Insert Incredibly Cliched Art-Based Phrase Here...

Yo ho ahoy to those of you who read me! I have a few new things to work on at present. One will be to help out fellow Chesseminter, Adam with one of his college projects. As it's a community action project, he has decided to help the rest of us Cheesemints to update our mad skillz and give us a chance to reach another audience. We've each been assigned a film genre. Mine is arthouse films, some of you might not agree that it deserves a whole genre of it's own however, David Bordwell has also claimed that

art cinema itself is a [film] genre, with its own distinct conventions

and he's a "Film Scholar" according to Wikipedia and I agree with him. So um, yeah, take that you arthouse genre naysayers, you!

Anyhow, I've already managed to digress...Basically, I have to write and direct an arthouse inspired short trailer (approx. 1 minute). However, it's got to be a parody...

To me, arthouse seems to be a difficult genre in which to incorporate comic material (without just relying on full-on slapstick perhaps?). I guess this is because even the arthouse films that incorporate humour are not funny on purpose and are done so in seriousness. One idea I have had however, is to use subtitles for humourous effect. That way at least, the comedic element will be a bit more subtle. Filming however, I think will be easy...there are a lot of cliched elements, icons, plot devices and themes in the genre. Also, the mise-en-scene (part of filming I really enjoy) will be fun to put together. So far, i'm thinking a few philosophy texts strewn around - nothing too obvious and a dripping tap/ticking clock plus lots of shadows, fade to black shots and obscure camera angles ought to do it. It can also be done on a tiiiiiny budget which is ideal. Most arthouse films often showcase new talent too. Not sure who'll be starring in it yet...I still need my creative vision before I decide that. Although I'm fairly sure it'll be no more than two actors.

Really looking forward to it and currently doing a bit of research for it. All of which I've included in this blog entry...








* narrative - passage from a philosophy text or classic author?
* fade to black shot at the end, followed by the over-used "FIN"?
* terrible french/german accent?
* words spoken by actor/s different to subtitles?
* ticking clock...dripping tap...day to night (general passing of time)?
* memory - use of still objects
* shots must be well though out - very aesthetic, perhaps "beauty over substance"?
* title - "Quiet, Now", "Silence, Now", a line from a book/text, something foreign, possibly one word as it has more effect?
* could incorporate past art work, like the blank canvas piece? Could be adapted into arthouse film easily...artists struggle with canvas/nothingness/the absurd? Too personal? Or perhaps it's the right kind of self-indulgence a pretentious art film needs?
* title has nothing to do with film's content?
* static TV screen/white noise
* broken sentences

Could draw on the following films/TV series/directors/influences:
~Memento (2001)
~Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
~Waking Life (2001)
~ David Lynch
~ Gus Van Sant
~ Lars Von Trier
~ L'Année dernière à Marienbad (1961)
~ The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
~ Twin Peaks (1990)
~ Dadaism
~ Surrealism
~ Un chien andalou (1929)
~ avant-garde movememt


I definitely won't be incorporating scenes such as the eye-slicing scene in Un Chien Andalou!

New Year...New Projects!

My previous post, a letter to this year, although seemingly pessimistic only makes up a minute part of my mindset at present. I only panic when I have projects lined up and potential failures to avoid/people around me to ensure I don't disappoint etc.

I'm still excited about a number of upcoming projects this year and feel very lucky to be part of them. However, with excitement comes nerves and with nerves comes a very flustered Emma-Jane. Hence, the panic of yesterday's post.

Anyhow, one of these new projects involves illustating a children's picture book, hopefully meeting up with my friend and ex-collegue, Rob. With all his expertise in Children's Bookselling and all his contacts in publishing, it's somewhat daunting as it could be more than a fruitless project. It's something I've always longed to do too so it's no surprise that I feel under so much pressure. And we still have yet to get together to discuss it! I would feel quite disappointed by 2011 if we hadn't at least drafted it or sent it to a handful of publishers.

Still, it ought to be fun nonetheless and it's another creative project to tuck under my belt. Speaking of which, the other big creative thing lined up for this year is all down to Cheesemint.

To quickly explain, Cheesemint is a small production company I have found myself involved in, check the site for more info! So far my roles haven't been that huge - I've been making puppets for one of the videos and I will be uploading a step by step guide with pictures to the blog VERY soon and in November we all took part in a Rockathon, playing Rockband 2's infamous Endless Setlist for this amazing charity; Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust and we even got a mention on Xbox live! It's all been great so far but the scary part is yet to come in the form of a web series this year which is a little daunting for me. My previous experience of acting (what little of it there is!) has mainly been silent so it will be very interesting and a bit of a challenge. All the anticipation is rising but it's going to be an exciting project to be part of. Everyone involved is stupidly talented and I feel very happy to have been accepted so readily as one of the group. So I'd just like to say thank you for being such awesome friends, despite knowing you all for little under 4 months! Yay Cheesemint!

So, it seems I actually do have a lot to look forward to in 2010. Okay so I didn't pass my MA, but I've had all the experiences that go with it. Yes, I was made redundant and lost a job I loved. But, I've met so many new friends in 2009 and already have projects lined up. Oh and top it all off 2009 led to the meeting of my future husband (of which I have no doubt!): (rRh).

Okay so soppy sentiment aside, Happy New Year Everyone! Watch this space...

New Year...New Anxiety

Dear 2010...

I am writing to you because there are a few things I'd like to explain and get off my tightened chest.

I find you incredibly intimidating and I'm not quite sure what I should be doing this year; in your year. I'm already struggling to express myself, I'm a nervous quivering wreck. Umming and Ahhing are the only sounds that leave my lips, I can't even speak. "Two thousand and ten", "twenty ten", "ten"? Even your name causes me to panic. What if I say that wrong too, will you hate me, think me stupid? I couldn't bear it.

2009 went by so quick, so I expect you'll pass me by much in the same manner. I don't appreciate this in the slightest and can't bear the pressure of all that so-called "achievement" and "progression" that I'm expected to partake in. It makes me weary just thinking about it. So little time to take action or reach a set of goals that I haven't really thought out. How can I when the clock is ticking? It's hands are tightly clasped around my throat.

I'm staring down at the notes I made earlier - words which back then had meaning now sound pathetic, lacklustre, no way good enough to be heard. Struggling to breath, think, speak...at least I can type, although it's little comfort to me knowing all the plans that I have made or been made on my behalf for your year.

So, what have you given me so far? Lets see...a rather underwhelming New Year's Eve celebration (but let's face it, you all do that, each year exactly the same as the last). A pressure to out-perform last year. A loss of direction, uncertainty and palpitations as I realise my old friend blankness of mind has returned...no words, only the foreboding feeling of inadequacy. I can't articulate myself. I'm a disappointment to 2009, a disappointment to you and worse still, a disappointment to the ones I love. An inability to cope is all I possess. Choked up with that dry feeling in my throat for company because all the moisture has travelled to my eyes. I want to break down, cry. Crying would inevitably turn into sobbing.

What have I become? What have I done? I know these should be: What will I do? and What will I become? because that's all you understand. Yet, I can't begin to fathom the latter questions. I'm defeated before I've even begun. A failure, a let-down, a disappointment. That's my problem, I have no will to speak of.

How pathetic.

I'd like to thank you for encouraging me to think about my life in this way and I reluctantly look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Emma-Jane Corsan

Farewell Art for Assessment. Helloooo Art for Pleasure!

So, an update...well, my "creative journey" (as I originally dubbed the content of this blog) has come to an abrupt end...I failed my last unit which led to me being thrown off the course. So from now on this blog will be the focus of my art for pleasure. Which, is more of a relief in a way. It was always a risky decision starting an art based Masters after 4 years of studying philosophy. Still, the past year has been undoubtedly worth it and not all is lost. I still plan to go on to do education and will soon be applying to do a PGCE. I also have experience of organising exhibitions, collaboration, experiential learning and teaching methods, networking and I've made a lot of friends. So, all in all...a worthwhile year. I also intend to continue being an artist. I'm hoping to still be involved in exhibitions and to continue producing work. I've managed to rekindle my passion for art this past year and it's made me incredibly happy. I'm no longer depressed and art is my outlet once more. I'm pretty sure my new found positivity shows through in this post! Considering that I got made redundant and was also thrown off of my course in a short space of time!

Watch this space for new art!

Rough Draft - Domestic Gallery Spaces

Below is a rough, unedited version of something I'm writing for my current unit looking at domestic gallery spaces, it's just the first 500 words or so and is written conversationally - much like all my drafts! A few quotes and a less colloquial style and it's well on its way to forming the introduction of my essay. So um yeah, if you see any major errors and/or nonsense...screw you, it's a draft damn it!

Taken from part one of my essay: How Gallery Spaces have changed...

There are countless websites that host online gallery spaces and the majority of artists today can not get by without their own website; I myself am part of three online art communities, sell my work through one of them and host my own blog. Thus, the internet has become another form of gallery space. There are numerous spaces to exhibit work and if you can’t find one suitable for your work you can simply create your own. It’s possible to sell work through certain websites for a commission much like a gallery would. It’s convenient, gets your art noticed by a wider audience and I’d also like to suggest that it doesn’t mark the end for traditional gallery spaces. I view it as a positive simply because the closer we get to globalisation the more emphasis is put on localisation and alternative methods of exhibiting. While making the art world interactive and available to the world via the internet, thus widening its audience is taking place, a return to smaller, local galleries is also happening, it is because of this global-art-for-all mentality that many galleries and curators have had the opportunity to try out new methodologies and expand what an exhibition is and ought to be. The parameters of an art institution such as a gallery are now widening. This is not a negative action and for every art critic who might argue that art should remain elitist there are two more who argue the opposite. The crux is, art is not for everyone but that the chance to view it or be part of it should not be denied to people. The public should be free to make up their own minds as to whether art is for them or not rather than shying away from a gallery space because the media and its deep rooted institutional values encourage them to think “it is not for them” nor should any person be made to avoid art because they feel uncomfortable in a gallery space. Even if art is made readily available to all and becomes part of our everyday lives, there will still be those who embrace it and those who don’t. This is why in recent times there has been an emergence in alternative gallery spaces, if you couple this need to include everyone with current affairs such as global recession it can be seen that exhibitions being held in people’s homes and empty shop units are on the rise.

That's all for now folks, I'm off to make me a table...

Back in Black! Well...Red, Actually!

So I've not updated this for quite some time...this doesn't mean I've sitting around doing sweet nothing...well, I have a bit (Latitude was frickin' awesome!) Other than that, I've been working on research for my self negotiated unit and indulging in a bit of art for pleasuuuure, (ahhh yeah!) - this is something which was encouraged from my last unit evaluation, I decided I needed to have two strands to my creative practice - one for assessment and another for pleasure.

So um, yeah, I did some painting about a week and a half ago and have been working on a comic strip, haven't got any good pictures of the strip yet as I want to ideally upload them onto photoshop and play around with them first but here are some images of my new piece, I called it Redstract as I couldn't think of anything better:








Also, I joined deviant art a few months ago and have uploaded quite a bit of past work which I haven't posted on here, you can find said works, HERE

Blank Canvas Experience

Make a Smilebox slideshow