Welcome to my fifth newsletter.
Two exciting events are happening soon. Firstly, I have two works in the 'Micro' artshow at Air Gallery, Altrincham, which is presenting an exhibition of artworks under 20cm by 100 artists to compliment a parallel show by miniature sculptor Claire Tinsdale, who is exhibiting at the same gallery. The two works selected were 'KinderLorry', and 'ToyBabyWant', which finally goes on display, one of my favourite smaller works.
I only recently discovered that the bullet-shaped pieces of blue plastic in 'Kinderlorry' that I often find on the coast around Castel Di Mezzo in Italy actually are plastic training bullets from the 1980s. On a walk along the coastal path near Pesaro last summer I came across a huge stash of these bullet tips that I normally find on the beach below. The owner of our campsite said that they used to have military exercises on the headland and fire rounds out to sea at floating targets. So the bullet shapes I have collected from the beach were washed up on the beach having been shot out into sea from real guns above! The Kinderlorry now is complete as I really did imagine those things to be real big old bombs - perfect! This adds a nice twist to it's representation in the Micro show, as the bullets have been massively scaled up from real ammunition!
The second event is very exciting and has meant a lot to me. I have been interviewed by ART Habens art review, an online arts magazine. This was the first time in a long time that Ive had to really examine my practise, and Ive consolidated a lot into my present working methods, subject matter and motivation. I am really glad to have been given such an indepth opportunity to discuss my work, and it has certainly made my work feel more real through publication, and knowing that the audience is expanding. Thank you to ART Habens for such a professional, considered experience too.
Click here to straight to my section in the new spring 2019 special edition
I have added a new work to one of the smaller galleries with a big description of what is going on. It is called 'lunarover', and is a departure from my usual builds as I have used a primer to pull it together, after again being influenced by Adam Savage's model making builds a lot in recent months, rekindling my childhood excitement of model making, spaceships and all things Star Wars. I was also taken to a place and time far far away on the 2nd January 1978 when I was 10 years old, just after the best christmas ever, when, to top it all, the first episode of Blake's Seven aired on the BBC. I leapt straight for the yoghurt pots and began building!
Finally, my 'Strawssardegna' sculpture of found straws, which is on my Saatchiart page, has recently been included in Aurora Garrison, assistant curator at Saatchiart in her sculpture collection.