Cupola Gallery

Having been on holiday, taking time to relax in the sun and let off some steam it was time to head back to Sheffield, and back to reality. With over a month of free time on my hands ahead of me, I felt I needed to use my time wisely and productively before it was time to start university again. So I have started volunteering at an art gallery in Hillsborough, called Cupola Contemporary Art. So far each day at the gallery has been different.  It is keeping me very busy and I’ve found working in an environment surrounded by such a wide range of art is keeping me inspired and constantly giving me ideas that I can apply to my own work. 

Summer Begins…

After a challenging and demanding 8 months of hard work, my second year of studying architecture had finally come to an end. Although stressful at times it was a fantastic year, and I am proud to have survived it! I am excited (but also nervous) and intrigued to see what third year has install for me… But not without a well deserved break first!

I visited Spain for two weeks with some of my school friends, first staying in Barcelona, then travelling south to Benicassim Festival for a week, then returning to Barcelona for a final few days.

Barcelona – take 1

Our first morning in Barcelona was spent sat outside a café sipping ice tea, enjoying the warm temperatures whist being perfectly shaded by Sagrada Família. Views of the cathedral were still obstructed by scaffolding and cranes, as it had been when I visited many years ago, so I was struggling to see how the construction of Sagrada Família had progressed since then. However, how much the construction had come along became apparent much later.

From Sagrada Família we headed to the north of the city to visit Park Güell. Antonio Gaudi’s designs were often characterised by organic and nature inspired sculptural forms, Park Güell appearing to have a reptilian theme. The long curved mosaic tiled bench personified a sea serpent, which surrounded a large open space, which also provided viewpoints over Barcelona down to the coast. However I preferred the more sheltered enclosed spaces adjacent to this. As the paths winded up from street level we were lead to cavernous areas formed from leaning columns and made from stone, producing a scaly effect. The beauty of the mosaic tiles reflecting the sun and the flowing sculptural forms which create social spaces provide the perfect escape from the busy city.

Returning to the city we continued our Gaudi themed sight seeing, and visited Casa Batlló. Again easily recognisable as one of Antonio Gaudi’s works, the structure had more of a skeletal form but still featured a scaly ‘fish’ like tiled roof.

During a stay in Barcelona we also spent time by the coast, browsing the market stalls and of course a bit of sunbathing. But one thing you can’t miss on the sea front is the giant fish sculpture, designed by Frank Gehry for the 1992 Olympics.

Benicassim

Finally it was time to head south for Benicassim Festival! After what seemed like the longest coach journey of our life we arrived in Oropesa, a town just outside of Benicassim. The festival was four days long and I was lucky to enjoy some amazing bands with my friends, in an incredible atmosphere. The performances covered so many genres I was able to enjoy the likes of Bob Dylan, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Maccabees, The Vaccines and David Guetta. However my favourites were The Stone Roses, Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds especially. Singing along to ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is definitely one of my favourite and most memorable moments of the holiday.

It was neither practical nor safe to take my SLR camera to the festival, but I had my trusty disposable cameras! I always embrace the chance to use disposable cameras, especially at festivals just for their vintage quality and imperfections. With the festival taking place during the night, to avoid the high daytime temperatures, the pictures did not come out as well as if they had been taken in the daylight, but the cameras fulfilled their purpose all the same!

Barcelona – Take 2

After a long week of festival madness we returned to Barcelona for one night in an attempt to recover before flying back to England. On our last day we revisited Sagrada Família, to properly experience the building.

On entering the Cathedral I was both amazed and speechless. Previously when I had visited many years ago, all I can recall is being rushed through a dark and dusty obstacle course of scaffolding. But this was quite a transformation. The vault heights alone were overwhelming, and the amount of light that entered the space was quite uplifting. With a rainbow of colours projecting from the stained glass windows all around the cathedral, it was quite a magical ambiance.

To say I was impressed would be an understatement. I look forward to returning in 2028 to see the finished outcome!

End of Year Exhibition

I ended my second year of university by helping curate and put together our End of Year Exhibition. As second years we were in charge of the second year exhibition - but we were also on hand to help the third years. We had exactly one week to choose the work to be displayed and plan how to exhibit it. A lot of time was spent arranging work, then rearranging, painting walls and then repainting but we got there in the end! With all work to be pinned up and on display by 4 o’clock Friday afternoon the whole school pulled together and the outcome was brilliant.

The opening followed that night and with an excellent turn out! It was great to see the work of other students and learn about projects carried out by other years. I was paying special attention to the third year exhibition of course, to get an idea of what is install for me. Here are a few works that caught my eye…

Welcome

Hi there... 

I'm just about to go into my third year as an architecture student and thought it was about time I started keeping a record of what I get up to at uni and in my life outside of my course. This way I can share with you my interests and hobbies and also keep you updated with my university projects. 

I present to you my blog, hope you enjoy.