Ongoing

Working on the second part of Riot for One Island - Many Visions, inspired by Maritime Sunburst Lichen growing on the rocks at Tout Quarry.

Riot is a site-responsive installation, created from recycled materials including ocean waste, to be placed on rocks in the quarry. It’s also a wearable sculpture. I’m raising funds to work with a dance/choreographer leading to a performance at the quarry during the show. Let me know if you can contribute. Any amount much appreciated, however small.

I’ll be taking part in a Pecha Kucha, Tuesday 17 June, 6.30-8.30pm, Stroud Valley Arts, 4 John Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2HA. £3 cash or card on the door. ‘8 visual artists present their work in the brilliant 20x20 pecha kucha format: Emilie Sandy; Fiona Campbell; Jessica Akerman; Risée Chaderton-Charles; Sam Marsh; Albie Luca; Deborah Cox; Tilly Geoghegan

Sack is on show at Insert There, curated by Roger Clarke, 'The Street’, Locksbrook Campus, Bath Spa University BA1 3EL, part of Fringe Arts Bath Festival ‘25. FAB runs until 7 June. Visit all works

Some of my work is showing in the Round Tower, Black Swan Arts, 2 Bridge St, Frome BA11 1BB, part of Frome Community Education Tutors Art Exhibition, until Saturday 7 June. I’ll be there on 4 & 6 June, 10-1 if you want to say hello.

Last chance to book my upcoming Eco Sculpture Course with Frome Community Education, Wednesdays, 2-4pm, starting on 4 June for 5 weeks. Makers’ Yard, 37 Lower Keyford, Frome BA11 4AR. Book here

II’ll be leading a one-day Eco Sculpture workshop at the Hidden Cabin, The Grange, Charlcombe Lane, Larkhall, Bath BA1 8D;, on Friday 25 July, 10am-3.30pm. Book here

More workshops coming soon.

Visual Arts South West is calling on everyone working in the visual arts to write to their MP asap to urge them to champion our sector in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. This is a critical moment — big decisions are being made that will shape public investment, livelihoods, and the future of our sector for years to come. Outcomes will be announced on 11th June

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Spring News

Flags of the Forest, Seed Pop Up, Angel Place, Bridgwater. Photos 1-5 (above & below) by Kate Pearce

Flags of the Forest was re-created as a site-responsive installation in an empty shop space in Angel Place, Bridgwater last month, commissioned by Seed Sedgemoor. I so enjoyed spending time with the installations, welcoming and speaking to visitors, hearing their perspectives and watching their interactions. I had many stimulating conversations about art, trees, animals, recycling and ‘rubbish’ we can creatively transform. Thanks to those who visited.

I’d created a few additional elements and adaptations since its first placement in ‘23 was outdoors at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens. Being in the space all week gave me more time to consider the work and receive thoughtful feedback. I’m galvanised to add more to this installation in the future.

The commission was focussed on actively engaging people in the creative arts. I was present daily and ran a drop-in workshop. I’m hugely grateful to Seed for the commission, and for their support. It was a fantastic opportunity to recreate my 2 installations (the other in February) in the space and see them hang in a different setting/light. Each install felt a bit like a residency.

Considering Art Podcast

It was a real pleasure talking to Bob Chaundy recently about my work for his Podcast series Considering Art. We had a conversation about my background and inspiration, and how environmental issues are at the heart of my work, materials and processes. I’m grateful to Bob for inviting me. You can listen here:

Check out other artist interviews here

The Arts Society Wessex Area

Delighted to have been granted some funds by The Arts Society Wessex Area towards delivering a workshop (date TBC) for One Island - Many Visions, plus towards costs for the exhibition catalogue & symposium. I’m currently developing work for this show in Portland (6 Sept - 31 Oct). The exhibition is a collaboration with Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust and fellow members of the Royal Society of Sculptors. I’m also working behind the scenes in the Steering Group.

My piece Riot is inspired by Maritime Sunburst Lichen (Xanthoria Parietina) growing on the rocks at Tout Quarry, their colour, folds, and radial growth. Ancient life forms of fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria in symbiosis. Created from recycled materials including beach waste, Riot is a reflection on ‘troubled beauty’, Arts Precario. Labour-intensive processes of weaving, wrapping and hand stitching refer to line as energy, tentacularity, thread as the universal component of the cosmos. A site-responsive intervention at Tout Quarry, Riot is also wearable sculpture, There will be a performance in which the human body activates the work during the exhibition.

Riot, being trialled at Tout Quarry. Photo by Russell Sach

I’m now working on the second part to it.

Spring Clean

Feeling cleansed after a big studio clear up (see below: last 2 images of the mess before..)! For a while I’ve been working anywhere but my studio, which had become a dumping ground for stuff as projects mounted up. Although I have a studio outbuilding - historically the laundry building for my village - I prefer working out in the garden especially when it’s sunny. I use a separate shed for metal/woodwork, and grateful to a neighbour Roger Spear who lets me use his large workshop for occasional jobs. Roger passed on to me an old catering tray/trolley, which I transformed into a storage shelving unit with plywood offcuts, and used some repurposed marquee poles and wood blocks to make a folder rack.

FAB

An image of ‘Sack’ has been selected for Insert There, curated by Roger Clarke, part of Fringe Arts Bath Festival ‘25. It will be displayed on a wall in 'The Street' at Bath Spa University's Locksbrook Campus, BA1 3EL. FAB runs 23 May to 7 June.

Sack 2024. Placed via AI in the industrial wasteland of Barreiro, Portugal, where the work was once destined to be sited during my PADA residency last year. AI by Ellie Forman-Peck

Workshops and Courses

I worked with approximately 90 children from St Joseph and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School creating small creatures and plant forms for a permanent artwork at their school. Looking forward to seeing it in situ soon - here are a few pics of work in progress.

My next Eco Sculpture Course with Frome Community Education starts on Wednesday 4 June, 2-4pm and runs for 5 weeks at Makers’ Yard, 37 Lower Keyford, Frome BA11 4AR. £60 + £5 materials. Book here

If you’re further afield and want to do a self-directed course along similar lines, I have an Online Sculpture Course you might like to book.

Both great value!

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Enjoy the best of Spring!

Flags of the Forest

Flags of the Forest, photo by Russell Sach

I’ll be recreating Flags of the Forest at the Seed Creative Popup, Shop 8, Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater TA6 3TQ, open to all April 8-13th, 10.30am-4pm.

An immersive installation made from reclaimed and botanically-dyed fabric, wood, metal, and other found materials, the work was originally created at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Cornwall. The eco-flags celebrate the biodiversity of woodlands in hope for a thriving natural world. Visitors can walk among the soft hangings and hard lines, experiencing the interplay of art and sustainability. There will also be a soundscape by Ushara Dilrukshan, adding another layer to the sculptural assemblage.

Alongside the exhibition, I’ll be running a free drop-in workshop on Saturday 12th April, 11am-2pm at the Popup. Be inspired by the installation and enjoy a relaxed, creative space where you can let your imagination wander. The workshop will entail weaving, wrapping and hand-stitching using a combination of recycled textiles and found plant debris to make mini soft hangings. Suitable for ages 6+ (children accompanied by an adult). No need to book.

It would be lovely to see you there!

Riot is developing for One Island - Many Visions. (Above - work in progress: second of a 2-part piece inspired by Sunburst Maritime Lichen (Xanthoria) growing on rocks at Tout Quarry, Portland). I’m creating the work from hand-stitched and woven recycled/waste materials including botanically dyed textiles, wire and beach litter. The multiple layers will be assembled together and exhibited on the rocks at Tout Quarry. Riot is a site-responsive wearable sculpture; each of the 2 parts will be worn and performed during the exhibition (6 September - 31 October). See my previous blog post for the first part of Riot.

Lichens are ancient life forms in symbiosis, composite organisms of algae, cyanobacteria and fungi, exchanging nutrients for minerals and water.  Symbiosis is the rule rather than exception in nature. I’m reading a book I Contain Multitudes: the microbes within us and a grander view of life (Ed Yong).  In fascinating detail it reaffirms the notion that we are not single individuals but ecosystems, all connected.  I’m learning a lot about the microbial kingdom, the ‘messy, fractious, contextual relationships of the natural world’, surprising connections between living beings, and new terms: symbiogenesis, endosymbiosis, holobiont…

I’ve been doing a lot of teaching lately. Pics below of work by participants from my recent Sketchbooking and Eco Sculpture Courses:

and a few by schoolchildren Years 2-6, St Joseph and St Teresa's Primary on the theme of Pollinators:

Upcoming Courses:

Creative Sketchbooking: Wednesdays 2-4pm 5 weeks starting 23 April; 23/4, 30/4, 7/5, 14/5, 21/5; Makers’ Yard, 37 Lower Keyford, Frome BA11 4AR. £60 + £5 materials. BOOK: here

Eco Sculpture: Wednesdays 2-4pm 5 weeks starting 4 June; 4/6, 11/6, 18/6, 25/6, 2/7; Makers’ Yard, 37 Lower Keyford, Frome BA11 4AR. £60 + £5 materials. BOOK: here

I have a strong connection with Black Swan Arts, an important cultural hub in Frome. I’ve shown in the galleries several times over the years, ran workshops, been part of the 30 years anniversary events, and also shown children’s art in the Young Open there through my teaching.  I was a trustee for several years, and later on the Programming Committee. A piece I created in collaboration with Angela Morley is still mounted on the Round Tower. The Arts Centre is currently struggling to keep going due to high bills and lack of funding, so they are fundraising. If you are able to support please do, it’s vital to keep this amazing Art Centre alive.

https://edge.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/blackswanarts

Riot

Riot, work in progress. Shepton Snowdrops Festival Eco Fashion Show. Photo by Jason Bryant

I had a chance to try out Riot as a wearable artwork in the local Shepton Snowdrops Festival eco fashion show. Thanks to Angela Morley for organising the show. Loved being part of the community event alongside fellow makers and models.

A work in progress for One Island - Many Visions, Riot is inspired by Lichen (Xanthoria) found on rocks at Tout Quarry, ancient life forms in symbiosis. Created from hand-stitched and woven recycled/waste materials including botanically dyed textiles, wire & beach litter.  There will be a transient Happening, a performance in which the human body activates the work.

Last Sunday I revisited Tout quarry, Portland with Seamus Moran and photographer Russell Sach to get a few pics of Riot, as I trialed it in my chosen location. The work will be shown in One Island - Many Visions, an exhibition by Royal Society of Sculptors which will open in September. Thanks to Hannah Sofaer for taking the time out on a Sunday to open the gates and let us drive right up to the location, and to Russell for the photoshoot.

Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand, Seed Creative Pop Up, Bridgwater. Photos by Elliott Morgan

A few evocative detail shots (above) of my installation Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand at Seed Sedgemoor’s popup in Angel Place, Bridgwater last month. I’m hugely grateful to Seed for the commission and their support, and to all those who visited and took part in my drop-in workshops all week. It was such a joy engaging visitors and chatting about the work. Many different responses from happy enchanted faces, to tears of sadness about the plight of pangolins.

Coming soon: Flags of the Forest, an installation from April 8-13th, at Seed Creative Popup (Shop 8), Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater TA6 3TQ. The work explores the beauty and resilience of nature. Reclaimed and botanically-dyed fabrics are combined with wood, metal, and other found materials. This multi-layered artwork was originally created at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Cornwall. These eco-flags celebrate the biodiversity of woodlands and the hope for a thriving natural world. Visitors can walk among the soft hangings and hard lines, experiencing the interplay of art, sustainability, and sound through a soundscape by Ushara Dilrukshan, adding another layer to this immersive sculptural installation.

I will be running a free drop-in workshop on Saturday 12th April, 11am-2pm at the Seed Popup. The workshop will entail weaving, wrapping and hand-stitching using a combination of recycled textiles and found plant debris to make mini soft hangings. Free, fun, and open to all (children accompanied by an adult). No need to book - just drop in!

I have 2 drawings on show in Drawing on Dorset, The Sherborne, Drawing Room, Dorset, DT9 3JG until 23 March, and 3 pieces in The Piano Shop Bath, 1&2 Canton Place BA1 6AA, all for sale.

New Projects

January is my least favourite month. I deal with it by cracking on and trying new avenues of research, opportunities and making. I have a few projects on the go: commissioned installations at a popup in Bridgwater (coming soon in February), working on a large-scale textiles piece for Tout Quarry later this year, as part of One Island - Many Visions, and teaching new courses.

Seed Pop Up

I’ll be recreating two art installations in a popup space at Angel Place, Bridgwater, commissioned by Seed Sedgemoor. The first - Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand - relates to the tragic plight of pangolins, the world’s most trafficked mammal. Made from recycled and found materials, it invites visitors to get immersed and consider environmental and conservation issues. This installation, together with a gentle film Life in the Undergrowth, revealing small hidden worlds in my garden during lockdown ‘20, can be experienced at the Seed Creative Popup (Shop 8), Angel Place Shopping Centre TA6 3TQ from 18-23 February, 10.30-4pm. This will be followed in April 8-13th by Flags of the Forest, which explores the beauty and resilience of nature.

Alongside the installations, I’ll be running free drop-in Eco Sculpture Workshops from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 February, 11am-2pm at the Popup. Open to all aged 6+ (children accompanied by an adult). No need to book.

I’ll be there daily - come and visit!

Seed’s primary aim is to enable more people in Sedgemoor to actively engage in the creative arts, particularly those who don’t usually do so. This activity is supported with funding from Arts Council England via the Creative People and Places programme.

New Work

‘Riot’ (working title - above) is developing steadily, planned for an installation in Tout Quarry, Portland, part of One Island - Many Visions exhibition with fellow Royal Society of Sculptors members (Sept/Oct). I started early as things can get busy as the year progresses. Hoping the final work will be used in a performance as part of the show. It’s going to be a fantastic event with symposium, exciting speakers and more.

This work is inspired by Lichen (Xanthoria Parietina) found on rocks at Tout Quarry, their colour, form, and radial growth. It has been created from waste and recycled materials including textiles (some home-dyed with natural pigments including turmeric), wire, beach litter & debris rescued from the sea. These have been hand-stitched, woven, wrapped and bound together to form a layered mass of line, texture and colour.

Among the oldest living and slowest growing organisms on Earth, and first to colonise new land, Lichen absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide. The rocks are made up of skeletal micro organisms such as diatoms built up over millennia, and the ancient life forms now growing on them - lichen - are a symbiotic relationship of algae, fungi and cyanobacteria.

My labour-intensive processes relate to care and repair. Reflecting on ‘troubled beauty’ in our unstable world, symbiosis and vascular threads as universal rules of nature. Detritus, the fabric of earth, in collaboration, weaving together to make new worlds.

Now to stitch it all together! If I have time I’ll make another smaller piece. Hoping to try it out soon as a wearable artwork.

Grateful to Chris Black for letting me use the space at Zig Zag building, Glastonbury.

New Courses

I‘ve been enjoying running courses in person and online. My Creative Sketchboooking course offers a variety of processes covering drawing (indoors & out), painting, and collage. It’s been good fun! My next series start in a month - if interested please book soon as places are filling up!

(Images below include participants’ work by Sarah Bayly, Alice Irving, Ingrid Sosrin & Sanita Gourley)

Other News

Two of my drawings are currently on show at Drawing on Dorset, The Sherborne, Drawing Room, Dorset, DT9 3JG, daily from 23 November - 23 March, an exhibition which has toured venues in the South West.
The venue has been spectacularly refurbished, thanks to the late Michael Cannon’s enormous generosity.

My drawings represent the overlooked - often small organisms - which fascinate me. These forms recur in my work in different guises including sculptural and textiles work.