The Secret Garden Party Festival

The secret garden party was a festival I had always wanted to go to, due to the fact that it's a very big festival for all types of art, with body art and dressing up being at the centre of this. So when I found out that this was going to be the last ime the festival was going to take place I booked my tickets almost a year in advance. This wasn't something I had planned specifically for the arts award gold but realised I could use it to add to my part C section. Due to it being such an art centred place/event every year it has a theme. The theme before this one was of childhood memories and the idea of being a kid again, this time it was a theme of celebrity. So we could basically dress up as sparkling and over the top as we wanted. I chose to go down the body art angle with this theme and got some glitter body art done from the Gypsy Shrine girls when I was there, which is shown in the polaroid on the opposite page of my book. I went to this festival with my mum (Polaroid below) as she had never been to a festival like this before and was very interested in the art side of the festival also. I took advantage of everything going on, from glitter face art to experiencing body paint on my leg. My time at the festival was absolutely amazing, it really felt like everyone was there to express themselves and that's what I love about festivals. It's a chance for people to feel a bit freer. There was lots going on, from music artists I had never heard of before, live plays, to amazing food stalls and shows. On the opposite page I have also stuck in my ticket for the festival as first hand evidence.

How is this going to help develop my work?

When I was there observing all the body art going on unnoticed how it was so bold, bright and colourful, I also noticed hot it was bedding used in a very positive way. Which was to make people feel good about themselves and individual. So it inspired me to think of ways I could use body art in more everyday sorts of ways. E.g could I develop my work so that people can wear henna patterns that are suitable for their own everyday? Maybe linking with fashion or positive patterns which would give them something different ? This goes back to what I said before on my book about henna having a deeper meaning, so how can I develop this idea further ? What areas of henna as a body art haven't been explored yet? The festival also made me really keen to get on and find a bod artist (working with paint) that I could add to my part B section, and again this event as well as other art practitioners I've interviewed have established that.