Whilst at university i shied away from my figurative clay work, as you are encouraged to be more radical, different and ‘contemporary’. How ironic that now I’m returning to claywork I find myself being the one breaking the mould.
Recently I have been so preoccupied with making editions, to get my work out into galleries that I have been missing out on the creating and inventing. Now it is time to start.
I keep feeling the urge to use props as a context for the figures to exist, creating a dialogue. I want to create a sense of awe when people look at my work- that is the power of art for me. Like when you see a performer so impressive that it makes you want to learn and be able to do that.
Recently I have been making individual plinths for the sculptures, to break away from my previous large black plinth, (see last post). This has got me thinking about plinths..
Plinths and their context make such a difference to meaning of work…something I am learning about and exploring; you cant just make something that looks good. The balance between a nice piece of work and a powerful piece of work is so delicate…you do need to consider carefully the significance of an action to a piece of work. this is where my university training in conceptual art is helping me critique and develop my work, so my degree was not completely useless!
Not sure how to start this blog, so I will begin with an intro into what I am making at the moment.
I have made 4 small figures in bronze resin, that are delicate with detail whilst still revealing the imprint into clay creating a tactile texture. They each have their own emotion and personality, exemplified by their context of the steps on a specially made plinth.
I like the way the plinth creates a context and situation for these figures to exist, like a narrative- but don’t think it works as a sculpture in itself. it’s as if i have made a background for the sculptures to exist. This piece was exhibited recently at The Motorcycle Showroom, Bristol
My art work contains strong architectural elements that derive from an interest in how people physically interact with their environments. I explore how sculpture can change the way we experience a space, by forming new architectural borders that transform transient places. Recently I have been working with the tension between ropes to suspend temporary structures. These large installations interrupt the predictable flow of our constructed landscapes to prise people away from passive journeys and bring life back to stagnant spaces.
