ESCAPE FROM BENEATH
The work focuses on learning difficulties, Dyslexia. She frames these experiences from the viewpoint of a young child with Dyslexia and her own experience. The work aims to help others without dyslexia to know what it feels like to have dyslexia and to help others who have dyslexia know they are not alone. And help herself work through her emotional trauma.
The text within the paintings from ‘Sink and Search’ is being submerged, within the work with elements of the sea. The painting uses Chiaroscuro to evoke a sense of drowning. Hidden within the painting are words that represent what it feels like to experience dyslexia. They are painted in a way to highlight that when a dyslexic is trying to spell a word, it may be there but it’s not clear to them all the time.
‘Escape from Beneath’ is highly influenced by the book Kensuke's Kingdom. This children’s book is the pinnacle piece of literature that introduced dyslexia as not evil and that reading can be beautiful. The story of a young boy getting shipwrecked on an island. The island symbolises how lonely it feels to have dyslexia. The overload of words creates this overload of emotion when stepping into the installation.
The installation is highly influenced by the book Kensuke's Kingdom. Kensuke's Kingdom was the pinnacle piece of literature that introduced that being dyslexic is not an evil thing. Reading can be beautiful. The words written on the installation are all from this book. Which tells the story of a young boy getting shipwrecked on an island. The island symbolises how lonely it feels to have dyslexia and to live with it. The overload of words creates this overwhelming emotion when stepping into the installation.
The descending colours from light to dark brings the elements of the sea back into the work. At the top, there is a lighter blue to represent the top of the sea's surface. And as you go down it gets darker and darker which represents the bottom of the sea and the lowest point of the book and also the lowest emotional written text. In contrast to the top of the installs text which is hopeful and energetic.
The first layer of the text is in white. Each sentence of this text descends by the first line of each chapter in the book (10 lines, 10 chapters). The text on this isn't just written from left to right, some sentences are written from right to left and with some words written backwards.
The second layer of writing is highlighted text within the book. This text is highlighted and written on the installation because it reflected dyslexic tendencies and keywords. This second layer of text is written in multiple different colours to add more confusion and multitude to the insulation. This text is also not written in the same font size. Free-flowing gestural movements, exaggerated harsh lines and symbols are hidden within.
Also added to the installation is a copy of my personal educational psychological report from when I was 8 and a half. This is placed in the installation to remind the audience that this installation is still about that little dyslexic girl. There is also hidden ink splashes in the form of a wave, this adds an unknown rhythm to the extended painting. The last elements added were large letters that were spray painted onto the installation. I added this to add an extra dimension to the extended painting.
SINK AND SEARCH
‘Sink and Search’ are a series of soft acrylic and oil paintings. The text within the paintings from ‘Sink and Search’ is being submerged, making it in some places you are able to see the text and in other places, you cannot. I use elements of water and the sea in my paintings to create depth. The paintings use the technique chiaroscuro to evoke a sense of drowning. The lightest parts representing the light for above the seas surface. The dark shades are to represent the deep ocean and falling in deeper and deeper.
The hidden words within the painting, represents what it feels like to experience dyslexia. They are painted in a way to highlight that when a dyslexic person is trying to spell a word, the word may be there in their heads, which they may or may not know how to spell, but it’s not clear to them all the time. Which makes their brain foggy and confusing.
On top of the paintings are multiple layers of satin and gloss varnish, Satin on the bottom and many layers of gloss on top. By using multiple layers of varnish I was able to create a reflection in the paintings. This was to mimic the way light bounces off the top of the waters surface. With this series I wanted the audience to sense the darkness of the ocean and to find it difficult to differentiate the word within the paintings.
Mini Series
8 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS OLD
‘8 Years and 6 Months Old’ is a photography series started at the beginning of the year. The photography is from multiple site visits during lockdown III. College wasn't open and my practice needed to be altered and so my focus was more sketchbook and digital work-based.
All the images are taken from the height of an 8-year old. As that was the age that I found out I was dyslexic. The images are taken from the exterior of the school building, in multiple locations. On the images, there are layered words on top. The words that are layered on top are from my educational psychological report done when I was 8 and a half. This symbolises the blooming, glooming reality for a dyslexic child walking in and being in school. Spelling, reading, grammar and punctuation hanging over you when you know now it's too much to handle, and it makes you anxious to think or to be there. It also reverts me back to the time when others found out I was dyslexic, it became my whole personality and will always be there. Hidden inside me.
