PADA Residency

I’m half way through a PADA art residency in Barreiro, near Lisbon, Portugal. I’m embracing the rigorous schedule of work, and a massive studio alongside other inspiring artists from across the globe. Sited within a post-industrial zone, parts of which have gone to ruin through toxic contamination and bankruptcy. The dystopian wastelands a shocking, mind-opening example of the repercussions of industrial/economic growth and ‘progress’.  Pyrite was used in making fertiliser. It oxidises, creating toxic sulphuric acid. Skeletal structures, piles of waste, remnants of plastic leakage, warped and crystallised into unfamiliar forms, materials mangled and tangled. Remains of disaster. Shadows of the past. Reminder of our future..

I’m responding to the dystopian wasteland and PADA’s history as a jute warehouse. Vasco da Gama discovered India, where jute originates. Trade routes, colonisation (eg Mombasa/Malindi..) mass production, and the Carnation Revolution (‘74) ensued.

I’m making a colossal sack, and stilt structure to support it. Sack is a bodily form, bundle, container of waste, made from a patchwork of discarded materials/offcuts gathered locally, especially jute sacks. Offcuts include Indian fabric from Malindi. Grateful to @soniapicolo who helped me source waste fabric in Lisbon. Some of the patches are weavings I’ve made with stuff from the wasteland, reflecting grids in surrounds, and warp and weft of jute. Others botanically hand-dyed - all hand-stitched together.  Colours of yellow wild flowers. moss growing on concrete, reds/oranges of iron and sulphur..

In Ursula Le Guin’s The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction, the sack represents the ‘belly of the universe..a ‘womb.. tomb.. unending story.. hope’. In a preceding book, Elizabeth Fisher claims man’s ‘first cultural device was probably a recipient’ (not bludgeon).

Collecting/scavenging materials has been part of my process. For the stilt structure I hauled a 4 metre pole back along river Tagus in a storm!

We’ve also had a bit of time to enjoy eating out, listening to local fado music, and visiting exhibitions in Lisbon. I had a visit from Mark Richards (Royal Society of Sculptors), and met up with an old schoolfriend Sonia, at the Berlinde de Bruyckere exhibition at MAC/CCB. Overwhelmed by the powerful work, curated in the huge avant-garde galleries. Glorious yet repelling bodily forms.

I’ll post final pics of my PADA work in my next blog. To keep more up-to-date with my ongoings follow me on Instagram.

Upcoming Exhibitions

PADA Residency Exhibition, Rua 42, n2, Parque Empresarial da Quimiparque,
2830-904 Barreiro, Portugal; Sat 24 Feb, PV 6-9pm.

Sustainable Art Open, Atkinson Gallery, Millfield School, Butleigh Rd, Street, Somerset BA16 0YD. PV Wednesday 21 Feb, 7.15pm. Book a free slot here to see it during our open hours. Featuring artists who work with environmentally-friendly materials and incorporate sustainable practices. Open 9:30am-5pm, from Wed 21 Feb - Thurs 2 March (Closed Sun - Tues).

Casting Shadows ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton, TA11 7NB; 2 March - 6 April; with Royal Society of Sculptors members. You’re invited to meet the artists on Saturday 2nd March between 11am-1pm. The exhibition runs from 2 March - 6 April.  I’ll be showing a new piece Stilt Structure I. It would be great to see you!

Shepton Mallet Snowdrops Festival, 12-18 Feb: A giant scroll-like mixed media collage installation, with text, is spanning the galleries of the Baptist Chapel, Shepton Mallet. It’s on show from 16-17 Feb during the Festival (theme ‘Nature Unbound’). Created in a workshop with me, writer Polly Hall, and community. Poetic words were laser cut onto the finished scroll. Georgia Freely and Polly installed the work while I’m away. See full diary here. Do visit if in the area.

Delighted to announce we’ve achieved our match-funding for a new project I’m co-curating with Jan Ollis: As Old as the Hills. Thanks to: The Arts Society Wessex area, a local charitable trust, Simon & Chrisi Kennedy Paddy O’ Hagan, & Ben Malin. Fingers crossed our ACE application is successful.. Residencies will lead to an immersive exhibition and 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. Do follow our new instagram account.

Really pleased with exploration and outcomes from participants of my Online Sculpture Course - see their work below:

Juggling

It’s a common phenomenon for artists to be adept jugglers, managing multiple balls in the air to survive. A book I’m reading ‘The Artist as Cultural Producer’ by Sharon Louden highlights 40 artists who do it very well. It’s been a dizzy time juggling different strands of my practice and feeling excited by opportunities that have come my way.

Carymoor - newt sculpture

I installed my Great Crested Newt sculpture in his new home at Carymoor Environmental Trust. Made from recycled and found materials, he sits on a grassy tussock by an old bomb incineration tank (now pond - home to great crested newts). Here he can oversee his live newt friends who hide underneath the sheet of corrugated steel.

The sculpture was commissioned as a memorial to the founder of the environmental centre Hamish Craig. He loved great crested newts and it was finding these on the old landfill site that sparked the beginnings of Carymoor - now a wonderful wildlife and education centre built over a site full of waste.

MA graduation ceremony

Earlier this month I officially graduated with an MA in Fine Art at a grand ceremony in the awesome Assembly Rooms, Bath, celebrating with fellow graduates. It was a treat to meet our chancellor Jeremy Irons and I was honoured to be invited to give the valediction speech on behalf of our cohort. I managed to do this without tripping up. It was a lovely sunny day for photos - happy memories!

Gilbert Bayes Award sessions

Since winning a Gilbert Bayes award from the Royal Society of Sculptors, I’ve been going to London for monthly development sessions. The last with Shelley James focused on writing about our work. The year ends with a group exhibition in London, which tours to Grizedale Arts afterwards - exciting! I try to maximise on my London day trips by visiting exhibitions or museums. I saw Anni Albers at Tate Modern and more recently strolled through the V&A materials and techniques sections, which is mid-blowing.

Outdoor Arts

I have spent 2 weekends on an Outdoor Arts Development Course in Weymouth (delivered by Activate, b-side & Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival). It’s been fun and informative discussing potential art projects, learning tricks of the trade and thinking up new ideas. I’m now working on a pitch for a potential project which will involve collaboration, to present soon for the forthcoming event Dorset Moon this summer (Luke Jerram's international touring project Museum of the Moon). I’ve made a mini rickety ladder as a maquette. If I don’t get selected I will at least have a cute little ladder for posterity. I quite like making small objects despite normally making huge pieces. A bit finickety but addictive!

Incendiary

The wonderful multi-site exhibition ‘Incendiary’, featuring my work, came and went in full fiery mode. 25 artists responded to the firing up of industrial incinerators - a thought provoking exhibition curated by Patricia Brian. Lou Baker and I held an event ‘Join in the Conversation’ as part of it - we were delighted that we had a room packed with engaged people at Stroud Valleys Artspace, discussing our work in context with waste.

Glut at Incendiary. Photo by Mike Garlick

Cells residency

For my cells residency ‘Offenders’ at Town Hall Arts, Trowbridge (April/May) I’ve made initial sketches, a collage and have started sourcing scrap steel for the skeletal form of a proposed huge Tongue sculpture. Working in the garden on sunny February days has been great. Confrontation with uncomfortable topics related to environmental exploitation will be a characteristic of this residency and exhibition. 

My work often involves sourcing, sorting and stripping wire. I’ve happily received donations of unwanted materials: pink clothes, towels, wire and fruit nets. Still looking for recycled wax, lead and copper wire. Please get in touch if you have any spare.

Forthcoming exhibitions

Other events coming up include a big group show ‘Re-formation’ at the Bishops Palace, Wells, Somerset for Summer 2019, organised by Heritage Courtyard Gallery. I have been developing ideas for this.

Fundraising for Prison Project - B-Wing

I’m currently writing an ACE application for a forthcoming project ‘B-Wing’, an arts event being held in the unique spaces of Shepton Mallet prison. Delivered alongside co-curator Luminara Star and several selected artists, we are making progress. B-Wing will involve 5 artists and 1 writer making site-responsive works leading to an exhibition and performances in the B-Wing section of Shepton Mallet Prison during Somerset Art Weeks Festival ’19. The project promises to be quite special and will be a nice follow on from my Cells residency work. We are looking for funds to engage the local Shepton community, schools and various other groups in the area and from afar. More news to follow.

Copper bowls

I have made a series of little copper bowls for Fosse Beads and Friends, Black Swan Arts, Frome. Each one is annealed and hand beaten.

Workshops

I had fun with tinies (Yrs 1 & 2) at Trinity First School, Frome the other day. Around 120 children made sea creatures in a day using recycled plastic and other found/discarded materials.

I am running a few workshops over the next few months with places available. The next is a 3d wire workshop, Tues 9 April, 10am-1pm, ages 6+; £15 per adult+child; additional children £8 each; includes materials & drink. Town Hall Arts, Market Street, Trowbridge BA14 8EQ. Book: www.townhallarts.co.uk

If you’re interested in more, please visit this link.