Rebecca Murtaugh- 'To mark a significant space in the living room'

"My studio practice engages an experimental and playful process... I often work within parameters, improvisation and intuition drive my actions in the studio along with a strong desire and consideration of beauty, form and colour."

Rebecca Murtaugh prides herself on taking an 'everyday' material of interest and using it to transform the 'everyday' space. What is unique about her work is that much of it is created within her very own home meaning that the final results are only seen in true form by a select few people, and therefore is only revealed to the masses through photographic medium.

The above image titled 'To mark a significant space in the living room' shows how she not only uses the form and texture of the post-it's but also invests a lot of her interest into their colours. She is known for using ordinary dull yellow post-it's for the less important objects in the background, and brings out the 'significant' objects; those vital to the function of each room in the more vivid colours available, such as blue, pink and green.

 The installation on the right was created by the artist in 2001 who covered her bedroom in $1000 worth of the sticky notes, it took six days to complete and was dismantled within a twenty four hour period of completion, with only five people seeing the finished result in her room. Similar to her living room piece, Murtaugh draws the eye to the objects that give a room it's function; particularly in this image the bed.

While the obvious reason to be drawn to the artists work is due to the visually pleasing aesthetics, she also makes a more valid point. The objects within a room determine it's function; without a bed, it would just be a room.

She admits her fascination with the object comes from how she has managed to manipulate it's function;

"They have purpose , but it's different for everyone: sometimes it's a note, 'I'll be back,' or maybe it's a phone number. But for all these important things, the note itself is always ephemeral and temporary... There is duality; it's disposable, but it's very valuable."

What is so admirable about Murtaugh is her persistence with the material; confining and restricting herself to the same media and purpose displays a diligence in her work, and the importance of the 'everyday' material to her as an artist.

Lorna Simpson - Stereo Styles

Camera Austria (International)
123, 2013

"Simpson is asserting the historical reconfiguration of the photographic archive, but also that of art and memory."

Stereo Styles, 1988. 10 Polaroid prints, 10 engraved plastic plaques.
Photographs 35 x 31 inches each, plaques 3 x 6 inches each, 66 x 116 inches overall.

 Lorna Simpson's 'Stereo Styles' consists of ten images focusing on the back of a head; each featuring a unique hairstyle. Accompanying the images there are also ten descriptive words that each invoke a different feel or emotion about the photographs; ‘Daring,’ ‘Sensible,’ ‘Severe,’ ‘Long and Silky,’ ‘Boyish,’ ‘Ageless,’ ‘Silly, ‘Magnetic,’ ‘Country Fresh,’ and ‘Sweet.' While Simpson herself as a feminist photographer intended to make the audience judge through these phrases, and portray how people jump to conclusions about a person without even seeing their face, it also adds a humorous element; ironic considering the serious social  meanings of her collection.

While the message that she portrays is meant to prove a point about sexism and racism, the viewer finds themselves more drawn to the image because it appears to be 'fun' and 'playful;' happen not dissimilar from portraits seen in magazines. Also, the words on the black plaque add an element of interactivity to her work as the viewer attempts to match up the descriptions with the hairstyles.

Whether intended or not, it is interesting to think about how different people would respond to the images, and whether they are received as serious and meaningful as intended or just as interesting to look at.

Bruno Michaud (BMD design) - 'Scriptography'

Novum -  World of Graphic Design,

International Issue German/English October 2013

Article 'Vintage Ink' by Marta Almeida

"Scriptography is the art of combining, meeting, merging, marrying, blending and mixing texts and drawings. It s a kind of graphic alchemy." - Michaud



The title of Almeida's article in the 'Novum' graphic design journal seems to summarise the whole concept of BMD. 'Vintage Ink' perfectly describes their work concisely, in just two words. Unlike a lot of modern graphics, Michaud prides himself on using a number of different processes to create authentic and rustic looking pieces which incorporate the main features of graphic design as it has evolved through time, building and working ino each piece with different media until he has created a classic and bold result.

The image above is an excellent example of the type of work that is produced under his company. As Almeida points out in her article; Michaud's preference for handwriting 'evokes a nostalgia,' a yearning for the simplicity of writing, text and communication in the past. He creates this appeal through combining processes; lettering created through painting with watercolour, combined with thick ink and ballpoint pen to create sharp, bold outlines as well as a 'harmonious' balance between the bold image and text.

What is so exciting about Michaud's work is that in a world obsessed with technology, minimalism and modernism, his designs appeal to the mass. This represents the timelessness of classic graphic design work and directs thoughts back to an age before computers.

Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam- "Takino Rainbow Nest"

ETN Textile Forum
3/2013 September copy

Part of the 'fiberarts' movement, Toshiko developed her love of experimentation; specifically how art can have a practical and interactive use. She has displayed a number of her installations across Japan which have all incorporated this theme and were composed from a combination of both hand crocheted nets and large machine-knotted nylon nets.

Jean Littlejohn- 'Portal'

Embroidery- The Textile Art Magazine

September/October 2013

"Jean's work is largely about the passing of time, often combining aspects of pattern with history."

Jean Littlejohn's most recent textile artwork was largely inspired by the renovation of her Victorian  home. While work was being completed, Jean gained ideas from peeling back the layers of plaster and wallpaper and studied the interesting textures and patterns surrounding her.

The 80x40cm image above ('Portal') was created through a combination of printing, layering, hand and machine stitch as well as embellishing. The subtle colours, all tints of originally bolder colours, help to create a sense of the past; the patterns are still visible but have faded over time. Her use of layering also mimics the build up of patterns and textures on the walls through the years that it has been inhabited.

Although as a flat 2D image on the internet it is hard to gain a real sense of the textures on the piece, the layering still somehow manages to hint at the raised surfaces so you can visualise how it may feel to touch. The careful consideration of colour means that although composed of numerous layers of pattern, it is not chaotic or overpowered by the different textures.