Speed Bonnie Boat

I am a BA Fine Art Student studying at Moray School of Art. My practice comprises painting and drawing, so making a painted piece felt most natural to me. Over the years I have been enamoured by the Art Nouveau art style and the similarities it shares with Psychedelic poster art of the 1960s.

Covenant’s brief has allowed me to explore my personal affections from the trip to Fort George. This journey was very worthwhile, as that epoch of Scottish history and style is fascinating to me. Historical subject matter is a motivating aspect for my practice and hopefully this can be seen through my use of constant references to the past. Having no personal connections to the army, I felt it best for me to focus on the most stimulating features. The Jacobite era and aesthetic provided plenty of inspiration here, such as the paintings displaying the ‘Red Coat’ uniforms. I began to think more about war history throughout the world and not just in Scotland, which immediately brought my thinking to the Anti-War Vietnam protests which took place in Swinging-Sixties America. This led me to the outcome of combining the two histories.

By creating a poster format, it plays with the idea of teenage-esque bedroom décor, alluding to the idea that armies and warfare are forces which transcend timely barriers. Armed forces have been an incessant constant throughout human history and probably always will be which is something I’ve understood from tackling this project. Human nature means we have a deep-rooted bloodlust to conquer land and reign triumphant which is why I like the idea of introducing the softness of a female model to juxtapose the brutality of battles. By keeping the curation of the work minimal, I aim to communicate the messages without any distractions nearby.

I understand now that the research part of Professional Process is a crucial part of making work meaningful. Also, that the displaying of work plays a large role in how a viewer will interpret a piece and walk away from an exhibition with specific feeling.