After an absence over the summer from the regular hangout I attend, I was pleased to catch up with everyone again yesterday. And to hear and see how others’ work had developed in the months since I was last able to join.
Everyone enjoyed seeing Rob’s latest iteration of his contemplation on memory loss and aging. I had quoted the final lines of Phillip Larkin’s Dockery and Son to him – a poem I studied at A’level which has really stayed with me – lines which state the inevitable is coming whatever we feel about it. I had this feeling from Rob’s work that although death and aging are what we all face, it makes things like beauty, joy and love/relationships possible. And so, there is a melancholic acceptance, a making-of peace with the fact that time cannot be turned back or stopped, and bodily entropy unavoidable, which we all appreciated.
We also discussed Mel’s project dilemmas and made suggestions, plus asked Selena about her exhibition which has gone very well. It has given Selena the confidence to repeat the process again one day. These items were useful, especially in relation to SYP.
Updated site www.sarahjanefield.com
I recently updated of my sites and various OCA students and friends have been brilliant about giving me feedback and checking typos and making suggestions. I have switched platforms to one that is better and less expensive than my last. Previously the templates available were limiting and inflexible, plus you couldn’t add video. Since audio-visual has become so important to me lately I felt it was necessary to address, even though I was a bit daunted by the task. However, it was not as painful as I imagined and I’m very pleased to have ticked it off my To-do list.
I was also grateful for the useful feedback from the hangout members about structuring the menu system. The menu system was originally broken down into genres but everyone felt this was too complex for visitors. Something simpler was needed. So for now, I have two main menu options, 1) Experimental in which moving image and collage/found/archive material live and 2)Documentary which includes obvious examples plus personal narratives – also documentation – but I am not sure about this heading. I want to group things as it makes it easier to navigate and is more palatable for visitors but I don’t think I have found the right nomenclature just yet.
We also briefly touched on what a website’s purpose might be. I feel I am giving a lot a way on my site at the moment but that’s because I need to at this time in my career. But it seems necessary for me right now, and so the site might be seen as a depository/archive where someone is able to visit and witness my development. I am after all still a student. I might not, however, include the pub work in a little while, as suggested by Allen – it’s easy to hide and I can show it to individuals if necessary – but perhaps only once I’ve added more projects. These are topics that it would be useful to chat over with someone more experienced, however, the group was really helpful and I’m going to leave things as they are for the moment.
Saying that there are three pieces of work I may add in the weeks and months to come, Sirens, a short series of still images from the Summer, and the Pic London film which is what I’ve contributed to the group show. I may readdress things once I’ve put those up and spoken with a few more people. I also now need to bring my commercial site up to scratch and I’m having a think about how/where etc.
I am looking forward to the next feedback talk and will send the Pic London work to everyone shortly. I need to discuss with my tutor but rather than redoing Sirens (for reasons I’ll explain elsewhere, I think it would be better to show how I have taken Ruth’s suggestions and applied them in the next project. Again – all to be discussed in the relevant blog.
SJField - OCA Level Three Study Blog 