The University of Leeds, School of Design would like to formally invite you to Reveal, the degree show 2012, a show case of graduates final work.

In honour of our imminent graduation, we strip back the school and put together a gallery, with the hope that people will come and view our work. Unfortunatly. this means the charming job of cleaning the school head to toe. Now, for most other courses that involves relatively little, moving a few tables, painting a wall or two, but for the charming Art and Design students, it can involve anything from scraping plaster off the floors to mopping up mouldy pig skin gelatin!! (A work of art that is interesting to look at, just not to smell after an extended period of time!) For the past two days, I have been on my hands and knees scrubbing a floor attempting to make it clean after a years worth of dirt has well and truly fixed itself to it. The only problem with all this effort on cleaning is that part of me now hopes that when the public, hopefully, comes and sees the exhibition, I not only want them to comment positively on the work but I actually want them to praise the brilliantly clean floor!!! I think if no one mentions that now I would be rather heart broken, pretty certain that is not the intention of the degree shoe, but damn have I worked on that floor!

What I think will probably be going through every students mind right now is, "Will anyone actually come?" and " Lets get there early to the private view... before the alcohol is gone". It would be nice to think that people will come to our show without the promise of alcohol or the guilt given to friends and family, but I am starting to think that this may not happen, judging by previous shows. If anyone is reading this then REVEAL is open from the 18th to 22nd July 9am-5pm daily.... All, very much, welcome.

Well, my final piece for my degree show is under way and after a great deal of time it is now outside, in its final resting place. The unfortunate side to that is I have to now start the weaving process which, although may be the nicest and easiest part to the whole piece it also is the most expensive. 

The image to the left shows the weaving that I have been able to do so far, not much I know, I have a long way to go but some what dishearteningly, it also cost me around £75.  It is difficult to judge the price of a piece when you start as, if you have the same mentality as me, the piece is never as you planned. As soon as I start to create a piece it is constantly changing. In this instance, it would appear that the piece just kept on growing and basic maths would tell you that the larger the piece the more wicker I would need, clearly I ignored that.

Now all I need to do is get rich, very quickly so I can buy all the willow I need. A somewhat unlikely turn of events!!!

If any one has willow and lots of it then it would be greatly appreciated if it could be sent to the sculpture studios at the School of Design, University of Leeds.

Thank you all.

One thing that any graduate will never look forward to, is the constant trawling through job sites that becomes an essential part to life it would seem. With my graduation imminent, I find most of my time is spent constantly typing into google 'Design internships', 'jobs within the arts' and such other searches. I must say this has not become a favourite pass time of mine. 

Every now and again I find one job in about a hundred that remotely appeals to me. I will admit that I have not made it easy for myself with my indecisiveness on what career path I would like to go down. With a fairly open course such as Art and Design, a specific job is not laid out for you at the start. Unfortunately, although my course has a large artist element to it, the insecurity of being an artist does not entice me to choosing it as my career. However, a job within the realm of artists and their work, such as galleries does appeal to me. But what aspect?? Research, curating, events?? How would I start to get into the exclusivity that surrounds many of the larger galleries. 

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a brilliant exhibition space and one I would truly love to work in. Recently I was able to do some work experience with the curator Helen Pheby. Helen showed me all the elements that are involved in the curating of a large exhibition space and I was amazed at all that she did. She could not have been more helpful and the whole team were lovely, the experience has certainly been invaluable. If I am able to meet more people so willing to help I will be very lucky. 

One website that I have found helpful, as it allows you to limit your search, is   http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/.  This website only shows jobs that are related to the arts which, makes it some what easier. You are also able to narrow your search by specific fields and location. One field that I have seen a fair bit recently is events. 

Events is something that I find interesting, ever changing and has a variety of types, such as gallery events, but I am never sure how to get into it. I have worked at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Chester (my home town) for nearly 3 years now in the Conference and Banqueting department, where all the events in the hotel take place. I feel I have watched and helped in enough weddings, dinners and birthday parties that I understand the components to one, in particular to my interests, the design of them. Some how though, I doubt that and events company will consider that being a bartender, waitress and general dogs body at an event will qualify me for a position with them. 

It is the same with any job really they need experience but it is so difficult to get that experience. Why is it so diffic? It is a never ending, vicious circle. If anyone has any tips that can help me that would be fantastic, as I am clearly not cut out for this!!

Thankyou .....

There is not long left in the university year and unfortunately for me, that means making my final piece, in preparation for the last assessment of my degree and the School of Design degree show. With only four weeks left until the assessment on the 28th May all the Art and Design students are beginning to panic. 

Despite knowing how little time I have left, I can't say I have made life easy for myself, deciding to go 'bigger and better' was a naive decision. As the focal medium of my work is willow and weaving, the process is automatically slow! Through discussion with my tutor the decision was to place my work outside, I have always wanted to do this and with the estates team agreeing, I was given a place around a tree outside the University of Leeds union. In theory this is a perfect space for my piece, however inevitably I overlooked some important factors. Firstly, having the work around a tree would instantly make the work bigger than I ever intended and secondly, having it outside and round a tree would mean I would have to weave the entire piece outside!!! Now, living in England all my life I really should of taken into consideration that the weather never seems to favour sunshine and that I will more than likely need to invest in a very good waterproof and large umbrella!

The image shows the frame work for the piece, this will then be weaved around. This particular bit of frame is only a third of the overall piece, definitely given myself more work than possible in the last few weeks I have left. 

I think I need to wish for sunshine for May and hope that all our rain came in April.. we certainly have had enough or I may have to seriously consider sporting a wet suit to uni each day, but I fear that would not be a good look for me.

FINGERS CROSSED!!