my latest work aims to explore the process of adding value, with particular focus toward the impact of the maker. 

Where many products found for sale in todays marketplace have been produced en mass to keep cost and lead times to a minimum, this project seeks to establish the importance of operational imperatives contrary to that of a mass produced ideology - small scale production, limited product lines, locally sourced materials  and perhaps most importantly; the knowledge that a skilled individual has put time and effort into making a quality product. In contrast to the sterile, standardised items anyone can pick up at their local high street; smaller scale, independently made craft items offer a uniquely satisfying outcome and alternative to the plethora of mass produced commonalities served up by todays vast faceless corporations.

where is the value in todays consumer products? we know that the issue of quality (and hence value) is a relative one - an object will mean different things to different people according to the society they are in; the context in which that product is offered and in which it is used.

What is contributing most to value in products at the moment however? is it the inherent monetary cost associated with its components parts? invariably yes, but to what extent are we aware of this when we pay £1.34* per litre to fill up our car ... it should be clear from this example that the real value in fuel is the independence a vehicle offers (clearly its not as clean cut as this, with a whole host of factors contributing to how we arrive at a value arising from the inclusion of something as socially complex as a car.) But do we as consumers really think about the thousands of people who have worked to get this precious commodity from the ground to the pump ? or do we simply think "petrol sure is expensive..."

*price for 1 litre of unleaded petrol according to www.petrolprices.com/

more importantly, do we care how expensive things are if the name on the label provides us with that level of satisfaction that no other label can provide? Sought after brands will always be able to charge inflated price tags because of the prestige attached to owning such an item, but for the most part, the way in which these things are made is focused on the bottom line - driven by either corporate greed or market pressures - meaning that the level of quality cannot help but be diminished. 

There is much to be said for local produce. While global economies of scale can have a downward effect on price they must also have an effect on the user; in less than a generation western culture has become dependant on foreign manufactured imports - how has this impacted on the way people interact with products and the way we attach value to objects?

From a purely economical view it would appear that we now value design and materials far less than we did 10 or 15 years ago - take the mobile phone - extravagant and expensive at its inception but now a staple product for people all over the world. The reason for this ? competition in the market place which led to downward pressure on cost, thus making these previously luxurious status symbols an integral part of millions of peoples lives - both poor and privileged.

But the effect of being able to walk into a shop and pick one up off the shelf for a relative pittance (relative to both their original cost and to alternatives on the market today) is that we can often think of these cultural and technological phenomenons as disposable - should we be?

Designer in Residence

DEE-EYE-REZ
D.I.R.
Designer in Residence.

Today marks the official launch of my design residency at Gray's school of art.

This period will provide me with the opportunity to produce work that is sensitive to concerns i have regarding consumer products.

i guess i had better get Making...