IMAGES FROM BUCKFAST ABBEY. 1. an alter with sunshine through a stained glass window. 2. Prayer after lighting a prayer candle, a moment of peace. 3. Peering through an open window into the monks settlement.

FINAL MAJOR PROJECT: a sense of place.

My chosen muse being the South West of England, my birth place and constant settlement, what I call home. I want to express not only the beauty of the scenic landscapes and coastlines, but to delve deeper into the way people live, local businesses, the uprisings of thriving cities and the impact they have on the traditional way previous generations have created their livelihoods. Investigating further into the concept of how people live, I want to explore different personalities, how the wealthy and the poor live, the different “classes” within our society and the struggles and the joys families and individuals living in the South West. I want to exhibit the beauty of the area, but I also want to create a thorough and balanced investigation and expose the reality of a vast lack of wealth and economy in the region and how some of the population struggle and strive to make their living. For the course of my exploration of life in the South West I don’t want to simply scratch the surface and depict a superficial response, but a project that will reveal in great depth the gritty, graphic and authentic experiences the diverse population perceive as a way of life.

                The reason behind my inspiration links strongly with identity. Not only do I want to gather a collection of images to inform others of our part of the world and country, but I would also like to use this project as a way of furthering my knowledge of the region that I call my home. I want to dive into uncovering things, places, injustice, hidden beauty and personalities I’ve never understood or seen before.