as if he had a long brush and sweeped the paint on. The colour palette together works well and compliments each other. I will definitely be incorporating long colourful brush strokes into my fashion illustrations so get a surreal abstract  effect.