Hello Everyone!
I've been painting and drawing for years with limited success and have decided that I would like to get some formal Art-Education. So I am currently a student at the University of Bolton (UK) studying the Art and Design foundation course, and will be staying on to study the Fine Art degree next year.
I am about to embark on my Final Major Project and I aim towards producing a body of work that explores and confronts the issues surrounding child abuse, both physical and sexual and what it is that makes the perpetrator choose one victim over another. I know this is a really sensitive and difficult subject to deal with but I believe it needs to be addressed. I know there are loads of people and organisations out there determined to stamp it out, I want to help and I think that art could bring it more into the public eye so to speak. I also think that it would help me come to terms with what has happened to me. To be honest, I don't really see this as a single project; it's something that could be the basis for a life-time of work.
I am required to conduct a significant amount of research before completing and physical art works and hope that the good people here will be willing to help me with it.
If you have any stories, thoughts, or comments that you would like to share please feel free to contact me.
What would also be a great help in my research is artwork that confronts this subject, this will be used solely for research purposes and full credit will be given to the artist if I should need to mention the work in my journals.
As soon as I start to produce the art, I will be posting progress shots on DA to (hopefully) get your opinions about the aesthetics of the pieces and if they are conveying the intended message.
Oh yes, it's important to let you know that I do not know what will happen to the final art work when it is completed, there will be an exhibition of the work in the University, and there is a slight chance that the work will be published or sold.
If I use any of the information from this research in my final work in any way, I will not publish names or any other identifying features. Everything will be treated with full confidentiality.
Sorry that this has been a little long-winded but I believe it is all relevant.
Thank you much for reading it and please feel to contact me about this project.