Finding our land legs took millions of years and as soon as we stood tall enough, we reached for the sky then outer space – in search of … water and a new home.
Old Tree at Oak Sping, The HoBB
What’s wrong with our existing home? In the future, it will be in the wrong place in space and too hot for comfort as the sun burns its limited supply of energy. Can we move the Earth into a safe orbit further away from the Sun? It’s an idea and somebody’s working on it. Can we find a new planet – Earth 2? The search continues as I type.
In the meantime, can we stretch out the use of ‘EARTH 1’ and keep it fit-for-use? And I mean fit for every bit of Mother Nature’s complex, evolving and ever rebalancing ways. Maybe.
My toon today is of the Old Tree at The HoBB, drawn whilst contemplating news of an inland seaweed farm #montereybayseaweeds
“When,” asks the old and usually wise tree, “will it be time for us land lubbers to do a ‘U’ turn and start evolving our seeds for growth in sea water?”
Maybe the sea change has started. Maybe it’s time to return to gaining our food from the sea as we clear away forests and turn all land mass into one big construction site.
The future’s looking fishy in many ways – and from a vegan point of view, seaweedy too. Fancy a taste of what might be our future? Head over to the Dutch Weed Burger Co. and let me know @_Grant what you think.
We tackle projects with community organisations, charities, schools, authors and private companies, devising and delivering projects to achieve good quality CLOSURE in communication, presentation and design.
Background
The ‘Image of Learning’ (IOL) project was launched in 1995. Its founders (Peter Scott / Grant Jessé), share an interest in the subject of Closure – the “phenomenon of observing the parts but perceiving the whole” (McCloud, Scott. 1994) They first met at the University of Central England whilst Peter was studying Art [Practical] M.A. Visual Communication. (Thesis: Closure) after working as a teacher following an Education [Theoretical] B.A. (Open University ) Arts & Humanities. Papers published: ‘The Value of Closure’; ‘The Elements of Sequential Art’; The ‘Use of ‘Story’ within the Educative Process’.
Asking the right question
For most people, life is a race at a fast pace. Life needs to be continually studied as new answers keep evolving. Nobody has all the answers but everyone can develop new ways to question and, as Deep Thought suggested, the answer to everything lies in asking the right question.
Too many of us hold on to fixed ideas. From the wide selection of groups around the World for individuals to join, most have rigid or slow to adapt rule books which confine their members. Most of the time, these groupings get along fine, but now and again, a clash between group ideals occurs, conflict erupts and people get hurt emotionally and physically. Our history is full of this and many of today’s history makers are just repeating our past history.
The one central global problem creating conflict is ‘poor quality closure’. In essence, this is people jumping to conclusions based on low understandings, history-rooted attitudes, rumours, poor judgements and old-time creeds.
Before the advent of print and the World’s ability to spread its many different ‘teachings’, disparate ideas proliferated. Though print distilled these ideas and the internet speeds this distillation process, we are all still trying to negotiate a shared way through such a vast legacy of global learnings. The IOL project feasts on deep and new thinking, working to foster the will to take on new understandings to achieve a fresher today and good quality tomorrows for all.
IOL also feasts on CPD (Continual Professional Development). Attending the following since the project’s launch:
‘Management Development & Team Leadership’ [Beeches College]
‘Computing Software : QuarkXpress; Photoshop’ [Bournville College]
‘Print Making’ [Birmingham Print Workshop]
‘TV / Video Prod Course’ [Birmingham University]
‘Web Design’ [Inst. of Art and Design, University of Central England]
‘TV Prod Course’ [Selly Oak School]
‘Business Funding’ [Birmingham Chamber of Commerce]
‘Business Marketing’ [University of Aston in Birmingham, Small Business Centre]
‘Pottery Course’. [Bournville College]
‘Educational Dance’ [Midland Arts Centre]
‘Digital Publishing: Adobe Illustrator; Freehand’. [Aston ITEC]
‘Team Leadership – Live Wire Business Growth Challenge’ [Aberdovey Outward Bounds Centre]
‘Calligraphy Course’ [Midhurst School]
‘Writing in Education’ [Winterbourne College]
‘Public Speaking and Chairmanship’ [Birmingham School of Speech & Drama]
‘Peter Pan (Set Construction and acting). Wuthering Heights (Set Design) [Crescent Theatre, Birmingham]
‘Storytelling’ [Aberystwyth University. Lifelong Learning]
‘Writing for Sound’ [Aberystwyth University. Lifelong Learning]
Clients include: Birmingham City Council: Visualisation of the City Pedestrianisation Scheme,
Design of Educational Visitor Centre in Ireland (Peat Workings)
Designs for School Literature in six languages for Swedish Paper Manufacturer
Digital Imagery adaptations for Ikon Gallery with Matt Fisher and Chris Stirrup
Birmingham: Digital Imaging & Animation Prog. Design, supported by Photopack/ West Midlands Arts
Handsworth: Opportunity to explore numeracy through sound, story, role play, icons, art, movement ; in conjunction with Birmingham Education & Business Partnership
Whitton School: Illuminating and Re-writing their ‘300 years in the making’ during Big Arts Week.
Bordesley Green: Out of School Hours extracurricular Workshops on Survival
Lee Bank: Strengthening Community through documenting & dissemination – Human Facilities Management Robin Hood School : Self-empowerment – ‘Mind over Mouse’ Part of ‘Teachers and Artists Working Together Scheme’.
Trainer/ Employer for Schools ‘Work Placement Schemes’
YTS Trainer/Employer – design and implementation of an extensive on the job training Scheme in Creative Technical Imaging.
Folio and Career Surgeries for individual Art and Communication degree Students through B.I.G.
IT skill ‘Return to Work’ Training for volunteers from Birmingham Volunteers Bureau
Freelance Storyboarding Pop Videos/ TV Commercials/ Print
Combined bio of Peter & Grant prior to launch of “Image of Learning”
1974 – 1999 Teaching 25 years [Year 1 to Year 6]
Special Needs E2L Imparting Active Teaching. Subject Range: Art; Craft; Science; Health; Literacy & Language; Mathematics; Sport. Mentoring 19 to 21 Years
1974 – 1980 : Aquaculturist
1976: Partner: Ginger Man Studios (Arts and Crafts Designers)
1977: Lyricist for S.Wales Rock Group ‘Calix’
1978: Co-founder, Chair and Trustee Reg. Educational Charity ‘World of Water’. Hosting Field Centre Education courses.
1983: Founded ‘Think Tank’. Thinking with action on people’s aims.
1983 – 84 Promoter for the late great DJ ‘Trevor T’ and TVRT Recording Studios
1983 – 1996 Graphic Authoring; Story Boarding; Cartoons; Illustration; Art; Design; Print; Workshops
1983 Format Design for TV Series: : Prog. pitch to BBC TV (Michael Garrod/ Continuing Education Department)
1986: Joined Griffiths Reaney Design Associates – Interior Designers
1987: Co-Founder and Director of Design Workshop (Architects and Interior Designers)
1988: Guest Lecturer, Faculty of the Built Environment, University of Central England
1989: Founding Director of Hickton Madeley Interiors
1992: Authored stage play ‘KK & GM’ for Crescent Theatre, Birmingham.
1992: Director of MacLaren Marketing, Wolverhampton. UK
1993: Founder of imprint ‘Little People Books’
1993: Co-Founder and Director of ‘Karavadra Multimedia’
Combined bio from launch of ‘Image of Learning’ in 1995 1995: Launch of ‘Image of Learning’
1996: Creative Director : MIPF (Midlands Independent Production Forum based at VIVID) Film: “10/34” for B’ham Film Festival
1996: Web Site Design and Gallery Installation of ‘The Nine Tenets’. First Café Surf in Birmingham, UK.
1996: Authored: ‘Ring in the New’ Animation short pitched to British Film Institute / VIVID
1996: Authored: Prog. toon series pitch to Sky TV (The Alterers)
1999: Co-refereed the successful ‘Art and the Internet’ Millennium Bid with Liz Macgregor, Ikon Gallery.
2004: ‘Designers into Schools week’ at John Bedoes School, Presteigne
2018 – present: Manager. The HoBB Project House
Experience of Materials and their Application:
Clay sculpt; Plaster reliefs; Plasters in Construction; Concrete (carving), Living Willow; Stone walling. (See Natural Materials); Scale and perspective drawing; Papier Mache (puppets); Metal (sculpt); Wood (constructions); Water Colour Paints / Inks;
Broadcasts:
Television Interviews: 1984 OB with Dan Cherrington (BBC Research History of Monastic Carp Culture);
Live at BBC Pebble Mill at One (OB Fresh Fish Buying)
Guest Radio Slots: Radio WM (Phone-in); BRMB (Interview); Radio Bristol (Phone-in)
Community Radio: BHBN.
Exhibitions and Performance Events: 1979 – 1980: ‘Piscatorial Memorabilia’, (Exhibition) Aber-Gwen Visitor Centre, South Wales
1982 – 83: “The History and Future of Aquaculture” (Exhibition) Nature Centre (Birmingham Museum & Art Galleries)
1982: Watercolour Paintings of the Built Environment, Birmingham Midland Institute
1982: ‘When Santa met Neptune’, (Performance poetry) Rackhams, Birmingham
1983: Future of Aquaculture, Brighton Exhibition and Conference Centre, Sussex
1983: Hellensborough Museum, (Aquaculture Exhibition), Scotland
1983: Dumbarton Museum & Libraries, (Aquaculture Exhibition),
1983: ‘Enviromental Awareness’ Exh. in conjunction with Whirligig Theatre Co. Alexander Theatre.
1983 Who’s Book is it Anyway, Birmingham Nature Centre
1997 Water on the Beach, (Performance Storytelling) Brighton (Part of High Tide Event)
1996 ‘Inspector Clue Bod Investigates’ Birmingham City Council Discovery Day
1985: ‘The Water Palace’, Central Library, Birmingham
1986: Wednesbury Art Gallery & Museum, (Aquaculture Exhibition), Wednesbury
1986: Art Gallery, (Exhibition) Rugby Library, Rugby
1986: ‘Wet Harvest’, (Aquaculture Exhibition), The Bass Museum, Burton-on-Trent
1986: Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, (Aquaculture Exhibition), Coventry
1986: Warwickshire Museum, (Aquaculture Exhibition), Warwick
1987: City Museum & Art Gallery, (Aquaculture Exhibition), Stoke-on-Trent
1991: ‘The influence of Fish in Design’, Birmingham Midland Institute.
1992: Alternative Perspectives, Mine Gallery, Birmingham
2005: ‘Working with Nature’, HoBB Gardens, Heyope.
2008: ‘Retrospective’ WoodBod, HoBB Project House
2015: ‘Concrete Sculpt’, HoBB Gardens, Heyope.
2019: ‘Spring Greens Fair’ workshops with nine school groups
Group Exhibitions: * University of Central England,
* Lichfield Guild Hall
* International Convention Centre
1992: ‘Friends Show’, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery, Birmingham.
1993: ‘Plant Crossing’, Botanical Gardens Gallery, Birmingham
1993: Choice Gallery, Birmingham
1995: Earth Centre, Conisborough
1996: Brighton Festival
1996: The Nine Tenets of Tomlinson and Jessé, Café Surf, Birmingham
1996: ‘Who’s Book is it Anyway’, Part of Birmingham Readers & Writers Festival
Online Interactive Evolvement: 1999: Nine Tenets Part 11. Writings to accompany the work of OliverTomlinson. See “Finding a Match”
2000: ‘Contemporary Italian and Spanish graphic design and folk art on Citrus Fruit Wrappers from 1930’s’
2002 ‘The Art of it’. Online writings to remember the work of the Late Jonathan Inglis.
2004 BIG ARTS WEEK Case Study 01
Commissions: (abridged): Birmingham City Council Landscape Practice, B.B.C., Central Independent Television, Austin Knight Advertising, Black Country Development Corporation, Black Theatre Co-operative, Bugle Films Ltd., Cadbury Schweppes (Case Study No. 3), Centro, Custard Factory (Digbeth), Forward Trust, Freestyle Productions, Gillette, GKN, Granada Leisure, Groundwork, Healthy Birmingham 2000, Ilford Photo Ltd., Jaguar, King Edward VI Foundation, Kokuma Dance Theatre Company, Letts Educational (Case Study No.4), MEB, Mercia Sound, Midland Bank, Morrison Developments (Case Study No.5), Royal Mail (Case Study No.6), SCS (Specialist Computer Services), Structured Training, Switch Design, Tibbatts Interior Design Group, Training and Creative Resources, West Midlands Travel. (Full List available on Request)
Memberships:
NAA (National Association of Artists)
NUT (National Union of Teachers)
BAT (Birmingham Arts Trust)
VIVID (Formerly Birmingham Centre for Media Arts)
BEAF (Birmingham Educators and Artists Forum)
1988: Hon. Member of European Society of Perspectivists
1992 – 1995 Crescent Theatre: Set Design, Theatre Marketing.
1995 National Small Press Association
1996 – present: Acting Secretary of “Birmingham Image Generators’
1996: Steering committee of the HUB (Birmingham)
1998: Birmingham Education Arts Forum (BEAF)
1996: Book Packagers Association
1998: Article 31 Action Network
2001 “Grwp Amineiddwyr Cymru” (Welsh Animation Group, Cardiff)
2000 “Creative Network” University of Central England
2004 “WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)
2005 “PAF” (Powys Arts Forum)
2008 – present “HelpX” (Global Student Skill Exchange)
If we should know about YOUR Organisation, please contact us
NEW from Image of Learning: Producing original, bespoke writing, graphics, photography and illustration for AR (Augmented Reality) projects
The Image of Leaning project continues to grow. We welcome views and contributions. These can be sent via comments or presented live for discussion during workshop sessions at the HoBB Project house. Contact us for available dates.
