A quote from Professor Brian Cox on the wonders of our solar system 'our environment reaches beyond our atmosphere' I thought this interesting and insightful when considering what nature is and how it can be interpreted on a interstellar level.

Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira constructs metamorphosed forms from tree trunks. The hemorrhagic flow of the tree appears to interact and diffuse into the white gallery walls splintering and peeling when facing an obstruction. The stark contrast informs a concept of mutation and perhaps disfigurement between the non-human premise and the rendition of a gallery space being used to exhibit art. His work is expressed as 'dissolving the barrier of order' whilst seeking an alternate perception of decay. An amalgamation of sculpture, painting and architecture forms a pluralistic art practice which is boldly expressive, intuitive and prescribes qualities that can be ascertained with the 'natural' and alien whilst keeping an association with the human.

This photograph of heavens gate stairs in China procures an unusual retrospective of civilizations interaction with the wild and non-human, the cascading stairs asymptomatic to the appearance of a waterfall distils a tranquil sense of harmony with the limestone mountain. Understanding how the world has become culturally and socially produced is predetermined by the level of cultural conditioning in the communities that exist in that surrounding environment. The architectural alteration of 'natural' places is an interesting concept that draws on humans interaction and disconnection with the wilderness that is fast being changed to coexist more readily with the conditioning and alteration that has occurred in us. Exploring this interconnection and understanding the extent of our incongruence with the non-human presents potentially and endless and unintelligible challenge.

An increasing interest in natural and scientific illustration may present itself to inform a coherent interrelationship with a personal current art practice. An interchange between an interest with the animal and the non-human and it's representation through drawing could provide a dialogue that embodies this spectrum of interest. The way certain drawings are displayed and how text is sometimes used alongside to describe certain aspects does lend itself to the way in which I sometimes work. it may valuable to intersect a personal art practice with a professional one in the future and explore such possibilities.

Drawings by Jacob Dahlstrup Jensen combines graphite and tattoo embossing to produce a very stylised and sophisticated approach to drawing. His work -all at sea#1 - creates an effect that reflects a realism of a fantastical and imaginative nature. The embossing with the tattoo needle permeates through the drawing distilling the senses and juxtaposes effectively with the large remaining white space on the page.

http://www.goovinn.se/home/sense-of-flying-espen-fadnes.aspx

The video made in co-operation with the base jumper Espen Fadness,'sense of flying' aims to show the state of mind adopted before making the jump and the freedom given to the individual during the flight. The most enchanting thing about this besides the video itself is how Espen relates that he often dreams of flying 'upwards and outwards' and that his dreams feel as real as the live basejump.

Artist Takashi Kuribayashis' installation allows the viewer to adopt the guise of a burrowing animal by poking out of holes in the constructed ceiling of an apparent snow covered woodland. The construction of paper explores the role of 'nature' in contemporary Asian art. The work is suggestive of fantastical narratives which to the western viewer attests a Narnian, Witch in the Wardrobe premise. A comparison between western and eastern perspectives concerning a metaphysical nature could present a pertinent dialogue in understanding how cultural conditioning can alter our perceptions. Pursuing artworks that suggest an interrelationship with different types of narrative and folklore could offer interesting insights into questioning aspects of the human condition.

Humans from 1982, Two German artists Per & Bastian collaborate in creating works. Their most recent piece, Collection of light, 2011, are LED's displayed in refurbished archival display boxes that were previously the housing for insects and beetles from the Stockholm museum of natural history. The work reflects a practice involved in superimposing said "natural" elements in settings which they are displayed in to increase longevity. The use of LED's in place of insects suggests the celebration of these industrial elements in the same way.

Degree Show

The amalgamation of different practices encompassed in the final show presented a dynamic and engaging exhibition for ourselves and the public. The variety of the works introduced a percussive element to the studio spaces where each piece resounded with different qualities. There were many juxtapositions between particular works in the show. However the different visual languages depicted shared narratives and ideas that brought the show together. As an end to the year, there was a strong emergence of everyone's fine art practice and a confident outlook for the future.

Illustration Exhibition

Visiting the illustration show at grand parade gave insight to the current level of final year students. There was a very professional appearance about the layout and fine detail involved in presenting an illustration identity to the public. Each artist would display one or two major pieces of work and then have underneath books explaining process and an on-going narrative about their practice.

Considering my own practice some of the work I found was similar. The boundary between fine art and illustration may be small. However there is the undeniable rift behind the thought process and philosophies behind the works. Critical analysis on illustration may be limited to the needs of the client However one painting or piece of sculpture could catalyse an everlasting argument for art historians for centuries to come.

The choice to carry on the fine art pathway is now easily made and I feel the potential for further development is limitless and is a very exciting and fulfilling prospect.

Advancement in Science fiction is a new exhibition by Jocelyn Marsh. Her work encompasses a juxtaposition between science and historical fiction. This personal combination is a personal exploration for Marsh who has collated all the items for her inspiration such as skeletons, butterflies and vintage toys on her travels. Her practice is an amalgam of combining these objects into sculptures through mythological constructs. This odd combination holds context for my passion concerning nature and art. A final point to add is how the works are displayed. The intricacy and detail is very delicate. Marsh employs the use of acrylic boxes and glass compartments to preserve her work. This archiving is reminiscent of what I should consider in protecting and displaying my drawings.

loom, an animation of a moth fighting the inescapable spiders web, the dramatic sharp soundtrack extorts the efforts of the moth in its turmoil.

http://vimeo.com/polynoid

Photography from national geographic of a rising sand dune, Namibia. The likeness of this photograph to a painting is very controversial in our minds. I like this strange juxtaposition. In our minds we find it difficult to accept what we see because of previous attainment of memories that clash with this challenging visual. It is no optical illusion as their is no misconception intended. It is merely a different view. It would be an interesting prospect to survey local Namibians and people from the western world to see whether the photograph is a photograph or a painting. The concept of contrasting cultural conditioning between different peoples can highlight the sensitivity of the human mind and how it differs so greatly from a alteration of small factors.

Illustrator Karl Addison creates llama explosion, a set of llama drawings done for an outdoor installation in Berlin. I like the concept of drawing being used in installation. The drawings were part of a centrepiece that extended itself into aspects of Peruvian culture. The contrast is interesting within the drawing and the portrait positions suggest the docile nature of the cultures representatives.

This work I belive is a great play on our preconceptions and is quite jarring. The sharp contrast between planes of wood and blue sky is very strong. The presence of this object in the space is strange even though a tree house for us is mostly recognizable from our images of surburbia, and not the canopy of a rainforest like some tribes still live in.

urban tree house.

Link for the videos
http://collabcubed.com/2011/05/21/ryoji-ikeda-the-transfinite-follow-up/

Brand new installation in New York ,The Transfinite a work done by the leading visual artist and electronic sound composer in Japan Ryoji Ikeda; The mesmerising screens show flashes of white and grey and then dark in such quick succession. Watching even the video embraces me in the moment. I feel because of the very large scale it has worked. Otherwise it might not have been successful but this really feels contemporary and is what I envision art to be like in the future.

Shawn Smith creates sculptures of heavily pix-elated subject matter. The sculptures are mostly of natural forms and animals, he uses painted wood blocks to achieve the effect. He also incorporates the use of found objects and makes his sculptures interact with them in different ways. I somehow question Smiths practice. I see it as a contemporary visual exploration. However I am not sure where further involvement in his current practice may lead. To me some of the ideas appear a bit novel and cliché. Some works do though penetrate the surface a bit deeper. Some of the animal sculptures that are presented like trophy heads carry a narrative that is haunting because of the abstracted representation of the animal. I feel some of the pieces work very strongly and can carry some strong ideas and thoughts.

Yale university has opened up its archive digitally to the public offering over 250,000 high quality images from its cultural collections.

http://vimeo.com/23731090

Kinetic sculpture by Behnaz Babazadeh responds to human touch. The Fermid project explores the relationship between artificial objects and nature. The sculpture made up of many white plastic shell shapes moves in an out at a central point producing a con-caving in the body of the sculpture. With the use of this new parametric technology the artist is able to produce a very engaging and seducing effect.

Michelle's Crit

Three paintings placed together as a tapestry of what could be suggested as emotion or movement of the body. The textures and scratching feels as if it is revealing something that already lies behind the canvass. There are two different languages between the three paintings, The large ones are Remington of some sort expressionism whilst the other is more controlled. there is a narration-al conflict.

In terms of medium specificity the smaller tapestry painting is about the act of painting. There is a question about the content of the paintings. The smaller one is more comfortable because of the earthly colours and it suggests more ambiguity. A conversation arose about the formatting of the painting. Whether it should be landscape or portrait. It emerges that their is more authenticity involved with the smaller painting. it feels a reflection of what is inside the artists own psyche. Expressing this idea, there are contemporary artists that have involved themselves with art as a transcription.

The two paintings involve two very different processes. The two styles were meant to bring together. The theme involves the idea of disconnection they are about frustration and the expression of artists block. they are not meant to be resolved but are a experimentation and investigation. The larger paintings are an inhibition of the artists freedom. The act of painting brings along a whole landslide of emotion and can be a representation of the subconscious or more uncomfortable side of the self.There is the aspect of what the artist is talking about of how she would make art that shared characteristics with other artists work. Doing this is explained that it can help let her understand what she wants to do. There is a large conflict with what one makes and what is been done to portray the artists feelings. If embarking on wanting to make something look nice you carry conditioning that you cannot break away from.

Former Yugoslavian relics from world war 2 now make a stark contrast with the flat placid green of the countryside which was once a hotspot for concentration camps. the relics are strangely futuristic and emit a strange disposition.

John Halaka explores concepts of uprooting societies and civillzations. In his most recent exhibition -landscapes of desire- at the mosaic rooms, starting on the 6th of May is a collection of paintings on the abadoned, crumbled houses of the Palestinians after the Israeli occupation. The paintings have a great textured quality to them which is generated by the repeated words that all his paintings are made from. “remember,” “resist,” “return,” “rebuild” and “forgive” with forgive as the most prominent I like the simple message made by these paintings and see it also as a personal journey that the artist is undertaking.

art pass

For anyone that may look at this today; buy the observer newspaper this morning as it contains a free national art pass to over 200 galleries. I think you can also redeem it if you visit artfund.org/guardain and entering your details.

Hotel design by Oppenheim Architecture + Design in Florida to be constructed in the red sandstone cliffs in Wadi rum, close to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. The 47 desert lodges in the enclaves will benefit from the wild natural beauty of the area. I like how the black and grey water run off's from inside the cliffs is to be sustainably filtered by a natural botanical growth of plants. Architecture like this blurs the line between the wild habitations of the ancient civilizations that inhabited the caves of the Wadi rum sandstone and the modern, very comfortable architecture of today.

Artist Beth Hoeckel produces extrasensory collages that challenge our world view. The pieces made from found paper and archival paste describe a very strong and believable reality. The detail in the scenes present the viewer with an extended narrative where there is much to explore.

1st Thursdays

My first experience of a 1st Thursday night was unforgettable. From setting up our exhibition on Tuesday, and watching only flies visit our gallery early Thursday afternoon, I was not at all expecting the barrage of people come evening time. I had time to visit the other galleries before it got very busy. One installation in a great exhibition space had me mesmerized. One thing floats another thing sinks was a set of water filled tubs with a circular current being created by small pumps. One such tub contained two tomatoes on floating on the surface the other on the bottom, both were seemingly chasing each other in anguish. It was a simple narrative that felt like a entrance into another purer world.

The occasion of so many people coming to look at our art was a great learning experience. It was a climactic end to nearly two years of talking about our practice and other peoples work. Essentially it felt like a live crit, where criticism was expressed by swiftly moving pass some work or a quick exit from the space. In the end the crib sheet was abandoned and speaking about other peoples work became less of a challenge.

There was much positive response and has given me much drive to continue with the what I am doing, as I enjoy doing it and possibly others may enjoy seeing it. It is the first time where I have seen my work as being art. I still do not feel it is, but it made me sure that it would be possible and that there is much, much room for improvement.

French Sculptor Quentin Garel's 'trophies' are carved sculpted and drawn animals. The realistic depiction of the animals body parts portray haunting narratives about life and death in the wild.

Website

Recently made a flickr account, easy way to put up photos of work, here is link;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61076439@N06/

TROY MOTH, a photographer that I feel produces great compositions in his work, I have never before seen photographs of fire work so well. It is a very hard subject to represent. The photographs have a timeless stillness about them while maintaining a great energy. I like to contrast these images with moths still water scenes ,here the boundary between darkness and light is vast, it could be the start of the world or the end of it.

Currently working at the Mosaic Rooms, A charity founded gallery in Earls Court, I am involved with the current exhibition everyday. The exhibition, "SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS ARE MADE ON" is a two part show involving young artists from Palestine.The artists involved are the winners of a biennial award organized by the Qattan Foundation. The international jury includes the artists Rajie Cook, Emily Jacir and Raeda Sa'adeh, also the writers Jean Fisher and Hassan Khader. At the moment it is a great experience where there is much to do and many people to talk to. It is a very positive environment to work in. The artwork mostly is concerning different aspects of the artists lives in Palestine. An example is Ayed Arafah, who indulges himself in the idea of water and the sea. From his high perch on the hills of the city Ramallah in the west bank, he sees the horizon of the sea on a clear day. His piece of art here "horizon" is a set of plastic bags containing azure blue water suspended at eye level. A sure indicator of the pleasures that the sea may hold juxtaposed with the impossibility of getting to that sea which is always going to be too far away.

Some preliminary works by artist Sage Vaughn. Paintings, collages and drawings sketched onto brown envelopes become a loose ongoing sketchbook. The paintings done are closer to the source of what is to be achieved , the artist explains that they are 'much closer to the original impulse'to the bigger pieces he does for exhibitions. This way of working for my practice has given a thought. I like the idea that everything I have done so far is just a sketch. I am still in the long stage of exploration, which hopefully will not end soon.