NATURE - The natural world is endless inspiration, from flora to fauna, forests, oceans, feathers and claws. Animal studies and documentation really intrigue me. I have begun to collect old wildlife books and guides containing detailed illustrations of creatures and plants and their diets, life patterns and seasonal activities. These are sources I want to use and bring into my practice in third year. My previous work includes detailed studies of animals and anatomical drawings of their bones and flesh.
NARRATIVE - Literature, myths and fairy tales have all influenced my work in the past. The stories that we have been told and passed on down for years, the cautionary tales, the fables and the legends. The human need to entertain and create and yet also warn others and pass on traditions and beliefs intrigues me. During my Steiner education we covered the myths of Norse Mythology, Christian beliefs of the origin of man, The Odyssey and many others. An enjoyment in these stories and tales led to me devouring books and reading everything within sight. 'The Hobbit', 'His Dark Materials Trilogy', 'The Wind Singer Trilogy' were books that I loved when I was younger. I loved tales of other worlds and the dark unknown. Now 'The Lovely bones', 'The Road', 'Into the Wild' and 'A Secret History' are some of my favorites along with and anything by Agatha Christie and Ruth Rendell. As well as Angela Carter's 'The Bloody Chamber' and her collection of world fairy tales. As well as this I have an undying love for Sylvia Plath, both her poetry and her journals. She has the uncanny ability to understand her own mortality and pour out her deepest thoughts.
"Either way we choose, the angry witch
will punish us for saying which is which;
in fatal equilibriumwe poise on perilous poles
that freeze us ina cross of contradiction,
racked betweenthe fact of doubt, the faith of dream."
(Metamorphosis of the Moon)
ANATOMY AND THE MACABRE - The structure of living forms and the biology of our functions never ceses to amaze me. Both human and animals are living maps of bone and flesh. I have used bones and anatomy studies in past work and I wish to explore them more. This also links into my slight obsession with the macabre. Edward Gorey's 'The Gashlycrumb Tinies' is a brilliant macabre alphabet of children and their untimely deaths and my collection of Agatha Christie books hold many a murderous crime. It is the dark side of human nature that intrigues me and the fact humans are fascinated by tragedy. My dissertation is going to be focused on the words 'Memento Mori' and the Chapels of Bone which can be found across the world. Belief and religion surrounding death is something I will begin to explore more as I want a greater understanding of how they surround each other.
