Things to do:
• Continue the survey of letter cutting in slate, adding images and text to In Blessed Memory mainly from Cornish churchyards, but perhaps from other public locations, creating an archive. There appears to be increasing contemporary use of slate and hand cut lettering in North Cornwall as local identity becomes an increasing factor in public building projects, so I would document such examples. Considering the interest that there has been in the earlier exhibition booklet, as well as in lectures that I’ve given on this, perhaps publishing a book should be my ambition for this archive, as well as an updated exhibition. I am considering submitting a paper on this to a design conference to be entitled Beyond the Margins, to be co-organised by Teal.
• It also strikes me that an updated survey of contemporary hand cut lettering would fall quite well into the DCA’s ( Design Communication Association) areas of interest: it represents architectural and graphic design academics, with the majority being the former. A project which shows an historical craft based form of graphic design in architectural settings, both ancient and modern, might fit their agenda very well. The next conference is to be in Montana,2010, with proposals to be submitted this September. I shall make sure I submit this one.
• Forwards and backwards with the Message exhibition submission: I intend to keep in touch with Jean Hasse of Visible Music, to attend her British performances and to write about the role of design in her music publishing. Design features in her composing as well, i.e. an illustration of how a chorus should whistle, rather than a score. Historical research into the hand rendering of choral music would be a lovely project. The San Marco library in Florence would be a great place to revisit. There must also be examples in the British Library, the V&A and possibly the Bodleian, as well as the manuscripts in the Musee de Cluny, Paris. There is plenty to investigate here. An outcome for this would be to perform with my choir, Cadon, from these manuscripts.
• The ongoing commitment to the church restoration in our village, the lecture lunches in the village hall and my participation in helping organise and contribute to such things, show no sign of letting up. They take a lot of work at some times, but not all the time.
Research profile for Esther Dudley
School of Arts and Media, Faculty of Arts, University of Plymouth
February 2011.
Current: researching the context of a single artefact: a decorated initial from a 15th century choir book, for publication as an article in Varoom 15, Spring 2011. Also to be extended as a written contribution to the Message exhibition, March 2011 alongside the artefact as an exhibition item.
This is a small aspect of an ongoing research project, which brings together two distinct areas of interest and which reflects my involvement in both: design and music. The research has so far produced a brief documented history of illuminated music manuscripts from the 11thc. – 13thc.; an essay on sheet music publication in the 19th and early 20th centuries; an interview with a composer and independent music publisher whose piano scores have visual and sonic form and an essay reflecting on my relationship with music, through the discipline imposed by learning to play the piano from a young age.
Scholarly research: taking over the leadership, writing and delivery of theoretical modules on the MA Publishing programme (previously taught by a professor/reader) has necessitated the development of a knowledge base. Also, the development of a rationale for teaching combined modules with MA Communication Design has been an ongoing strand of research. Membership of the Association for Publishing Education has been very valuable and I am committed to furthering this connection as an active committee member. I have launched the student design competition for a new identity for the Association, which will be judged in Plymouth on 4th March and will be launched at the London Book Fair, April 2011.
The nature of my teaching of theory, history and critical analysis, based largely on the delivery of lectures, requires continuous research to be informed on current issues as appear in design journalism and web publications, enabling me to contextualise teaching, appropriate to the student.
Broader research:
As an active committee member of the Friends for the renovation of the Parish Church of St Mabena, I continue to participate in the successful lecture series in the village, as we raise funds to add to the considerable funding secured from English Heritage in 2009. Also in 2009 I was instrumental in securing funding for the cleaning and restoration of an oil painting, The Deposition of Christ, artist unknown, which has hung on the south wall of the nave for many decades.
Research outputs from 2007 – 2011
Published:
A review of Alan Male’s Illustration: a Theoretical and Contextual Perspective, August 2007 for the Association of Illustrators, published in aoi-online journal.
Review of Icons of Graphic Design by Steven Heller and Mirko Ilic, June 2008, for Varoom-online, the AOI.
Discussion paper Writing with Intent, for the New Views 2 conference, LCC, July 2008, published in conference proceedings.
Article, Words As Image & Object: an analysis of the work of Sam Winston, in Varoom, issue14, December 2010.
Agreed to allow copy to be used as press release for Sam Winston’s exhibition at Kaleid Editions, Redchurch St London, E2 and as promotional copy on his website (current) www.samwinston.com
Presented:
In Blessed Memory, a study of carved letter forms in slate, at St Mabyn Parish Church, supported by the Cornish Historical Churches Trust, April 2007
Presented in Blessed Memory, a conference paper at the Dreams Dilemmas and Dangers, Rural Futures conference, University of Plymouth, April 2008.
Invited to present paper Design/Show/Tell to the Design Communication Association, Atlanta, Georgia, March 2009.
Invited to participate in formation of a proposed research institute led by Rural Futures, June 2008.
Research papers:
Design/Show/Tell, a study of the tradition of hiring fairs, agricultural shows and the history of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, with emphasis on the need for more informative design in the contemporary county show, presented to Message research seminar, February 2009
Notes on Notes, a paper from the research project Designing Music, presented to Message research seminar, March 2010
Exhibited:
First Message research group exhibition, an essay from Designing Music – a personal reflection on my relationship with music. Sherwell Centre, University of Plymouth. April 2009
Second Message research group exhibition, a study of the decorative motif in illuminated music manuscripts (in progress). Crosspoint, University of Plymouth. April 2010
Forward research plan:
To contribute to the third Message research group exhibition in March 2011, exhibiting a fragment of 15th century illumination, with accompanying essay.
Currently researching and writing an article for publication (Varoom or Creative Review?) about artists using text as image, with reference to the work of artist Ellen Bell, to coincide with a show at The Gallery, 50 Redchurch St, London EC2 , May 2011. Accepted by Varoom 16 for August-September,2011.
To continue to be a contributing editor of Varoom-lab and to research the work of artists/designers for articles to publish in print and digital formats for Varoom.
To submit a proposal for publication, to Intellect (published previous co-edited Becoming Designers, 2001) working title: Text as Image, a study of the contemporary practice of artists whose work depends on text as the primary object. To contextualise this within the history of pre-printed texts, and with expressive type.
To research at the British Library, the Bodleian Library, Cecil Sharp House and archives within Cornwall and Devon, a history of sheet music publication and the significance of the printed score in the dissemination of folksongs. The Bodleian Library contains the Broadside Ballads collection, 30,000 items from the earliest printed sheets. I intend to locate songs particular to Cornwall and Devon and printing shops located in the counties, to chart the spread of songs that are identified with our regional traditions. A study of folk music should consider the importance of gatherings of large numbers of people, such as feast day celebrations, hiring fairs, agricultural shows, markets and auctions, the building of the railways, the departure and return of the fleet, etc. (This follows Dr Leo de Freitas’s study of the chap books and ballads of Banbury ).
Within two years it may be possible to compile a catalogue and create an exhibition of printed songs and their illustrations. A performance of the songs should be planned to be part of the event.
Other research: ongoing survey and creation of archive of photographs and first hand accounts of life at The Oldest Bridge on the River. Focusing on a very beautiful valley in North Cornwall to study economic, cultural, political, industrial, agricultural and social change.
To continue the photographic survey of In Blessed Memory and to record fine freehand lettering and carving in slate, wherever it occurs.
