Monday, 30 July 2012
Making It Happen!
Here's my crowdfunding site. I'm so happy, seven people have contributed on the first day! It makes me feel even more determined to make a good exhibition: I want to do them proud.
You can contribute anonymously, or... onymously and leave a comment. You can also choose whether or not to show how much you contributed. Everything's in US dollars, but I've calculated some UK pounds conversions and put them on there. You can also choose a 'Perk', free gifts, incentives for leaving certain amounts. It was a bit hard to choose Perks that wouldn't eat into the overall budget (I'd rather give anything left over to charity, really) but I hope I've thought up some nice ones.
So please: share the link and help me get the word out!
Imperial War Museum Photos
Earlier this month, I was in London visiting my friend Chris. I took the opportunity to do a bit of museuming. The Imperial War Museum didn't have very much about codebreaking -- mostly their Secret War exhibit focuses on spies -- but I did enjoy the exhibition of WWII portraits, People's War. There was a portrait of a desert rat that made me think of my granddad. The new Family in Wartime exhibit is not as interesting as the old Children's War one, though, but I'm glad they've put several Evelyn Dunbar paintings in there, her work is wonderful. Here are some photos and sketches from my day out:
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| opposite the British Museum: Randolph Caldecott's house is now a bookshop |
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| Imperial War Museum |
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| from a display with quotes and pictures related to the blackout -- I keep stumbling upon this cow photo! |
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| so many mid-C20th illustrators also created arresting war art. This is a harrowing drawing by cartoonist Ronald Searle (St Trinian's, Molesworth). Ronald Searle drew fellow POWs in secret. Many of his pictures have a corner chewed off because he was so hungry and just wanted to eat anything. |
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| postcard of a poster from WWI |
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| this is from 'the Trench Experience' exhibit. I'm not sure if these pics of the models are bad taste or not. I had to do them in b&w because the lighting was so low, but it does make them look like I'm trying to fake real photos. |
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| the models had creepily detailed faces and injuries |
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| some quick doodles I did - sandbags |
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| evacuees |
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| blackout clock |
Photos of Bletchley Park
I did a research trip to Bletchley Park on 11 July. Here are some of the pictures I took:
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| Enigma machine |
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| Enigma |
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| keys |
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| Lorenz |
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| the Bombe |
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| the back of the Bombe |
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| Alan Turing statue |
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| Alan again |
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| Alan Turing's teddy bear, Porgy |
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| panel text |
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| Porgy |
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| radio tower / ducks |
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| Bletchley Park mansion |
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| guardians |
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| funding required |
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| dilapidated bits |
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| pipe pipes (to let out all the pipe and coke stove smoke so the Wrens could breathe!) |
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| cracking |
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| at the National Museum of Computing |
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| equipment |
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| switchboard |
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| the Colossus |
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| bulbs |
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| wires |
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| valves |
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| tapes |
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| lines and lines and lines |
Friday, 27 July 2012
Frames
This is good: a friend has gone away for a month and asked me to house-sit. So I get a free quiet workspace right up to showtime!
Also, her mum gave me a couple of ornate old frames (about 23×29in each), which have sparked an idea for how to organise things.
I thought I could do three big pictures, one for each topic — to draw the eye, be a centrepiece for each section — and surround them with half a dozen small pictures in plain modern frames.
Now I just need to find a third frame! Been round some local charity shops today, but haven't seen anything that would complement these. It would be really nice to find something properly 1940s-looking, art deco, but that would probably be expensive.
I also looked through the bric-a-brac to see if I could find any nice props for an installation area, but nothing yet. Early days...
Also, her mum gave me a couple of ornate old frames (about 23×29in each), which have sparked an idea for how to organise things.
I thought I could do three big pictures, one for each topic — to draw the eye, be a centrepiece for each section — and surround them with half a dozen small pictures in plain modern frames.
Now I just need to find a third frame! Been round some local charity shops today, but haven't seen anything that would complement these. It would be really nice to find something properly 1940s-looking, art deco, but that would probably be expensive.
I also looked through the bric-a-brac to see if I could find any nice props for an installation area, but nothing yet. Early days...
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Cows, Codes and Kids: An Illustration Exhibition
Exciting news! I'm delighted to announce that I will have a solo exhibition in the MK Gallery Project Space, 23-29 August.
Introducing Me and My Work
~ Hello! My name is Sian. I'm an illustration student from Milton Keynes, which is a town 50 miles from London, UK. I am fascinated by history.
~ I've been offered a one-week solo exhibition at Milton Keynes Gallery, as part of their scheme Project Space 2012. Six art students from universities in the region are exhibiting over the summer, although I believe I'm the only one direct from MK College. I'll be contributing a series of drawings, paintings and prints, illustrating scenes I've read about in local history books, and quotes by codebreakers, Land Girls and evacuees.
The Stories I'm Telling
~ I'm hoping that my research and illustrations can form the basis of one of my MA projects, and perhaps become my first published children's book!
~ Milton Keynes was founded as a new town in 1967, so it's often thought of as a very modern place. The general perception of it is as a collection of glass office buildings, a shopping centre and a baffling road system with many roundabouts. But it also has ancient ruins, mentions in the Doomsday Book... and we played this extraordinary role in WW2.
~ During WW2, the area of Bletchley was the centre of the Allies' top secret intelligence campaign. Young people there broke Nazi codes and ciphers, shortening the War by at least two years, saving countless lives. They weren't allowed to talk about their work until 1977. In the fields which were later to become MK shops and residential areas, the Women's Land Army took over the agricultural labour which had to be done while male farm workers were off fighting. And as MK is so inland, it didn't attract many bombs -- so foster families took in children evacuated from the Blitz.
~ At Bletchley Park, it wasn't all tweedy pipe-smoking professors: 3/4 of the staff were women, the average age was 19, they had a drama society and skated on the lake in winter. People needed to be young, vigorous and passionate to be able to withstand the long hours and the immense pressure of knowing their secret work could make or break Britain's war effort. The Land Girls weren't all the rosy-cheeked maids of propaganda posters, looking all capable with farm machinery: the girls often had no training and had to do unphotogenic jobs like rat-catching and mucking out pigs. But they got on with it because they knew feeding the nation was vital -- and they didn't get any official thanks for their efforts until 2007, when all living Land Girls received a commemorative badge. They were known as 'the Cinderella Service'. I really want to illustrate the stories of all these unsung heroes, bringing their work to the attention of a new generation.
~ This is a topical project. 2012 is the centenary of the star codebreaker and father of modern computing, Alan Turing. 2012 is also apparently the last year the former Land Girls will be marching past the Cenotaph.
How You Can Help!
~ If you have memories of the times I'm illustrating, or know someone who does, and would like to talk to me about your experiences, I would LOVE to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email sian@drawosaur.com
~ After being a full-time student for a year, I have limited finances and the Gallery's unable to offer me a grant for this project, just the space. So I need to raise £400-£500 to make it all happen. I have most of the materials already, but my big expense is going to be frames, and printing any of the digital artwork. In a few days, I will be launching a fundraising page, where you an donate any amount you like with just a couple of clicks. EDIT: it's now here: http://www.indiegogo.com/wardrawings
~ Even if you can't contribute money, please let others know about my campaign -- maybe you know someone who can! When I launch the page, please RT the link on Twitter, share on Facebook, or your own little corner of the Internets.
~ If you're quite local / London, please let me know if you have artefacts you could lend to my interactive exhibit. Be aware that you'd be risking theft or sticky fingers (although the Gallery will be insured). But if you have any objects or textiles that would suit a 1940s corner for art-loving children, get in touch.
~ And of course, by coming to view the exhibition when it's up!
Introducing Me and My Work
~ Hello! My name is Sian. I'm an illustration student from Milton Keynes, which is a town 50 miles from London, UK. I am fascinated by history.
~ I've been offered a one-week solo exhibition at Milton Keynes Gallery, as part of their scheme Project Space 2012. Six art students from universities in the region are exhibiting over the summer, although I believe I'm the only one direct from MK College. I'll be contributing a series of drawings, paintings and prints, illustrating scenes I've read about in local history books, and quotes by codebreakers, Land Girls and evacuees.
The Stories I'm Telling
~ I'm hoping that my research and illustrations can form the basis of one of my MA projects, and perhaps become my first published children's book!
~ Milton Keynes was founded as a new town in 1967, so it's often thought of as a very modern place. The general perception of it is as a collection of glass office buildings, a shopping centre and a baffling road system with many roundabouts. But it also has ancient ruins, mentions in the Doomsday Book... and we played this extraordinary role in WW2.
~ During WW2, the area of Bletchley was the centre of the Allies' top secret intelligence campaign. Young people there broke Nazi codes and ciphers, shortening the War by at least two years, saving countless lives. They weren't allowed to talk about their work until 1977. In the fields which were later to become MK shops and residential areas, the Women's Land Army took over the agricultural labour which had to be done while male farm workers were off fighting. And as MK is so inland, it didn't attract many bombs -- so foster families took in children evacuated from the Blitz.
~ At Bletchley Park, it wasn't all tweedy pipe-smoking professors: 3/4 of the staff were women, the average age was 19, they had a drama society and skated on the lake in winter. People needed to be young, vigorous and passionate to be able to withstand the long hours and the immense pressure of knowing their secret work could make or break Britain's war effort. The Land Girls weren't all the rosy-cheeked maids of propaganda posters, looking all capable with farm machinery: the girls often had no training and had to do unphotogenic jobs like rat-catching and mucking out pigs. But they got on with it because they knew feeding the nation was vital -- and they didn't get any official thanks for their efforts until 2007, when all living Land Girls received a commemorative badge. They were known as 'the Cinderella Service'. I really want to illustrate the stories of all these unsung heroes, bringing their work to the attention of a new generation.
~ This is a topical project. 2012 is the centenary of the star codebreaker and father of modern computing, Alan Turing. 2012 is also apparently the last year the former Land Girls will be marching past the Cenotaph.
How You Can Help!
~ If you have memories of the times I'm illustrating, or know someone who does, and would like to talk to me about your experiences, I would LOVE to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email sian@drawosaur.com
~ After being a full-time student for a year, I have limited finances and the Gallery's unable to offer me a grant for this project, just the space. So I need to raise £400-£500 to make it all happen. I have most of the materials already, but my big expense is going to be frames, and printing any of the digital artwork. In a few days, I will be launching a fundraising page, where you an donate any amount you like with just a couple of clicks. EDIT: it's now here: http://www.indiegogo.com/wardrawings
~ Even if you can't contribute money, please let others know about my campaign -- maybe you know someone who can! When I launch the page, please RT the link on Twitter, share on Facebook, or your own little corner of the Internets.
~ If you're quite local / London, please let me know if you have artefacts you could lend to my interactive exhibit. Be aware that you'd be risking theft or sticky fingers (although the Gallery will be insured). But if you have any objects or textiles that would suit a 1940s corner for art-loving children, get in touch.
~ And of course, by coming to view the exhibition when it's up!
Fire Gardens
The IFMK arts festival has been taking place in Milton Keynes during July. Fire Gardens was an installation and event in Campbell Park staged by La Compagnie Carabosse. It was really impressive!
(27 photos under the cut)
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