Approved: 16.08.2006

Caroline Dear

Artist, Maker, Publisher, Researcher

Approved: 16.08.2006

Caroline is interested in the natural world and how we relate to it. She likes to encourage a fresh engagement with specific aspects of the natural world, recently with particular plants. Her work results from research into the subject and place, with the final piece or pieces being a process of distillation of the many disciplines of information gathered. Caroline's work often encourages a physical

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    Artist Statement

    Caroline is interested in the natural world and how we relate to it. She likes to encourage a fresh engagement with specific aspects of the natural world, recently with particular plants. Her work results from research into the subject and place, with the final piece or pieces being a process of distillation of the many disciplines of information gathered. Caroline's work often encourages a physical engagement with the piece; looking, touching and smelling or actually interacting by moving parts around. Sometimes it is a more passive engagement, but still with a physical reaction; of mood, contemplation or enquiry. She is interested in our changing engagement with the physical landscape and how this affects the inner psyche. Well crafted and finished, her work uses many different processes and materials, creating both 2D and 3D works. She has used the materials of the land (plants, peat, stones), digital photographic work onto various substrates including, paper, alluminium, perspex as well as making both temporary and permanent outdoor works. Projects are often recorded with an artist's book or limited edition book. The method of work she enjoys the best is to produce a body of work which is the result of a period of research, working on her own but in relation to others, liaising with specialists both for the final production and throughout the research. Her work is subtle and delicate and often needs space both physical and mental to be viewed correctly. Living on the Isle of Skye since 1986 when she moved there from France she has developed her practice using skills learnt over the years. Her initial training was as an architect, she has worked both as an architect and as a landscape architect and this has been helpful with the approach to work and commissions. She has received many awards including from Creative Scotland, ATLAS arts and the RSA residency award. Residencies have included Saari manor in Finland, Cove park in Scotland, Canada and Norway. Recent exhibitions include flora in Wales following a residency, A Layered Land in Timespan, Scotland and Vassen Susar in Finland.

    CV & Education

    EXHIBITIONS (selected)

    2016  flora - National touring exhibition curated by Oriel Davies

               Liminal, Cupar Arts Festival, Scotland

              Vassen Sussar (Whispering Reeds) Korpostrom and Kuusisto manor, Finland

              footfall - Llantarnam Grange Arts centre, Wales

    2015   Aika (Time) - Kuusito manor, Finland

             Clothed by plants - Pittenweem, Scotland

             Naked Craft - Burlington, Quebec, Halifax Canada

             Frog pound plop homage to Matsuo Basho, Cairn, Pittenweem, Scotland

             Vassen susar (Whispering reeds) Eckerö Post and Custom's house, Åland, Finland

             The power of ten - SIT select, Museum in the Park, Stroud, England

             We are all basketmakers - Installation The barony, West Kilbride, Scotland

    2014   RSA open RSA Edinburgh, Scotland

             Out of bounds - Borders, Boundaries, Bindings Dartmouth, England

    2013  The Fabric of Time – Hartington Road, London (solo)

             Convocation – Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow

             Fate – Cupar arts festival, Cupar, Scotland

             Encircled by gold; under Brigid's mantle – Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh (solo)

             Changing ground, land and art – Barony centre, West Kilbride, Scotland

             Kirsebaerkurv 2013, Kerteminde, Denmark

             SSA 116th Open exhibition, RSA Edinburgh, Scotland 

    2012  Interactions – Inchmore Gallery, Inverness, Scotland

             Drawing from the Landscape – Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland

             Suainte – Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland (solo)

    2011  Fire and Fibre – Collins gallery, Glasgow, Scotland

             Drawing attention – Cupar arts festival, Cupar, Scotland

             Making progress craft spotlight – touring Highlands, Scotland

             Belladrum festival – sculpture installation, Scotland

             Turned and Twisted – Highland council IMAG, touring Highlands, Scotland

             Entwined / suainte – Inverness Museum and Art Gallery and SNH HQ, Inverness (solo)

             Conserving Ecologies – Craft and Biodiversity, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Scotland

    2010  Heartwood10 sculpture trail – Blairgowrie, Scotland

             Shoot – An Talla Solais, Ullapool, Scotland

             All wired up – SDC Gallery, London, England

             Contemporary Gallery Croissant, Brussels, Belgium

    2009  Heartwood 09 sculpture trail – Blairgowrie, Scotland

    2008  Scottish Photographers Northern Cell – Inchmore Gallery, Inverness, Scotland

             Wall Works – (commission) Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Scotland

    2007  Highland Makers at The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, Scotland

             Rich and strange – Book art, Newport, Wales

             Sealladh 5 – An Tuireann arts centre, Isle of Skye, Scotland

             East weaves West – Collins Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland

             Homeroom – Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness, Scotland

             6 Cities design festival (commission) - Inverness

    2006  ECO-EGO – Kawaguchi city, Saitama, Tokyo, Japan

             Pushing the boundaries – Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness, Scotland

             Structure – The Gallery, West Kilbride, Scotland

             Up your street – The Dick Institute, Kilmarnock, Scotland

    2005  Bookmarks lll: Infiltrating Kontakt Centre for fine art research UWE, Bristol

             Annaid – RIAS Gallery, Edinburgh (solo)

    2004  Merging Cultures, Merging Arts – National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, West Indies

             Annaid – An Tuireann arts centre and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland (solo)

    2003  Sea Words – Kilmore quay, Wexford, Ireland

             Fifth open – Street Level, Glasgow, Scotland

    2002  Plant weave – Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Scotland

             Natural Elements – Scotland House, Brussels, Belgium

             Continuum – An Tuireann arts centre, Isle of Skye and Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

             Fresh – Gold Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland

    2001  Five countries – Furniture Co., New York, USA

             Marks – An Tuireann arts centre, Isle of Skye, Scotland

             7th Wexford Artist's book exhibition, Wexford, Cork, Derry, Ireland

             Sequence, space, form – Portree library, Isle of Skye (solo)

    2000  The space between – Three Camuslusta, Waternish, Isle of Skye, Scotland

             Small works – Taigh Chearsabhagh, N.Uist, Western Isles, Scotland

             On the edge – An Tairbeart, Argyll, Scotland 

     

    COMMISSIONS, RESIDENCIES, AWARDS

    2016 Commission - ATLAS arts Landline // Five walks on Skye

             Residency at Kuusisto Manor, Finland

             Residency, exhibition part of Flora: Oriel Davies, Llantarnam Grange Art Centre, Wales

    2015  Commission - Working with Hanna Tuulikki on Women of the Hill performance, Isle of Skye

            Residency - Kjerringøy Land Art Biennale, Bodø, Norway

            Residency - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

            Residency - Eckerö Post and customs house, Åland, Finland

            Grant - ATLAS Skye and Lochalsh Talent Development Award

    2014  Commission – Working with Alec Finlay on Memorial:remembrancing at RBGE, Edinburgh

    2013  Residency - Isle of Raasay as part of Colm Cille's convocation

             Grant - Creative Scotland professional development grant

             Purcell paper prize from SSA at 116th Open exhibition

    2012  Commission – Sculpture in private garden, planting and seat, Wiltshire, England

    2011  Residency - Grez-sur-Loing – Paris, France

             Residency - Cove park, Scotland

             Grant - Royal Scottish Academy Residency Award at Edinburgh Printmakers

             Grant - Making progress, Hi-arts award and exhibition

    2010  Residency - Saari residence, Finland

    2009  Grant - Scottish Arts Council Creative and Professional Development Grant

    2007  Commission - Moray Highlands and Islands enterprise

             Commission - The Lighthouse, Glasgow for 6 Cities Design Festival

    2006  Commission - Imagining the city, Inverness Public art commission

             Residency at Brahan Estate – Inverness, Part of Big Willow

             Grant - Hi-arts grant towards production of work for Kunst-hand-fest, Germany

             Commission – Skye and Lochalsh Local Enterprise Company, Food Link award

    2003  Commission – Woodland Trust Scotland, Uig wood, Skye with Ian Stephen

             Commission – Sluggans woodland park, Portree, Isle of Skye

             Grant – RIAS Millenium award towards research and development of Annaid

    2002   Grant – Scottish Arts Council, visiting Venice Biennale 2002

    2001   Commission – An Tuireann, Isle of Skye, towards piece for exhibition 

     

    PUBLICATIONS, ARTICLES

    2016 Dark Mountain Issue 10 - uncivilised poetics

             flora - Oriel Davies three part publication (exhibition, residencies, commissions)

             Gathering strands - reserach publication (ATLAS grant towards this)

    2014   Nine stones - book to accompany exhibition Out of Bounds

    2013   Encircled by gold – book to accompany exhibition

    2012   Northings arts journal - Review of RSA Drawing from the landscape exhibition

    2011   Entwined / suainte publication marking the exhibition and some of the ropes

    2008   Northings arts journal - Review of Wall Works at Eden court and Scottish photographers at Inchmore gallery

    2007  'A Lorg ar Lorgan' publication documenting project with Staffin Primary school working with Ceumannan (Staffin Community Trust)

             'Betula' Publication documenting sculptural works during residency at Brahan estate

    2005  'Stone Boats', West Highland Free Press by Ola Wojkiewicz

    2004  'Annaid', Teachd an Tir by Mary Carmichael

              Broadleaf, Woodland Trust magazine Uig wood project

    2003  'hearting' with Ian Stephen, book and CD documenting Uig wood project

    2002  idFX magazine

             Look-Look CD, Scottish and Baltic artist's exchange

    2000  The World of Interiors magazine

     

    BIOGRAPHY

    I studied botany in Dublin before moving to architecture and qualifying as an architect. I worked as an architect and landscape architect in Dublin, Utrecht (The Nederlands), Oslo, London and Paris before moving to the Isle of Skye to work in 1986. I have developed my artistic practice in response to being in this particular landscape. My work explores our changing relationship with the natural world around us examining the link between our inner selves and the outer physical landscape.

    I speak French fluently and have been learning Gaelic. In 2013 I received a Certificate in Field Botany from the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.