Artist Statement
Concepts
Public commissions:
I spend a lot of time researching to gather information on which to base the piece. New materials and processes also present a challenge to work with. My work tends to have a graphic quality with clean lines and a minimalist feel. I like mixing materials whenever I can and often include text in a piece.
Collages:
They are broadly based on the Northumberland coastline. I collect objects whilst on walks and hoard them. I also take notes and photographs while there and incorporate some of this information into the pieces. I like the fact that the objects and materials I use could be hundreds or thousands of years old, they all have layers of history embedded in them and exposed by the erosion of time. With some of the pieces I have actually embedded objects or text inside the collage, these will remain hidden unless the piece is disassembled.
Career Path
Public Art Commissions
I have designed large-scale public art projects including seating, gates, railings, sculpture, signage, sundials, clocks, & bollards. I use a variety of materials - hardwoods, metal, Slate, stone, brick, polymer and glass, often mixing two together, this emphasises and enhances the different qualities of each. I am also interested in experimenting with construction techniques and how they relate to various materials. I like pushing boundaries regarding materials & processes. This has resulted in unique pieces of work that respond well to their settings.
I subcontract out the manufacture of the large scale work, but do still make smaller items myself - clocks, trophies, furniture & mixed media collages
Clients include - Newcastle Council, Gateshead Council, Sunderland Council, Easington Council, Northern Rock Plc, Northern Rock Foundation, Equality North East, DFDS Ferries, Tyne & wear Passenger Transport Authority & Arts Council North East.
Education Practice
I have 18 years experience of running a wide range of workshops and residencies with children from
pre school age up to adults, and children with disabilities. Past workshops / residencies include:-
Clocks, Sundials, Masks, Costumes, Models, Sculpture, Seating, Recycling junk, Banners, Silk painting, Mosaics, Decorated clay bricks, Lanterns, Plaster casting, Decorative Greetings Cards, Tree Dressing, Large scale Carnival puppets.
South Tyneside & Gateshead councils employed me in 2006 as their art consultant on the 'Building Schools for the Future Project'. This involved working with 10 secondary schools to get their input for designing the new & refurbished schools. Consultation also took place with teachers & stakeholders.
CV & Education
Qualifications and training
2009 - Teaching Thinking (Creative Partnerships), Arts Council North East, Newcastle
2008 - PGCE Adult Teaching, Sunderland University, Sunderland
2003 - 730/6 Further & Adult Teaching Certificate, North Tyneside College, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear
2001 - Computer Applications in Art and Design, Newcastle College, Newcastle
1990 - BA hons. Combined Studies in Crafts, Crewe & Alsager College, Alsager
Group exhibitions
2009 - Off The Shelf, Saltburn Gallery, Saltburn
2008 - Open Studios, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle
2007 - Designed & Made, Designed & Made Gallery, Newcastle
2006 - Designed & Made, Blackfriars, Newcastle
2004 - Christmas Presents, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
2004 - Mixed Media Collages, Dial Gallery, Warkworth. Northumberland
2003 - 25 x 25 exhibition - All work had to be this size, University Gallery, Newcastle Upon Tyne
2003 - Material Spaces, Tullie House, Carlisle
2002 - Clocks, Quay Arts, Isle of Wight
2002 - Collages, Wharf, Restaurant, Wapping, London
2002 - Open Studio, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle
2002 - Text Messages, Rufford Craft Gallery
2001 - La Sagesse, Newcastle
2001 - Open Studio, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle
2001 - Wedding gifts, Beatrice Royal
2000 - Christmas Exhibition, Beatrice Royal, Hampshire
2000 - Christmas Exhibition, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead
2000 - Clockers, Beatrice Royal Gallery, Hampshire
2000 - Crannach Gallery, Aberdeenshire
2000 - Open Studio, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle
1996 - Living at Belsay, Northumberland
Workshops
2012 - Banner workshop, Burradon Nursery School, Tyne and Wear
2012 - Sculpture Day, Hartside Primary School, Tyne and Wear
2012 - Sculpture workshop, Bishop Auckland Primary, Co Durham
2012 - Soap sculpture, Tudhoe Colliery Primary School, Co Durham
2012 - The Lambton Worm, Barmston Primary, Tyne and Wear
2012 - Wire sculpture, Tudhoe Colliery Primary School, Co Durham
2011 - Craft classes, Stanhope Hospital, Wearside
2011 - Sundial Workshop, Ouseburn Festival, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne
2010 - Domino Project. The group helped to create a set of personalised dominoes., Alzheimers Society, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
2009 - Craft Classes with visually impaired adults., Pearey House, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
2008 - Banner workshop, Urban 11 project, Robin Todd Centre, Hetton
2008 - Crafts class with older learners, Kirkdale Court, Burradon
2008 - Designing a panel for a shop window, Urban 11 Project, Streetz Cafe, Houghton Le Spring
2008 - Designing a seat with teenagers, Urban 11 Project, Lisa Dixon Centre, Haswell
2008 - Designing an outdoor sign for a building, Urban 11 Project, Flatts Youth Centre, Easington Lane
2008 - Mosaic Workshop with Adults, Urban 11 project, Hetton Community Centre, South Hetton
2008 - Tree Dressing, Ouseburn Farm, Newcastle
2007 - Carnival head dresses & costumes, Thomas Gaughn Centre, Walker
2007 - lantern workshop, Youth Club, Leamington
2007 - Making Sundials, Ouseburn Farm, Newcastle
2007 - Tree dressing, Ouseburn Farm, Ouseburn, Newcastle
2006 - mask workshop, Queens Hall, Hexham
2006 - Ouseburn Festival, head dresses, Various, Byker
2006 - plaster casting, Ouseburn farm, Ouseburn, Newcastle
2006 - tree dressing, Ouseburn farm, Ouseburn, Newcastle
2006 - windsocks, Trewitt Road, Heaton, Newcastle
2005 - Banner making workshops for the Walker & Leamington Riverside Festivals, various venues, Tyne & Wear
2005 - Silk painted banner, Blackhall community centre, Blackhall, Easington
Residencies
2010 - Seat and Bird Boxes, Barley Mow Park, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
2008 - Seating project. A group of students designed a seat for the playground, St Johns School, Bishop Auckland
2004 - Making Banners, Bishop Hartland School, Sunderland
2004 - 'My Best Time'. workshops were run with children from each year group, making clocks or sundials., George Washington Primary School, Washington
2001 - Residency, East Boldon Primary School, Sunderland
2000 - Constructing a 3ft long boat with cargo, Monkwearmouth Museum, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
1997 - Residency, Chantry Middle School, Northumberland
1997 - Residency, Thomlinson Middle School, Northumberland
Private commissions
2010 - Clock, Private Individual, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
2008 - Aluminium & Teak clock, Private residence, Midlands
2008 - Side table in Ash & sandblasted glass, Private residence, North Shields
2005 - Urn for cremated ashes - Made in Oak, Tyne & Wear
2004 - Commemorative Cross in Oak & Etched Stainless Steel, Private, Tyne & Wear
2000 - Holy Communion Box - Made in Oak with metal embossed detail
1998 - Commemorative Bench in English Oak - Inscription carved along back panel, Warkworth Church Yard. Northumberland
1998 - Dining room table & six chairs - Made in Ash with copper detailing, Newcastle Upon Tyne
1996 - Christmas Tree, Coutts Bank, London
Public commissions
2012 - Memorial Seat, Kingston Park Primary School, Kingston Park Primary School
2011 - Mosaic, Outdoor, St Michaels Church, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne
2011 - Subway To The South, Outdoor, East Howdon, Tyne and Wear
2009 - Ridgeway School Gates, Ridgeway School, , South Shields. Tyne & Wear
2008 - Wheel of Time, High Street, Birtley
2007 - Journey, City Stadium, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne
2007 - Next Stop Byker, Byker Metro Station, Byker, Tyne & Wear
2004 - Clock made in Birch ply & Aluminium, George Washington Primary School, Washington, Tyne & Wear
2004 - 'Echo' - 4m high brushed Stainless steel sculpture with acid etched text, Pedestrian & Cycle Tyne Tunnel, Howdon, Tyne & Wear
2004 - 'The Ones That Got Away' - 1.5m high cast fish heads & tails, sprayed in Flip Flop paint, Pedestrian & cycle Tyne Tunnel, Howdon, Tyne & Wear
2001 - 4 Sculptural Signs for a Business Park, Newcastle City Council, Newcastle Upon Tyne
2000 - Laser cut mild steel gates with curved bars, Stepney Bank Stables, Ouseburn, Tyne & Wear
1996 - Trellis to surround the Eco Office - Made from recycled clutch plates, Eco Office, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear
Corporate commissions
2013 - North East England Tourism Awards 2012, Various, Various
2012 - Side table, John Gerrard Hair Salon, Newcastle Upon Tyne
2010 - Trophy 2010, Equality North East, Swawell, Tyne & Wear
2008 - Trophies, Equality North East, Tyne & Wear, Tyne & Wear
2007 - Trophies, Equality North East, Tyne & Wear
2006 - Trophies, Equality North East, Tyne & Wear
2005 - 3 trophies - Made in wood, metal & Perspex, 'Equality North East', Tyne & Wear
2005 - 5 clocks in wood, metal & glass, Northern Rock Foundation, Gosforth, Tyne & Wear
2003 - Board room clock in glass & Aluminium, Northern Rock plc, Gosforth, Tyne & Wear
2003 - Trophy commissioned by DFDS Ferries for 'Magazine of the Year', Private, Tyne & Wear
2000 - 7 clocks in mixed materials, Arts Council North East offices, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Projects
2010 - Great British Art Debate. We created a stylised lighthouse sculpture with a series of panels using different mediums., South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, South Shields. Tyne & Wear
2009 - Sensory Garden project. Working with young offenders & a partially sighted gardening group to produce a seat & birdboxes., Barley Mow Park, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
2008 - Urban II Project. Working with 5 comminity groups to produce pieces of public art, a seat, mosaics, banner, sign for community centre & window panel, Various, Easington & Sunderland
2006 - BBC Blast, Newcastle college, Newcastle
2006 - 'Building Schools for the Future'. Working with the coincils involved in the project, I ran workshops with 10 schools to help shape the new build & refurbished school designs., Secondary schools, South Tyneside & Gateshead
2006 - Family learning, various, North Tyneside
2006 - Sculpture day for anyone to come along and make something out of the wood provided, Saltwell Park, Gateshead
2004 - Calendar project - 3 youth groups created images/sculptures that were included in a printed calendar, various venues, Tyne & Wear
2004 - Ouseburn Festival, Various, Newcastle
2003 - Creating plaques for the 'Education Action Zone' - Using images on ceramic tiles from the 18 schools they had provided funding for
Educational experience - early years
2012 - Banner workshop, Burradon Nursery School, Tyne and Wear
2011 - Teddy Bear Banners, School, Usworth Colliery Nursery
Educational experience - primary
2012 - Sculpture Day, Hartside Primary School, Co Durham
2012 - Sculpture workshop, Bishop Auckland Primary, Co Durham
2012 - Soap sculpture, Tudhoe Colliery Primary School, Co Durham
2012 - The Lambton Worm, Barmston Primary, Tyne and Wear
2012 - Wire Sculpture, Tudhoe Colliery Primary School, Co Durham
2010 - Living willow structure, 4m high 12m long, Fordley Primary School, Cramlington, Tyne & Wear
2009 - Automata devices using cams & pulleys, South Beach School, Blyth, Northumberland
2009 - Carnival costumes, Peases West School, Durham, Tyne & Wear
2009 - Recycled Robot, 6ft high, Ryhope Infants School, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
2009 - Recycled Seating, Fordley Primary School, Cramlington, Tyne & Wear
2009 - Silk Painted Welcome Banner, Ryhope Infants School, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
2009 - Stitched, Caribbean themed banner, Peases West School, Durham, Tyne & Wear
2008 - Sculpture with withies, Blackfell Primary School, Washington
2005 - 'Big Oceans' project, making sea monsters, 5 schools in the West End of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle Upon Tyne
2005 - Several 1 day projects with primary schools, based on sculpture, various venues, Durham, Tyne & Wear
2003 - Constructing a 3D model of the River Tyne after a boat trip up the river, All Saints School, South Shields, Tyne & Wear
2003 - Making decorative ceramic bricks, St Peters School, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear
2002 - Residency - Making pebble mosaics, Malverns Close School, Blyth, Northumberland
Educational experience - secondary
2010 - Recycled Xmas Trees, John Spence school, North Tyneside
2008 - Workshop as part of the Birtley sculpture project, Lord Lawson School, Birtley
2007 - Sculpture with withies & collage materials, Stanley School of Technology, Co Durham
2007 - Six sessions to develop sculptures based on the learners personal projects, Mortimer Comprehensive, South Shields
2006 - Two day Education Conference for pupils of King George V & Brinkburn schools, Stadium of light, Sunderland
Educational experience - tertiary
2011 - Craft classes, Stanhope Hospital, Wearside
2011 - Creative Card Making, Churchill Pavillion, North Tyneside
2007 - card making, Longbenton community college, Longbenton, Newcastle
2007 - Crafts for partially sighted, Pearey House, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
2007 - Sculpture with withies, Ouseburn Farm, Newcastle
2005 - Designing & making clocks, Fyndourne College, Sacriston, Durham
2005 - General Crafts Class, Royal Quays Community Centre, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
2005 - Woodwork Class, The Barn, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
2003 - Creativity day with a group of art teachers - making containers, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
2002 - Silk Painting classes, The Meadows, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
Educational experience - special needs
2010 - Aunt Sally project. A group of teenage NEATS, made a set of Aunt Sally boards 5-6ft high. They are usually on piers, you put your head through & get your photo taken, South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, South Shields. Tyne & Wear
2009 - Crafts class with visually impaired older people, Pearey House, North Shields
2004 - Working with excluded children, to produce designs for ceramic tiles., Tudor Grove, South Shields
2001 - WOW Festival, making banners & decorating a mini bus, Linskill Community Centre, North Shields, Tyne & Wear
Publications
2010 - Seat at Barley Mow Park
2009 - Peases West Carnival parade
2008 - Clocks, Saturday Times magazine
2008 - Journey, City Life
2008 - The Journal
2007 - Journey is Completed, Journal
2005 - 'What makes a Memorable Journey' a guide to the Nexus Public art on transport programme, Tyne & Wear
2005 - Echo, Artist Newsletter
2004 - Fiona Tops & Tails story of River Tyne, Journal
2004 - Sculptures mark our rich heritage, News Guardian
2004 - Tunnel gets new vision, Herald & Post
2004 - Women learn how to DIY, Evening Chronicle
2004 - Wood you give DIY a chance, Evening Chronicle
2003 - Art show no strings attached, Journal
2003 - Designer Banks on River Business, Journal
2003 - Fiona's Inspiration, News Guardian
2003 - 'Textile Perspectives in Mixed Media Sculpture' a book by Jac Scott
2000 - Furniture maker gets back to basics, Journal
1997 - Contemporary design at Belsay, Furniture & Cabinetmaking