berlin

www.flickr.com suemclaren50's Berlin photoset

de la warr pavillion

www.flickr.com

suemclaren50's modernist architecture photoset

christmas

Well after a hectic week we are now getting to the end of the term - and the year. I created this card a long time ago after finding a photograph in a National Geographic magazine.
I was really curious about the image which which was of a man clad in a tall hat and his body appeared to be metalic silver. I have always assumed this was some sort of South American tribal 'costume' - to me it looked like one of the three kings - and that's where I went with it.
The image is slightly(?) surreal and when manipulated can give very different impressions.
This year I have made two versions - one slightly more 'noirish' than the other as things generally seem a bit dark with the Copenhagen summit not looking too good-this is the lighter version.
The west seems intent on taking a position that continues to exploit the poor countries while making it clear that it will not compromise on it's excessive life style.

I used one of my collages from last year which,on the whole were not very successful. I still like the look of the model though -cool funky.

I love the brush tool known as fuzzy gesture tool small so was just playing about with it using S7 again.

.......so with no scanner I thought I would use my phone to import some images. Last year we spent the day at the pathology lab of Liverpool University and I drew poor S7 - well dead.

Today I attended a meeting at UCAS which spelled out in detail the changes to applications to Art and Design courses in Britain.
These changes are being dressed up as being of benefit to students but in my view the new procedure benefits no one - least of all students.
Anyone who has ever been on an Art and Design Foundation course will know that it is a post 'A' level year where students receive a broad Art and Design experience, enabling them to choose the area of Art (or Design) that they wish to study at University.
In the past students have applied for HE courses around March when they have had time to digest the vagiaries, nuances and implications of the subject they have chosen to study.
The new arrangement calls for applications to be received by 15th January by most institutions - although a significant proportion of institutions have elected to stay with the later deadline - thus depriving students of the time and understanding of their subject.
This spells disaster - for students, institutions and for the creative industries in Britain.

Another day in the  now bizarre world of teaching. It's all become so compromised with paperwork, targets, risk assessments.....................

It's good to remember that it is in fact a creative profession so I was thinking about some new publicity for the Foundation course and was trying out the camera on my mac.

Homage to Robert Frank

New work

When did the future change from being a promise to a threat?

I appropriated this from Chuck Palahuick and used it as a letter head for my notepaper. 

I use it whenever I correspond with my MP, Maria Eagle whose attitude insenses me .