shed

Summer Sale and Support by Fiona

Photo by Jason Bryant

I am fundraising to help pay for 3 events, amounting to £2000. The funds will enable me to:

• build a new shed for art storage, easing workspace in my studio

• support the development of Riot into a performance, by working in collaboration with Melanie Thompson towards a transient happening at Tout Quarry during One Island - Many Visions.

film documentation of the performance by Andy Ralston.

Donate

The latter two will be part of a new body of work which I plan to show in a future solo. You will be invited to visit all 3! Your patronage will be hugely appreciated and acknowledged. Just a donation of £10 can help me reach my goal!

Riot is a site-responsive intervention at Tout Quarry for @oneislandmanyvisions, and also wearable sculpture. Inspired by Maritime Sunburst Lichen growing on the rocks at Tout Quarry. Created from recycled materials including ocean waste & textiles (some home-dyed with natural pigments), Riot is a reflection on ‘troubled beauty’, Arts Precario, beauty tinged with sadness. Currently working on Riot (part II). Thanks to all who have donated materials including Weymouth and Portland Litter Marine Project, Jane Fox, Caroline James, Victoria Grinter, Marilyn Keemar, Linda Staines, Nigel Evans, Vanessa Lloyd-Jones, Gill Sakakini.

Part of my fund-raising is a SUMMER SALE of work. I’m offering a discount on drawings in my online shop.

Large Moth

COURSES

I recently ran an Eco Sculpture course via Frome Community Education, see below results


New courses start in the Autumn: Please visit these links: Drawing & Creative Sketchbooking 

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Eco Sculpture workshop: Hidden Cabin, The Grange, Charlcombe Lane, Larkhall, Bath BA1 8D, Friday 25 July, 10am-3.30pm. Book here

Drawing in Space with 3-d Materials: The Sherborne, Tuesday 5 August, 10.30-4.30pm with luchbreak.

Sculpture Workshop as part of Hauser & With Somerset’s Myths & Machines exhibition, Sunday 21 September, details coming soon on events programme.

TUFTED DUCK

I invited the community to take part in creating a Tufted Duck sculpture at Collett Park Day, Shepton Mallet, for an Eco-Arts Festival Trail ’25. Delighted with lots of engagement. Themed ‘Flock, the trail is about water life and takes place in Shepton Mallet, Cranmore & Doulting during the summer holidays. Look out for sculptures made from re-purposed materials & pick up a trail map from the Art Bank, library, One-Craft  Gallery, Shepton Mallet, or Station Cafe, Cranmore.

Article of interest:

Donald Trump’s Cultural Revolution

Follow my instagram channel for more regular updates

Winter News by Fiona

Last month I plunged into completing a studio renovation project, started earlier this year. Consequently, I have space to breathe and work in my freshened up outbuilding/studio! My welding bay is now sited separately in a converted shed. Storage space is always an issue, but for now, all my large pieces that need weather protection are safely under cover.

I gave a couple of talks about my work - one to an audience of 3rd year architecture students at Bath University. It was an interesting exercise in re-evaluating my practice through a different lens.

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I’m excited to have been selected for Art UK’s Masterpieces in Schools programme, 2020 delivery. I will be working with a South West school making sculpture based on one of my pieces on loan to the school for a day. It will be interesting to see which one they pick.

Forthcoming Exhibitions and Courses:

Two of my sculptures have been selected for the Royal Society of Sculptors Gilbert Bayes Award 2019 Winners Exhibition - Glut and Of Bones. The exhibition opens 16 December - 20 March, Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm, Dora House, RSS, 108 Old Brompton Rd, S.Kensington, London SW7 3RA. Private View 18 Dec, 6.30pm (RSVP exhibition@sculptors.org.uk). I’m in great company, the other Gilbert Bayes winners are all excellent and very diverse. I’ve really enjoyed my year getting to know them and attending some inspiring RSS development sessions. Our work will tour to Grizedale Sculpture, Cumbria, from March 2020.

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I’m working on a new piece for FIFTY BEES 4: The Interconnectedness of All Things. My work will be associated with the Hoplitis Claviventris welted mason bee, one of 50 bees by 50 artists. They will accompany life-sized felted bees by artist/curator Lydia Needle. I’ve been researching the mason bee’s path of pollination. My piece will be an abstract sculptural installation, essentially reflecting connections of bee to pollen, using recycled materials including foodstuff. The exhibition runs 8 February - 14 March 2020, Black Swan Arts Gallery, 2 Bridge Street, Frome BA11 1BB

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I’ll be taking part in Incendiary 2, Pound Arts, Corsham, 19 March - 18 April 2020, curated by Patricia Brien. More news to follow.


Sculpture Course

Happily, my first 5 week evening course making organic sculptures from recycled materials at Frome Community Education went well, so I am running another 5 week Sculpture Course on Wednesdays 6-8pm, from 8 January 2020.  If you’d like to book please visit: fromecommed.org.uk

For other workshops please see Forthcoming Workshops

I’ve been getting inspiration from various sources: I attended a bronze casting workshop at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, my first attempt at bronze casting. I visited Mary Sibande at Somerset House, London, who’s work moved me to tears. I went on an an art walk & talk with James Aldridge and took part in a drawing session with Lydia Halcrow in Bristol, part of A Gathering of Unasked Possibility, Centrespace Gallery, curated by Kelly O’Brien and Judith Rodgers, a memorable experience connecting with each other and our surroundings, particularly nature.

Following the touring exhibition Drawing on Dorset, my work now features in a lovely book on contemporary drawing. I have copies available to purchase if you’d like one: £15 (+pp). It’s a beautiful soft back publication with excellent quality images reflecting a wide range of drawing media and styles by some incredible South West artists. A great Christmas gift ;-)

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I also have sets of mixed greetings cards for sale at an offer price of 3 x A5 @ £7; 6 x A6 @ £8 (+pp). Contact me in interested.

Report writing continues for B-Wing, but nearly there!

I’m working on a garden sculpture commission in time for Christmas; hoping to clear the decks by then for some celebration time!

Have a fabulous Christmas!

My hopes are that 2020 brings us to our senses - more green and harmonious ;-)