IRE Homework Task - Personal Influences - A Work of dance

My sister, Becky, is probably one of the most influential people in my life, and her main life long passion is dancing. She has attended dance classes pretty much all her life and is currently on her 3rd year of study at her Performing Arts College, the Centre Performing Arts College (PAC)

I have seen her in numerous dances and productions she has featured in, and has always had significant roles in every production she features in. Whenever I see her perform I always feel so proud of her, like she's just performing for me, but I know the reason she performs is because she loves performing, and is very good at it too! She achieved the top 10 highest GCSE Performing Arts grades in her year, and she has performed in many different huge venues, such as Alton Towers and the Royal Albert Hall!

She has always been amazing when I've seen her perform, and I know she puts a lot of practice, effort and hard work in all of her performances. Some of the most memorable shows I have seen her perform in include several of the local pantomimes, when I was a lot younger, a local production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (she played the Ghost of Christmas Present, and was very good at playing this character, as she could express her bubbly, fun, happy character through her role), the 2009 Alton Towers Scarefest, where she dressed up everyday as one of the three Trick or Treat witches, and the occasional zombie too - which also gave me an insight as to how zombie makeup works, especially on the teeth! I have also seen her in two productions she's performed in with The Centre PAC college, where she has had to learn and even choreograph dances and musical numbers. One short dance that she was in a main role that I can distinctly remember is a short performance called "Nursery Crimes," where she is reading a storybook full of nursery rhymes and children's characters who all seem happy and friendly at first, but soon become evil, which was really good.

She has also been working as a bluecoat in Pontins at Southport over this summer, which involved organising and taking part in activities with the children on holiday, dressing up as the different characters of the park, playing music for evening discos, bingo calling and putting on performances for the guests staying at the park. She really enjoyed this experience, and gained a lot of positive experience from working at Pontins, and also made a lot of friends from the other bluecoats and park guests.

She has done so well with her performing career so far and achieved so much, and I hope that I'll be able to do as well in my future profession, whatever that may be, as she has done with her performing.

IRE Homework Task - Personal Influences - A dramatic art (film, play, TV)

I love watching all sorts of TV shows and Films. Although now I'm older, I'd say I enjoy films more than TV, but when I was younger, there were a lot of TV shows and cartoons I watched that have heavily influenced my personal taste.

Probably like most children, I adored cartoons when I was younger, and I still do now. I especially loved watching these cartoons first thing on a Saturday morning, as well as the occasional time when I was able to watch cartoons at my grandparents's houses, because they had Sky TV and our household didn't (even though neither of my Grandads were ever too happy about letting me watch cartoons at their house. They preferred to watch sport and other stuff.) I especially loved watching Japanese style anime cartoons when I was younger, such as Pokemon, Digimon and Yu-Gi-Oh. I'd say these were my top 3 favourite cartoons growing up, and I remember buying loads of merchandise from each of these shows, such as plush toys, trading cards, action figures and DVDs. I also get excited today when I occasionally see old merchandise from these shows from when I was younger, because it brings back a feeling of nostalgia, as well as when I see old toys and other merchandise that I own when I occasionally look around the house. I also get excited today when I get the chance to watch these shows from when I was younger, and often try to find clips or even episodes of these shows on YouTube or on other websites. Other cartoons I used to love watching when growing up and still get excited about today include The Simpsons, Spongebob Squarepants, Fairly Odd Parents and Phineas and Ferb, and also own several DVDs of these shows and I also get excited when I see these shows on TV.

A lot of my favourite films happen to be films made by Disney. I love loads of animated classic Disney films that I watched when growing up such as Hercules, Tarzan, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Toy Story and the Lion King, and I find all of these so influential to me in so many ways, and have inspired the person I am today and what I like to do and also inspires my current interests today!

IRE Homework Task - Personal Influences - A Place

One of my favourite holidays ever was when I got the chance to go to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida with my family. Theme parks are one of my favourite genres of places to visit, and I must say my visits to the theme parks at Walt Disney World were easily the most excited I've ever been in a theme park. We were lucky enough to stay for a fortnight, and managed to visit all of the Disney World theme parks and water parks!

This holiday included some of the happiest and most precious memories I've ever had, including meeting several Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Frozone, and lesser known characters such as Lilo and Stitch, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, and Terk from Tarzan. I got my photos with all of them, and Terk gave a pretty huge hug! Frozone got me and my sister to do a superhero pose for our photo,

I also visited so many fun attractions, some of my favourites being Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Space Mountain, Test Track, the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and Big Thunder Mountain! These are not only some of my favourite rides and attractions at Walt Disney World, but some of my favourite rides and attractions in the whole wide world!

The parades, shows and firework displays are all so spectacular and breathtaking, and were easily some of the highlights of visiting the parks. The late evening Magic Kingdom, Epcot Illuminations and Fantasmic were all definitely the best and most magical firework displays I've ever seen and probably ever will see.

There was also so many awesome places to eat, and so many choices of restaurants, all with different varieties of food. My favourites were Planet Hollywood and Rainforest Cafe, they were both just so extravagant and spectacular inside, and the food in there was of a substantial quality. I'd say the only thing I didn't like about a lot of the restaurants at Walt Disney World was the fact that you had to make a reservation at most places, so it was hard to find a place just for a quick bite to eat. Thankfully, there were some decent places to eat that provided quick and easy food, such as Pizza Planet, which also had an amusement arcade in the restaurant!

The weather was also lovely for the time of year we went (March/April), brilliant weather for the theme parks! I also bought a special fan that squirted cool water because it was quite hot, and even got a bit sunburned in the water parks! Speaking of the water parks, both are so much fun. I loved the Lazy River and Wave Pool in Typhoon Lagoon, and the Family Waterslide at Blizzard Beach. One unfortunate thing that did happen at Blizzard Beach was that I cut my little toe, and because the water park is based on a beach setting, I got sand in the cut, so it was pretty painful. I had to be took to the medical room in the water park, who gave me a plaster for my toe and then had to buy some special shoes I could wear underwater that I still have and still fit me today, so I can use them whenever I want!

I also got to play a game that hadn't been released in Europe at the time, that I was really looking forward to, more than any other game I've ever wanted - Super Smash Bros. Brawl! So really, with all of this, it was easily one of the best holiday I've had in my life so far! I'd love to go again! I enjoyed it so much, and feel that it is such an inspirational place which makes so many people happy and so many people aspire to go to. I aspire to go again as many times as I can in my lifetime and to take my future children there on holiday as many times as they wish to.

IRE Homework Task - Personal Influences - A possession

I feel lucky in the fact that I have been able to experience owning many possessions, so it is really hard to just choose one.

I suppose I should look more at what I tend to enjoy doing in my spare time. I'd say I spend a lot of time on a computer of some sort, so a more recent possession I've acquired that I'd say influences me is my new Macbook Pro which I've only had for about a week now at the time of writing. That as well as the home computer. I can also be very creative on a computer, and also enjoy doing so, whether that be creating a 3D model in  Maya, creating posters or even pieces of writing/text. I also love browsing the internet, frequently visiting websites such as Facebook, to keep in touch with friends and see their thoughts and how they are doing with their lives and YouTube, to watch videos of interest, whether they be humorous, However, I wouldn't consider this to be a main influential possession.

I'd say that my main possessions that inspire me are some of the things that interest me most, video games, music and fashion. I do own a lot of clothes, and like to dress well, and can very independently choose my own personal style of fashion, and I do enjoy shopping for and choosing my own clothes but again, I wouldn't say my clothes wouldn't be my main influential possession.

I have always loved playing video games since I got my first ever games console one Christmas, a Game Boy Color, and since then I have owned many different games consoles, including a PS2, PS3, PSP, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, and most recently, and possibly one of my favourite of all these consoles, my Nintendo 3DS. I do especially love Nintendo games, I love their bright, colourful worlds and characters, and have really enjoyed playing these games on the Nintendo consoles growing up. I'd say my favourite Nintendo games have been the Super Mario, Pokemon, and Super Smash Bros. games. I also especially love, probably even more than these games, the Sonic the Hedgehog and Kingdom Hearts games.

I have also always loved listening to music, and I feel that Apple's iPod Touch (I wish I had an iPhone, but they are so expensive) is a wonderful invention and I hardly ever leave the home without it. I love how I can have all my favourite songs with me at all times. I'd say my iPod Touch and my Nintendo 3DS are my most influential possessions, because I hardly ever leave he house without them.

IRE Homework Task - Personal Influences - A significant event

A most significant event I can think of that has really helped me with my independence, self confidence, self belief and my outlook on life and friendship would have to be my trip to Rome with college, which happened in February 2012.

I don't really know where to start with talking about Rome. I just loved it. I loved the whole experience. Ok, the ways where it has influenced and developed me as a person are, first of all, it was the first time I went on "holiday" (I know it wasn't technically a holiday, but still, it felt like one) without my parents, and it was the first time I have been in another country without my parents, so that was a huge thing about the whole Rome experience already, even though I did find it a little tough at first.

Also, a lot of people went on the Rome Trip, most I hadn't met before, because they were from different courses. For starters, I didn't even know two of the five people that I shared a room with (the five including myself) before the Rome trip, and I certainly met a lot of other people on the trip who all seemed to like me a lot. Some of them still go to college but are studying an Art Foundation Diploma, and to be honest, before their course ends at the end of this year I would like to get to know the people that were on the Rome trip that are studying this course this year a bit better, at least so that they'll remember and think of me as a good friend when they leave.

This trip, along with meeting all these new people, also taught me a lot about friendship and did improve my confidence quite a lot. I think since then I have noticed that people genuinely like me, although with some people that is still hard for me to notice. I did also have a great time with my friends that I did already know who made the trip so memorable and so much fun. I also received many compliments from my current friends, the tutors and the people I had met on the trip, who all said what a nice, brave, good hearted, friendly and strong character I was, and these compliments have stayed with me since the trip.

IRE Homework Task - Personal Influences - A Person

To be honest there have been a lot of people that have influenced me throughout my whole life, including the people who have helped me a lot as well as members of my family.

First of all there's my mum. Recently she has had to look after a lot of people from recovering from illnesses and operations, such as my nan, my mum's friend Pauline, and an elderly friend of the family. She has got to be one of the most kind, caring and selfless people I have ever met, and I always enjoy the time I spend with her.

I wouldn't say I looked up to dad, but he has helped me so much throughout my entire life, especially with helping me get through school and college so far. I honestly don't think I would have achieved nearly as much in my life if it wasn't for dad. He has also taught me a lot of valuable life skills, and I feel, although sometimes wrongly, I can talk to him about anything.

I'd say my sister, Becky, has been one of my biggest influences and role models throughout my whole life. We have loads of fun together, and I really cherish the memories I have of spending time with her. She is a very happy, bubbly and fun person to be around who can really cheer me up when I see her. She has often helped me when I'm feeling down and we do get on extremely well most of the time, even though she can be moody sometimes.

 I am also very proud of what she has achieved in her life, she is an excellent performing arts student and has had many performing jobs, such as being part of 2009's Alton Towers Scarefest and performing with her performing arts college at the Royal Albert Hall! This proves a huge ambition in her, which will help her to achieve even more huge things in the future.

Another person I'd say I look up to, and although I've always worried that this may sound a bit cheesy and inappropriate, but one of the lecturers at college, Mark. I just remember when I started college how welcome and at ease he made me feel at college and how friendly he was towards all the students, including myself. I also like how he seemed to get on well with EVERYONE and had a great sense of humour, but still had time for the students and would listen to any worries they might have had and would always reassure them. I actually found myself feeling that there were a lot of qualities in his personality I wished I had myself!

IRE Homework Task - David Smith - Questions to Students

For this task I will have to choose 6 questions from a list of 44 from David Smith's Questions to Students, written about 1953 and answer each question with 100 words or so.

3. Are you a balanced person with many interests and diversions?

I feel I am a balanced person who enjoys many different things. I feel it's important to have many different interests, because I feel they help you to become a much more interesting person and you'll have much more to say about yourself to people who want to get to know you. I think having many interests and diversions helps you to feel a lot better about yourself as a person. I'd say that my interests include games, films, music, TV and activities I enjoy doing in my spare time include drawing, writing, holidays and going to the gym and I enjoy sports such as swimming, volleyball and ice skating.

10. Do you think art can be something it was before? Can you challenge the ancients?

I feel it's very important for art to be inspired by old and ancient history, in many different forms, such as film, media, music and architecture, because I feel that if we lost touch of ancient history in art the art world would be less diverse and interesting, and also doesn't give us the chance to improve on the mistakes made in the old days. There is a lot we can learn from the old days and a lot we can take inspiration from. However, it is important that if we do make art inspired by the past that we make it feel real and nostalgic and not dated.

11. Have you examined the echoes of childhood and first learning, which may have once given you the solutions? Are any of these expectancies still operating on your choices?

I'll try to answer this question as to the best I can and to try and understand it best. I do feel I have changed a lot since I was a child. However, I do still feel very curious about the world and about my peers and how they think, something I've always been interested in. I feel that the world is a positive place and get very upset with the slightest injustice or lack of logic in people or technology. I love discovering new things and I feel I am adventurous. So I do feel that some traits have stayed with me since my childhood.

17. Do you think your work should hold within tradition?

I feel that creativity is one of the most important qualities a person can have, and I feel that if people kept to tradition, nothing would change and life could be quite boring. However, it is not a bad thing to be inspired by art, or people, and use that to help develop your work or ideas, and if you need to, you can use guidelines, but I feel that it is important to not let the world conform or suppress you as a person, people should have their own ideas and opinions.

35. Are you afraid to work from your own experience without leaning on the crutches of subject and the rational?

I'm not afraid at all to work from my own experience. In fact, I feel that art is a great way to express one's innermost feelings, whether that be what makes them happy, sad, angry etc. as well as using life experiences to help influence art. It also helps the public relate to the artist through art. In fact, I would find it extremely difficult to work on a project if I couldn't express myself or my interests through the project, because I feel I wouldn't enjoy projects as much if I didn't express my feelings through them.

43. Do you ever feel that you don't know where to go in your work, that the challenge is beyond immediate solution?

Sometimes I do feel I need some time to think about what to do in my work before I attempt or continue the work, and sometimes I can get stuck with my work, and I can feel unsure of how to solve the problem straightaway. I feel that it is also important to take frequent breaks in your work not only to relax yourself, but to reflect on your work, how you've found the challenge, and what you can do. I don't like being rushed with my work. I recall a line in the film Toy Story 2 that I can relate to, which says "you can't rush art!"