Key Blogpost Two

Reflect upon the collaborative aspects of the work you have done. Consider the learning you have gained and how it may now reflect and impact on your aims for this project.
 In my own personal practice, I am used to working by myself and this collaboration aspect has been challenging yet rewarding at the same time. As there are a nine of us, ideas are being bounced around and there has been a democratic vote for the activities that we are going to use. No one has the final say and there has been a fair chance for you to cast your ideas and this part is the one that I have struggled with the most. Throughout the last two weeks, I have begun to realise that you are unable to have just your ideas.
 In terms of the learning I have learnt, due to people having previous commitments the amount being done by the group has been slow. This is down to bad time management and I feel that we need to push ourselves greatly in the next two weeks for the workshop to go off without a hitch. It terms of my own development, I wish to have all of my work completed by the end of next week. If everyone is to do this, then our workshop can be very successful.

Reflect upon the key discoveries - was it within a skill, process, developing a new approach?
 A key discovery these past two weeks is the confidence building exercises, as I am naturally quite shy and do realise that this could hinder in my performance for the workshop. Practicing the "Fake it till you make it" is something that I am going to try to do over the next two weeks. Since learning this technique I did find I became more confident. It became apparent that I have to do this is in the workshop but it is also evident that I can use this skill in the future with interviews etc.

Reflect upon the impact of collaboration on your methods - what aspects interest you? Why? How do you intend to further develop these? Identify further research necessary to fulfil this. What were unexpected developments? What surprises arose?
 In terms of what interested in the collaboration side of things was how we bounced off ideas from each other. When one person came up with a suggestion, another person would think of an innovative way to improve that suggestion. For example, one person suggested creating a collage and this then developed to creating a collage out of the boiler suits that we are going to use in the colour fight.
 One thing that stood out to me was the difficultly in the time management of working in a group. People had previous commitments and therefore would be unable to attend a meeting. Whilst this wouldn't play a difference in the meetings as such, the next meeting we would have to spend 10 to 15 minutes explaining what was discussed in the previous meeting. As a result, we waisted vital time that we could have used developing the workshop. In hindsight, we should have made notes in the meetings then passed them onto the people missing. This was further hindered by clashing personalities, as it was the focus of some meetings appose to the development of the workshop.

What are the creative responses that you have done and intend to develop in your project and practice. Consider why this is - what are the key aspects of interest? How does it relate to the broader area of your practice? Does it develop your understanding and appreciation of contact for your work?
 The workshop is going to be based on colour, which is something that is of vital importance in my own practice. This did help create and develop elements in the workshop, as I was constantly being inspired and therefore being motivated. When we are speaking about the semiotics of colour, it is something that I am beginning to delve in my own practice, and it was interesting to see how people responded to different colours, for example, some one mentioned that they found it to be calming whilst I personally, feel that it is a depressing, sad colour. This is something I want to do in my own work in the future, how people react and their own responses to the colours that you have used in your work. Working out how to do this would also add interaction with the viewers, which is something that we are doing in the workshop, and therefore doing this, will incorporate what we have learnt in the workshop and my own practice.

Identify and discuss any additional research now needed to support and underpin your learning, your appreciation of your practice and development of your ideas
 In terms of research, we are planning to use colour and mark making and will be looking at Jackson Pollark. In order to support our ideas in the workshop, all of us need an understanding of these artists and why they are using them. This will then begin help form, develop and finalise our ideas.

Identify a plan of action that is now required in order for you to complete the e.g. time management, exploring new technology, furthering your contextual research and knowledge?
 As a group, we have delegate jobs for everyone to do before the dry run coming up. I have been given the tasks to research the music and the arts. Therefore my own personal action plan is to complete the research of the artists and the music for the activities. As my own personal time management is disorganised I realise I need to push this and get it done by Tuesday the latest. When I have completed this, it can be past on to those who are making the presentation. I am happy to be given these tasks, as the artists relate to my own practice and so with therefore inform my work later.