OUIL501 Context of Practice
Jessica Dawson
jd255593
BA (Hons) Illustration - Level 5
Summative Evaluation
Throughout Context of Practice 2, I have seen a massive improvement in many skills I have been developing throughout my time on the course. Research has been key from start to finish and continuing on from last years module, I have seen the great importance of exhaustive research both primary and secondary - in order to inform my ideas through to concept, development and final outcome.
Despite the overall theme for my CoP2 module work being one I am familiar with and interested in personally, the world of "psychedelics" and "psychoactive substances" is extremely large and diverse, meaning that I have had to make research into this topic a daily priority, keeping up to date with exciting and new scientific research, data and the changing laws surrounding it. This in itself has been a challenge because the topic is a popular and very necessary one in recent times, meaning I have needed to be selective with my research and thorough when deciphering what is relevant to my work.
Informed by my own experiences, taking the initiative to attend scientific/academic conferences, gaining access to academic/medical journals, watching hundreds of TED talks, following relevant medical/psychiatric trials, wiping the LCA library out of relevant historical books as well as rolling out my own subject-specific survey in the hope of gaining primary research, have all provided me with the in depth sources and knowledge to produce a really interesting body of work and research, which I hope is seen as a strength in my submission.
Responding visually to this growing body of research I had collected, was a step away from what I am used to, but I feel resulted in some really strong visual outcomes, that I was able to develop further and further into a publication I am happy with, both in physical quality and concept. Usually I feel most confident in approaching creative work when I have a strong concept and idea of what the outcome will be. This has been forever causing me problems in other modules as it hinders the development process and eliminates any alternative, often more exciting creative avenues. In my CoP2 visual journal I was determined for a change, so went back to basics and began creating artwork in response to just my research, as well as trying brand new techniques relevant to my topic: marble printing and acrylic relief printing (Rorschach "ink blot" techniques). Producing artwork with no boundaries meant that I was able to freely enjoy the creative process, build a deeper connection with my topic as well as generate an exhaustive amount of visual work and starting points (patterns, textures etc), that I hope to be able to use again throughout my time on this course and on into my own practice.
The main aspect of my submission which I feel most proud of is the concept behind my publication. Rolling out my "Are You Wavy" survey received some really great feedback from all participants who took part and I really wanted to produce something visual to communicate this and the findings taken from my survey results. Whilst in an academic headspace thanks to my never-ending research, I surprised myself by being able to literally convert the answers given by the participants who took part in my survey, into visual values within my artwork (developed from my practical work within my visual journal). Each question and corresponding section of artwork would act as a formula, communicating the survey results, opinions relevant to my research and ultimately building a visual portrait individual to that of the participants who took part. Incorporating this concept into my publication took my research and survey findings that one step further, meaning I could showcase my artwork, some key research and results generated throughout this module, as well as interact with any new reader of my book - asking them to complete my survey first hand and contribute to further future research in this area.
Choosing my own topic and having the freedom to investigate and "become an expert" in an area I am interested in has made all the difference when approaching CoP2, so much so that I have learnt a lot more about myself as a practitioner. I have strong beliefs as a person and a lot more knowledge in social, cultural, political and medical areas than I knew i had, however I am also interested in educating and challenging other points of view, therefore being able to combine these important discoveries creatively has been like a "eureka" moment for me, as the final stages of my submission came together. I want to design and create work with substance, impact and thought behind it. I want to intrigue my audience whilst also educating, questioning, ultimately immersing them in an experience which will hopefully engage on a much deeper level in terms of my work and the messages/issues conveyed. I want to ask questions of my audience, which in turn cause my audience to ask questions themselves. I want my artwork to make a difference and this has been the one key discovery I have made about myself this year, thanks to CoP2.
I feel the main weakness in my submission is my academic essay and this is a great disappointment to me as I have really engaged with and enjoyed this module, and this lets it and my body of research down. My chosen topic is one of the broadest I have come across and i had real difficulty narrowing down to a concise area of focus, made even more difficult as i am inspired and interested by it all. Drowning in research is a complete understatement and I ultimately let the research snowball to a point where i just became lost in it all, wanting to include as many important aspects in my essay as I could, but resulting in a disjointed collection of sources and themes more descriptive and factual than analytical, challenging or conveying my stance/view on it all. As my research developed and grew, it became extremely difficult to decide on an avenue for my essay and stick with it, this coupled with recent and very difficult health complications has meant I have not committed as much time to my written work as i would have liked.
Despite this, I am really really looking forward to CoP3 and producing a body of work and dissertation I feel does this research and strong area of interest of mine justice. I want to progress with my CoP2 findings, continue to research over the summer, attend more conferences that I have lined up, collate data and evidence by way of rolling out more specific surveys/interactive booklets and artwork, keep in contact with key figures helping to lead this global/international research (Ben Sessa, Stephen Reid etc) and I am confident I will get ahead of the game in both prep and mindset before September and the beginning of level 6.
So lastly, thanks for a great module - its been one of the best yet in terms of developing my individual practice, applying research and injecting substance and meaning into my work. I'm really excited for CoP3 and to see where this will lead.
