The wait to hear the result of the RSA competition is over. I receive a phone call at my brother's house in Austria to say that the letter had arrived at Ray & Jeannette's house in London. Before I came home for Easter I had asked them to open it and let me know.
It's good news, The Wedgwoodn't Tureen has won a cash award to be used to further my career. I plan to use it to continue working with the eco-ceramic materials and to start investigating whether they can be used on a biodegradable substrate. The winners are also awarded Fellowship of the RSA.
I'm pleased that all the hard work has paid off and very grateful to everyone that has assisted and encouraged me. Alastair in RapidformRCA is definitely owed a pint or two!
After returning from Austria on Sunday, I have been concentrating on writing the thesis. This stage is fairly straightforward, recording the practical work, but it sets off thoughts of what will be discussed in the evaluation section. That is likely to be a time-consuming section, as everything has to come together in a well reasoned and well supported way. Steve has lent me a book that will have an influence on that section. It's called 'Thinking Through Craft' by Glenn Adamson, his supervisor from the V&A. It was published to coincide with the V&A/Crafts Council 'Out of the Ordinary' exhibition that was shown over the winter. I've only just started reading it, so need to spend more time reading and digesting it before discussing it's contents in relation to my work.
Thursday 27 March 2008
Saturday 15 March 2008
14.03.08 - The Wedgwoodn’t [continued]
After teaching in Carlisle on Monday I caught the evening train down to London. I had to be at the RSA for the Design Directions Ceramic Futures competition at 10 am the following morning so couldn’t catch my usual train.
The interview, at the smart RSA building just off the Strand, went well. The panel of judges, which included Martin Hunt were genuinely enthusiastic about the project, but at this stage I don’t know the results. We were told that we would receive notification before Easter, so I have up to a week or so to wait. I really don’t know how I have faired; I think the Wedgwoodn’t project fits into the RSA criteria very well, it’s about innovation after all, I’ll just have to wait and see.
After returning to College I continued with the practical work, throwing, casting, turning and firing the kiln a couple of times.
On Thursday I went up to Wedgwood with Martin Smith and Tavs Jorgensen. They were going up to discuss the re-establishment of links between the company and the RCA. We had a good look around the factory where Wedgwood is committed to continuing the production of their prestige ranges. Apparently the Japanese, who are a major market won’t buy the work unless it’s made in England.
After lunch, we returned to the Design Studio to discuss my project. I met Angela Hull, the prestige manager, who along with the rest of the team seems like someone that will be enjoyable to work with. I have some work to do before designing gets underway; they need a costing for the Wedgwoodn’t piece to enable them to work out feasibility and numbers.
I have spent some time thinking about the pieces that I would like to re-interpret, there’s the First Day Vase and an Acorn Vase that I would like to have a go at.
Co-incidentally I was looking at the MoMA on-line exhibition of the Design and the Elastic Mind show and found the work of Neri Oxman, an MIT researcher with a background in architecture and interests in ecology and computer modelling. She has used algorithmic generative modelling software to produce some architectural models. I spent some time trying to find out more about the technology, and have emailed her. I expect there are students at College who know something about it or students across at Imperial College. One way or another I’ll find out more.
If anyone reading this can point me in the right direction I'd be really grateful.
The interview, at the smart RSA building just off the Strand, went well. The panel of judges, which included Martin Hunt were genuinely enthusiastic about the project, but at this stage I don’t know the results. We were told that we would receive notification before Easter, so I have up to a week or so to wait. I really don’t know how I have faired; I think the Wedgwoodn’t project fits into the RSA criteria very well, it’s about innovation after all, I’ll just have to wait and see.
After returning to College I continued with the practical work, throwing, casting, turning and firing the kiln a couple of times.
On Thursday I went up to Wedgwood with Martin Smith and Tavs Jorgensen. They were going up to discuss the re-establishment of links between the company and the RCA. We had a good look around the factory where Wedgwood is committed to continuing the production of their prestige ranges. Apparently the Japanese, who are a major market won’t buy the work unless it’s made in England.
After lunch, we returned to the Design Studio to discuss my project. I met Angela Hull, the prestige manager, who along with the rest of the team seems like someone that will be enjoyable to work with. I have some work to do before designing gets underway; they need a costing for the Wedgwoodn’t piece to enable them to work out feasibility and numbers.
I have spent some time thinking about the pieces that I would like to re-interpret, there’s the First Day Vase and an Acorn Vase that I would like to have a go at.
Co-incidentally I was looking at the MoMA on-line exhibition of the Design and the Elastic Mind show and found the work of Neri Oxman, an MIT researcher with a background in architecture and interests in ecology and computer modelling. She has used algorithmic generative modelling software to produce some architectural models. I spent some time trying to find out more about the technology, and have emailed her. I expect there are students at College who know something about it or students across at Imperial College. One way or another I’ll find out more.
If anyone reading this can point me in the right direction I'd be really grateful.
Saturday 8 March 2008
07.03.08 – The Complete Tureen
After a late Sunday night tidying up after Ceramic Art London, I had a very early start so that I could catch the 6.30 Eurostar to Paris.
I enjoy the journey by train, it’s certainly the best way to travel long distances.
Michel greeted me at the lab, taking me immediately to see the completed Wedgwoodn’t Tureen. My first impression was relief and excitement that the project had actually been achieved. On closer inspection, the surface finish was not quite as smooth as I expected, but Michel said that Gilles would be bringing in a second piece that he was still working on. Whilst waiting for Gilles to arrive, Michel and I discussed some of the technical aspects of the material and process in order for me to put forward strong applications for awards to fund my proposed research associate post.
About half an hour before I was due to leave Gilles turned up with a superb Tureen. It has the correct shade and sheen to match black ‘Basalt’ or ‘Jasper’ and the surface texture is much smoother. They have spent many hours working on this project and I am very grateful for their assistance and the support of Rapidform back at the RCA.
I packed the pieces very carefully and headed back to London, arriving just in time for my meeting at Wedgwood on Regent Street. I met the Design manager, Matthew Harrison, who listened to my explanation of the technology involved in producing the piece. He then brought in Frances Mossman, Wedgwood’s Global Design Manager who is really enthusiastic and would like me produce a range of similar work for the 250th anniversary next year. Though exciting, the implications will need careful thought. I have less than 2 months to complete my M.Phil and that mustn’t be put at risk.
The rest of the week passed in a blur, juggling throwing, slipcasting and making arrangements for next weeks visit to Wedgwood at Barlaston. By chance Martin Smith and Tavs had planned to meet the Design team to discuss re-establishing a connection between Wedgwood and the department and it seemed a convenient opportunity to join them. Martin Watmough from Rapidform is also coming to discuss the technical side of the project and to offer Wedgwood a service.
This week also saw interviews taking place and again I was asked to sit it on the Research student applications. There are some strong candidates this year, all of them would add something to the department and to the Research cluster.
Just before I left on Friday we got together to make the final choices. So there will be excited and relieved applicants, as well as some disappointed ones.
The coming weekend is likely to be a busy one, balancing the demands of College with a home life that needs some catching up on.
I enjoy the journey by train, it’s certainly the best way to travel long distances.
Michel greeted me at the lab, taking me immediately to see the completed Wedgwoodn’t Tureen. My first impression was relief and excitement that the project had actually been achieved. On closer inspection, the surface finish was not quite as smooth as I expected, but Michel said that Gilles would be bringing in a second piece that he was still working on. Whilst waiting for Gilles to arrive, Michel and I discussed some of the technical aspects of the material and process in order for me to put forward strong applications for awards to fund my proposed research associate post.
About half an hour before I was due to leave Gilles turned up with a superb Tureen. It has the correct shade and sheen to match black ‘Basalt’ or ‘Jasper’ and the surface texture is much smoother. They have spent many hours working on this project and I am very grateful for their assistance and the support of Rapidform back at the RCA.
I packed the pieces very carefully and headed back to London, arriving just in time for my meeting at Wedgwood on Regent Street. I met the Design manager, Matthew Harrison, who listened to my explanation of the technology involved in producing the piece. He then brought in Frances Mossman, Wedgwood’s Global Design Manager who is really enthusiastic and would like me produce a range of similar work for the 250th anniversary next year. Though exciting, the implications will need careful thought. I have less than 2 months to complete my M.Phil and that mustn’t be put at risk.
The rest of the week passed in a blur, juggling throwing, slipcasting and making arrangements for next weeks visit to Wedgwood at Barlaston. By chance Martin Smith and Tavs had planned to meet the Design team to discuss re-establishing a connection between Wedgwood and the department and it seemed a convenient opportunity to join them. Martin Watmough from Rapidform is also coming to discuss the technical side of the project and to offer Wedgwood a service.
This week also saw interviews taking place and again I was asked to sit it on the Research student applications. There are some strong candidates this year, all of them would add something to the department and to the Research cluster.
Just before I left on Friday we got together to make the final choices. So there will be excited and relieved applicants, as well as some disappointed ones.
The coming weekend is likely to be a busy one, balancing the demands of College with a home life that needs some catching up on.
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