Dissertation done!

First semester of my final year is done and dusted. Dissertation was submitted on Sunday, over a week early as it was finished. Now to get back to creating art!

First semester was completely dedicated to the dissertation - we had multiple writing tutorials which I didn't really use for review or advice - I didn't actually start writing until the first week of December. How I write, is I do my research over a period of time, mull it over mentally, and actually draft it out in my mind. Once I've got the gist of it figured out, I sit down and type it all out. If it is a short project, say 500-1000 words I'll do it in one sitting. For 5000-10000 words might take a few days in a row. But I do it all in one go.

For the final tutorial in early December I had one and a half pages to show the professor. Basically just the introduction, section headings, and the reference list was started. 

We were required to submit our draft by January 7th for review. Mine was over the maximum word count by 1000. The professor suggested where I could prune, and also suggestion a topic I'd mentioned in passing that I could expound on. I implemented his suggestions.

Then I spend five, yes FIVE, days getting my references, citations and photos/figures organizes and cited correctly. I have six pages of them in that document!

I got two friends to read it, only one typo found. I hope that was it. Both said they found it really interesting, which is great. It is a good thing if people enjoy reading your work.

I submitted online and then waited for the Turnitin report. It came back saying11% which was a bit high! Usually my papers are less than 5% and that's usually references and quotes! I went and checked and it was fine. Ridiculous... there was a list of 40 individual items they claimed were <1% matches. None of which I'd ever heard of. And none of them were even whole phrases, let alone whole sentences! Of course, the quotes, citations and reference list were all flagged, as usual. So all good.

According to the very sparse draft schedule we've been given we will be having an interim assessment on our body of work and portfolio end of April/beginning of May. Then the final apparently will be the end of August, with the MA Show in September.

First session back after Christmas break is next Wednesday. No idea what we are doing, the schedule just has the date and a.m./p.m. boxes with no times. All I know is the third year cohort is now on body of work production for our final assessment.

We have to prepare a portfolio submission per a format provided to us. Includes our proposals, writings, notes and reflections from tutorials and critiques, artist statement, images, etc. I'm trying to keep on top of that and populate the form as I go.

I did a fair bit of creating over the summer, and have several more works in progress from over the autumn and winter, and plans for several more interesting experiments.

Here is one of the more recent weaving projects:

"Of course I'm happy. Why do you ask?" Acrylic paint on paper, acrylic relief ink on paper, woven paper. A2 (approx. 24x16")

I'm working on some 3D work incorporating weaving too.