Christmas Wishes

Winding down into winter, I’ve been enjoying some quiet solitary making. Working slowly towards an exhibition One Island - Many Visions for next year, with fellow Royal Society of Sculptors members, in collaboration with Portland Sculpture Quarry Trust. I’m interested in Lichen (Xanthoria Parietina) found on rocks at Tout Quarry, their colour, form, and radial growth. Among the oldest living and slowest growing organisms on Earth, the first to colonise new land, Lichen absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide. It seems fitting that my making is a slow, meditative process. I’ve been gathering materials, dyeing recycled fabric with turmeric, onion skins and avocado pits, wrapping and hand-stitching. Looking forward to another trip to Portland this weekend to collect beach litter for the work. Thanks to those who have donated remnants. If you have any spare orange or yellow waste textiles please get in touch!

Drawing on Dorset

Two of my charcoal drawings are currently on exhibition at The Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3JG, part of Dorset Visual Arts Drawing on Dorset, which has toured venues in the South West. The show is in the Drawing Room and runs daily from 23 November - 23 March.

Sprouting Potato, charcoal on Arches paper

Dandelion Roots, charcoal on Somerset paper

If you’d like to purchase a drawing, please get in touch!

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

A few images of my work from Elemental, an exhibition at Sou Sou West Gallery, Bridport, Dorset last month. I showed with Jan Alison Edwards and Ally Matthews.

Maquette I, Above and Below; recycled and found materials

Foreground: work by Jan Alison Edwards; Background: my Stilt Structure II

Nymph; found, discarded, recycled materials: fabric dyed with botanical inks, jute, teabags, paper, oil, rhubarb leaves, wood, wire, wood & other natural debris, hair, shoe inner sole, copper, wax, thread, sisal

Nymph (collage); recycled materials: paper, plant debris, fabric, teabags, cardboard

Foreground: Maquette I, Above and Below; on wall: work by Ally Matthews; Background: Stilt Structure II

My work on show at Elemental, Sou Sou West Gallery

Alongside the exhibition, I ran a weekend Eco Sculpture Workshop with Jan Alison Edwards. Below are pics of some of the wonderful experimentation by participants.

Stilt Structure I (detail); found & recycled materials

Seed Commission

Thrilled to have been commissioned by Seed Sedgemoor to create installations for a popup in Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater TA6 3QT from February ’25. Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand & Life in the Undergrowth will be showing 18-23 Feb. Flags of the Forest will open 8–13 April.  I’ll be at the Seed Creative Popup, Angel Place 18-22 Feb, and running Eco Sculpture Workshops daily, 11am-2pm. Free, fun, and open to everyone aged 6+ (children with an adult). Do drop in!

Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand (detail), Together We Rise, Chichester Cathedral. Photo by Anne Purkiss

Flags of the Forest, Wander_Land, Tremenhere Sculpture Gardens

Seed’s primary aim is to enable more people in Sedgemoor to actively engage in the creative arts. This activity is supported by Arts Council England via the Creative People and Places programme.

New Courses

To kick off the New Year I’ll be running a series of 5 week Sketchbooking and Eco Sculpture Courses from January onwards via Frome Community Education, day and eves.  Please visit this link to see them all, for further info, and to book.

Also: Mon eve 7-9pm, 24/2, 10/3, 17/3, 24/3, 31/3

Also: Mon morning 10am-12noon, 13/1, 20/1, 27/1, 3/2, 10/2

I’ll also be running my Online Sculpture Course from 13 January - 9 February ’25. Visit this link for further details or email me fionacampbell-art@sky.com. Alternatively, I have an ongoing self-directed Online Sculpture Course available at half the price.

See my shop for hand-made gifts and artworks. And do follow my instagram for regular updates.

If you missed As Old as the Hills, please visit my previous blog.

Looking forward to some time off over the festive break. Wishing you the same, and a very Happy Christmas! X

Upcoming: Somerset Open Studios

Grass Roots, charcoal on Fabriano paper

I’m preparing for Somerset Open Studios (16 Sept - 1 Oct).  My studio and garden will be open to visitors at Venue 12, Cranmore BA4 4RH, daily 10-5. Thanks to East Somerset Railway for allowing me to use their engine shed for some small scale metal fabrication.

Wander_Land (Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens & Gallery, Penzance, Cornwall) is now over. It was such a joy to work together with colleagues from Royal Society of Sculptors. Creating, installing, and working behind the scenes has been all-consuming. It was lovely to have others’ responses to the work; feedback has been rewarding and encouraging. Flags of the Forest was challenging and ambitious in scale. People found it emotive, apocalyptic, tribal, hopeful, ephemeral, rapturous, joyous, ‘extending line out into the world.. with a sense of survival’… (Listen to my podcast with Doug Burton). The show ended with a Closing Event: talk/demo by Jane Fox, and performances by Barbara Beyer, Dallas Collins, Ann-Margreth Bohl and Tabatha Andrews.

My work was about caring for the environment, valuing every small thing, life’s entanglements. Sited on a hill overlooking the sea and St.Michael’s Mount, stormy weather was quite harsh on my outdoor piece, but I learnt to let go. Fading colours, wear and tear became part of the work. Tibetan prayer flags (reused in the work) are allowed to disintegrate over time. Tibetans believe the prayers will be spread by the wind and bring goodwill and compassion to all beings. Mine were made in honour of nature (esp. trees, forests..) to celebrate its resilience, despite our destructive, greedy tendencies, and repair a degrading world. There is hope that we might all join forces and make amends. It would be interesting to create a piece of work that intentionally invites the wind to do its tangling.

Thanks to: Neil Armstrong, owner of Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens for his support; Martin Holman who helped with curation and his excellent text; Steering Group (Seamus Moran, Ann-Margreth and Mark Richards). Special thanks to Shey and Jo Moran for their wonderful hospitality; Shey and Pauline Antram for helping with my takedown, and James Vane for excellent transportation.

Grateful to David Bird for the video (above) and to visitor Mick Waite for these detail pics of Flags of the Forest

Road trips

I’ve been taking some time off to pause, reflect, get inspiration, and reconnect with people. I ventured to art exhibitions and venues further afield, some I’d never visited, and have enjoyed meeting up with fellow practitioners and friends.

Above: 1 Fay Ballard, Lines of Empathy, Close Ltd; 2 Deborah Duffin, If Not Now, When, Hepworth Wakefield; 3 Cornelia Parker (“); 4 Raisa Kabir, Bluecoat, Liverpool; 5 Antony Gormley, Crosby Beach, Liverpool; 6, 7 Julien Creuzet, Tobacco Warehouse, Liverpool; 8 Albert Ibokwe Khozas Tobacco Warehouse; 9 Fachima Rodrigo Tate Liverpool; 10 El Anatsui Tate Liverpool; 11 Leonardo Drew, Yorkshire Sculpture Park; 12 Phyllida Barlow, Leeds Art Gallery; 13 Leeds Art Gallery; 14 Sonia Boyce, Leeds Art Gallery; 15 Gilbert Bayes Award Winners exhibition, The Art House; 16, 17 Anselm Kiefer, Finnegans Wake, White Cube; 18 Frances Carlile, WAC, Wells; 19 Will Cruikshank, Threads, Arnolfini Bristol; 20 Alice Shepherd-Fidler, Studio.

Loved Liverpool, now one of my favourite cities - such an impressive fusion of contemporary and heritage architecture, friendly people and a vibrant contemporary art scene, especially during the Biennial, this year curated by Khanyi Silembongwa. The Kiefer show at White Cube, London, reminds me of my (much smaller) collected hoards of scrap materials and how I can use and reuse old works for new beginnings.

My drawing Iris Roots, charcoal on Somerset paper, is entered into the London Graphic Centre exhibition and prize. The People’s Choice award is open for your vote until the end of Wed 16 Aug. If you like it, please vote for no 32 https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/peoples-choice-award-entries

Do also visit my online shop to purchase my work. Prices are going up soon…

Hope to see you at my Open Studios!

Kenyan Research Trip

Graphite bark rubbings - handmade book (detail)

For the past 3 weeks I’ve been in Kenya on a Research trip as part of my Arts Council Developing Your Creative Practice award. I immersed myself in Kenyan culture, visited galleries, museums, markets, other places of interest, and met contemporary artists & curators.  In the final week I went to Nanyuki, on the edge of Ol Pejeta game reserve which overlooks Mount Kenya, for more wildlife, sketching, a bit of relaxation and family time.

I stayed at the inspiring Untethered Magic, Ongata Rongai (↑), on the outskirts of Nairobi. Situated on the edge of the national park it overlooks a dramatic river gorge, where artist Syowia Kyambi has her studio. She was away collecting her work from Venice Biennale (Kenya Pavilion), so I was hosted by her colleagues. Loved all the conversations and art-based adventures we had. We visited Neo Musangi (writer and performance artist) and Justus Kyalo (etched rust works on steel); walked through the bush and across a rope bridge to Kitengela Glass, where we watched glass works being made. Saw lion paw prints, and learnt to recognise hyena poo (white). 

Then a trip to Malindi and Watamu on the coast (↑), where I learnt more about the complex history, physical geography, flora, fauna and cultures there. A Swahili port, Malindi has a turbulent past, having been colonised by the Portugese (Vasco da Gama visited in 1498), Sultan of Zanzibar, and British. On the beach at Watamu, I drew, collected found objects, and made a couple of impromptu sculptures, attracting local interest. I invited a couple of beach boys to make a collaborative sculpture with me. We had a little performance at the end! Went snorkelling - the best part was watching a pod of 50+ dolphins swimming - quite a rare sighting.. Very sad to see the coral depleted so much since my childhood in Kenya due to climate change...

I visited Hell’s Kitchen (↑), Marafa, a mini ‘grand canyon’ depression of sandstone, comprising dramatic layers of calcium, sulphur and iron. Colours range from whites, pinks, ochres and reds, formed into giant folds, pillars, gorges, pinnacles. I arrived late afternoon to experience the colour changes at sunset. Too hot for much life, I was fascinated by the few trees which hang on by strangely formed roots. Myth tells of a rich selfish family who bathed in milk rather than water, leading to angry gods causing them to be swallowed up. There are many other Giriama stories. I went on a detour expedition to find a couple of rare surviving Giriama grave posts in a dwelling nearby.

I’ve discovered more about the rich variety of Kenyan trees - many have healing properties and are used for timber/ house building poles (often combined with earth, sometimes coral), eg: Mukinduri, Mung’ambo (which I can now pronounce), Neem, Mukula... Encountering trees up close, drawing and making bark rubbings, helped me get to know the trees, and I had encounters with creatures in the process. In one instance, a monkey came to touch my graphite pencil!  Visited Gedi ruins, (12th c. Swahili city near Malindi, abandoned aprx 600 years ago, due to plague) once a wealthy trading city, with palace, sultan, governors, and sophisticated water, bathroom and air conditioning systems. Now, the ruins are overgrown with magnificent indigenous forest trees, including ancient baobabs.

I walked around Ndoro Sculpture Garden, a vast private collection of Zimbabwean stone carvings.  Owner Carola Rasmussen was welcoming and explained the background of the work - especially one her favourites Bernard Matemera..  Each sculptor has an individual style, not to be copied. The value of these works in the context of African art is significant. The garden is open by appointment.  I appreciated Carola’s excellent personal tour.

Back in Nairobi I visited Kuona Artist Collective (hub of artists’ studios ↑). I saw Dennis Muraguri’s matatu prints & mixed media sculptures: patches of metal components attached to wood with copper stitches. There were colourful woodcut prints of heads with headwear by Ndunde Bulomo; jacaranda wood sculptures of dancing guitars and totemic figures by Mosoti Kepha. Yassir Ali incorporates Sudanese text into abstract paintings, some with figures. I enjoyed chatting to artists about their ideas.

Circle Art Gallery’s exhibitionThe Forest and Desert School Revisited, curated by Michelle Mlati, brings together Sudanese artworks, reflecting on African Arab hybrid identity, referencing the ‘60’s Sudanese movement. Forest symbolises African culture; Desert its Arab counterpart. I found Eltayeb Dawellbait’s work: scratchy lines depict faces on salvaged wood; a peeled football, it’s sphere made from reconstituted concrete from a Palestine wall by Kaled Jarrar; lyrical paintings of plant forms by Gor Sudan; Donald Wasswa‘s globular albizia wood sculptures. Loved the fragile hangings made of bark cloth & paper fibres by Sheila Nakitende, which resonated with my recent work. I’m sourcing bark cloth..

At Kobo Trust Studios/Gallery I was given a brilliant tour by artist David Thuku. A papier mâché boat with heads, and distressed paintings of walls with overlaid text (Onyis Martin) recalls the refugee crisis. He uses posters peeled off city walls.  David Thuku has developed his own techniques using paper as surface, an intricate process involving cut and peeled layers to reveal different shades/surfaces. Results are striking images of figures and chairs, ordinary objects referencing temporality, past, present, future. Other artists there, manly figurative painters, use different techniques: pattern, layering, bleach into ink…  I was engrossed by the range and unique approaches. Each artist has an individual style. A common element is using materials from what’s around - making-do. Grateful to Jim Shamoon for driving me around!

I visited One Off Gallery (↑) and met owner Carol Lees, and Marc van Rampelberg, celebrated furniture maker and serious collector of East African art. We had a great conversation about the contemporary art scene in East Africa. Marc was involved in a significant book Thelathini (published by Kuona Trust) featuring artists who are a main part in the story of contemporary East African fine art from the ‘60’s onwards. Found Harrison Mburu’s animal metal sculptures humorous. Paintings by Ehoodi Kichapi had an ‘outsider’ quality, upstairs a treasure trove of stacked works, and more in the lush sculpture garden. At Redhill Art Gallery I was welcomed by owner Hellmuth Rossler. Rashid Diab’s etchings are on show, some with bird imagery as poetic, ancient mythological symbols. His use of faded calligraphic Sudanese text adds mystery.  Artist Dickens Otieno met me there, with one of his alluminium can weavings to show me. It was a privilege to meet him and study one of his pieces. He was one of the artists representing Kenya at Venice Bienale 2022.

Next day I visited the impressive Nairobi National Museum (↑) . I was intrigued by the artefacts, relics, wildlife specimens and historical narratives. Especially captivated by the gourds displays. The Abuu (musical horn) is made with gourds attached by wax/grounded bark. Africans have been recycling for centuries, using metals and found objects to make ornaments. Many masks, headdresses, and skirts are made from plant fibres, animal skins, shells, beads.. In the art gallery is a chair made from pangas (knives). Nairobi Gallery houses Joseph Murumbi’s extensive collection of art, artefacts, books.  Acclaimed ceramicist Magdalene Odundo is one of several pioneer East African women artists. Her smooth wide rimmed vessel greets in the entrance, with signature pinch marks, and tangible human form. Also there: hammered relief metal panels by Asiru Olatunde, paintings of animals, etchings, Benin sculptures, Lamu chair, Mali mud cloths with stylised geometric patterns, Giryama grave posts, and lavish Yoruba costume with exquisitely decorated cloth lappets - all fascinating. I met with curators Lydia Gatundu and Betty Karanja, who offered their thoughts on the development of visual arts in Kenya. We discussed the success story of Ruth Schaffner’s Gallery Watatu, Ngeche art movement and Banana Hill group.

On show at NCAI (founded by Michael Armitage) is Mwili, Akili na Roho (body, mind and soul), a figurative exhibition ‘shaping the broader understanding… of East African Art.’ (↑) It features 10 artists of different generations and approaches through religion, landscape, human/natural environment, supernatural, sexuality and politics. Artists include: Sam Joseph Ntiro, Asaph Ng’ethe Macua, Elimo Njau, Jak Katarikawe, Theresa Musoke (fluid symbiotic relationships of humans, animals, landscape), Peter Mulindwa (confronts post colonial.. uses local narratives in place of western iconography), Sane Wadu, Chelenge van Rampelberg, John Njenga, and Meek Gichugu (interrelated plants, creatures..). The exhibition follows Haus der Kunst & Royal Academy of Arts with Michael Armitage. I found the book Thelatheni and had a good look through it.  Some of its artists were on show in the exhibition. It was interesting that the title of the show reflects a quote in the book: ‘The early Greek philosophers defined Man as body, mind and ‘thymos’. It was great to meet curator Don Handa.

Finally, at Ol Pejeta, Nanyuki (↑), I made paper casts of found baboon jawbone and antelope horn, best left in Kenya, and had a play with collected found objects on an acacia tree.  I drew acacia galls, which intrigue me. On the surface, the bulbous forms with long sharp spikes is a compelling mix. But deeper than that, the symbiotic relationship between acacia-ants and their host acacia trees is fascinating. Acacia trees produce hollow bloated structures to shelter and feed the ant colony, and the ants, in turn, defend the tree against herbivores. Other man-made African structures interest me too.  Patchwork mabati (corrugated steel), found sticks, plastic and sisal that make up shop stands and homes. And travelling, temporary structures, carried from place to place on the backs of cattle, bikes, donkeys and camels..

Graphite bark rubbings - handmade book

Throughout, I collected materials, documented with daily notes/drawings in a sketchbook, and made a few sound recordings.  I’ve gathered quite a collection of bark rubbings, which I’ve made into a book (↑). I’ll be thinking about this awesome Kenyan trip for a long time. There are many meeting points where new ideas converge with past, and I’m excited to see where it might lead me in my practice and future projects. I hope to return for a longer residency, perhaps an exhibition.

I’m very grateful to Arts Council England for supporting this trip, and to those who hosted and supported me in Kenya including Untethered Magic, Ian & Andrew Campbell and Jim Shamoon.  Also, thanks to all the artists, curators and galleries who’ve given their time and connected with me.

I’ll be making a film of the trip which will include video footage. I’ll also be developing work on the back of it in a residency & solo at Create@#8, Shepton Mallet (mid Feb-March ‘23). Watch this space, visit my instagram page @fiona_campbell_dycp which documents my DYCP work, and do sign up to my newsletter for monthly updates (↓).

Thanks for reading this long post!

On a Christmas note, you can still order from my shop in time for Christmas! I’m offering a 15% discount on my forthcoming sculpture course (9 Jan-12 Feb ‘23) for pre-Christmas orders, and you’re the first to know! Use code PREXMAS at checkout. Book now as places are limited!

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and all the best in 2023!

Gathering

January is supposed to be a time for reflection, but with many projects gathering and colliding, it was full-on for me!  I think it was my busiest January ever. On the last day of the month I celebrated and took a much-needed breather with friends at Dawlish Warren beach - while collecting all sorts of goodies for ongoing work ;-)

Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand

I’m developing my series of multi-forms for an exhibition later this year: Together We Rise, Chichester Cathedral with RSS members, curated by Jacquiline Creswell.  The work’s inspired by the plight of pangolins, slaughtered/shipped in their thousands, wildlife wet markets and animal extinctions. The working title is Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand, after a series of Renaissance paintings (mainly by Durer) of the same title.

Stitch by stitch, a growing collection is slowly gathering in my studio (images above). I’m using recycled materials that are layered, hand-stitched, wrapped, tie-dyed with plant-based inks, and waxed over woven structures.  It’ll take me a few months, but I’m enjoying the labour-intensive process, which relates to care and repair. I still need to make about 25 more, so it’ll be head down for a few more months!

RSS Talk

I really enjoyed sharing my work in an online talk I gave last week to RSS members. I was so grateful and moved by the responses and feedback, and feeling energised from the conversations. Thanks to Simon Hitchens for inviting me to share my work. Image 1 (below) by Rebecca Newnham - diagram about interconnection while listening to my talk. Image 2: collage done in Sculptors Drawing Space - thinking through ideas for my installation.

Snowdrop Festival

I’ve been commissioned to make 3 giant snowdrop sculptures for the Snowdrop Festival, Shepton Mallet, 19-20 February.  A lot of time is spent gathering materials. I’m using recycled copper piping and wire for the structures and grateful for contributions from Cranmore/Dean residents of plastic and tent fabric, which will be added as a ‘skin’ for the petals, stems and leaves. Do visit the festival if you’re nearby and look out for the sculptures at the entrance to Collett Park, opposite Whitstone School, Shepton Mallet during the Festival.  

As part of the Festival, I’ll be running a wire sculpture workshop at The Art Bank BA4 5AA on Thursday 24th Feb, 10.30am-1.30pm. Further info here.

Pyre

Pyre is currently on show in Transfiguration, International Biennal 2021, National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, Taiwan, until 12th April ‘22.

I have an image in the solargraphic exhibition Slow Time, at Black Swan Arts. It shows a collection of long-exposure photographs of Somerset landscapes created with recycled drinks cans. I loved learnng about the process in a workshop with Janette Kerr and John Gammans, and looking forward to making more sun trail images with my newly created pin hole can/cameras.

Online sculpture Course

We’re coming up to the final week of a 5-week online course I’ve been running. I’m delighted with the experimental nature of work-in-progress by participants and their feedback so far.  Participants are from various parts of UK and USA, including MA students, art enthusiasts and one who is doing it for a second time.  Content (focused on 3d work using recycled/found materials) includes a weekly blog with content-rich info/demos, Zoom sessions, 1-to-1s, What’s app and instagram sharing: #onlinesculpturecourse2022. Looking forward to our final zoom presentations next week!

Private Tutoring

I’ve started tutoring privately, and enjoying it.  If you’re interested in being tutored in art let me know!

Featured in a Blog

Thanks to Ruth Connolly for her excellent blog which features a section about about my work and practice related to nature and environment, and work I made supporting the brilliant initiative #artforyourworld (via #artistsupportpledge). The donation to World Wildlife Fund from a sale was a small gesture towards helping important environmental projects.

Shop

I have signed giclee prints, original drawings and sculptures for sale - do have a look.

Coming soon:

Workshops and resources are being developed with SAW for Greening the Arts - more info soon.

Books

I’m currently reading Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangeld Life and loving it! ‘ As.. vexed hierarchies.. soften, our ruinous attitudes towards the more-than-human world may start to change… ’We’ are ecosystems that span boundaries and transgress categories…Mycelium is… the living seam by which much of our world is stitched into relation… Nature is an event that never stops’..

And I recently read All We Can Save as part of a book circle initiated by Kelly O’Brien. ‘My heart is moved by all I cannot save:

so much has been destroyed

..’ Adrienne Rich

I recommend them both!

Drawing on Dorset on Tour

You are warmly invited to a Private View of Drawing on Dorset, at the Slade Centre, Gillingham this Saturday, 12th October, 2-6pm.

I hope to see you there!