Press

As Old as the Hills by Fiona

Collett Park Day drop-in workshop, As Old as the Hills. Making & embedding paper with recycled/found river & sea debris. Community work will form part of our final exhibition. Photo: Kirsten Madeira-Revell & me, by Barbara Voules

As Old as the Hills is a community art project I’m co-curating with Jan Ollis. Rooted in heritage and environment, it culminates in an immersive contemporary art exhibition & events in the iconic Bauhaus building (Zig Zag), Glastonbury for Somerset Art Weeks Festival (21 Sept-6 Oct).

The project looks at climate change, floods, water pollution, and the ancient layered history of Mendip & Somerset Levels – interdependent landscapes. The exhibition takes place on the top floor of a disused space, once Morlands leather factory. I’m interested in placing art in unusual spaces that bring their own atmosphere. The Zig Zag is unique; light floods in through long banks of windows which span both lengths of the building. Thrilled to be collaborating with a great selection of artists, working in a range of disciplines from large-scale sculptural installations and textiles to photography and performance: Madi Acharya Baskerville , Nikki Allford, Fiona Campbell, Duncan Cameron, David Kefford, Di Milstein, Penelope O’Gara, Catriona Robertson, Jan Ollis, Richard Tomlinson.

Sadly we didn’t get ACE funding, but we’re very grateful to those who have supported us. Funders include The Arts Society, Gane Trust, Shepton Mallet Town Council, individual donations and a great deal of in-kind.

A range of workshops are open to the public. Jan and I had a great time running a free drop-in workshop at Collett Park Day on 8 June (pics above/below). We’ll be running more workshops in local schools. There are plenty of workshops to join, including a fabulous day at Avalon Marshes: ‘Memory, Mud, Mind’: Walk, Talk, Workshop, Sat 6 July, 10am-4pm, Glastonbury BA6 9TT.  Info & book here.

Photo credits (above): 1, 11 Barbara Voules; 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 Richard Tomlinson; 4 Jan Ollis

Work in Progress

I’m making a series of stilt structures, precarious hybrid forms around the notion of resilience, adaptation, making do. The tripod sculptures are assemblages of recycled & found mixed media, layered, stitched and patched together, advocating reuse, care and repair in the context of global consumerism and waste. They’ll be showcased in As Old as the Hills.

Stilt houses, built to avoid floods, exist on the edges of safety in slums around the world . People in Landes used to move about on stilts in boggy ground. Somali nomads transport their homes/belongings - elaborate overladen bundles - on camels (symbols of adaptability, endurance, trade routes). Growing up in Kenya, I have vivid memories of African women bent over with heavy loads piled high on their backs. My work also refers to the ancient timber Sweet Track found in Avalon marshes, Somerset, dating 3800BC. These stilt structures are a means of survival in adversity, and suggest treading the earth gently. Have always been fascinated by Dali’s elephants.

Stilt Structure II, found, recycled & waste materials: wood branches, coir, copper wire, handmade naturally dyed fabric, leather, plastic netting, polyester stuffing, jute, sisal, wool, thread, nylon tights

Stilt Structure III: maquette (above), found, recycled & waste materials: wood, steel, wire, paper, cardboard, teabags, bark, plant debris, sisal

Stilt Structure III: collage (below), found, recycled & waste materials: cardboard, paper, wood, wire, leaves, leather, plastic, bark, plant debris

Stilt Structure III (far below), work in progress, found, recycled & waste materials: wood, steel, wire, paper, cardboard, fabric, jute, bark…

With limited studio space, working large-scale has its problems. I utilise other spaces including my garden, but with such poor weather this summer in UK, I haven’t been able to work outside much. Luckily I’ve had access to a neighbour’s garage, so my latest piece is developing there.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Delighted my work has been selected for the Royal Society of Sculptors Summer Show, curated by David McAlmont. The exhibition will be held at Dora House, 108 Old Brompton Rd, South Kensington, London
SW7 3RA; 22 July-21 Sept. PV Sat 20 July, 11am-2pm.

I’ll be installing work in Truro Cathedral, Cornwall soon for Solastalgia, an exhibition curated by Summer Auty, It runs 1-14 July. 

I’ll be showing 2 drawings in Landscape (Re)View) at The Wall, Musgrove Hospital, 2 July-29 Oct, & small works at Brewhouse, Taunton in September - part of Somerset Reacquainted.

I have 3 pieces on show in The Piano Shop Bath, 1&2 Canton Place BA1 6AA. Nest, String Theory, & Starfish were created for Played and Remade using discarded piano parts. Available for sale & online.

I have some handmade books on exhibition at Create@#8, 8 Town St, Shepton Mallet, as part of Art Book Shepton. Open 14-23 June (Fri-Sun). I’ll be there on Sun 16th if you want to pop in.

1 Kenyan Tree Rubbings, graphite, paper: I made the tree rubbings in Kenya on an ACE-funded DYCP trip in ‘22. The book is special to me as it documents an important time revisiting my Kenyan roots, and seeing my Dad for the last time.

2. Fungi, paper

For more about my DYCP year see @fiona_campbell_dycp and my film.

I’m raising funds to go on a trip to Vietnam at the end of the year. Please consider purchasing something from my shop. I’ve added an Online Sculpture Course, which has no time limit (self-directed) - great value!

PRESS 2016 by Fiona

Frome Standard, March '16 - Local Artists' work focal pieces/Chelsea Flower Show story Frome Times, March '16 - Chelsea Flower Show commission

Fine Times Recorder, March '16 - Bishop unveiling at Bishops Palace

Wells Journal, March '16 - New sculpture unveiled at Bishops Palace

The Visitor Magazine, May '16 - Somerset artists net Chelsea Flower Show commission

BBC Get Creative Day, April '16 - workshops at Black Swan Arts

Bruton Town website - Chelsea Flower Show commission

The Fine Times Recorder - Chelsea Flower Show commission

Bishop commission - Country Gardener

Bishop - Country Gardener

Mendip Times, May '16 - Bishop and Chelsea

Mendip Times May '16

Gardens Illustrated, May '16 - Chelsea

Gardens Illustrated May '16

Sunday Telegraph, 29 May '16 - Chelsea canopy

Sunday Telegraph 29 May 16

Viking Cruises brochure for Chelsea Garden, May '16

Viking Cruises brochure for Chelsea Garden, May '16

Somerset Live - Chelsea artists return

Frustrated Gardener blog - Chelsea Mekong Garden

Garden Design Journal - Chelsea

Garden Design Journal

Country Life, Collectors' Issue, 1 June '16

Canopy and Boat, Mekong Garden, Chelsea - Country Life June '16

Chelsea Fringe website - Hidden Garden Art Show

Frome Standard, 9 June '16

Frome Standard 9 Jun 16

Ham and High - Hidden Garden Art Show

Ham & High - Secret Garden Full of Gems

Ham & High - Garden Events

The Artiscape - Gold and Best Artisan Garden Awards for Somerset Artists

The Visitor Magazine, June '16 - Gold and Best Artisan Garden Awards at Chelsea Flower Show for Somerset Artists

Bruton Town website, June '16 -  Secret Swans Art Trail

SculptSite.com, June '16 - Secret Swans Art Trail Adds Mystery to Frome Festival

SculptSite.com - Secret Swans Art Trail

Frome Festival, July '16 - Secret Swans Success Story

Somerset Cool Blog, July '16 - 30 Years of Art - Black Swan Arts, Frome

Frome Standard, July '16 - Secret Swans

Secret Swans - Frome Standard 21:7:16

Frome Times, August '16 - Black Swan - Beacon for the Arts

Black Swan - Beacon for the Arts - Frome Times 28:8:16

Salisbury Journal, Aug '16 - step in stone tours to Salisbury Art Centre

step in stone at Salisbury, Salisbury Journal 11:8:16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRESS 2015 by Fiona

Somerset Art Works Blog - Artists Out in the Cold Frome Standard - step in stone Feb '15

Somerset Guardian - Ambitious Art in Quarries Trail, step in stone, Feb '15

Creative Somerset - step in stone, Feb '15

The Artiscape - Art, Views and Trails, step in stone Feb '15

Tessa Farmer - Site Visit to Fairy Cave, step in stone Feb '15

Shepton Journal - Funding turns quarries into canvas, step in stone March '15

Mendip Times, Spring '15

Mendip Times, spring '15

ArtsLink - Wire workshop

ArtsLink Spring Newsletter, Wire workshop

Sculptsite - step in stone

The Visitor - step in stone Sculpture Design Competition, March '15

Maureen Michaelson, GROW London Garden Fair

Down To Earth magazine, Spring issueDown to Earth mag, step in stone

Frome Standard – Tessa’s evil fairies, April ’15

Frome Standard – step in stone project gathers momentum, April ’15

Artiscape - step in stone

Frome Standard – sculpture design competition, May ’15

Frome Standard May 14 '15 1

Cranmore website

Jack Offord trailer

Country Child Magazine, May ’15

Country Child Magazine, May '15

Shepton Journal

Shepton Journal, June 4 '15

What’s On Somerset, summer ’15

What's On Somerset Magazine, summer What's On Somerset, summer '15

Somerset Life, July ’15

Somerset Life, July '15 1Somerset Life, July '15 2

Shepton Mallet Journal, July

Shepton Journal - Official Opening at SESC

Frome Standard

Frome Standard 1Frome Standard 2

Wells Journal

Wells Journal 1Wells Journal 2

Mendip Times, August ’15

Mendip Times, Aug 1Mendip Times, Aug 2

Somerset Wildlife Trust summer magazine

Somerset Wildlife Trust magazine

Off The Beaten Track  18/8/15

Shepton Journal 20/8/15

Shepton Journal 20:8:15 2

Somerset Guardian/Frome Standard 20/8/15

Frome Standard 20:8:15Frome Standard II 20:8:15

Mendip Times Twitter, Aug ’15

Frome Standard 27/8/15

Frome Standard 27:8:15Frome Standard 27:8:15 1

Richard White Blog  Doing Time in Somerset and Portland 28/8/15

Somerset Life September ’15 issue

Somerset Life p.1 - September '15Somerset Life p.2 - September '15

Evolver Sept/Oct ’15

Evolver - Sept:Oct '15

Gane Trust

SculptSite.com  10/10/15

The Artiscape  October ’15

Landscape Juice  October ’15

Shepton Journal  15/10/15

5 Mins with Fiona Campbell 001

Mount Art Services blog   21/10/15

Crysse Morrison blog

Ali Browne’s blog

 Cranmore Grapevine  Nov ’15

step in stone full documentary film by Jack Offord

SAW website – Looking Back…Nov ’15

Hanson UK – step in stone

Frome Standard – Selwood Seeds

Clifton College - Artist led sculpture workshop