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

Autumn News

4 photos above by Andy Ladhams

Mycelial Landscape, botanical inks (oak gall, avocado pit, onion skin, buddleia flower) on paper

Open Studio

The past month has been largely dedicated to preparing for my Open Studio event, (part of Somerset Open Studios), and welcoming visitors in the opening week. Thanks to Nigel Evans and Jason Nosworthy for their help with the install of some of my work. There’s quite a lot to see, both inside and out.

I’ve so enjoyed having relaxed conversations with visitors of all ages, some from out of county, a few from abroad. I’ve been struck by emotional, visceral responses to my work: sadness, joy, empathy, discomfort, appreciation, recalled memories, and references to other artists’ work, for which I’m grateful. It’s been a great opportunity to see my work from different viewpoints, through visitors’ perceptions and my own, enhanced by various weathers and times of day. See some of the visitors’ comments below.

There is one more week left, so if you haven’t visited, please do if you can. My studio and garden are open to visitors daily until 1 October, 10-5 at SAW Venue 12, Laundry Cottage, Cranmore, nr Shepton Mallet BA4 4RH.  Follow the yellow signs!

Upcoming exhibitions and residencies

I’m thrilled to have been selected for a PADA residency next year in Portugal - more info to follow!

Delighted my piece ‘Roots’ has been selected for ACEarts Open ’23, Somerton, 14 Oct-11 Nov, 10-5 Tues-Sat.

Roots, reclaimed materials: wire, sisal, plant fibres, twine, cotton, 64 (h) x 47 x 35cms

I will also be taking part in Hatch, at a Secret Barn Exhibition, 27 Oct-12 Nov, 11-4 Fri-Sun.

My work is currently on show at Stone Lane Gardens Sculpture Exhibition 2023, Chagford, Devon, 1 June-31 Oct.

I ran a couple of eco sculpture workshops with scholars at Millfield School using recycled and found materials, related to the school’s current art and climate change theme. I loved the varied, imaginative processes and outcomes.

I’ve been making a set of copper bowls for Core by Clare Smyth. The 3 Michelin star restaurant in London, currently under refurbishment, has an emphasis on natural, sustainable food. Thanks to East Somerset Railway for use of their benchspace.

I will soon be teaching some Love2Learn Art courses at Bath College - Sculpture (Tues eves, Wed daytime, Life Drawing (Thurs) and Painting (Thurs eves), starting in the week of 9 October. If of interest, do get in touch.

Hope you get to some of these events and wishing you a happy autumn!

Wander_Land, DYCP, Sovereign Nature

Above and Below (detail)

I’m delighted to invite you to

Wander_Land

1 July - 5 August
An exhibition of sculpture by members of the Royal Society of Sculptors at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens and Gallery. I will be showing 2 new works made this year, Flags of the Forest and Above and Below, around the theme of woodlands/forests, biodiversity, rhizomic systems and entanglements of matter. I’ve been developing the Flags as an outdoor installation. Both works are made using eco-friendly materials and approaches: recycled, found, discarded and re-purposed materials, including home-made botanically dyed textiles, hand-stitched.

Inspired by a pilgrimage route that passes through Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Wander_Land explores our relationship between landscape and wandering. 

Please join us for the Private View:
Friday 30 June, 6 - 8pm

1st July: Artist Talks 2.30-4pm

5th August: Closing Event am & pm

Open 11am-4pm daily
Tremenhere Sculpture Gallery, Nr. Gulval, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8YL (T: 01736 448089)

Instagram: @wanderland2023

Below: pics of work in progress for Flags of the Forest. Thanks to Nigel Evans for his assistance.

As my Arts Council England ‘Developing Your Creative Practice’ Award draws to the end of its year, I’ve been looking back at what I’ve learnt and achieved. Huge thanks to ACE for the grant, Mark Devereux Projects for the bi-monthly mentoring sessions, and all who’ve contributed, engaged and followed my progress.

I’ve really appreciated the conversations and advice given my Mark Devereux over the 6 sessions. They were helpful in staging my progress, each building on the last. Mark helped to pinpoint key aspects of my practice, made sensitive observations and offered suggestions for development. In light of his questioning, I’m thinking more about presentation, the sensory, and my Kenya connections.

Kenya (my birthplace) is an underlying thread which I’m drawing out in my work. The tie is emotional. I’m focusing more on making do, ingenious uses of materials, embedding life and art, use of colour, textiles, space, connecting with earth, creatures, plants.. In my new series of work, I’ve explored and tested scale, materials, processes, ideas and different qualities through maquettes, drawings and larger pieces. I’m planting a dyers garden which will enable more home grown inks to be produced, expanding my repertoire of botanical dyes and eco prints. 

I was asked to create a river train and oak copse crown/headdress for a giant puppet’s costume (ACE-funded project via Spoken World). I used recycled/found materials to create the pieces, including eco-dyed fabric, wire, plastic, found wood and leaves for the crown. The river train took many hours to stitch together! I led a community workshop at Create@#8, Shepton Mallet to create some of the elements, and grateful to all those who helped. The giant Sovereign Nature has been processioning at Somerset Festivals. I enjoyed performing with her at the Green Scythe Fair.

Jem Dick made the giant and worked with project director/storyteller Sharon Jacksties and community groups to create the gown.

Upcoming giant processions:
15-16/7 Pitchfolk Festival
3-6/8 Fanny’s Meadow
and appearances at various residential care homes. 

My work House on Fire is showing at Stone Lane Sculpture Exhibition, Stone Lane Gardens, Stone Farm, Stone Lane, Chagford TQ13 8JU, 1 June-31 October. The gardens are magical and there’s a great range of sculpture on show - do visit!

Ongoing

Design for Flags of the Forest - ongoing work

As one thing ends, another begins… and so we go on.

Thanks to all who visited my recent solo exhibition, supported, and bought work! :-) I had such a special time meeting new visitors and friends, catching up, talking art and all things related. See more about my residency and solo in my previous blog posts.

A few events on the horizon:

I’m involved in the Quantock Poetry Trail, led by Ralph Hoyte, (worked with me in step in stone). We're showing our work in Measureless at Studio 10, East Quay, Watchet, a film comprising spoken word and visual art. My Flags of the Forest was partly inspired by walks with the group, and some of my images and words will feature. It runs 1-23 April. Readings eve: 22 April, 7-9pm.

Join me for 2 Heart-making sculpture workshops this Thursday 6 April, and 4 May, at the Art Bank, Shepton Mallet, 10.30am-12.30pm. Help me create the heart of the Community Spirit living sculpture! We’ll be using found and recycled materials to make the giant’s heart, to be installed in Shepton this summer. No need to book.. Just turn up!

I’m taking part in a Pecha Kucha at Shatwell Farm, Bruton, Somerset on Friday 14 April, 6.30pm. Creatives speak about their practices in quick succession ‘to foster new connections... an opportunity to exchange ideas with one another’. Join us if you can! Book your place here

My work (design above) has been selected for Stone Lane Gardens Sculpture Exhibition 2023, and Ashburner Prize; opening 1 June, it runs throughout the summer. The spectacular 5 acre woodland is on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.

Thrilled to be taking part in Wander_Land this summer, with Royal Society of Sculptors SW group members at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens & Gallery, Cornwall. We’ll be showing new work about landscape and wandering. Runs 1 July-5 Aug. PV 30 June, 6-8pm. I’m developing Flags of the Forest into an outdoor series for Wander_Land. Sculptural lines and layered fields of colour will be activated by the elements: solid vertical hoists contrasting soft hangings, hand-stitched patchworks of semi-translucent materials that will hang at different heights. This film shows my process so far ↓.

Above and Below, my second (indoor) piece to be shown at Wander_Land

Behind the scenes I’ve been working with the steering group, my focus being PR and our instagram feed. Do follow @wanderland2023 for more..

Thanks to Mark Devereux (MDP) for his sensitive mentoring so far as part of my DYCP award.

For the past year I’ve been art tutoring young people at home. I was delighted that 2 had 6 of their artworks selected for the Black Swan Young Arts Open Exhibition, and 1 won a prize in his age category.

If you’re interested in a 1-to-1 or group workshop let me know!

Other events and links:

I was so glad I got to London last week to catch Cecilia Vicuna’s Brain Forest Quipu and Magdalena Abakanowicz’s Every Tangle of Thread and Rope at the Tate. Both inspired by forests. The latter particularly inspiring: highly dramatic environments of enormous bulky forms, suspended so that ropes spill across the floor, shadows, deep rich earthy tones.. Also saw Maria Bartuszova’s delicate plaster sculptures, wandered around the Object/Materials collection, and visited V & A to see Africa Fashion - a brilliant show!

Attended a tour of The New Bend, Hauser & Wirth Somerset by curator Legacy Russell last weekend, very eloquent.

So sad to to learn of Phyllida Barlow’s death last month. A huge loss to the art world. She was a great inspiration.

A-N report ‘Structurally F-cked ’on the ‘systematically flawed art world… the only people not paid were the artists, the content providers….small fee.. huge workload… the fee per hour worked out as pennies..’

Aerial African Studies by Edward Burtynsky

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