Bagpuss and Co

https://www.hull2017.co.uk/whatson/events/clangers-bagpuss-co/
Hull! A bit closer every time... Another chance to catch the Bagpuss and Co exhibition.

KARMA Window Display Fairies

I was asked by Liz from the gift shop Karma in Ripon to make some fairy dolls for her shop and she will take a commission from whatever I sell. I think this could be a useful connection as Liz could continue to sell my dolls after uni and help to bring in some income whilst I look for prop-making jobs.

BBC Q2 WORK EXPERIENCE WITHIN TELEVISION: Salford, Children's Design Teams

BBC Children’s Design Teams (over 18)

You’ll be helping to buy, design and make the set dressings which bring Children’s productions to life whilst gaining an insight into the role of the design team in television. Placements are offered across the whole of Children’s, including on factual and entertainment commissions, on-screen presentation and more. We’re looking for enthusiastic candidates with an art or design background and an interest in theatre, film or television design.

This sounds perfect! Exactly the sort of thing I'd like to do. I think I might apply...

Doll for Molly Rankin

Connecting with artists and professionals outside of illustration. I made a doll for a musician, Molly Rankin of the band Alvvays, to give her a gift because I'm a fan but also to build a network within the music industry.

I enjoy music and through my stop motion animation and COP3 videos have seen how music can be used alongside illustration. Although collaborating with musicians might not be imminent on my agenda at the moment, I do think it would be a useful and exciting avenue to pursue at some point. For example, the doll I made for Molly could easily be animated to look as though she were playing the guitar or singing, which could be used for a music video or a GIF promotion for the band.

I wish I had made some quick stop-motions with this doll before I gave it away! I did get some photos of it though. The doll is Molly wearing a yellow jumpsuit (worn at a live performance at Coachella music festival) and playing her guitar. I've never made a guitar before (so this is probably not great and is inaccurate) but I think it adds a lot to the character and would be appreciated by a musician like Molly.

I tried to reach across the barrier and give Molly the doll during the set. I managed to get it onto the stage but none of the band saw it land and they left the stage without collecting it.

I hung around after the gig and tried to ask the roadies to pass the doll onto Molly backstage and they put it on an amp whilst they finished tidying up.

Most people had moved out of the venue but I didn't want to leave until I knew that the doll was in safe hands and wasn't going to get thrown in a bin.

Eventually Molly came out to clear up and I saw from across the room that she had picked up the doll and was asking a roadie about it. I ran over and got to speak to her!

I'd attached my business card (so that Molly and the band could contact me if they ever wanted) and a little note.

Karma Window Display

15 flower fairies delivered to Karma with Kraft carboard boxes, individual tags and wire to hang them. They will be assembled in the window on Tuesday 20th. I am worrying a little that I have spent too long on this brief, working solidly through interview week at home to try and get all of these dolls finished, when the brief's rationale isn't that strong. I haven't really gained much from conducting this brief so far. I've not told any stories, made anything new or produced anything amazing that I would want to put in my portfolio. I've only made more of what I've done before which is what I was trying to avoid doing.

The window display itself might change my mind as it will demonstrate my dolls in a retail context, made for a client and displayed next to other artists' work. This will be experience of working in collaboration with a retail client and it will be exciting to see what Liz does with my products.

TV PUPPETS EXHIBITION IN WOLVERHAMPTON

http://www.whatsonwolverhampton.com/wolverhampton-art-gallery/tv-puppets-icons-from-80-years-of-entertainment


 This looks like a brilliant exhibition that would be worthwhile visiting. I missed the Bagpuss & Co exhibition when it was at the V&A and really wanted to see that because I'm a big fan of the makeshift, crafty animation of Smallfilms, so this would be another chance to get a glimpse of that alongside some more puppets from TV.

Although I'm not so interested in Spitting Image or Stingray, there are puppets from several vintage children's programmes (Rainbow, Bagpuss, The Muppets) which I think  helped shape my interest in puppetry and puppet illustration. Puppets are REAL and that's what I enjoyed watching as a child, as opposed to cartoons. I think puppets are going to make a comeback, especially in the currently CGI-saturated children's television industry, so this would definitely be an interesting and useful exhibition to see. I just need to find out how to get to Wolverhampton.

Maggie Rudy's Travelling Mouseland

Maggie Rudy's Mouseland scenes are intricate, tiny sets made for little mice models that she photographs to illustrate children's books, and her blog is a fascinating account of everything she's doing and working on. She also sends out a newsletter which I'm subscribed to so I get emailed when she has updated something new.

This is her TRAVELLING MOUSELAND!

To promote her new book 'City Mouse, Country Mouse', Rudy's Mouseland is on tour. The whole city street is being displayed in windows of bookshops for visitors and fans to REALLY see Mouseland. It's an event/experience which I think is a fantastic idea to promote her 3D illustrations, showing her tactile magic in the real world, though it must take a lot of work to set this up every time. A very clever idea...

KARMA Spring Window Display Brief

About Karma:
Karma is a quirky & exciting gift shop as well as an online store offering inspiring goodies & gifts from Angels & crystals to incense, salt lamps & jewellery.
A Small shop with a BIG heart! Karma is Ripon's very own haven of tranquillity & calm situated on the ancient street of Kirkgate. An exciting Mind, Body & Spirit shop offering inspiring lifestyle goodies & gifts, all designed to enhance, uplift & inspire your life.

Brief:
Liz (owner of Karma) was involved with the Fairytale hunt in Ripon and wanted to bring a bit of fairy magic into her crystal shop on Kirkgate. My fairies are local, handmade and match the magical theme of her shop. Liz would like me to make a collection of dolls for her Spring window


Relevance:
Retail
Local
Fairies

Deliverables:
Spring-inspired dolls (fairies) for display in the shop window which will also be for sale (30% commission), alongside the metal sculptures of Olsen Metal Art.

Deadline: 22nd February