“People do not read enough, and that’s how you create critical thinking, conceptual thinking. The best way to learn how to tell a story is to read more books. You create a way of how to shape your life.” Werner Herzog. 

Instead of picking up my phone I will pick up a book. I like to think of reading as a way of strengthening the self and learning its authentic interests. 

It’s important to constantly update where you get your source material from, in order to reinvent yourself and explore a new visual language. I will be spending the first few weeks collecting imagery and doing research in the library. I love looking at vintage magazines and getting lost in picture books. I always make new discoveries. So much knowledge is hidden away in books. 

I was really inspired by Hannah Waldron’s talk during future selves week. She is an artist and illustrator and stressed how important it is to immerse yourself in new mediums such as textiles. They feed into one another. I will be looking into textiles and fine jewellery as a way to capture what I love the most about these crafts and how I can incorporate these textures and motifs into my current work.

“Mediums can turn you on, they can excite you: they always let you do something in a different way.” David Hockney

I believe that the limitations or possibilities of each medium forces you to come up with new directions for your work.

Every day I will be starting the day with a question: how about? or what if? 

To start the day with an experiment. Embrace mistakes will free me up.

I want to find new collaborators to work with. I want to bring a group of people together with different skills and direct them under my vision.

I will be experimenting with different techniques and materials I haven’t used for years such as oil pastels and watercolour. I will also be brushing up on my perspective drawing. I will be getting better at using programmes such as photoshop, premier and after effects to create a new world. I will be studying different animators and film directors. I am particularly interested in artists that have crossed into different disciplines. Terry Gilliam went from animating sequences for Monty Python to making movies. Pierre et Giles started with photography and then started making music videos. I need to be thinking in this way – how can I translate one method into another. How can I combine methods and build on my current pratice?

I would like my outcome to be an experimental music video using footage as collage material. I will be gathering different footage and shooting in the green screen room in Moulsecoomb. I want to combine this with animation.

Time management will be crucial in delivering this project. Creativity is augmented by good working habits. I will be studying the methods of successful artists and designers and apply them to my routine.

Examine my working process and how I can improve my workflow.

Have different sketchbooks for different things:

1. Scrapbook – for initial collecting of materials and imagery. Here, I can be as messy as I like, taking away the pressure I put on myself of wanting my books to look pretty. I roughly cut and paste images and anything that I find interesting. It doesn’t need to be in any particular order. The collision of different materials and imagery will help spark new ideas.
2. Workbook – This book will be used to develop ideas I gathered in the scrapbook. This will document my creative thought process. Here I will analyse in depth why I chose to put those images in my scrapbook. What is it that resonates?
3. Notebook – My writing book. Where I rant, rave, gather ideas and random thoughts. Analisis of different artists work etc.