And now the end is near........

Today is my final assessment at Walsall, we had the Private view at the Gallery last night which went very well, a lot of people came to see us and some faces from the Foundation year which was lovely.

But what I have to do now is conclude my work, it has been a wonderful journey in many ways, the work, the travelling and the conversations on route. I feel the work has reflected what I wanted, the cocoon has become the organic shape I wanted and travelled to places that are important to me and that make me happy and also make me feel uncomfortable, I still don't like places like Digbeth and Wolverhampton but part of me will always have the memories of going to take the photographs and the giggles we had while doing it, which will make them more bearable. Memories have been created and some have been recalled as my journey to Rhyl was a look back to the HNC work and also to my childhood, as many of my summers where spent there. Rhyl is now having work done on the sea front and has had a lot of the old B&B's knocked down hopefully it is now on its way back up, the beach is clean and a lovely mix of sand and stones, and it saddens me that no one goes there, to enjoy it.

Woodlands and Waterfalls have also been visited, places I love to lie and watch the clouds and listen to the sounds that surround me, the cocoon looked so natural and part of the land, some children even thought it may be a real cocoon that a giant bug had come from, My favourite images showed the cocoon hanging from a tree, it swung around and made it difficult to photograph but it was fun.

The Birmingham photos show exactly how I feel when I'm in the town, invisible . No one took any notice to what we were doing, the Bullring was packed and we struggled to get photographs without it being concealed totally, yet no one looked at the cocoon, which was under the bull at one point, in full view. Also at the Library I placed it by the door, people walked past, one person threw their cigarette butt right by it, It was lucky it didn't burst in to flames ( would of made a good photo though ;-) )

The map on the wall shows the route, I chose where I wanted to go, apart from the Lake Vyrnwy which was a suprise visit, we travelled over 500 miles, and we didn't always take the quickest route, but it was a lovely journey.

The cocoon has now done its work, and is sitting in the gallery, its organic shape in a concrete space, to me it will always look best in the woodland.

My journey at Walsall is also over and I'm moving on to Birmingham, the cocoon has looked after me and is giving me my rebirth as a student at Margret St.

Installed and Ready to go.

Yesterday (27th June) the HNC/D Fine Art students installed at the Walsall Gallery, it went quite smoothly, a few hiccups but that is to be expected, I was really pleased with the images that had been printed, apparently they were not the first set that were printed, but thats ok. The map looks really good and we have used the twine to join the images and the map, the cocoon is on the floor looking fluid, I have a selection of photographs in a book but we are keeping those out for now, and just using them for assessment.
The Private View is tonight, so have to get dressed up and brush my hair then the following morning in my assessment , so fingers crossed people !

Mapping....

Here are a few photos of the map that will be shown with the Images to show the journey we have been on, it was a couple of loops and a fair amount of miles in Wales,

Final 6... your time has come....

The final 6 images have been chosen and printed ready for installation, the map is almost complete apart from a line going in to Birmingham, now I want to print a few more images to go with the map and discuss the places I have ventured to and why.
What a journey, so many miles, so much fun and frustration with the camera, but now its all coming to an end. My assessment is on the 29th and then we take the show down on the 4th. Then gin.

More uploaded photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wttgill/

Here are some other pictures on my flickr account, enjoy  :-) x

Alone by Edgar Allan Poe

Alone

From childhood's hour I have not been As others were; I have not seen As others saw; I could not bring My passions from a common spring. From the same source I have not taken My sorrow; I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone; And all I loved, I loved alone. Then- in my childhood, in the dawn Of a most stormy life- was drawn From every depth of good and ill The mystery which binds me still: From the torrent, or the fountain, From the red cliff of the mountain, From the sun that round me rolled In its autumn tint of gold, From the lightning in the sky As it passed me flying by, From the thunder and the storm, And the cloud that took the form (When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view.

Loopy map

Well the journey is done and here is how we did it, lovely round trips to Wales and Staffordshire and Wolverhampton and Birmingham, over 500 miles have gone into this work, but for me going to the beach on the last day was fantastic, I started the HNC on the beach and I ended the HND there as well, a full round trip, I am very pleased with the images and am looking forward to seeing them all together at the Gallery, I hope everyone else enjoys them too.