UNFINISHED PAINTINGS

This was my second year tailoring project, and its been kind of a long journey. It started with a spontaneous and very eventful trip to London with a friend. We planned it two days before leaving, almost missed our coach and had to find an Air BnB on the way there. I had no idea this trip would inspire a collection at the time.

I took a photograph there.

Once returning to Norwich, I decided Id like to try and paint this photograph, something I'd dabbled in before but honestly I didn't really know how to do it.

My biggest struggle with this was that for some reason I could not finish it. I wasn't motivated to.

It was around this time term started, I knew I'd have to have an idea for my collection soon but the only thing I could think of was " well if I cant even finish a small paining right now how the hell am I going to design a collection."

I wont lie to you it was a rough time, looking around the studio it always feels like everyone else has their shit together ( truth is none of us did) No matter what I did I just didn't feel creative. So I thought right I'll give it one last try, finish the painting so I can move on with this project. I sat down and got ready to start when it hit me.

Maybe its okay if I don't finish it, maybe thats the point, to embrace the mistakes and the unfinished work.

Okay so thats what this collection is going to be then, just me embracing my inability to finish a painting, and just enjoy the memory of the trip.

I started looking into deconstructing and layering my painting to create interesting prints and silhouettes. I used wool from A/W Hainsworth for the final piece as well as a cotton drill that reminded me of a blank canvas. In hind sight I would not have put the heavier fabric on top but as the base layer as it pulled in some areas.

Overall I was really happy with it and with how I'd managed to turn a mess into a master piece.