Positive Feedback from Theory Presentation and Good progress this week.

Reflecting on the presentation that I completed yesterday to Dr Holmes and Dr Lister, I'm pleased that I spent some considerable time over a previous couple of weeks putting together a succinct and hopefully well-targeted set of images as slides for this presentation. Whilst I appreciate that the actual event might only account for a small portion of the overall marks in my theory module, I really wanted to make sure that I could articulate all the salient and relevant points clearly.

I used the triad of studio practice, research and pedagogy in a kind of Venn diagram, in order to illustrate how my methodology seems to be working. This was based on an idea that Dr Holmes had discussed with me back in February, and I have slowly been absorbing and fully understanding that this way of thinking should virtually be adopted as a permanent praxis or method in my future commercial practice.

Hadfield, G. (2016). Final Piece  (Photo).; Sculpture of Chicken-Wire on wooden batten frame,
 with Newsprint Papier-mache surface

Hadfield, G. (2016), Photo 1 of dry materials & disinfectant

Likewise, I've been pleased with the progress of work on my graduation final piece. It is really coming together and taking shape following the application of the surface composite material created from cross cut shredded confidential waste paper, domestic detritus from a vacuum cleaner, human hair, lint from a tumble dryer and some chopped up out of date credit cards.

Hadfield, G. (2016), Photo 2 of treated materials & disinfectant

Clearly the above mixture or composite would be rather unhealthy to use in its raw state. I, therefore, submerged the mixture in a highly effective and super concentrated disinfectant that is often used in the farming industry to completely sanitise any areas of disease.

Hadfield, G. (2016), Photo 3 of disinfectant-treated materials

I left the composite mixture soaking in this solution of detergent, antibacterial and anti-viral liquor for about five days, before fully draining the fluid liquor element away and generally rinsing the composite material through with fresh water three times.

This allowed for a small trace of the disinfectant to remain, and so remove any noxious odours, yet at the same time removed sufficient soap in the mixture to allow the addition of wallpaper paste for adhesion. I realised that as wallpaper paste is usually made from a derivative of potato starch, soap would break down the adhesive qualities very quickly.

The building up of the final layer now seems to be working well and my intermediate results are looking promising...

Hadfield, G. (2016). Final Piece; (Photo). Sculpture of Chicken-Wire on wooden batten frame,
 with Newsprint Papier-mache substrate and the final surface of the composite material.

Conclusions;

• The composite material works very well.  
• This is slightly improved from the version used on the maquette, and I have placed a small test strip of primed canvas just below the Gnome's beard, to the lower centre of the above shot.  I'm not sure if this late addition is useful but at the time, I was thinking of the abandonment of painting and hence canvas to be incorporated in the piece.  Whilst I am not entirely sure if little white canvas works, I will leave the strip in situ for the next week, or so, just to let me have time to ponder, reflect, solicit feedback and opinions of others etc.  I can always remove it anyway by soaking the area slightly and peeling it off.  For the moment, though, I want to just wait and absorb thoughts.
• The decision to clean the composite mixture was a sound one.  This reduces any inherent risk of disease in the material.
• Production must continue at a resilient and relentless pace in order to place me well in front of the time required to set up for the final assessment on 20th May.