Drawing
To me, the act of drawing is a means of mediating the spaces that exist between place, perception and consciousness. Drawing presents the possibility of translating one's reactions (both conscious and unconscious) into visible texts that can be experienced by a third party. This act of translation and transposition, often engendered by a response to a specific place, object or set of objects, may be affected by emotional states that are quite divorced from these objects and spaces. The outcome of the act of drawing is therefore dependent on both my response to the place or object, the 'fact' of the subject and process by which these are then transposed to create a text which represents the synthesis of these diverse experiences.
My work is predominantly concerned with the recording of landscapes and objects and their relationship to my emotional experience. The places I choose are therefore metaphors for emotional states and, at best, the drawings transcend the representation of any specific location and come to generically represent the characteristics of a particular space that has both a physical and metaphysical presence. I am intrigued by the process of drawing because of the inherent battle one faces in resolving such works. The desire to make the drawing 'work' far exceeds any desire for pictorial representation and the drawings which, start in response to something or somewhere that actually exists, inevitably take on a life of their own and become something else.
I choose to draw because my time is limited and the struggle I experience in producing this work demands a level of integrity that is not determined by technique or client. I view my drawings as a storage space for ideas and memories that may yet be developed further. I depend on drawing as a means of keeping in touch with myself and making that which is invisible visible.
Education
1981-1984: BA (Hons) Graphic Design (First Class Honours) Camberwell College of Arts, The London Institute
1976 - 1977: Foundation Studies Exeter College of Art
Current and past positions
2000 - :Associate Dean Faculty of Art,, Media and Design University of the West of England, Bristol
1996 - 2000: Head of the Department of Communication Media Faculty of Art and Design Manchester
Metropolitan University
1990 - 1995: Principal Lecturer/Course Director BA (Hons) Graphic Design Camberwell College of Arts
The London Institute
Principal Lecturer BA (Hons) Joint Honours Fine Art with Graphic Design
1988 - 1990: Art Director, Time Out Publications
Consultant for publications: National Film Theatre, South Bank, London Paris Passion, Paris
1986 - 1888: Reigate School of Art, Visiting Lecturer Camberwell College of Arts, Visiting Lecturer
1985 Falmouth School of Art - Visiting Lecturer
1979 - 1981: Assistant Editor BBC Modern English Modern English Publications (in association with BBC World Service)
Freelance Commissions
Mitchell Beazley Ltd. World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Camberwell Press
Academic Development / Curriculum Design
2000-2001 BA (Hons) Drawing and Applied Arts
MA Animation
MA Research (University of the West of England, Bristol)
1996- 2000: BA (Hons) Graphic Design (part-time)
Review: BA (Hons) illustration with Animation
BA (Hons) Photography
BA (Hons) Television Production (Manchester Metropolitan University)
1990-1995: BA (Hons) Graphic Design
BA (Hans) Graphic Design (part-time)
Foundation Studies Art and Design (part-time)
MA Book Arts
Review: BA (Hons) Joint Honours
BA (Hons) Silvermetal
BA (Hons) Textiles (Central Saint Martins)
Research and Professional Practice
Turner's Waterfalls - a visual study of the sites of Turner's Wensleydale Waterfall paintings and drawings (2000-2003)
The Landscape of the Hope Valley, Derbyshire 'Five Years on the Trans-Pennine Express' (1998-2000)
Profile of Purbeck - a metaphysical profile of the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset (1996-1999)
Homer's Iliad - a personal interpretation of the Iliad as an edition of 25 lino-cuts
Ovid's Metamorphosis - a personal interpretation of the original text as an edition of 12 lino-cuts
Pedagogical Research/Conference organisation
2003 'At the Watershed' - widening access to Art, Media and Design' 10th GLAD (Group for Learning in Art and Design)
Conference University of the West of England, Bristol
2002 'Improving Student Feedback' ADC-LTSN funded project exploration the effectiveness of student feedback
2002 'Natural Selection' GLAD project monitoring the entry and exit profiles of students in the light of Widening
Participation Partner institutions: Manchester Metropolitan University, Cumbria Institute for the Arts
2000 'What does it mean to have a degree in Art and Design?' 9th Annual GLAD Conference Manchester
Metropolitan University
1998 'The Future for Broadcast Media in Education' Regional Symposium Manchester Metropolitan University
1995 'Curriculum Veto' Exploring the relationship between Fine Art, Graphic Design and New Technology
The London Institute
Amanda Wood
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