Statement of Intent

Leeds College of Art BA (Hons) ILLUSTRATION	Level	06
LAUIL603 Extended Practice	Credit.	60

Name	Sophie Edwards-Smith
Date	16/05/18
Rationale
My work aims to explore and promote themes of positivity and appreciation. My work is a celebration of joy, of feeling, and of colour. I hope to use my practise as a force for social good and optimism. I see my work through a lens of ‘radical softness’, the idea that unapologetically sharing your feelings and thoughts is a political action and way to combat the societal ideal that feelings are a sign of weakness. I will only work for, or collaboratively with, organisations or communities that align with my political ideas and principles.
Themes / Subjects
-The everyday -Universal experiences -Emotional and mental health and wellbeing. -Embracing sincercerity -Radical Softness
Products / Methods of Distribution
-       Some weavings -       Sheets of hand painted text that could either be compiled as a book or distributed as posters.
Practical Skills / Media / Formats
-       Monoprinting -       Collage and papercut -       Textile arts -       Gouache painting -       Hand-rendered typography -       Book production (binding, folding, InDesign software) -       Collaborative skills (working with a graphic designer for the Leeds Bread Co-op commission)

Brief 1: Leeds Bread Co-op	Deadline	05/18
Rationale: A professional commission undertaken for Leeds Bread Co-op, a workers’ cooperative based in Meanwood, Leeds. The commission involves producing hand-drawn images of the bakery’s bread to be used in promotional material. The hand-drawn images are to reflect the bakery’s mission of creating ‘artisan bread by hand’. Taking on work from a worker’s co-operative aligns with my personal politics and personal workplace ideals.
Brief 2: Batsford Prize 2018	Deadline	03/2018
Rationale: I will be using weaving as a process through which to explore the theme of the Batsford Prize 2018, which is ‘Craving Colour’. Weaving is a time-costly process and so I am to produce only one finished weave. I am undertaking this brief because I feel it will be good for my practise to have more experience meeting deadlines and getting used to entering my work into competitions and recognising my work as a commodity. Aside from ‘Craving Colour’ the competition brief is completely open, meaning that I can continue to use weaving as an exploratory learning process through which to better understand how rhythm, colour and pattern sit in my practise.
­Brief 3: ‘Let’s Talk About…’ (self directed)	Deadline	ongoing
Rationale: A series of painted texts exploring themes of emotional wellbeing. In this series I aim to open honest dialogues around ‘difficult’ topics such as mental health. I hope to be able to use my writing to create work that is personable and relatable. This series could be collated into a booklet or zine, or distributed as posters.
Brief 4: Rainbow Junk-tion, part of The Real Junk Food Project network	Deadline	Ongoing
Rationale: I will be continuing to create promotional material for a community café in Leeds. I have already done a complete commissioned redecoration of the café’s interior, and created a logo and a visual aesthetic for the café. I am interested to see how I can build upon and develop my existing body of work for Rainbow Junktion. I aim to continue to explore tactile, hands-on processes of working. I am a long-term volunteer with The Real Junk Food Project, and have a personal commitment to their ethics and intents. This project will be interesting as it will require me to work within particular specifications that I haven’t used before, such as designing and printing a large vinyl banner.
Brief 5: Leeds Radical Herbalism 2018	Deadline	01/18
Rationale: I have been approached by the organisers of the Leeds Radical Herbalism Gathering 2018 to create a strong visual identity for the event. Deliverables for this brief include a logo and a promotional flyer to be distributed at pop-up herbal tea stalls around the city. This brief will be interesting as I will be aiming to communicatie the accessibility and availability of herbal medicine and remedies for all demographics, although herbal medicine can be considered quite fringe or alternative.