Colour, place and perception of
space are the principal elements of my work as an artist. My visual interest is
in the portrayal of the built environment as the landscape of a modern urban
society, its’ changing spaces and places, and its’ cyclical regeneration.
My previous career in Surveying and
Architecture forms the basis of a long held fascination with our built habitat,
and constantly informs what I do. All aspects of our modern environment inspire
me, but I particularly like to work on specific sites where a knowledge and
understanding of its history and the context of its current state can inform my
art
Our urban environment
is a dynamic, vibrant place in a constant state of flux and yet buildings are
seen as static things – solid and immovable. This dichotomy fascinates
me, and reflects my working life, which was initially concerned with this
physicality, structure and fabric, and now, has me questioning how we see this
environment, and the meanings we attribute it.
I record the physical environment through drawing, painting and photography and
then transfer selected images to a computer where they are layered and
digitally manipulated. Blocks of colour are “painted” into the piece, detail is
emphasised and sometimes perspective is drawn out or elements repeated, playing
with depth and pattern.
The final
picture may present familiar fragments to spark recognition but skew perception
and challenge the viewer to reconsider their surroundings. The completed montage
is printed onto a textile surface, which is itself a pliant material, and
counters the hard structure of an architectural edifice. The final process of
stitching texture and line back into a piece brings out a three dimensional
quality, an echo of the source. |
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Exhibitions and Shows |
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June 2009 |
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"Urban Fabric" solo exhibition at the Bowery Gallery, Leeds |
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March 2009 |
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"Material Evidence" exhibition at the Brindley Gallery, Runcorn, Cheshire |
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October 2008 |
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Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, Manchester |
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September 2008 |
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Saltaire Arts Festival |
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May 2008 |
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Stroudwater Textile Festival |
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April 2008 |
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Biscuit
factory, Newcastle – Well Thread Textile Exhibition |
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November 2007 |
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Amsterdam Art fair and Dublin Art Fair |
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October 2007 |
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Affordable Art Fair- Battersea |
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July 2007 |
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Canary Wharf - London |
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July 2007 |
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Art in Action - Oxfordshire |
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May 2007 |
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V&A gallery Shop – Crafts Council Showcase |
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March - June 07 |
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Biscuit factory, Newcastle – Spring Show |
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March 07 |
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Bluecoat Display Centre – “Applied Art and Architecture” Liverpool |
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Jan 2007 |
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London Art Fair – showing with Briffa |
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Nov 2006 |
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London Print Studio “All I want” Exhibition |
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Oct 2006 |
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Origin, London Crafts Fair at Somerset House, London |
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Awards |
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2006 |
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Crafts Council – Development Award |
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2004 |
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Crafts Council – Nextmove |
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2004 - 2006 |
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2 year residency at Manchester Metropolitan University in the Faculty of Art and Design |
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Commissions and Clients |
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October 2008 - January 2009 |
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Private Commission - Large canvas for a domestic interior based on a ruined village in Southern Ireland. |
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October 2007 |
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Corporate Artwork for NESTA, London. |
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July 2006 |
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Corporate commission for Allen and Overy’s new headquarters in Spitalfields, London. |
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2.6m x 1m panoramic print and stitch
canvas based on the transitional stage of the new buildings development. The
key theme was the situation of the building within the historic and dynamic
setting of Spitalfields. The imagery focussed on the construction process of
the new development, with all its’ concrete core “towers”, cranes and steelwork
dominating the skyline. This was a period of transition for Spitalfields, the
time between what was and what is now. In the overall lifetime of the place
this phase was just a blip, but the result has had a dramatic impact on the
character of the area. To record this period was to present the whole picture
of the area, and the extent of the change. The piece was based on a combination of
photographs and drawings, digitally combined, manipulated and “painted” on the
computer.
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April 2006 |
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Public Art Commission for Blackburn NHS Trust. Commission to produce a large 9m long triptych for the main reception area. |
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This
commission formed part of a 1-year (1day per week) residency in Blackburn. The
theme of the piece was to draw from the architectural heritage and topography
of the area, looking at changing perceptions of the town. To this end work with
the local community was essential to the gathering of information about the character
of the area – to create a piece which reflected the people of Blackburn
and their perception of place. Group discussions and photographic projects were
undertaken with hospital staff, patients and local community groups. |
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Educational Projects |
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March - May 2009 |
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Brindley Gallery project with Wade Deacon High School, Widnes. A photography based art project looking at the urban and industrial landscape of Runcorn. The year 10 pupils produced mixed media work for exhibition at the Brindley Gallery in May. |
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September 2008 - January 2009 |
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Artbeat Project with Allen and Overy Solicitors. 3 month residency at Bethnal Green Technology College working with 14/15 year old pupils to produce work for exhibiiton at Allen and Overy's Canary Wharf Office. |
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Qualifications |
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2000 - 2003 |
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BA(Hons) Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design - Leeds College of Art and Design |
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1991 - 1993 |
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MA Architectural Building Conservation - De Montfort University, Leicester |
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1982 - 1986 |
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BSc(Hons) Building Surveying - Liverpool Polytechnic |
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