Elysia, collaboration with Dance Artist Vanessa Grasse

I’ve spent the past few days working with Dance artist/Choreographer Vanessa Grasse. I was asked to mentor and collaborate with Vanessa on her R&D Project Elysia, to explore the creation of wearable sculptures made from natural and recycled materials.

Based in Leeds, Vanessa has been staying with me in rural Somerset. We’ve been collecting natural materials on walks, hand colouring natural fabric remnants with homemade botanical dyes, exchanging ideas around contemporary sculpture and dance, slime mould and lichen, and working daily at our residency in a large empty shop space Create@#8, Shepton Mallet. The project name is inspired by the Elysia chlorotica, a sea slug with plant-like qualities - a living testament to hybridity and symbiosis. The themes are very much up my street.  See Vanessa’s newsletter here.

It’s been an incredibly refreshing and energising experience, working across disciplines, learning new ways of thinking, approaching art in motion - something I’d like to explore further.  We’ve had fun playing with materials, colours, cavities, lines and blobs, improvising with assemblages around the body in movement, hand-stitching…

We’ll be sharing the work in progress on our last day - Thursday 11 April, 4-5pm. Please join us at Create@#8, 8 Town Street, Shepton Mallet. All welcome!

Elysia R&D project delves into the profound interconnection between humans and the non-human world. It blends outdoor choreography, ecological sculpture, and Land Art processes, towards the creation of a visceral, sculptural, and playful outdoor performance, where hybrid creatures, bodies, natural materials, and the landscape are in metamorphosis.

Humans are intricate ecosystems of a multiplicity of species. Awakening an awareness of our inherent hybridity, has the capacity to alter how we perceive our place in the world and our connection with our ecosystems.

The creative research includes exchanges with academic researchers; sculptors, costume makers and land artists. Elysia is supported by Arts Council England, University of Leeds; Yorkshire Dance, Create@#8.

New Courses:

Vanessa and I met when she did my Online Sculpture Course earlier this year. If you’re interested in doing an art course with me, I’ll be running some new adult Love 2 Learn art courses at Bath College from 17 April:

Sculpture: (Wed am and/or pm)

https://www.bathcollege.ac.uk/course/view/3109/introduction-to-sculpture-23-24

Drawing and Painting (Wed or Thurs)

https://www.bathcollege.ac.uk/course/view/3069/drawing-and-painting-23-24

Please book asap as spaces are limited!

Spring blog

Happy Easter!

I’ve been busy with prep and planning for As Old as the Hills, a community art project I’m co-curating with Jan Ollis. Just submitted an ACE project grant application - second attempt - fingers crossed!  The submission process has been a bit of a slog, but great exercise in working up more detail into our project. As a result, we’ve met and involved new people and organisations in the development of As Old as the HIlls. We now have an even richer social engagement programme leading up to and during our exhibition (Sept-Oct, Somerset Art Weeks Festival). Events will include riverwalks talks, workshops, podcasts and performances led by collaborating artists. If you’re in Somerset, pop along to our drop-in workshop, Collett Park Day, Shepton Mallet (8 June).

I’ve also been making new work for sale, for a recycling project to be revealed soon…

A few upcoming exhibitions and events I’m taking part in:

Casting Shadows ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton, TA11 7NB;  ends on 6 April (open Tues-Sat); with Royal Society of Sculptors members. Stilt Structure I (below) is on show.

Solastalgia Exhibition, Truro Cathedral, 1-14 July. This is connected to an excellent publication on Environmental art, edited by Summer Auty.  I’ll be showing Glut and Pyre.

Tongue, cover of Solastalgia Magazine (issue 2: Terrafurie)

Looking forward to a cross-discipline collaboration with dancer/choreographer Vanessa Grasse.  We’ll be in residence at Create@#8, Shepton Mallet later this week and next. Work will involve collecting materials on walks, and making eco sculptural wearable artworks.

Upcoming Art Courses

I’ll be running some new adult Love 2 Learn art courses at Bath College from 17 April:

Sculpture: (Wed am and/or pm)

https://www.bathcollege.ac.uk/course/view/3109/introduction-to-sculpture-23-24

Drawing and Painting (Wed or Thurs)

https://www.bathcollege.ac.uk/course/view/3069/drawing-and-painting-23-24

Life Drawing (Thurs)

https://www.bathcollege.ac.uk/course/view/3140/life-drawing-23-24

Browse for all courses here:

https://www.bathcollege.ac.uk/love2learn

‘Really varied & enjoyable course - Fiona has a wealth of knowledge - sharing many techniques - and is excellent at encouraging and problem solving personal projects.  The focus of environmental considerations in sculpture is really admirable.’ (L2L Sculpture student) 

'Really enjoyed the course - lots of variety and opportunities to experiment with different techniques and media’ (L2L Drawing & Painting student) 

If interested do book asap.

Images of work by previous students

Other exhibition plans are in the pipeline, more details soon.

Happy New Year!

Stilt Structure, maquette, found & recycled materials, ‘23

Looking back on 2023, I’m grateful that my Arts Council England DYCP award enabled me to complete major new pieces, exhibited in some fantastic settings. I also appreciate all the support and encouragement from so many wonderful people. It’s a tough juggling act surviving and thriving as an artist - hats off to all creatives who keep at it, pushing boundaries.

Residency and Solo in a large disused shop space Create@#8, Somerset, ‘23. Photo Russell Sach

Above and Below, created during my residency, ‘23. A response to the entanglements of matter. Reclaimed & found materials, each with a story

Me with work, The Fall, detail. Photo Russell Sach

Flags of the Forest began as an indoor piece. Photo Russell Sach

Flags of the Forest developed into an ambitious outdoor installation for Wander_Land at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens with Royal Society of Sculptors members, ’23. Photo Russell Sach

Above and Below, Tremenheere Gallery, with assisted curation by Martin Holman.  Loved working with the steering group on Wander_Land. Photos Russell Sach

I’m currently working on a series of small sculptures and collages. I’ve been thinking about precarious stilt structures, and resilience.  Looking at overladen camels of nomadic Somali tribes (camel = symbol of adaptability, endurance, trade routes), boats and homes on stilts, and French shepherds who walked the bogs on stilts. In our unstable climate of floods, famine, overconsumption, and waste escalating in the name of ‘progress’, these hybrids - part vessel, house, creature - feel relevant.  I plan to make large sculptures based on some of these ideas.

Above: collages of tall thin lines supporting stacked assemblages and heaped bundles, made of discarded materials (paper, plant debris, found wood, textiles..)

Upcoming:

I’ve been planning and fund-raising for a new project I’m co-curating with Jan Ollis: As Old as the Hills. Residencies will lead to an immersive exhibition with events in the historic Zig Zag building, Glastonbury for Somerset Art Weeks Festival ’24. Rooted in heritage and environment, with community engagement, we have some excellent artists on board. Fingers crossed we receive grants to make it the best we can. If you’d like to contribute, please let me know!

I still have a few spaces on my forthcoming online sculpture course (8 Jan-11 Feb).  If you’d like to join let me know asap!

Running a Free workshop with writer Polly Hall, part of the Snowdrops Festival ‘Nature Unbound’ (Feb ‘24) to create a giant scroll-like mixed media collage installation, with text, to span the galleries of the Baptist Chapel. 20 Jan, 10am-4pm, Create@#8, 8 Town St, Shepton Mallet. Bring your own lunch. Free but please book via eventbrite as places are limited.

Back to Bath College next week running various short courses (sculpture, painting, drawing and life drawing, in case you’re interested in joining)..

Next month I’ll be off to Portugal for a PADA art residency. I’m looking forward to the creative challenges and adventure.

My work will be featuring in Casting Shadows ACEarts, Somerton, 2 March - 6 April ‘24, with Royal Society of Sculptors members.

At the end of last year I gave a talk, Matter Ongoing, focusing on my Dust of Stars installation for the Hatch exhibition ‘Death and Microwaves’, and other recent work.  The live talk is now published online (thanks to Elaoise Benson for filming).

Here’s to peace, care and creativity in 2024!

Winter News

A few more images of my installation Dust of Stars, made from scrap, reused and found materials, some from older work. It questions what is waste, dead, no longer of value. We throw away so much… Looking at the bigger picture, all of life is made from stars made billions of years ago: ‘The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff.’ (Carl Sagan). Matter keeps on going… Loved watching the way visitors interacted with the installation. See my instagram page for video clips of the work. We had some great feedback: ‘one of the most exciting art exhibitions I have seen in a while’ (Jan Ollis, SAW Co-Chair). I gave a talk about Dust of Stars as part of the Hatch exhibition, which will soon be published online via their website.

Photo by Rod Higginson

I’m enjoying the speed and convenience of working at a small scale, trying out different versions of a general idea about precarious structures on stilt legs. The sculptural maquettes are made from repurposed and to-hand materials, treating the assemblages as 3d sketches. These and other sketchbook ideas are leading to upcoming projects, including one I’m co-curating with Jan Ollis (‘As Old as the Hills - working title) for next year’s Somerset Art Weeks Festival. We have some great artists on board and will be taking over the top floor of the Zig Zag building, Glastonbury. The project is rooted in local heritage and environment, linking community with social engagement activities highlighting issues of conservation and sustainability. Culture is an indispensable pillar of climate action. Currently fundraising for the project. More on this soon..

Maquettes: Found & recycled materials: (top left) grass stems, willow, pine, peacock feather, copper wire, wool, roots, steel; (top right) steel, copper wire; (mid left) steel, copper, aluminium; (mid right) sticks, grass stem, khadi paper, leaves; (above left) roots, cardboard, plywood; (right) wood, cardboard packaging, khadi paper

Collage

For many instability is the norm. Dwellings exist on the edges of safety raised high on make-do scaffolding to avoid floods and other threats. In ‘Planet of Slums’ Mike Davis highlights our increasingly unstable urban world. Nomadic Somali tribes carry their homes on camels. Shepherds in France used to herd on stilt legs in boggy ground. I’ve been thinking about resilience, making do. In order to adapt, change the narrative of consumerism and economic growth, imagination is key.

Teaching:

I’ve been running 6 courses at Bath College (3 sculpture, painting, drawing and life drawing). Loved getting to know and working with students on their work - see pics below of students’ work.. ↓ (from top to bottom: Maureen, Mandy, Nick, Cath, Juliette, Sarah, Lynette, Sarah, Martin, Sally, Cath, Fran, Cathy, Pat, Juliette, Jenny, Suzanne, Sally, Judy, Jenni).

Squeezing in my own studio time has taken a concerted effort, and I have been treasuring that.

My next online sculpture course starts in January ‘24. If you’re interested please get in touch, or buy the course direct from my shop. I have other goodies you can purchase too, if considering arty Christmas gifts!

Upcoming events:

My work will be showing in Casting Shadows, Royal Society of Sculptors group exhibition at ACEarts, Somerton, 2 March - 6 April ‘24.

As part of the Snowdrop Festival (February ‘24), I’ll be running a free workshop with writer Polly Hall to create a long scroll-like collage with text, on 20 Jan, 10am-4pm, at Create@#8, Shepton Mallet. The artwork will be installed in the Baptist church for the festival. Get in touch if you’d like to join us.

Really enjoying reading The Golden Mole and other Vanishing Treasure by Katherine Rundell, sent to me by Faber books. As part of the book launch, I was commissioned to make a small Pangolin sculpture, now on display at Hunting Raven Books, Frome. If you haven’t yet, do read the book! Each chapter tugs at your heart with enthralling details about wonderful but endangered creatures.

I’ve been selected for a PADA residency, Portugal in February, and am fundraising for this great opportunity. If you can support me (for travel and accommodation costs), I’d really appreciate a donation via the link below.

Donate

My next blog may be post-Christmas, so here’s wishing you a wonderful festive time wherever you are!

Flags, Crowns, Costumes, Giants

Flags of the Forest in progress

I hope you’ve been enjoying the May bank holidays (with extra coronation one for those of us in UK). I spent it with friends in North Cornwall (see pics at end). Flags, Crowns, Costumes and Giants have been recurring themes lately…

I’m working on my Flags of the Forest series - eco-flag pieces inspired by woodlands.   Some have different qulities/themes and hoping they’ll speak to each other.  I’ve used labour-intensive methods such as hand-stitching, weaving, and hand-made eco dyes to celebrate biodiversity, hopeful of nature being more cared for, and thriving. Placed in the landscape near Tremenheere’s woodland, and reflected in a water feature, the flags become way markers. The concept was inspired by Ursula Le Guin’s book title ‘The Word for World is Forest’. Woods and forests provide vital ecosystems - crucial to our survival.

The work’s being developed for Wander_Land. Follow our weekly instagram @wanderland2023 artist takeovers by Royal Society of Sculptors members leading up to our exhibition at Tremenheere Sculpture Garden and Gallery, 1 July - 5 August, (PV 30 June 6-8pm). 

I’m involved in an ACE funded project to create a processional giant puppet ‘Sovereign Nature’ via Spoken World, for upcoming Somerset festivals in June/July.  ‘Built by a professional giant maker Jem Dick, Sovereign Nature’s costume will be created with textile artist Fiona Campbell, project director/storyteller Sharon Jacksties and community groups. ‘ I’m creating parts of the costume using recycled/found materials.  Currently working on the oak copse crown/headdress comprising handmade leaves, and eco-dyed fabric.  We are holding several community workshops.  These start in May - one at Create@#8, (8 Town Street, Shepton Mallet BA4 5BG) on Tuesday 23 May, 6-8pm, run by me and project leader/storyteller Sharon Jacksties.  This free community workshop is to help make a large recycled fabric river train.  The making process will include storytelling and sharing stories about Nature - reviving the age-old practice of telling/listening whilst making.  The more hand-stitchers the merrier, so do join us!  We’ll also be doing some drawings of Somerset's endangered creatures on fabric for the giant’s dress sleeves   Book: eventbrite

Listen to a BBC radio chat about the project (3:16-3:36)

Sovereign Nature Events: 10/6 Taunton Green Fair, Castle Green, Museum of Somerset, Taunton; 11/6 The Green Scythe Fair, Thorney Lakes; 15-16/7 Pitchfolk Festival, Sedgemoor. Plus various residential care homes..

I led a flower-crown workshop for Jack in the Green via The Old Stores Studio on May 1. High Wire Mystic Chris Bullzini was the master of ceremony, always a pleasure to witness. The cloak he wears was made last time by me and the community.

I also made a crown for my local village church (St. Bart’s) for the coronation, and installed the work with Gill Sakakini.

Yesterday I installed my piece House on Fire at Stone Lane Gardens for Stone Lane Sculpture Exhibition, part of the Ashburner Prize. It opens 1 June and runs throughout the summer. The theme is ‘Sense of Place’. Thanks to Jason Nosworthy for his help with the install!

House on Fire, reclaimed materials: found wood, wire, steel, twine, fabric, plastic..

Other news:

Honoured to have been invited to join the board as a Trustee at Somerset Art Works. I was a Rep ’13-’19.

A few sketches done on my mini break in North Cornwall. We did some gorgeous coastal walks around Rock, The Rumps, Padstow, and Daymer Bay.

Pics below include a heart-making workshop I ran for a Community Spirit giant - to be installed in Shepton Mallet this summer; prepping work for Flags of the Forest; and London exhibitions (Mike Nelson at Hayward & Souls Grown Deep.. at RA)