Welcome to my eighth newsletter.
It has been some time since my last update, so I am casting my mind back to the last shows between November and January, starting with the Bond Street popup store, in which I installed several of my repetition works, including my first collection of party poppers, entitled ‘In Pursuit of Happiness’, which later sold and has gone to live in France now.
The London Ultra at The Bargehouse, Oxo Tower on The South Bank in London in November was the best show I have ever participated in, kicking off with a halloween fancy dress private view in this incredible 5 story Victorian warehouse. The Seabeast was installed in a dark space on the 4th floor, pulsating with its brand new arduino controller and all led lighting in freshly bent acrylic tube (mission, to say the least). along side it were many other light and sound installations and live performances. So many people came and I loved every minute of it, so thank you so much Free Painters & Sculptors for selecting my work, it was a fantastic experience.
Shortly after The London Ultra came The London Group Open show in Waterloo, the Seabeast was again on display in a very different environment featuring more traditional painting and sculpture. Again, invigilating was a fantastic experience and an opportunity to discuss art and of course, the seabeast itself.
In January I got a chance to exhibit one of my latest, still in progress, vacuum cleaner sculptures, my third vacuum mutation from a PetVac-5, and as yet untitled. The show, entitled ‘Housekeeping’ featured works by twelve artists all engaged in the theme of domesticity. The PetVac-5 lurked in the corner like some oversized rodent awaiting its chance to snaffle up any dead abandoned technology left out overnight, I imagined as i contemplated what it was doing there. Soon, when I finally complete the electronic part of this project, I will publish the complete creation, but here is a glimpse of what is coming.
I have to admit that since lockdown I seem have been doing less actual art and more planning for what I imagine to be many more months until things find their new normal in the art world. It could be a very long time before new exhibitions can be preposed, but in the meantime new work will shortly be published on my Saatchiart page, where I have recently sold my first repetition work, Strawssardegna from 2014.
The next repetition work to be published on Saatchiart will be shotgunshellswormington, the second in my series of repetition works, followed by the work I made from the collection of plastic bullet tips found in Marche, Northern Italy a couple of years ago. I have two more new repetition works to make soon. One is of a huge collection of cotton bud sticks from The Royal Victoria Docks, collected over three years whilst working on a large scale decking/beach project for Newnham Council. The other is one I am very excited about as I have never seen all these together, my collection of fishing bait lids, all from Italy, many with different fish designs on them indicating what to attract. I can’t wait to see all the designs and colours together, and it will be a second outing for my wonderful new label printer.
Soon, I am going to be releasing several smaller works on Instagram for the #artistssupportpledge, a fantastic idea whereby you offer works for sale under £200, and when you’ve hit £1000 of sales you pledge to buy a work from another artist - simple and effective. Ive got lots to chose from - any requests?
Since the open studios event last September I am always happy to receive visitors at my West Dorset studio so let me know if you are in the area and I will drag a few extra works out and show you what Im working on, and how Im doing it. My studio is very large and there is plenty of room to keep safely part should you wish to see it. Animals welcome too with some great walking opportunities straight out the door!
Thanks as ever for taking an interest in my work, especially to everyone who has subscribed, it makes it special knowing that there are people out there interested in my work. I hope to be showing again soon, and of course you will hear about it first.