Selected for Ingram Prize 2021

Glut, 2018, recycled & found materials. Photo by Mike Garlick

I’m absolutely thrilled to have been selected as a finalist at this year’s Ingram Prize, the leading annual prize for contemporary artists in the UK. 

My selected piece Glut, was created in 2018.  It’s an outpouring, an emotional and physical wailing in response to environmental issues including waste, our consumerist society, factory farming, the plastic oceans, animal extinctions, climate breakdown.  And the loss of our boxer dog.

The materials, especially personal items speak of past lives, loss, textiles, craft. In contrast, the organic forms symbolise death, violence, but also vulnerability and renewal - the duality of horror and tenderness. Materiality and process are part of the message, embedded in the narrative: the work is hand-made, labour-intensive and my use of recycled and found materials relates to our relationship with matter, nature and ourselves. Collecting objects and materials is intrinsic to the process.  

The work is a form of artivism, a suturing in an attempt to heal.  Timely for COP26.

An exhibition of the finalists’ work, including mine, will be held at Unit 1 Gallery/Workshop, 1 Bard Rd, London W10 6TP, Friday 19 - Friday 26 November ’21. I hope you can come!  The winners will be announced on 18 November in London. 

It’s so wonderful to be part of the fantastic line up of artists and prestigious exhibition!

Here’s one of the the latest press articles.

‘From The Inside’

Some of my work from B-Wing, a project I co-curated in 2019, is featured in ‘From The Inside’, a book by Dave Cable, published this year about Shepton Mallet Prison. B-Wing was a 2 week site-responsive arts event in the prison involving 8 artists/writers and special events, part of Somerset Art Works Festival ‘19.

The book has already sold out, which may lead to a second print run. Along with the main book, an extra little booklet was published, devoted to our B-Wing project. It’s a great legacy to our project!

Back in the Studio:

It’s lovely to be back in the studio making again. I’ve been tie dying with various home-made plant inks, stitching, weaving and wrapping. The labour intensive processes are linked to care and repair. 

It took me several days to clear up after a flurry of projects. Due to rain damage, I’ve had to have a new roof made to store some of my work - thanks to Nick Weaver for help with this. I’ve finally made space to develop my next piece based around pangolins and their plight. Pangolins are now an endangered species - the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Exhibition in Taiwan

So glad my work Pyre arrived safely in Taiwan (80+ bound elements), and excited that it will soon be on exhibition at International Biennale, Paper Fiber Art 2021/22, Change: NTCRI, Nantou 54246, Taiwan; 12 Nov-10 April ’22. There will be a film of the exhibition published for the opening - watch this space!

Pyre, 2020, charred found objects (detail)

Forthcoming workshop:

I’ll be running a free Eco Christmas Tree Decoration-making Workshop on 10 Dec ‘21 at The Art Bank, Shepton Mallet BA4 5AD. Inspired by our natural world, you will be creating small sculptural creature or plant forms using recycled and found materials including copper wire and found objects.  We will explore form, texture, pattern, colour…  Materials will be transformed into imaginative, decorative forms.  The workshop will encourage an inventive approach, finding new ways of making.  Ideal for your Christmas Tree or eco hand-made Christmas gifts!

You are welcome to bring along your own collection of colourful beads and buttons to add to your pieces.

Thanks to the support of Shepton Mallet Town Council.

To Book email: fionacampbell-art@sky.com 

Hope of a Tree

Hope of a Tree is the working title of my latest piece in progress for Inch by IN:CH, an artist-led travelling project around South West UK.  The phrase comes from The Overstory (Richard Powers), a book which has influenced my work, following on from The Hidden Life of Trees (Peter Wohlleben).  Both reveal emotive stories and facts about trees: their sentience, underground communication, and resilience.

Hope has been an ongoing theme this past year. I find hope and sustenance in my garden everyday.  Watching, talking to birds, and listening to their chattering across the trees has been joyful. Hope is ‘a belief that the world has so many strangenesses and possibilities’ (Katherine Rundell, The Book of Hopes). 

Slowly, I’ve been building up the work.  A metal trunk (case) is the base from which rigid linear vertical forms ascend into branching umbrella structures. These contrast with translucent yellow hand-stitched textiles, referencing ‘invisible hands’ all over the world, repair, hope and regeneration. The recycled and found materials are gathered from my locality or donated by friends and neighbours. The trunk was sourced from an auction, and has a military history linked to Dar es Salam.

Inch by IN:CH runs from 29 May - 3 October in multiple venues. There has been a huge amount of behind-the-scenes work, including fund-raising - still ongoing… We’re delighted by the generous support (listed on our website), which will help bring a free programme of events to audiences.  I’ll be providing free sculpture workshops for visitors to explore techniques using recycled materials.

I’m juggling several projects, and it’s been hard dedicating time to making when online work demands attention.  I’m trying to prioritise ‘making time’; when the sun’s out and I can work outside - my favourite workspace - it’s top of the list!

Design work for for my All The Colours project is in its final stages. The community art project, part of Art First, via Seed, is a collaboration with the public to co-create a holographic artwork for 30 buses. The final designs will be revealed in June, when the art is on buses!

My first foray back into the real world running in-person workshops at Victoria Park Community Centre, Bridgwater was fun.  I loved interacting with participants after so long in lockdown, making collages for the photo mosaic chameleon which will change colour depending on viewpoint. I’m really grateful to all those who’ve submitted images to the project.  There will be an online exhibition of all work, and a prize draw.

I’m delighted to have been selected and awarded first prize for Round Lemon’s anniversary online ONE exhibition. 9 artists have been selected to take part: Chantelle Boyle, Sam Heydt, Nikolay Vlahov, William Shoal, Irina Laaja, Artemis Herber, Rachel Lou, Sarah Strachan and me. 

As part of it, I’m giving a free talk about my practice on 6 May 7-8pm. Book via the link - hope you can join!

My short film Life in the Undergrowth and a sketchbook feature in In Pursuit of Spring, an exhibition of works by Somerset Art Works members responding to the book by Edward Thomas. The first part of this exhibition is open on the ground floor of Black Swan Arts, Frome, 10am- 3pm, Friday-Sunday. The next part opens later in May (covid restrictions permitting). There’s an online exhibition on SAW and Black Swan Arts’ websites, featuring the artworks, artists’ statements and quotes from the book, published by Little Toller Books in Dorset.  It’s a lovely show, curated by Paul Newman and Emma Tuck. (2 Bridge St, Frome BA11 1BB; 28 March - 27 June ‘21).

Life in the Undergrowth is a filmed diary, inspired by hidden worlds in my garden. It began in early spring. Appreciating, observing, and communing with small creatures seemed vital. I witnessed transformation, life and death, and strange incidents happened... The film reflects my love of nature, changing seasons, how alive the air with bird sounds when we are quiet.  I was invited to write an article about my Life in the Undergrowth project for Somerset Gardens Trust magazine's Spring issue. You can see the article on my Press page.

I’ve been doing dedicated weekly drawing sessions (see @sculptorsdrawingspace on instagram) with Royal Society of Sculptors members initiated by Mark Richards. We draw together on zoom in congenial silence except for the sounds of our various drawing tools. It’s a precious time in the week to focus on anything we fancy drawing in the hour. Some of my drawings have been quick experimental doodlings, others slow and intricate.  One of my drawings will form part of a hand bound book of artists’ work, compiled by Nina Gronw Lewis for Somerset Reacquainted - coming to Ace Arts, Somerton in June.

I’m taking part in a Window on Art trail, Trowbridge from 5th June - early September, and other projects are in the pipeline. See my instagram for regular updates:

Hope you can visit some of the events!

Take care,

Fiona

Welcome Spring

What a joy to have spring sunshine and bulbs growing, after such miserable cold months in confinement.  New beginnings bring hope! 

It’s surprising what can be achieved under difficult circumstances. Time in lockdown has gone fairly quickly, as I’ve been working on several projects and finding alternative work solutions, although often computer bound.

In between, I’ve been developing new work in the studio, exploring ideas through collages, maquettes, sketches, and gathering materials.  In contrast to my last piece The Fall (see previous posts), my next feels hopeful.  Ideas are developing of ascending lines expanding beyond grid-like constrictions into lightness and recovery, though precarious.  Yellow is my new colour depicting hope and optimism.  I’ve been naturally dying and hand-stitching recycled textiles, rubber, latex, and plastic as patchworks of repair.  Branching umbrella frames may become supporting skeletal structures. 

A lot of the found and recycled materials I’m using have been sourced locally or donated by friends - thanks to those who’ve helped.

Short Film

A short film about my sculptural practice using textiles has been commissioned by Art UK, working in partnership with Culture Street and Royal Society of Sculptors.  Due to covid and lockdown, it was delayed for a year.  In the end, the artist interview was conducted over Zoom and I supplied footage.  Aimed at schools, it’s one of 10 new film commissions about sculptors and their different processes, as part of a major initiative to put online UK’s sculpture collection. I’m honoured to be included in the series!

All The Colours

I’m one of the commissioned artists leading a community art project via Seed, called Art First.  We are engaging the public in Sedgemoor, especially those who travel on buses.

‘Artists Fiona Campbell, Karl Bevis, Jem Dick and Sharon Jacksties are working on three projects, which will produce artworks co-created with Buses of Somerset passengers and staff and other members of the community. The finished works will be displayed on 30 buses across Sedgemoor.  Covering multiple art forms from poetry through photography to collage, our artists will guide you through the process, giving you tips to find inspiration in your everyday lives to create something magical. All creations can be submitted and your submissions will then be combined into artworks to be exhibited on the buses and online.’

In my project All The Colours I’m inviting people to create a collage in one dominant colour, reflecting on their responses to a bus journey, the past year, a particular experience, mood, feeling, moment, personal or global memory. The images will be part of a co-created artwork which will be transformed into a hologram chameleon. This will change colours at different viewpoints and will be featured on 30 buses for passengers and community to enjoy.

I’ll be running FREE workshops, there’ll be prizes and an online exhibition.  Below is a slideshow I made to offer examples of collages in a dominant colour.

For further info and to participate please visit my page All The Colours.  If you’re based in Sedgemoor, and/or have travelled on buses in the area, please get involved and spread the word!  

Inch by IN:CH

I’m part of an artist-led travelling project Inch by IN:CH, bringing contemporary art out of galleries and into community areas across South West UK. Between May-October ’21, 11 artists will each present mixed media works including painting, light projections, assemblage and sculptural installations, transported in cases from one place to the next.  At each location artists will engage the public through activities (covid protocol in place).

The locations we’ve chosen are unexpected venues for art. One of our venues, East Somerset Railway, is in my village.  Our finale venue will be at the Gauge Museum, Bishops Lydeard Station, West Somerset Railway, the longest heritage railway in England. We will show our work in the newly restored museum, in one of two remaining Victorian Sleeper cars, and spilling out onto the platform. These popular venues for families and train enthusiasts are evocative, meaningful settings for art about transportation of ideas.

We’re so grateful to sponsors including The Arts Society, Somerset Art Works, The Gane Trust,  individuals and supportive venues: East and West Somerset Railways, Fringe Arts Bath and Found Outdoors. We’ve submitted our Arts Council funding application, so fingers crossed we receive this crucial support to bring free programming and events to mixed audiences.

Online Sculpture Course

I recently finished running my second online Sculpture Course. The focus is on nature, using recycled and found materials. Participants produced some awesome work, sourcing their own found materials, and finding so many ways to use them creatively. 

Images: Jinny Jehu; Gwynne Penny;  Barbara Griffin; Magdalena Musanovi

To see more please visit Instagram: #onlinesculpturecourse2021
Let me know if you’re interested in my next course (dates TBC).

Inspiration 

Online meetings and talks have been convenient, with the benefit of international reach. Through zoom I’ve loved connecting with fellow artists. Royal Society of Sculptors meet-ups and new weekly sculptors drawing sessions have been helpful to focus and free the mind.  We are currently working on an exciting group exhibition.

The Overstory, a book by Richard Powers, has inspired new work: There are no separable events. The bird and.. branch.. are.. linked creatures..; ‘reiterated trunks .. shooting up parallel like the fingers of a Buddha’s upraised hand.. tufted spires… swirled in the gauze of a Chinese landscape… fungi and lichen everywhere, like splatters of paint from a heavenly can’

Other relevant resources:

Tim Ingold: Facing the Anthropocene: Life is always creating itself.. Lines are animate... I’ve started Tim’s book Life of Lines, and also The Mushroom at the End of the World (Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing)

James Aldridge: Queer Rivers Art Earth: Where does a river stop? Everything is fluid, interconnecting….

Phyllida Barlow: Small works made with the minimum of ambition... Sculpture is a restless art form…

Artists inspiring me: above left to right: Giulia Cenci; Daiga Grantina; Monika Sosnowska; Janet Echelman

Other News

I’m part of the Solargraphic Society of Somerset (Mendip area) organised by Janette Kerr. I put up my pin-hole can camera with light sensitive paper in my garden and look forward to the results in 2 months.

My Bulrushes are now installed in their new home in the midlands (left: pic in snow)

Delighted that my Blackbird sculpture (commissioned by Shepton Mallet Town Council for a Bird Trail last autumn) has been selected as a permanent feature above The Art Bank entrance in the town centre.

Forthcoming Events

Inch by IN:CH a travelling project considering transition, interchange and the transportation of ideas. Various venues, South West UK, 28 May - 3 Oct 

Royal Society of Sculptors 10 gram Challenge exhibition: 28 June – 18 Sept

I’ll be giving an online talk via Red Line Art Works on 25 March, 7pm (GMT). If you’d like to join the talk, please register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApcuiurzkvHtFe6fjc4ZqzB2doWh5SiyNu

In support of the Arts, please visit the Art Is Essential campaign, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of the Arts to a healthy society.

This past year has been a huge jolt to us, and despite the sad and tragic happenings, I’m hopeful that we have come out of it stronger and better.

Testing Time

While we’re all learning how to live differently during this terrible pandemic - a worrying time for humanity - I’m trying to find positives in all this instability.  It will undoubtedly change the world - let’s hope, in many ways for better.  

On a micro scale, artists are having to re-adjust our practices and finances after cancelled projects and exhibitions.  For me, a large amount of prep for future work may be wasted; several shows, public commissions and freelance workshops are now cancelled.  Our Royal Society of Sculptors Gilbert Bayes Award Winners Show couldn’t tour to Grizedale and my latest piece Pyre - charred bundles of treasured finds created in response to wildfires - is in a ghost exhibition Incendiary.  At least we managed to install, so it can be viewed digitally!

Pyre, 2020, 90 x 115 cms aprx. Photos above and below by Stephen Lenthall

On the upside, last week, completely unexpectedly, I was delighted to hear I’ve won the Red Line Art Works Award for my series of works Snakes and Ladders (created for B-Wing), Glut and Accretion!  My trophy’s arrived in the post and I am extremely grateful to Red Line Art Works for the award - it comes at a timely moment.  Red Line Art Works is an international organisation reflecting on global issues, the state of our world and global justice. ‘Our global audience is inspired by art with a conscience, art that reflects these big problems’.

David Attenborough recently said in an interview with Big Issue ‘In times of crisis, the natural world is a source of both joy and solace... we are part of the natural world.  If we damage the natural world, we damage ourselves.’  Ironically, in this crisis nature continues, bird song seems louder and new life is bursting out everywhere. The message is profound.  To re-focus and make sense of things, I’m taking life at a slower pace.  I’ve been spending time gardening, appreciating what I have, sowing veggie seeds, mending, sketching, tentatively picking up loose ends and attempting new approaches in work.  I’ve collected plant debris for hand-made paper and fibre works, and made dye from avocado pits. I gave my first Zoom live-stream artist talk online (recorded), in conversation with Richard Tomlinson and interactive viewers. It was part of Ignite Somerset's monthly Creative Network sessions.  I’m also producing a series of simple art project slideshows that can be used by all ages (watch this space!)  The savings in travel are great for the pocket and the environment.  The sky has far fewer vapour trails.  I’m in awe of hospital workers, all the committed carers, community support, and the creative resilience of artists.  Through virtual chat we can still make connections and I’m finding this crisis brings us closer.  

At the bottom of this blog, I’ve pictured a few of my artworks currently available for sale.  Some of these (under £200) I am selling as part of #artistsupportpledge - an initiative by Matt Burrows to foster generosity and support among artists. My instagram details these artworks. Please contact me if you need further information.

Creativity Works posted 5 ways to wellbeing: connect, keep learning, be active, take notice and give.  I’m trying to embed these in my routine.

In an essay ‘Against Interpretation’ by Susan Sontag, she says our ‘culture based on excess.. overproduction… material plenitude… crowdedness… dulls our sensory faculties…  We must learn to see more, to hear more, to feel more’.  And that was in 1964!

Look after yourselves in this testing time and let’s hope we learn many lessons in the process!

Prices range from £60 - £1950 + p&p

Drawing on Dorset, quality paperback book, £15 + p&p