Artist statement
To provoke curiosity I experiment with both imagery and media . I work in 2 D (paint, collage, textiles e.t.c ) and 3D. Using junk materials (recycling) is a speciality. The work is stylised but recognisable and often there is a story. I draw a lot on humour and cross-culture. Recurring themes are : crowds, the catering industry, exaggeration, written foreign script (pattern). I have travelled extensively, so I frequently dip into those memories and influences too. The direction of my work is often influenced by my work as an artist in education.
Influences
Food / cooking, the architecture and hubbub in cities, particularly Istanbul, London and New York. Cycling from a to b , sea swimming .
Career path
I have been a visual artist for the last 25 years ( from fine art to textile design to illustration and back again if you want creative catagories) and for the past 12 years I've also worked very enjoyably in education and other sectors of the community, with all ages and abilities. I work in schools, galleries, museums, care homes, etc. Sessions are as diverse as: inspiring 40 NHS executives to let their imaginations literally hang out (using junk as the medium!), to embossing on to clay plates with patients in a hospice and experimenting with fabric and print, with clients who have Alzheimers. The bulk of my work in education is in Primary Schools, but I also often work with pre-school age children and or their families. Residences range from two weeks to six months. I have trained other artists and also take staff training and development sessions (e.g. with youth workers and pre school staff and primary school teachers). I regularly work with people who have special needs, such as clients with mental health and drug / alcohol dependency issues. *Numerous illustrations for newspapers (e.g. series of recipe illustrations, weekend Guardian) and magazines include: The Big Issue; The Illustrated London News; Hot Graphics International; Manpower magazine; Chartered Quantity Surveyor; Hair & Black Beauty; Which Mortgage; International Textile magazine; Computer Shopper; General Practitioner Magazine; TNT; Supermarketing magazine; Skylife; Electrical Contractor magazine; Homes & Gardens; The Chartered Society of Designers; T.V. Week; Good Food Magazine; Lotus P.C; Health Service Journal; Doctor Newspaper; European Finance Director; Hairdressers Journal Int.; Ariel (The BBC); Portland Publishing; Unifree magazine, Istanbul. *Other: Polydor Records; The British Council; Fans Clothing, London; The Fridge Club, Brixton; The Hearing Dogs Deaf Society; Contact Illustrators 93 (p180); H. Baur Publications; Trailfinders *Design ideas for fashion fabrics sold in New York and Los Angeles. *Many pieces in private (and some public) collections; *Private and public commissions (eg wall paintings ), on-going.
Qualifications and training
- 2003 Reminiscence Training and work, Age Exchange, London (more info)
- 2002 Community art training, Artlink Leeds and Bradford Community Arts, Leeds/Bradford
- 2001 City and Guilds Post 16 Teaching Cert, Shipley College, West Yorks
- 1991 Postgrad Illustration, Central St Martins school of Art, London
- 1986 BA Hons Fine Art 2:1, John Moores university, Liverpool
- 1983 Foundation Course Art/Design, Bradford College, Bradford , West Yorks
Solo exhibitions
- 2009 'Bright , bright Red on Turquoise'., The Devonshire Institute, Grassington
- 2006 'See -Through Houses', In Touch, Bradford, West Yorks (more info)
- 1997 'Is That Me ?', Gabriel Skelton Design Career Consultants, Hammersmith London WI4
- 1994 'Catering To', Café Pushkar, London SW9
- 1994 'Shopping', Covent Garden Health Spa, Covent Garden, London WC2
- 1994 'Exaggeration Station', Gabriel Skelton Design Career Consultants, London WC2
- 1993 'Menues', Cafe Casbar ( Smiths Galleries ), Earlham St. London WC2
- 1993 'Invitation to Gatecrash', The Village Café Gallery, Mayfair, London W1
- 1992 'Life Not Lifestyle ', Café Casbar, London WC2
Group exhibitions
- 2009 'Credit Crunch Curlew', Grassington Council 3D Art Trail., Grassington Festival
- 2008 The A1 Open, The Station, Richmond, North Yorkshire.
- 2008 The leeds Open, leeds City Art Gallery, The Headrow ,Leeds.
- 2001 The Wrexham Print International Show, Wrexham and touring, Wales
- 2001 W.Work, Artlink Exchange, Hull
- 2001 The Yorkshire Open, Wakefield Arts Mill
- 2001 Artists Open, Leeds City Art Gallery
- 2000 'Idea of North', Leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds
- 1997 'Boxing Clever', The American College, Regents Park, London N1
- 1995 'Three Ingredients', Tea Room Des Artistes, London SW8
- 1993 'Art for a Fairer World' Oxfam, Smiths Galleries , Covent Garden and touring :Glasgow/ Cardiff, London WC2
- 1992 The Southbank Picture Show, The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London SE1
- 1990 'Alter Images', The Association of Illustrators Gallery, London
- 1988 The Bradford Open, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford, West Yorks
- 1986 The Mine workers National Art Exhibition, The Winter Gardens, Blackpool
- 1986 Rank Xerox '86 Marlow Art Collection, The National Theatre, South Bank , London
- 1986 New Contemporaries 1986, ICA London /touring, London/Newcastle/Liverpool
Workshops
- 2010 'Plastic Flowers'.., Wakefield Council., The Bridge Arts Centre.
- 2009 'Birds in Fashion', Leeds Council., Lotherton Hall, leeds.
- 2009 Interactive collage commemorating '84-'85 miners strike., Leeds Council., Armley Mills
- 2008 'Say Good bye to Wakefield Art Gallery & Hello To The Hepworh, with flowers !', Wakefield Council., Wakefield Art Gallery
- 2004 'Grow a Junk Tree', Cartwright Hall Museum and Gallery, Bradford
- 2004 'Junk sculpture Zoo', Easthorpe Visual Arts, Mirfield, W.Yorks
- 2002 'Massive masks' and banners, family art workshop, The Arc, Piece Hall, Halifax
- 2001 'Working large', fold- up giants, Easthorpe Visual Arts, Mirfield, W.Yorks
Residencies
- 2008 Plastic (junk)' Insect' installation (outside) and workshops, Rufford Park Primary School, Yeadon, Leeds
- 2004 'Moving Minds' : art, food and recycling, Leeds Council., Leeds Industrial Museum and Leeds Central Library
- 2001 Large playground mural and art projects ( EARLY YEARS), St Edmunds Nursery School, Bradford , West Yorks
Educational experience - early years
- 2011 Springwood Murals, Springwood primary School, Bradford , West Yorks
- 2006 Experimental art workshops, Chappletown Childrens Centre and leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds
- 2005 'Box Friends', Russell Hall Primary School, Bradford , West Yorks
- 2003 'The Box man' 2d and 3d, Moorelands School, Leeds City Art Gallery
- 2003 Seacroft Art project (Surestart), Parklands Childrens Centre and leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds
- 2003 'Incredible Insects 'playground mural, Usher Street Primary School, Bradford , West Yorks
Educational experience - primary
- 2008 'Active Learning Drawing' & 2011 'Drawing Age', Artforms , Leeds, Primary Schools in Leeds
- 2006 'Construct, Deconstruct and Rearrange' ( junk sculpture), Wakefield Art Gallery, Wakefield
- 2006 'Story Quest', The Princes Arts and Kids Trust, Beeston, East Ardsley and Crosshills Primary Schools
- 2006 After school art clubs, The YMCA , Leeds, Bramley primary School
- 2006 'Junk Busts' and recycling, The West Yorkshire Playhouse, sponsored by Provident Financial, Woodpark Grove and swainhouse primary schools, Bradford
- 2005 'In The Land of illustration', The Princes Arts and Kids Trust, Beeston and East Ardsley Primary Schools
- 2004 'Design a new Species', Eastthorpe Visual Arts, Mirfield (more info)
- 2003 'Imagination Islands' Recycling and transformation, Morley Victoria Primary school, Leeds City Art Gallery
- 2002 'Fold-up Miners ', Kiveton Bridge Centre, Sheffield (more info)
Educational experience - secondary
- 2010 'World without Prejudice!' (3D & 2D workshops), The Equal Opportunities Commission/Sheer and Lock, Firth Park High School , Sheffield.
- 2007 3 D ' Wall Stories ' : Junk sculpture with gifted and talented children, Sheffield Arts Education, Persistence Works , Sheffield
- 2003 'Inventing Animals', teenage mental health group, Studio 4, Artlink Leeds, West Yorks
- 2003 Huge 2D ' puppets', Ryburn High School, Sowerby Bridge
- 2002 Out door Wall painting. Painted with Holy family High school pupils, Lees primary School, Haworth
Other
- 2006 'Story Quest ' Childrens art workshop exhibition, Victoria Place Gallery (for Arts and Business), 80 Victoria St ,Victoria, London (more info)
- 2005 'In The Land of Illustration' childrens art workshop exhibition, For Arts and Business /Arts and Kids-for 'The Big Draw', The White Rose Shopping Centre ,Leeds
- 2004 Textured ( for taking rubbings ) table top, Education Room , Cartwright Hall, Bradford, West Yorks (more info)
- 2003 Knots and Ties ( machinery I.D tags), Bradford Industrial Museum, Bradford, West Yorks (more info)
- 2002 'Build The Future' installation :Work from workshop @ McAuley High, Doncaster Art Gallery ( via The Arthouse , Wakefield ), Doncaster
- 2002 Design and installation of family art workshop pieces (Boxes : Horse;cutlery;knickers), Bradford Industrial Museum, Bradford, West Yorks
- 2002 Developing imagination & Creativity :photographs of Leeds Learning Alliance workshop in progress, City Art Gallery, Leeds
- 2001 Home Page design for 'Art Imp' software, Education Dept, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford, West Yorks
Web links - gallery/work/projects
