What changed in me

At the beginning I was simply drawn to translucency and hidden layers. I wanted a surface that could hold more than one read at once. At that point I worked mostly through images and drawings, letting soft blends and simple lines suggest depth. As I entered the studio, I discovered that the same ideas could live inside materials. Resin, clay and sand started to show me how time appears in matter. A thin veil held a shallow glow, a dry edge recorded air, and a sift of sand settled into quiet channels. After the first group critiques I realised I was smoothing away the very evidence I cared about. I kept the small pits and thin edges and I began to save fragments from breaks. I learned that a fragment is a record, not a fault.

When I visited exhibitions, I noticed how spacing, height and soft light change the way a work is read. At this point I understood that display is part of meaning, not something added after. I started to plan distance and tilt so that a slow shadow could support the surface. I also felt a shift in how I use drawing. The line did not disappear, it moved into space as seams and measured gaps that the body can follow. I found that fields of parts communicate better than one perfect piece. Editing became as important as making

Across the year I also learned to organise a professional presentation. I built a simple site structure that separates statement, works, research and process so the project reads clearly. I refined captions and file naming, prepared images for web, and kept a short record of tests and outcomes so the development is legible. These practical decisions are part of the work because they shape how it is read

Building the MA show confirmed these changes. I saw how a clear ground, a measured line, sand, resin and clay could read together without heavy explanation. I learned to document with purpose, to write captions that say exactly what is being shown, and to connect my work to artists and texts that sit in my area of inquiry. Living away from home also filtered in. I became more aware of being in between places and I tried to keep that gently present without turning it into a statement. I feel I now trust slower choices. Modest scale, low contrast, careful spacing and patient light make sense for this subject. I accept that breaks and partial pulls belong in the language. Going forward, I want to keep this clarity and take it to new rooms and sites, inviting small traces from others when it helps. The aim is steady. Give a clear place for attention and let the work keep what remains