Life as a Recluse

Today is the first day of summer, so I’m celebrating with a blog focusing on nature.  I love spring - days get longer, warmer, new life unfurls and there is such beauty in blossom.  But my favourite season is summer.  I adore the sun.  It probably comes from my upbringing in Kenya.  We’ve been so lucky in UK with these blue skies, although watering the fruit and veggies has become a daily task and there is concern about the effects of drought. 

Like so many, I’ve become a recluse.  In my own home and garden I feel safe.  I am not alone, the birds and insects keep me company.  The garden, in particular, has become my world and route to wellbeing, providing me with a deep sense of peace and purpose. There’s so much to do - planting homegrown seedlings, weeding, tidying, creating a fully functioning veggie zone, and digging soil to prepare a space for an outdoor studio bay.   I’ve been selling my surplus rich topsoil to local residents (safe distancing) - a circular economy!  The veggies are coming on nicely. I don't want to use chemical pest control, so have put down copper rings around my raised tyre beds and planted marigolds to keep the aphids off my beans!  The other day I spent hours watching a baby tit in the garden. At one point I thought the neighbour's cat had got it, long story but after an emotional blub, I was overjoyed to find it safe.

Creativity must happen too.  My garden feeds my art and art feeds my garden.  This has formed my self-directed project Life in the Undergrowth.  I’ve been particularly inspired by upturned turf, roots, worms and shoots.  I’ve made drawing tools from natural materials, and a series of maquettes and larger sculptural works are developing.  I was very fortunate to receive Arts Council England Emergency funding so am looking forward to purchasing a micro lens among other useful technical aids to document my discoveries.  I’m allowing the project to evolve organically.

I have appreciated my studio at home.   I’m doing some digital training to broaden the scope of my work.  I’ve started to embed video documentation in my practice, one of the outcomes of lockdown.  Videos attract more traffic on social media, improving audience and networks, though they usually take longer to create.

This covid19 period has made me realise that much of my travel is unnecessary, costly, polluting, stressful and time-consuming.  I will enjoy visiting exhibitions in the future, but make a greater effort to utilise travel and only make journeys that are necessary. Covid19 has catalysed an urgent need to adapt to the growing requirement for online creative provision and engagement.   I completed my online teaching course and will soon be launching my own online course.  Please pass on my details to anyone you think would be interested and suggest they subscribe to my website to hear more. I will be offering a free giveaway as part of the launch!  I think online courses will become more popular in the future.  Advantages of convenience, flexibility, extended reach, instant access, no travel means digital engagement is a sustainable way forward.

I’ve shared my free video resources on BBC’s Get Creative at Home and taken part in the following online art initiatives this past month: shareyoursky - Pound Arts; #artistsupportpledge (sold Mini Dung Beetle and Ball!); RSS Sculptors at Home; RSS #10gramchallenge; 44AD Gallery’s online exhibition A-Z - Between & Enveloped; Anna Souter’s Vegetate; SAW’s Somerset Reacquainted.

Root-inspired piece for 10 gram challenge. This will be cast in bronze at the Milwyn Foundry.

I was interviewed by Art Tour International.  Here’s a link to .the recorded Facebook Live interview with Viviana Puello, based in New York.

Safe distance walks and meet-ups will become more frequent, but I hope the new normal won’t be like it was and that we heed nature’s big message.  

A massive thank you to all of you who have given me and my work so much support! Here’s to nature, summer and happy times ahead! 

Life in the Undergrowth

Cocooned in our insular worlds, observing and attending to nature seems vital.  On the whole, I’ve been enjoying my deep seclusion.   Rather than work in the studio, the glorious sunshine and accompanying birdsong draws me outside. I’ve been gardening and making art in tandem, both meditative and feeding off each other.  This fusion initiated my self-directed art project: Life in the Undergrowth.  

I’m allowing the process of investigation to lead me, creating and documenting a series of artworks based on hidden worlds that often get overlooked.  My sketchbook is filling up with observations of seedlings rooting and upturned turf with entangled worms.  Working through different processes of collage and maquette-making using to-hand materials, larger pieces may evolve.

Alongside this, I’ve been making and editing videos of the process.  It’s a steep learning curve.  Covid19 has catalysed a need for online creative provision, so I’m building on my digital skills in order to offer an online art course.  I’ve had some technical advice from Richard Tomlinson, Ignite Somerset and am doing an online teaching course with Future Learning, which is really helpful. The advantages of convenience, flexibility, extended reach, instant access, no travel means it could be a sustainable way forward. Below are 3 short video demos I’ve made of different processes: Plant Fibres in Paper, Paper-making with Plant Fibres, and Collage Making using Old Magazines.  These free resources are for you to try out.  If you’re interested in learning more about my forthcoming events and online art courses, please subscribe here.  My first course will focus on creating nature-inspired sculptures, being experimental, resourceful, and deepening our engagement with our environment. There will be an introductory offer and a free giveaway!

Use natural debris from the garden or park to make simple paper artworks.

For full instructions visit my YouTube channel

Audio: Akale Wube - Ayalqem Tedengo extract

Step by step demo on how to make paper with plant fibres.

For full instructions visit my YouTube channel

Audio - Neroche (Snakes and Ladders)

I was thrilled to be selected as an Art Tour International instagram #stayhome #savelives winner! As a result my work is now featured in a double-page spread in Art Tour International’s latest Spring magazine and I have an online interview coming up this Thursday!

Zoom sessions have been a way to keep in touch with peers and join international conversations. I’m grateful for my connections with an artist-led group INCH, Somerset Art Works and Black Swan Arts.

I’ve been involved in several online and postal collaborations and initiatives, which has been energising: 

Vegetate curated by Anna Souter.   A range of artists, writers, curators, social scientists and others responded to Anna’s text prompts in a postal swop. The postal system acted as cross-pollinator. I received a wonderful piece of lavender smelling poetic prose about nurturing the earth and growth. I was inspired by the words ‘pale hairs sprouting... long enough to comb and plait... The growth shone in the sunshine as I trimmed the ends with bright scissors...’ . Responses were limited to letter size/weight. I made some simple pieces - fine copper wire hairs enveloped in khadi paper, waxed. Now sent off to their designated recipients.

Lockdown Portraits with Tchad Findlay - friendly conversation while creating portraits of each other

Letters to the Earth - Earth Day, 22 April. I wrote the poem for Earth Day, and asked Lou Baker to hang it on her Wishing Tree in Bristol.

A-Z B - Between online exhibition - 44AD 

Gardens of Earthly Delights - curated by Jessica Wetherly. Virtual platform to share hidden worlds.

Somerset Reaquainted with Sara Dudman/SAW members; response to unique period of isolation and renewed proximity to nature. To ‘investigate the minutiae of our local environment, sharpening our senses..’ It completely resonates with my own project.  Artists’ work will be posted in SAW’s Instagram takeover.’ Ongoing.

10gram Challenge. Royal Society of Sculptors members are provided with small pieces of wax to create a mini sculpture to be direct cast into bronze. Ongoing.

#artistsupportpledge. Do visit my Instagram highlight to view my art for sale. I’m offering some pieces at very special prices for this excellent initiative to support artists in difficult times.

This past month in isolation has had its ups and downs. Mind meanderings have been liberating, but also uncover mixed feelings, memories, concerns. I’ve struggled with brain fog, feel pressure to ‘make the most of it’, want to resist the market-driven art world, finding alternative ways to support myself, questioning what is important. It’s amazing how little one needs.

As I write this blog, some excellent news has arrived.  I have just learnt that I’ve been awarded an Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund!  The award aims to help artists who have suffered severe financial losses due to covid19.  It will support my Life in the Undergrowth project, digital development and Online Art Course.  I’m feeling extremely fortunate, so thankful and absolutely over the moon!

Stay safe!

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

Live-stream In-Conversation

As part of Ignite Somerset’s Creative Network sessions, I will be presenting an online slideshow of my work and joining Richard Tomlinson in-conversation, via a live-stream channel on  Facebook page, today, Wednesday 25th March, 5pm. The switch to online is due to Covid19.

We’ll be inviting participation and comments from the public - hope you can join in!

Spring News: Exhibitions, Conversations, Community

After a month filled with community art projects, the leap into Spring heralds a flurry of new exhibitions. I’m delighted to be featuring in these forthcoming shows:

Incendiary, a multi-site exhibition in Corsham curated by Patricia O’Brien, 19 March - 18 April. I’ve been making a new piece Pyre (image above) for the show - a response to the catastrophic Amazon and Australian wildfires.  It’s made from collected found objects (some I’ve treasured for many years), wrapped and charred as grief bundles, commemorations of lives lost.

Materiality, with Kate McConnell, Kelly O’Brien, Nicola Turner and Matthew Dibble, Walcot Chapel, Bath, 26-29 March, open 12-6pm. Preview, Wed 25 March, 6-8pm. 

About Trees, Heritage Courtyard Gallery, 6 Heritage Courtyard, Sadler St, Wells BA5 2RR, 21 March - 14 April. Private View Fri 20 March, 6.30-8pm.

You are warmly invited to these Private Views - or visit when you can!

Last chance to catch these exhibitions ending soon:

Fifty Bees 4, Black Swan Arts, Frome continues until 14 March, when we have a Wrap Party with Artist Talks. My sculptural installation Path of Pollination is sited in 2 parts - the ground floor hallway (amazing how many people miss it when they walk past) and up the stairs to the Long Gallery.  The piece incorporates radically different unorthodox materials: old washing up sponges, dusters, mustard powder, tumeric, wax, plastic netting, steel, copper, violet oil essence…  Researching the Welted Mason bee’s path of pollination I got hooked on pollen as matter (see previous post for further info).  

Gilbert Bayes Award Winners 2019 Exhibition: I took part in a Sculpture Slam at Royal Society of Sculptors (Dora House, London SW7 3RA), as part of our Gilbert Bayes exhibition. Each artist gave a short talk about our work - it was great to glean more about each other’s practice.  If you haven’t yet visited, it runs until 20 March 2020, then tours to Grizedale Sculpture, Cumbria. I’ll be invigilating on Tuesday 10 March, 1.45-5pm; if you’re in the area pop by.

Window Wanderland commission, Tesco Shepton Mallet

I was commissioned to create a window wanderland display for Tesco Shepton Mallet by Make the Sun Shine and The Rubbish Art Project.  I like placing art in unexpected places. An opportunity to use recycled materials as part of the message, the work includes a collection of found objects, recycled plastic netting, plastic bags, bottletops, twine, copper wire, wax, steel springs and coloured tissue paper, all united by my re-purposed copper wire sculpture Tendril.

After several days gathering and making various elements for 2 large windows, I spent all night at Tesco installing (‘til 5.45am - a surreal experience!). With so many enormous windows and other distractions at the superstore, it’s been challenging making it dynamic. The brief was to incorporate some of the local community projects they support through bags of help: Snowdrop Festival, Happy Landings, (close to my heart), Sugar for the Bees, Book Table,  Community Food Donation, Knit and Chat. Delicately papered 3-d wire snowdrops sprout, tails embrace, bees buzz and giant books fly.  The knitters kindly created 2 pieces, which sets it off. The work changes depending on times of day - both sides have different qualities. For the real 3-d experience go for a shop in Tesco Shepton Mallet!

I’m glad Tesco has made the first steps to reduce some of their plastic wrapping and hope this increases.

Window Wonderland in Shepton runs 5-8 March with a launch at the Anglo Trading Estate, today 5 March, 7-9pm.

I ran some Climate Emergency workshops and gave a talk via Somerset Council and Somerset Art Works.

Held as part of the Somerset Council Climate Emergency Events, my drop-in workshops in Bridgwater, Shepton Mallet, and Yeovil offered people of all ages an opportunity to create sculptural artworks inspired by flora and fauna, highlighting waste and the importance of our natural world.  Participants learnt new skills and how to be imaginative with ‘rubbish’.  They had time to think, explore and exchange ideas about sustainability and creativity. Alongside these, I gave a talk Art and The Climate Emergency.

The more the world wide web and social media increase their grip on us, the more I savour face to face interaction.  Through leading workshops, talks, invigilating and private views, I’ve had conversations with all sorts of people recently, mainly revolving around art, wildlife and the climate emergency: how we can work together for a better world, how art has a role to play in helping to turn the tide of awareness for positive action. 

In order to create the massive behavioural change needed we have to emotionalise that data (Olafur Eliasson, 2018). 

For me, a socially engaged practice is important.  Human stories emerge.  Connections are made between people.  Through making, conversations flow.

I’m looking forward to working with Mead Community Primary School, Trowbridge on the Masterpieces in Schools project, which I was selected for via RSS.

I continue to run workshops and masterclasses at the Holburne Museum, Bath. My next one is 9 April, a 1 day sculpture workshop on Nature’s Wonders for their Spring Art Camps.

Other news:

I’m thrilled to be featured in Creating Spaces, a book by Graham McLaren celebrating Bath School of Art & Design’s long history.

Other potential projects are in the air - meetings and applications still in progress. More news on them later.

Final thoughts:  face-to-face conversations are valuable, but a period of self-isolation due to the Coronavirus will be a wonderful excuse for some sustained art in my studio - benefits of working from home ;-)

Hope to have conversations with you at some of these events before then!