Friday, February 11, 2011

Knit & Stitch Show 2010

The Knit & Stitch Show,
RDS Dublin

I was asked to exhibit at the "Knit & Stitch" show in the RDS, Dublin in October 2010.
It was an amazing opportunity and a great couple of days!

If you didn't get a chance to see it, here's what my space looked like...

The fabulously named sign that hung over my space
I've always wanted to see my name in lights, but this will certainly do for now!!


My space was a corner unit, which initially put me at a disadvantage as I only had two walls to work with; whereas my colleagues had three.
I think it actually worked to my advantage as my layout fit perfectly into the space, and I felt it's openness made it more inviting; it seemed to draw in the crowd who were walking in my direction.

As I had to travel from Limerick to Dublin with a car choc-o-block of art & materials, I had no room for table or chairs, (like the ones from my exhibition in Galway, which can be viewed here)
I had to make do with this delightfully hideous one (pictured) that I rented at the venue.


View of wall #1
You may notice that the second piece in the "Goldilocks" series, "The Kiss: Goldie fell deeper and deeper in love," is missing. This is because it is currently on display in a gallery in York, along with two of my illustrations.

After New Designers, I had to dispose of my portfolio cradle due to luggage weight restrictions, so pictured in the bottom right corner is a makeshift one that I made from the frame of a laundry basket and some ribbon!




Close up of dress & the narrative symbols
I love the motifs drawn along the bottom of Goldie's dress as it tells the story in symbolic form.
I had the dress on display on a chair at my end of year exhibition, but felt it was possibly overlooked and needed more emphasis. So I decided to display it on the wall alongside the pieces, so as they are both narrating the story, but in different ways.


Wall #2
Here you can see the last two pieces in the series along with my hanging digital print samples / variations and my apron.
The newest additions to this body of work was the blouse I upcylced with my "Calorie Lace" to match the apron. Also, I took some samples out that I had hidden away in notebooks and hung them with some postcards along a 'girly' style washing line underneath the pieces.


View of the breakfast table
Here you can see a mock up of the three bear's breakfast table.
I had my postcards on display here, along with a new addition to this body of work: a plate of 'sweet treats.'
I had a little hand written note beside the plate during the exhibition, which read;

"Forget about the calories, have one on Goldie!"

This is also where my comment book was available for feedback; which I received a lot of, so a big thank you to all who took the time to sign it, I loved reading what you had to say.
It is very much appreciated and brought a smile to my face.


Close up of the porridge prints, apron & upcycled blouse


Close up of framed drawings on hanger:
Framed here you can see copies of illustrations from my sketch books and hanging from this is my "Porridge Bowl" print, in different colour ways & sizes.
(Small - Baby bear, Medium - Momma Bear, Large - Poppa Bear)



Close up of hanging digitally printed illustration samples:
I wanted to show how my illustrations looked when transferred to fabric by a different medium, digital print, and accompanied with stitch.
I felt it was important to dig these out of my notebooks and put more emphasis on them, as this is the direction I'm hoping my next fairytale in the "Once Upon an Ever After" series, "Little Red" is going to go in.


Last but not least, the three bears made an appearance, it is Goldilocks after all!

That's all (for now), folks!

Official Facebook Page!


"Keelin Corscadden Designs" is now on Facebook


Here ye, here ye!
Attention please!


"Keelin Corscadden Designs" now has it's very own Facebook page.
After what feels like an eternity setting it all up, it is now officially live and running!

It can be viewed here

For those of you who Facebook more than blog, nows your chance to keep updated regularly with my current work / projects and shows.

Keep it real folks

Thursday, February 10, 2011

End of Year Exhibition, GMIT, Galway


End of Year Exhibition, June 2010
(I know what you're thinking, very late posting Keelin, tut tut tut!)

Seen as I'm finally getting the hang of this, I've decided to (finally) post up some pictures from my end of year show in GMIT, Galway in June 2010.

Big thanks to all who attended, and if you didn't get a chance, here's a taste of what you missed...

The Tale of Goldilocks
(Minus the Porridge)


Piece 1: "A dark & handsome man cast his shadow over the world"
Piece 2: "The Kiss: Goldie fell deeper and deeper in love"


Piece 3: "Maybe you should lay off the porridge"
Piece 4: "These dubious claims began to circulate within her thoughts"
Piece 5: "And so she refused to eat"


Piece 6: "Then came that fateful morning when Goldie never woke up"


Breakfast table set with the three bears and Goldie's dress, which has motifs along the bottom narrating the tale.


Birds eye view of the breakfast table.
Each napkin has digitally printed imagery from my research & sketchbooks, then I added colour and detail to them through hand embroidery; a "domesticated handicraft."
Bringing the traditional women's "handicraft" back into a domestic environment.


Another view of the breakfast table and the rest of the room.
In the background you can see my calories hanging out to dry (!) and my dress and apron, which are both digitally printed with my porridge bowl designs.


A close up of my apron and dress;
both digitally printed with my porridge bowl designs.
Simply called, "Porridge Bowl" & "Pop Porridge"


Here you can see my notebook covers on the shelf.
Again I got these digitally printed with my designs.
Beside them are my business cards and postcards.
Opposite you can see jars of "calories"
And framed in the centre are copies of images from my sketch book, hanging from this is my "Porridge Bowl" print, in different colour ways & sizes
(Small - Baby bear, Medium - Momma Bear, Large - Poppa Bear)


Close up of framed copies of sketches from my research


To emphasize that it was a 'weighty' issue, I had an old style scales brought in for the show.
On one side I had a bad of porridge, and on the other a dress-maker's measuring tape.
The porridge symbolising food = weight, and the measuring tape symbolising body shape / size.


My work, along with some of my classmate's, was mentioned in this lovely blog by Pippablue, who "loves all things crafty."
The post can be viewed here

Now that I've finally got my online act in gear, keep tuned for lots of more posts, exhibition images and my current artistic projects / ideas :)


All images are copyright protected.
Copyright 2011, Keelin Corscadden, All Rights Reserved
For copies of my images / permission to use them, please contact me on: keelin_cor@hotmail.com