Previous work-University

Here is a collection of the work I have produced for university projects. I have chosen to show the work that I was drawn to; the various materials I experimented with and also a few of the exhibitions my work became a part of.


In one of my first exhibitions students were set the task to form exhibition group in which I was involved with the group Melange and we went with the theme of 'Blue.' Together we organised an exhibition of our own works, as I was currently doing a project surrounding my ethnicity I decided to work on the medium of watercolours and learning to paint combining the chinese and western styles. What resulted was a series of 6 water-coloured paintings.

A series of 6 water-coloured paintings

Melange exhibition 'Blue' The University of the West of England

In relation to this exhibition I spoke of my term project, entitled 'Englishness.'
As I am English but born here to Chinese parents, I found the project particularly interesting. I came to realise that I have in some ways neglected my Chinese heritage and have completely adopted Western ways, therefore I thought I would work on expressing my personal englishness as a combination of my english and chinese life.
Working with wax I played around with merging two scenes together.
My final piece resulted in having in the background black wax but merging from underneath was the flag of the United Kingdom, and using a compass I scratched in images of my chinese traditions.

Initial drawing of a lion dance

Scratched drawing of the lion dance

Chinese wedding tradition

Final piece. Englishness

My next project that I took great interest in was named 'Archeology.' In art you have the ability to be given a title yet from that you can take the title to where-ever it leads you, whether it has an obvious connection or not. I chose to look into the idea of what lies beneath, and distortion. In turn this lead to looking at the distortions with water, I began looking at things that were not as it seemed for example icebergs which look small on top but then have such vastness beneath the water.
To move this along I took to the swimming pool with volunteers and using an under water camera captured the body being distorted. This slowly led to what the body looks like underwater not just the distortion but the colours they in turn produced.
Using water-coloured pencils and clear paper I drew the distorted merging of body and water and the eerie colours it came to produce.

An initial water colours on paper painting of a swimmer beneath the surface

Knee distortion

Arm distortion

Leg distortion

Earlier in my current project I became interested in how to make books, therefore I began making small marquette books, that varied from the accordion style, circle book, fold out, flip book etc.

Pocket book

Circle book (1)

Circle book (2)

Fold out book