Tea and cake?

The topic of Tea cups, cake stands etc was probably the one which I found most challenging, as it can be difficult to be successfully creative with a kitsch subject, but I was rather pleased with some of my studies, here are some examples:

Birds & Fish

I began observing the different suggested themes within the project rather early in my sketchbook. Firstly I looked at the topic 'Birds & Fish, here are a few of the resulting studies:

Music Masterpieces' Rebirth ...

Here is some progress from my sketchbook and very early studies and looking at typography for the first time.

My recycled sketchbook 'Music Masterpieces' (although I have heard of none of the titles personally lol):



My text message (illustrated):



One of the first exercises we completed:



And another!:



And how could I resist abit of arty nonsense with such a pretty old book?:

Sixty Degrees North …

With ‘In the Bleak Midwinter …’ in full swing and progressing nicely I attended a lecture given by Phil Brooks. The lecture was the first I have ever attended with people from mixed subject areas, I believe it was open for anyone to attend. Kay urged us to attend, I left my knitting quite reluctantly, feeling that I was on a roll so to speak, but after 5 minutes of the lecture I was listening intently and felt very interested and involved.
The subject on which he gave his lecture was his 14 year venture ‘Sixty Degrees North’, A photographic study of life between 60 and 70 Degrees around the world. I felt engrossed in the topic, his landscapes especially interested me. His social commentary images were also very rich with culture and message, but artistically I preferred his landscapes and cityscapes.
I think I felt quite a close connection with the lecture as travel photography is something I’ve always wanted to do, although travelling through Russia, Greenland, Iceland and Lapland etc in those incredible temperatures is a step beyond.
The imagery of his lecture was brilliant, I’m not sure it really made me consider my project in a different way, but it did appeal to me from a photographers perspective. And seeing those icebergs on such a grand scale and such vast icy bodies was quite inspirational in an artistic sense.

In all I thought the lecture was a fantastic insight into a practicing photographer living his dream, even if he admitted to not making any big bucks at it. But after all that’s not what it’s about is it? There is a difference between having a job you love and having a job that pays, a big difference.