On the 14th November I was invited to the launch of the 2nd issue of Working Titles: Journal for Practice Based Research published by the Bauhaus Universität, Weimar. It has been a long but fantastic experience working with Xenia and Gabriel of the Working Titles editorial board and my two fantastic peer reviewers, Luise Vormittag and Hayfaa Al-Chalabi of UA; notably, the advice on the naming of the title that came from Luise. I appreciate the generosity of all involved and thank them for dedicating their time, support and expertise, it has been invaluable.

Risky Objects Abstract:

This autoethnographic PhD research utilises personal experience of eating disorders as a lens to critique broader culture. Poor body image will affect most Western women and girls; it is part of our everyday being. Western ideals have been used to construct race, sex, and class hierarchies, and continue to influence our cultural discourse. Although ideals shift over time, the white, thin ideal has been unwavering and othering.

Like the body, the home has also become idealised. Although the home can be experienced as a place of comfort and familiarity, struggles can hide in plain sight. !rough object illustrations mimicking domestic ware, I invite the audience to sit at my childhood dinner table.

Illustration must communicate with an audience and through my object illustrations I aim to develop a methodology to engage groups of women in critical dialogue on body image. However, this topic risks causing distress, meaning a balance between sensitivity and honest testimony is needed. By illustrating open and fragmented narratives I try to create objects that engage audiences while avoiding potential retraumatisation. Each group provides feedback to inform the following round of this reflective and iterative practice. This article describes the first group engagement where I consider how emotion and affect can generate affective resonance.

The full article can be found here: Risky Objects: Illustrating Situated Body Image Experience

The journal can be found here: Issue No. 2/2023 COMPROMISED VISIONS: “Lately, she’s been seeing things differently”

And just like that (*insert wind emoji and ‘poof’ sound), the holidays are over and it’s right back to work. Must admit that I am still absolutely shattered, post flu and post neurodivergent Christmas overstimulation. But the list of things to do goes on, and this week starts with the 2023 International Symposium of Autoethnography and Narrative, followed by finishing the first draft of an article with a looming deadline, and checking submission dates for the International Association of Illustration Academics 2023 exhibition. To be fair, the pressure of deadlines help when you’re ADHD and they’re coming thick and fast!

I really appreciate Julianna sending over some photos from the private view of Reflexo at Echos Studios, São Paulo, Brazil. Very much looking forward to virtually meeting everyone and hearing the feedback on Sunday 6th November.

I have found it so useful editing my website. It’s funny how so much changes as you’re ploughing through your work. I haven’t had the time to stop and think about how the work has evolved, or even how I have evolved as an illustrator. I mentioned before on a recent Instagram post that I haven’t made as much as I should have, or wanted to. I get so taken with the reading and research that goes on in the background; I hear in my mind the words of Rachel Gannon and Mireille Fauchon “Everything is your practice” (an introduction to the manifesto for illustration pedagogy: a lexicon for contemporary illustration practice, 2018). This is so very true. Despite not creating as much as I would have liked up to this point, I was easily able to chop work from the website knowing that this is not how I practice anymore. Saying that, I think it is important that there is space for WIPs, quick responses, ideation, sketchbooks and material exploration on our websites, it shows how we think and move through our subject matter. I guess it’s a sign of growth and I’m not attached to my old skin. Future illustrator me will be just as brutal to present illustrator me at some point.

What I have enjoyed is stepping back and realising how much I have actually done over the first two years of this research journey. I have heard the second year can feel like trudgin through mud, but as an ADHDer, the lack of structure and slippery timeframe can be difficult. It takes real discipline to keep going towards this this no-end-in-sight goal. For the ‘studio | academia’ section of this website, I started to look up visual evidence of all of the things I had done. Again, as an ADHDer, it’s ingrained in my very being to have to prove myself, prove I can and actually have done something, and it’s the same with forming opinions and knowledge; always looking for the source of what I’m saying. Probably why I get into the reading and researching so much! Finding links to achievements like being awarded the Mary Ann McCracken award gave a real sense of pride. To be the first to be awarded by the foundation, and have my work recognised as aligning with such a revolutionary force for justice and equality is, well, I find it hard to use words that do the feeling justice.

And to have my photo on the same page as Professor David Olusoga OBE… I’m torn between doing a dance and having a lie down. Might do both.

Mary Ann McCracken Foundation