Brass Rings

My first attempt at making rings. One plain (centre) one with a hammered surface (right) and a rustic ring, with the oxide left on whilst polishing. All made from rectangles of brass cut to size.

Artist Research - Gillian Lowndes

Spending much of her childhood in India she studied in London and Paris. From 1975 she taught part time at Camberwell College of Arts and Design and Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design.

I like the angles on Cup and Base and the cup itself is very distinctive in comparison to some of her other work, such as Collage with Bathroom Tile', which I think is quite ambiguous. Although considered exciting in her time, I dislike the lack of colour in her work and I find it uninspiring and a little bland.

Lowndes' Wikipedia

Artist Research - Caroline Bartlett

Bartlett has studied at the Chelsea School of Art, Goldsmith's College, Leeds University and the Central School of Art and Design. Textiles is her main medium, but she often combines her textiles with other media such as porcelain.

This is my favourite piece of her work, I believe it to be named Bodies of Knowledge, Volume 5: Arbiters of Taste (2003) in the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

I like her use multimedia use, and particularly the raw edges that have been left out of the embroidery hoops, as she could have hemmed them, but I personally think that it would have ruined the effect.

Bartlett's Website

Artist Research - Eduardo Chillida

Chillida wanted to be a footballer, but was injured and ended up studying architecture and art. He moved to Paris and started to work in plaster and clay. From very early on his work gained public recognition, such as the sculpture above Berlin (2000) for the Office of the Federal Chancellor in Berlin, and Monumento, (1971) in Düsseldorf. 

I like how he added the alloy to Berlin to make the orange rust colour. I think that the textures of his work is very flat, he could use textures a bit more, but overall I enjoy his use of forged iron.

Chillida's Biography

Artist Research - Tommy Hilfiger

Born: 24 March 1951 (aged 63)

Awards won:

Parson's School of Designer of the Year (1998)
CDFA Menswear Designer of the Year (1995)
CQ's Magazine International Designer of the Year (2002)

He began by customising jeans and selling them on. His first shop went bankrupt when he was 25, he then enrolled to study commerce. He turned down Calvin Klein even though he was broke and started the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation in 1985.

Hilfiger's Wikipedia, Hilfiger's Website.

Artist Research - Valentino Clemente Ludovico Caravani

Born: 11 May 1932 (aged 82)

Awards won:

Grande Ufficiale Dell' Ordine Al Merito Della Repubblica Italiana
Cavaliere Del Lavoro
The Neiman Marcus Award

He first found an apprenticeship with Jean Dresses for five years. He then joined his friend's Guy Laroche's 'tiny tiny' fashion house before setting up himself in 1959.

Valentino's Wikipedia, Valentino's Website.

Artist Research - Gianni Versace

Born: 2 December 1946
Died: 15 July 1997 (aged 50)

Awards won:

Commendatore Della Repubblica Italiana (1986)
American Fashion Oscar (1993)

Versace produces accessories, fragrances, make-up and home furnishings as well as clothing.

He designed costumes for the theatre and screen, and is considered the first designer to link fashion and music.

Versace's Wikipedia, Versace's Website.

Artist Research - Alexander McQueen

Born: 17 March 1969
Died: 11 Feb 2010 (40 years of age)

Awards won:

British Fashion Designer of the Year (1996, 1997, 2001, 2003)
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Council of Fashion Designers of America International Designer of the Year (2003)

McQueen has served apprenticeships with Savile Row tailors, as well as working at theatrical costumiers and being head designer at Givenchy. He is well known for his 'bumsters' jeans and especially for his skull designs, and a skull scarf is considered a McQueen must have.

McQueen's Wikipedia, McQueen's Website.