Merchandised Artwork by Burgerplex

I enjoy the scope of this artists reach. His work is colourful, playful, interesting and sparks the imagination and creativity in all ages. Connecting to the upcoming CAY-LOVE Project, its interesting to see the ingenuity in the prints on merchandise that has been done more tastefully and contemporarily than generic T-shirt prints. Fashion prints have continued to become more interesting but pillows, kitchenware etc have become even more appealing.

Artist Jon Burgerman of Bugerplex has turned his prints of cartoon-like characters into an immense empire of wonderfully appealing products.

Source: http://www.burgerplex.com/

Sketch Book Project Ideas

Being ill and off work for five days, I've had time to medicate, sleep and think. I've researched and been interested into several artists, whom are new to me and into various projects and competitions taking place.

Resource 1: The Sketch Book Project

The Sketch Book Project could be something Sean involves his art (produced in art therapy sessions) with and would allow him to have work exhibited in the Brooklyn Art Library. Alternatively we could collaborate and both include our work in the same sketch book. I feel, in order to do this we'd have to think of a theme or perhaps just use each page as a session of therapy for each of us. One page could express Sean's mood and the other mine. I enjoy the techniques found and shown below:

Through my research, I found artist DrFraken and found his work stirring and magically eerie. This installation below could inspire a sketch book project idea where perhaps artists and non-artists get involved on the island or maybe if Sean and I start something that we want to continue with and exhibit all together. Its an interesting idea and curatorial technique. 

Installation by DrFraken

Mira Alibek and the feeling of lost innocence

Mira Alibek's work reminds me of lost dreams and innocence adults experience and her work is almost a nostalgic sketchbook of such ideas. Especially her "Fble" installation of frozen, torn yet still inflated balloons, collages of the childhood Little Red Riding Hood, which have been altered to suit her own narration of a world perhaps not so different from the fable. The idea of past heroes/idles/ideals and the ones we wanted to be as children and the ones we still pursue with subconscious drift, inspire my thoughts of her work. Her work is playful, powerful, inspiring, and interesting. There is a narration for us to solve or create and she allows the audience to pick their path through beautiful visual influence. 

Breaking the Silence Campaign Ad

The Abuse Awareness Advert for the "Breaking the Silence" Conference taking place at Mary Miller Hall, Red Bay, Cayman Islands, Thursday 18th and Friday 19th October, 2012, can be found here: Breaking the Silence Promotional Advert 

Stills from the video production.

Breaking the Silence Campaign

(Poster by Freddy M. Diaz and Photography by: Anne-Marie Gray) Recent Photos were taken specifically for the "Breaking the Silence" Campaign. "Breaking the Silence & Empowering Self-Worth Conference" objectives include bringing together companies who can support the provision of community-based public education and to focus on the leadership of breaking the Silence. Therefore, it  is our mission to strive for major societal changes necessary to eliminate both domestic and societal violence against all. www.shattering-the-silence.com www.shattering-the-silence.com

EXTRA SENSE EXHIBITION

From left to right, Rosie Bell's and Amy Vincent's installation in "Extra Sense".

Anne-Marie Gray's installation in "Extra Sense". 

Amy Vincent's installation. 

Art Shop Installation of Anne-Marie Gray's photographic selection. 

Art Therapy Proposal

Recently, I was asked to make an Art Therapy Proposal to support my job in an After School Programme. This is what I made: Art Therapy Proposal by Anne-Marie Gray

©familypartnerships

EXTRA SENSE: Celebrating human variation.

Extra Sense is an upcoming Art Exhibition celebrating human variation.
Recent Press: 
 nansa.org.uk/artshoproject/ 

What I have accomplished today

Today, so far has been quite eventful. I have drawn sketches for my and my creative partner's Children's Book, entered a photography competition: https://apps.facebook.com/hyly-contest-app/1409911777706570864/entries. Public voting opens August 28th and ends September 6th.

Also, I have worked on the written work for the Children's Book, and photographed references for a new art series concerned with merging heroism and disability, in attempt to raise the status of people with various challenges and commend them for their daily bravery amidst an unequal society.

I've now, also entered the Photographer of the Year 2012 award, http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/poty2012/ and the Viewbook Photostory Contest http://www.viewbookphotostory.com/the-contest/

A good day, I should say!

ARTnews releases list of 200 Top Collectors

The list includes their name, location (not address), industry and what type of art they are primarily interested in. It certainly isn't good practice to chase these people down but slipping an anonymous, generic invitation to your upcoming exhibition or press release may not be a bad idea.

http://www.artnews.com/2012/06/26/the-artnews-200-top-collectors/

My artwork to be included in the September 2012 Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) Journal

Down's Syndrome Association releases a Journal twice a year (September and February). It contains latest news, articles on subjects that cater to people of all ages who have Down's syndrome, research projects that are taking place, any new services and resources available, book reviews, and letters sent in by parents and family or friends of people with Down's syndrome. 


Archivist of the Langdon Downs Museum of Learning Disabilities and Publications Officer/DSA Journal Editor, Mr. Ian Jones-Healey saw my Saatchi Gallery entry, contacted me and asked specifically for "Portrait of a Man" (series selection) and "Righting Misconceptions" (series selection).


See entry here: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/ns/profile/Anne-Marie%20+Gray/2322

DSA Journal (September 2011 Issue)

Cover Detail

Photograph by Richard Bailey 

More Empower/Equality Inspiration

Artist, "gilf" has artwork on "run" at 1xrun.com

"The fist is best known for the Black Power movement of the 1960s in America. While it represented unity within the race, it originates back to 1930s Germany. This symbol was first used by the Communist Party in Germany. It was a symbol that the party members would display to one another to show their unity against Hitler. The current tertiary rainbow colors represent all walks of life and my belief that all people should be given equal rights. It is time that all people are treated equally in this country- not just the people in power. Hence the title, Empower Equality. Each embellishment takes about 40 minutes. The concept took about 2 weeks to tweak to perfection. Getting it printed took about 3 weeks. I've hand drawn the word EVOLVE from left to right, and right to left. EVOLVE spelled backwards is EVLOVE- many people will think I'm writing LOVE over and over again. There are multiple color ways of this marker embellishment- I estimate that EVOLVE is written around 800 times per print. " - gilf! 

Empower/Equality (grey) by gilf

Print

2012

This RUN contains 6 Grey Hand-Embellished prints numbered randomly in the first 40 prints of the edition of 200 from New York City street artist gilf!'s debut print Empower Equality. Each print is uniquely hand-embellished by gilf! and will have slight color deviations. 

More inspiring Artwork - NUCA graduating student, Rupert Smissen

Rupert Smissen is an Illustration 2012 Graduate and below are some of his works, also viewable on his site (see below). These images are most inspiring towards my current development work due the split/separation in the facial features. 

Rupert Smissen

http://rupertsmissen.co.uk/

More visual inspiration for upcoming series

Having the upcoming series of works on my mind that will be attributed to human equality and human rights, I have stumbled upon imagery that inspires my current ideas and gives me more. 

Photo by Zamil

I enjoy the double impact idea, which I am currently considering for my equality series and the juxtaposed emotion presented. Beautiful light and composition. Although, I am considering using the medium of oil paint, perhaps photography is a more suitable medium for my concept. There is also the option of photorealism through painted portraiture.

Photo by Zamil

Photo by Zamil

"New York Movie"
Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967)

1939. Oil on canvas, 32 1/4 x 40 1/8" (81.9 x 101.9 cm). Given anonymously to MoMA.

This image is most mysterious and intriguing. There is an obvious narrative taking place and I truly enjoy the separation between sense of setting and the highlighting of the main subject. This has fuelled my desire to create a portrait of Mrs. Gladwyn K. Bush and her home, which is being preserved as part of Cayman's artistic history. This particular piece, I'd like to create for the Ogier Award 2013, as the property may become open to the public in early 2013. I will have to contact her next of kin (son) for images to use for the portrait and take photos of her house on south sound road. 

http://www.artscayman.org/mind-s-eye

Heart and Sold Exhibition Brochure

Follow the link to see the brochure up online temporarily:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97929373/Heart-Sold-Brochure

Artist, Sean Gray Profile Page

Contents Pages 16-17

Heart and Sold Exhibition Invitation Design

INVITATIONS

Designed by Matt Maurer 

 Front 

Back 

Manifest: Equality

The Manifest Equality stands for equal rights for all Americans in hopes all LGBT may receive the equal rights as any other person with art acting as their soapbox.  


TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/manifesteq


BLOG: http://www.manifestequality.com/blog

Human Equality Practice Inspiration

Continuing with my advocacy for Human Equality in a world that has come so far and yet has so far to still go, I have found some sources of inspiration to help me with my new artwork ideas. Danny O' Connor, Shepard Fairey, and Mantis, respective artists/authors.

New Sensations - Saatchi Gallery/Channel 4 Art Competition

An excellent opportunity for recent Art University Graduates presented by Saatchi Gallery and Channel Four with their 2012 "New Sensations" competition. See my entry through link below.

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/ns/profile/%20/2322

"I Am What You Say I Am" (Series Selection) 

Anne-Marie Gray

One of Six Submissions into "New Sensations" Competition

The Bishop's Art Prize, 2012

Officially selected into the 2012 Bishop's Art Prize, was my photographic entry "A Man, As He Is". The exhibition will take place 18th - 29th June, 2012 at the Hostry, Norwich Cathedral. The evening of the 18th, the prize winners will be announced.

http://www.cathedral.org.uk/visitorinfo/exxhibitions-the-bishop-s-art-prize-18---29-june.aspx

"A Man, As He Is" 

Anne-Marie Gray

2012 Bishops Art Prize, Official Selection

Venturing into Art Therapy Practices: "The Art Therapy Sourcebook" by Cathy A. Malchiodi

Reading through Cathy A. Malchiodi's "The Art Therapy Sourcebook" has presented a wealth of information to further research. What is interesting to me is the mention of Sigmund Freud's and Carl Jung's  techniques, which I explored during my 2 Years at NUCA.

Malchiodi has also introduced Hans Prinzhorn's spontaneous artworks with the Mentally Ill.

So far I have understood, there are two approaches to art therapy, the directive approach and the non-directive approach. They are fairly straightforward, in that a directive approach is directed with a theme, such as directing the client to "draw your family". Whilst the non-directive approach provides more freedom to the client to produce whatever they're feeling or desire to produce. The chosen approach differs with the clients needs and the outcomes of the therapy. When partaking in art therapy techniques with Sean, I chose to be non-directive as I felt Sean would respond more to the freedom of expression. However, as the therapy progresses, the therapy can take on a directive approach. Determining the amount of time to allocate to a certain approach requires more research but I feel I will have to take on the non-directive approach once more with Sean and then when deemed suitable, provide some form of direction, such as "paint Hurricane Ivan, paint our family, draw what you remember from Jamaica...etc".

Margaret Naumberg used the technique of scribble drawing to encourage spontaneous imagery and therefore draw on the clients unconscious. Her sister, Florence Cane used similar scribble techniques as she felt spontaneous expression encouraged free association and revealed unconscious fantasies and thoughts.

Interestingly, Donald Winnicott devised the "squiggle game" where by working collaboratively, both therapist and child/client would attempt to complete each others squiggle lines into an image. This technique is most involving and interactive for both therapist and client. However, the client would most likely have to be an open participant and most likely by a child.

My Wrapping and Egg Influence

Salvador Dali. Metamorphosis of Narcissus (1937)

"Narcissist daffodils… In Greek mythology Narcissus was a womaniser, and a vein one at that, so the Gods punished him with his own reflection in a lake. He fell in love with himself, and died of frustration. Taking pity, the Gods immortalised him as a daffodil. Dali’s hallucinatory painting shows the boy kneeling in a pool, mirrored by the hand holding the egg and flower."


(Information Found: 
http://www.artfinder.com/work/metamorphosis-of-narcissus-salvador-dali/?utm_source=artfinder&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=&utm_content=)

The egg is symbolic, being regarded as the "perfect form" by many artists. This obsession with perfection and idealism is approached in this piece by Dali. The title "Metamorphosis of Narcissus", made me consider the concept of transforming perfection. I then associated this concept with Christo and Jeanne-Claude's series of wrapping objects and landscapes, as well as Judith Scotts transformations of wrapping objects in yarn and fabric. Christo and Jeanne-Claude have claimed to use the method for strictly aesthetic reasons and Scotts reasons relied on the personal desire for artistic expression. This simple technique, allows the onlooker to carefully reflect on the object being shaded. This concept of shading in order to uncover and reflect on what lies beneath is a complimentary duality, which interests me as the duality of normality and difference is something I wish to equalise. 

Additionally, the concept of normality is an illusion. How can anyone be normal if people are individually unique also? Therefore, no-one is truly normal but really what is common has been deemed normal. Those that exist outside that common article are deemed the opposite of normal, different. This duality, causes those deemed different to be categorised into a small box, meant to feel negative for being outside the normal spectrum of humanity. This relationship, along with the concept of wrapping materials, made me consider the art works I created involving the wooden box and wrapped objects.  

Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Wrapped Snoopy House, 1978.

Judith Scott. Untitled, 2000-2; 30 by 32 by 16 inches. All works are made from fiber, wood, cardboard, and fabric. Photos courtesy of the Creative Growth Art Center, Oakland, California. Image: Fiberarts Summer 2001

Double Exposure, Surrealism and the Photo Montage (Historically)

ANGUS McBEAN

Angus McBean (1904-90) was one of the most extraordinary British photographers of the twentieth century. In a career that spanned the start of the Second World War through the birth of the 'Swinging Sixties' to the 1980s, he became the most prominent theatre photographer of his generation and, along with Cecil Beaton, the last of the British avant-garde studio photographers.

During the 1930s and 1940s, McBean developed Surrealist techniques, including the depiction of the actress Dorothy Dickson as a water lily. Yet his style kept pace with the times and by the 1950s and 1960s he was taking photographs of celebrities from Cliff Richard to Shirley Bassey. Arguably his most famous image is of the Beatles, leaning over the balcony at their recording studios, which was used on the album cover Please Please Me. His celebrated series of self-portraits, which he sent out as Christmas cards, capture his witty and eccentric personality, while his numerous photographic commissions in the 1980s - including his work with the pop singer David Sylvian - demonstrate his inventiveness and creativity.

For the first time since his death in 1990, McBean's photographs of stars such as Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Audrey Hepburn, and his colour prints from the 1960s of the Beatles, Maria Callas and Spike Milligan are to be brought together in a major retrospective exhibition, accompanied by this fascinating book. Terence Pepper's intriguing account of McBean's life and work includes extracts from the photographer's unpublished autobiography and is illustrated throughout with full-page colour and duotone reproductions.

Information Found: http://www.npg.org.uk/business/publications/angus-mcbean-portraits.php

Part of the National Portrait Gallery's Exhibition Archive: Angus McBean's Portraits: July 5th - October 22nd, 2006

Angus McBean: Portraits is the first museum retrospective devoted to Angus McBean (1904-90), one of the most significant British photographers of the twentieth century. It brings together over 100 photographs in black and white and colour, including a large number of vintage prints from museum collections and important loans from private collections. The exhibition offers an unprecedented opportunity to see the astonishing range of McBean's work. From the striking surrealist portraits of the 1930s to his period as indisputably the most important photographer of theatre and dance personalities of the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition also showcases his cult re-emergence as a chronicler of pop music and includes his famous Beatles covers.

Highlights of the exhibition include the iconic 1951 photograph of the then unknown Audrey Hepburn, her head and shoulders emerging from sand - and posed amidst classical pillars. The forty-year spread of the exhibition includes more recent photographs of Derek Jarman and Tilda Swinton, while other significant portraits include Marlene Dietrich, Mae West and Katharine Hepburn. The exhibition also features several defining portraits of Vivien Leigh, whom McBean photographed many times over the course of their thirty-year association.

On show for the first time is the complete series of his self-portrait Christmas cards which McBean produced between 1934 and 1985. These inventive and innovative portraits are displayed alongside theatrical props used in their composition, including a Mae West puppet, a marble 'Greek God' bust, bisque 'bathing beauties' and two 1930s papier mâché masks of Greta Garbo and Ivor Novello.

Born near Newport in South Wales in 1904, Angus McBean bought his first camera at the age of fifteen. He used his friends and family as models, and also began to make masks and theatrical props for local amateur dramatic productions. After the death of his father in 1924, McBean moved to London and found work in the antiques department of Liberty's on Regent Street, spending his spare time photographing his friends and making masks. After leaving Liberty's in 1931 he decided to try and live by his art, growing a distinctive beard that he claimed was symbolic of the fact that he no longer wished to be a wage earner. McBean was briefly apprenticed to society photographer Hugh Cecil, who taught him photographic techniques, and after a year he set up his own studio in Victoria.

McBean's big break came in 1936 when Ivor Novello asked him to create masks for Clemence Dane's adaptation of a Max Beerbohm short story,The Happy Hypocrite. Novello was delighted with the masks and immediately commissioned McBean to take portrait photographs for the production. In 1937 The Sketch commissioned him to photograph the actress Beatrix Lehmann playing Lavinia in Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. The dramatic composition of this photograph was inspired by the surrealist art of the era, and working with the artist Roy Hobdell, McBean went on to produce a number of 'surrealist' portraits of leading actresses in a weekly series, which ran until the early months of the war. Among those on display are portraits of Flora Robson, René Ray and Peggy Ashcroft asPortia.

After the war, McBean set up a new studio in Endell Street, London and was commissioned to photograph the American actress Clare Luce in a new production of Antony and Cleopatra at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. He then produced a series of portraits that incorporated significant objects from the lives of his sitters into their photographs: Cecil Beaton is shown surrounded by pages from his scrapbooks, while Ivor Novello leans over bound editions of his musicals. Other portraits show 'Play Personalities' such as Noel Coward, Ralph Richardson and Hugh 'Binkie' Beaumont (Binkie Pulls the Strings). Also on display are portraits of ballet dancers Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann.

In the 1950s and '60s McBean's career took a new direction as he began taking colour photographs for LP covers. The exhibition shows his photographs of Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Shirley Bassey and The Beverley Sisters and Spike Milligan's head encased in a glass jar for his album Milligan Preserved. McBean was responsible for the front cover of The Beatles album Please, Please Me, taking a spontaneous shot of the group leaning over the balcony at the EMI Offices in London. Six years later he was asked to recreate the 1963 photograph for the proposed Get Back album. It later appeared on the retrospective LP The Beatles 1967-1970, and these will be displayed alongside one another. Angus McBean retired in 1966 to focus on decorating and restoring his house, Flemings Hall in Suffolk, but he returned to photography in 1982 and the exhibition includes late work such as his portraits of Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Information Found: http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2006/angus-mcbean-portraits.php

Angus McBean. Audrey Hepburn, 1950.

Angus McBean. Pamela Stanley as Queen Victoria, 1938.

Other Examples of Photographic Surrealist Techniques

Winifred Casson. Accident (double exposure), c. 1935

Sir Edmund Blunt. Photo-montage, 1873

Personal Reaction: There are distinct comparisons and contrasts in fine art photography techniques historically and in contemporary approaches. I find the comparisons rely greatly on the picture and aesthetic quality of the piece and the contrasts are present within the context and subject matter. It only makes chronological sense that the subject matter would differ but considering the improvements in technology, its remarkable that artists have continuously established an excellent quality of imagery with camera and film technology. DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras have allowed the photographer to achieve that aesthetic quality of analogues but with the control of a digital machine. In addition, the editing techniques needed to either be established within the camera or edited in post in the film, is achieved easily (through some form of training) in digital software, giving more freedom of expression and easier access to manipulation. Artists can now decide on their idea after the photograph is already taken, allowing reflection and experimentation to be infinite. 

BA8 MAIN POINTS

MAIN POINTS

MAIN INFLUENCES

-Double Exposure Photographs by Dan Mountford

These works were fundamental in deciding to approach double exposure photography once again in attempt to merge ideas and images.

Dan Mountford, Double Exposure Example

-Wolfgang Tillman's Method of Installing Photographs

Tillman's minimalist approach to exhibiting work influenced my method of Degree Show mounting.

Wolfgang Tillmans Example of Minimalist Approach to Installation

-Shifting Perspectives ongoing, travelling, photographic Exhibition

This exhibition with photographers such as Richard Bailey, Fiona Bailey and Fiona Yaron-Field held a body of work concerning varied aspects of Down's Syndrome. Shifting Perspectives concreted the importance of my own practice.

Examples of past 'Shifting Perspectives' Exhibitions

-Arne Svenson's 'About Face'

This particular collection of works showed me the invaluable medium of photography, particularly in portraiture, the inventive way of teaching an audience about Autism, without being preachy or too bold.

Arne Svenson's 'About Face'

MAIN POINTS OF PRACTICE PROGRESSION

-The studio arrangement of original black and white photographs allowed me to discover the interaction 2D images can have with one another and with the onlooker.

In order to create a Bust, photos taken of Sean were pinned on the wall in my studio. It would become evident the photographs were more powerful than other mediums. 

-The Art Of Norwich 21 personal exhibition, “Reflection of Self and Societal Image” curated at the Church of Art allowed me to see how the installation of work was vital and could very easily affect the artists original intentions. The use of frames was detracted from the Degree Show planning and I would now look at more minimalist methods.

"Reflection of Self and Societal Image" personal exhibition used for tests and experimentation for the Degree Show.

-Rather than simply allowing the installation of works to promote reflection, I decided to merge images into one so that each work held a unique point of view, such as the social position Sean Gray has held and currently holds. As a result, my skills in digital photograph editing has grown immensely. Online Training sources were essential to my development, namely "IceflowStudios", Online Design Training, which I was able to resource free of charge. http://www.iceflowstudios.com/

Example of final BA8 practice production.