About Me
For me, fashion serves as my silent self expression.
Growing up in south Cumbria with connections to the outdoors and artists, my imagination was central to my self expression from an early age. With a wandering focus I spent many hours drawing people in treehouses on the walls of the living room, experimenting with ceramics with my mum and playing in the darkroom at school.
After a traumatic event I spent a large amount of time at home seeking comfort. I developed a nostalgic longing for aspects of my childhood, for the childlike ability to find peace and pleasure in small things. Collecting natural objects, appreciating fresh air and creating intuitive, spontaneous artworks. During this period where seemingly unimportant objects and places gained value, the ideas for my FMP began to form. Was this nostalgia a meaningful connection to my past or a maladaptive escape from the present? I’d try to visualise this dichotomy and create a project of self-discovery.
INSPIRATION
I photograph everything and illustrate from a space of subconsciousness.
For my Final Major project, I had an abundance of primary imagery as key inspiration. The main group of images were taken in Hawkshead, The Lake District. These have formed visual references throughout my final presented work. The importance of primary research for me is the power in creating individual, authentic work. I believe that if a project is lacking in primary research, it must be lacking in creative character.
Surrealism also carries a great importance in relation to nostalgia due to its emphasis on childishness. In his ‘First Manifesto of Surrealism’ André Breton emphasized an uncontaminated imagination that is also characteristic of the childishness of nostalgia, the use of the imagination to exercise control and escape presents similarly to a child playing pretend.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
DETAIL
Making dreams tangible.
Freud’s hypothesis of the subconscious investigates the way objects can bridge the gap between the conscious and the subconscious. Natural forms have inspired recurring motifs within the illustrations I’ve developed throughout my final year of study. Initial drawings were inspired by dark forest depicted in fairy tales and the visual similarities between them and the emotional dichotomy within nostalgia. I spent my time at university developing my existing skills such as Pattern Making (Draping and Block), Illustration, Surface Design, Natural Dying, Adobe applications (InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator) and Garment Manufacture. I also gained skills like Machine Knitting, Natural Screen Printing and Welding. Each aiding my holistic understanding of the arts. I’m passionate about considered dying and unconventional prints. Other than fashion, I’ve explored ceramics, painting and metalwork as methods of artistic expression.
“There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen.” - 'Where The Wild Things Are'
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