Hello, and welcome back. I am sure you have been counting the minutes, possibly even the seconds since the last post, I do apologise for the wait.

The truth is I was being a bit lazy and gave myself the summer off just because I could really. However, soon I return to University for my second year of Illustration. Fingers crossed it is far more organised than the first; kind of an inside joke that one.

As I was saying, I will return to Uni and I thought it would be best to get back to sharing my experiences, plus a few random musings since I know so many people are interest and hang on my every typed word.

So the big question is how should we get back in to it all? A chat about gaming? Maybe some new and exciting tech/science news? Sport? Or a political debate following Brexit?

No, I thought I would show off a little and share one of my end of year assignments. We were asked to create an artists manifesto. My manifesto to be precise. If you are like me, you may now be thinking ‘What the hell is a manifesto?’ Well here comes Wikipedia to save the day, ‘A manifesto is a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government.  It often is political or artistic in nature, but may present an individual’s life stance’.

See, easy!! I found the experience fairly interesting but also quite a narcissistic task. We were also asked, believe it or not, to Illustrate the manifesto as they were to be presented as a sort of book/leaflet. I will add a few pictures of the finished piece and I will include all the text from the 4 parts of the manifesto. As you will see, I presented my individual views in different categories which were  ‘Personal and Future Plans’, ‘Society’, ‘Science and Religion’ and also ‘Quotes’.

This is how I explained it in the actual manifesto itself. ‘In order to give my manifesto a structure and for it to be more easily read and understood I have broken it up into four parts with each part having various thoughts, ideas and opinions related to each other.’ Not condescending at all hey?

So lets get cracking!

 

Part 1 – Personal/ Future Plans

Constantly look for the situation in which your work will give you as much happiness and pleasure as your spare time. Even if you think you have found it, keep searching.

Be selfish, start doing things you love. Your head will collapse if there is nothing in it, so fill it with what you love and enjoy. Hobbies and what you do in your spare time is very important.

Create whenever and where ever you can.

Create what makes you happy, not others.

I believe it is possible to create art and love art just because it is pleasing on the eye, or simply because it ‘looks good’. Not everything has to have a deep meaning or purpose. I have made many pieces of art just because I thought the final outcome would look good. There was no story or hidden message behind it (unless it was subconsciously). Just a pleasing image.

Pointillism/dot-work is the future. Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in 1886, branching from Impressionism.

The term “Pointillism” was first coined by art critics in the late 1880s to ridicule the works of these artists, and is now used without its earlier mocking connotation. It has further developed to involving black dots made using a pen or ink to create an image and is also used within the tattoo world where it is more commonly referred to as Dot-work.

I work in dots because of the texture and depth that they create within a piece as it slowly evolves in front of me, often surprising myself with what appears. I also use it as a form of therapy, the time it takes and the concentration that is needed helps me shut out the outside world and I can focus purely on what I am attempting to create or express.

I become inspired, like many others, by multiple things and stimuli. I can spend hours searching for something to inspire and excite me or sometimes it just happens and I find myself putting pen to paper without much thought.

I usually have a very clear view in my head of what I want to achieve and produce as a final ‘product’ from the start but also it can be good to slowly build up to this ‘final piece’ through a number of studies. I don’t believe there is a right or wrong way to work.

My work means a lot to me as I think, like many ‘artists’ it is an extension of yourself and your personality, or even, often a projection of who you really are and putting your work out into the public can be exciting and anxiety inducing because of this fact. For me this feeling is heightened because I use my depression and anxiety as inspiration in my work and thus it can feel like I am promoting this side of myself, but this can be important as it is important to let others know others feel the same.

I would like to try make a difference, preferably with my art and related stuff I do, as I now use my depression and anxiety as a form of inspiration where ever I can.

I hope to in the future, even if it is done as a side project or a hobby, to create my own clothing line. It will be known as Anxious Apparel, and will not only provide ethical and environmentally friendly produced clothing but I hope to have charitable links and provide a small donation from profits to help mental health charities.

In addition to this I would to potentially have events sponsored by Anxious Apparel or organised by us to raise awareness about mental health. Not only will the clothes and accessories be green and ethically produced so will all of the packaging, inks, glues, etc…

I feel this is important because in March 2015, research by Community Care and BBC News found that the funding for NHS trusts to provide mental health services had fallen by 8.25 per cent.

In addition to this research by Community Care and BBC News again, found that between 2010/11 and 2014/15 average referrals to community mental health teams had increased by 19 per cent, and to crisis and home treatment teams by 18 per cent.

Referrals to early intervention in psychosis services had increased by 4 per cent over the same period. (Mental Health Network Fact Sheet, March 2016)

Furthermore, whilst there are signs of mental health becoming less stigmatised, for example, the number of people acknowledging that they know someone close to them who has had a mental illness increased from 58 per cent in 2009 to 65 per cent in 2014. (Mental Health Network Fact Sheet, March 2016)

However, whilst people are acknowledging that people around them have an issue, they still may not be completely accepting of this, for example, 48 per cent said they would feel uncomfortable talking to their employer about mental health problems, showing that there is still some way to go to improve attitudes. (Mental Health Network Fact Sheet, March 2016)

Ethical and sustainable fashion is no longer side-lined as just for ‘hippies’ or ‘hipsters’. In fact, it’s emerging as a very popular fashion niche, with fashion houses like Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCarthy amongst many others endorsing the movement and a host of superstars launching ethical fashion collaborations.

From Emma Watson’s work with People Tree, Rou Reynolds clothing line Step Up, to Ben Affleck’s collaboration with Toms, and most recently Pharrell Williams’ denim range with G-Star, RAW for the oceans, that is made from recycled plastic taken from the sea, ethical fashion is becoming increasingly trendy.

Consumers are also becoming more concerned about the origin of fashion, especially since the collapse of Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh in April 2013, the worst garment industry accident in human history.

Customers are looking for clothing that carries a better message, opening up an opportunity for exciting and independent start-up brands that are ethical or sustainable, which is what I would like to take advantage of and link it further with raising awareness for mental health and trying to dispel the stigma around these extremely important subjects.

Not only are customers becoming concerned with how the fashion industry works, company owners are taking note, for example, Lily Rice the Co-founder of Lexie Sports has this to say on the matter “For us, being ethical allows us to stand with conviction against the big boys who aren’t always following the rules we think they should and I strongly believe it’s the way forward for start-up brands, no matter the product”

Escape reality as often as possible, through any means, whether it is art, music, sport etc… it is good for the soul.

Try to find inspiration in everything. I have depression and anxiety but these things are also potential inspiration for great things.

If you have the chance to travel, do it! Experiencing new worlds can help develop you as an individual and open your mind to further possibilities and opportunities.

Exercise your ‘voice’. Put your ideas, thoughts and opinions out into the world, social media is changing how we communicate and expanding our horizon. Take advantage of this, publish and promote yourself as I have realised you deserve recognition and success as much as anyone else.

I draw every day, anything in my head or anything I sense that inspires me to put pen to paper. This has been a trait from a young age when much to my mother’s annoyance, I would draw on anything, including the walls! Now at 28, I am the ANXIOUS ARTIST.

Submersing myself in art for many hours a day either researching or creating, I like to be different and innovative with my drawing by thinking of new ways to translate my ideas. I enjoy exploring music and film to find inspiration for my art and theses influences are evident in my work. I find motivation and stimulus from a number of artists, particularly ‘underground’ and perhaps ‘unsung’ individuals.

My experiences of living and travelling abroad have provided me with a broad view of the world. I feel it is important for any artist to immerse themselves in culture and draw influence from every corner of life in order to avoid ‘tunnel vision’ and being ‘boxed in’ to set ideas.

Da Vinci was a genius. The fact that he indulged in so many disciplines and was extremely successful in many of these is a testament to this and whilst he was able to span so many disciplines due to his genius I feel it is something that people should attempt as the more you know and understand the better.

End of Part 1.

I have decided to break this up into a few posts as it is a lot of reading and although I know you will be desperate to see more, I think we need to let others catch up and take in all that fascinating information and important life lessons, not everyone is as cool and smart as us, am I right!

Anyway, if you are still reading this (you have to much free time!) I will add a picture for your pleasure and say keep an eye out for the continuing posts my friends.