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Art and design, gardening and photography are my life-long passions. Since studying for a degree in 3D Design and Craft, specialising is working with metal, I am now exploring mixed media. My present work is a culmination of all my interests.
Nature is my greatest inspiration. I have a camera with me at all times so as not to miss the chance to capture the moment. Although many of my photographs are taken whilst travelling, a large percentage of my images are taken in my garden, when the light, weather and time of day highlights something familiar. I began designing gardens in 1999, after studying for a City and Guilds in Gardening and studying Garden Design at Writtle College. In 2001, I submitted a garden design for a small ‘Chic' garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, trading under the name of Design In Green. My design was accepted and I exhibited at the Show in 2002 where I was awarded a Bronze medal. I enjoyed the challenge and experience of exhibiting at a major RHS Show and went on to exhibit at The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2003 and 2004, where I was awarded a Bronze and Silver Medal. Working with artists, to create my ideas, inspired me to make my own sculptures. Initially the majority of my sculptures were based upon plant forms. For my forged mild steel work I looked at grafting techniques for inspiration, adapting them as a way of joining metal. I was able to devise methods of joining lengths of different thicknesses of mild steel rod to allow the structure to appear to grow vertically, beginning at the base with a wider diameter steel rod, progressing up the ‘plant' form with lighter weight rod to represent the growth of a real plant. Sewing techniques led me to devise other ways to connect sections to allow the forms to appear to ‘grow', both vertically and horizontally. Much of the work was inspired by the landscape graphics I used when drawing a garden plan. When I chose to study for a degree I was undecided as to whether to specialise in 3D Design & Craft or Fashion & Textiles. I chose 3D but brought textiles into my work by using stainless steel woven wirecloth and by looking at sewing stitches to join my metal work. Since graduating I have experimented with creating patterns (based on my photographs) which I have had woven in silk and digitally printed on to fabric. I used some of my woven silk to re-upholster old dining chairs, which then led me to research further into the world of upholstery. Over the past few years I have bought old chairs from auctions, renovated and recovered them. Each chair revealed something interesting in it's compostion and form. Inspired by metal frames discovered within some of the forms I am developing ideas for my own furniture designs.
In addition to creating work based upon my personal interests I enjoy reasearching and finding inspiration elsewhere. In 2015 I worked with a glass artist, Jon Lewis, to create a large immersive art installation, 'Cloud'. 'Life and Times', 2021, is a public artwork based upon the Anglo Saxons, commissioned by Higgins Homes for their develpment in Chelmsford Essex. |
QUALFICATIONS BA (Hons) Art and Design 3D Design & Craft - 1st Class (Colchester School of Art and Design- University of Essex) Diploma Foundation in Art & Design BTEC National Diploma in Fine Arts Selected modules from BSc (Hons) Landscape & Garden Design - Writtle College; Visual Studies; Basic Design: Spatial Design Studies: Detail Design: Landscapes, Gardens And The Arts: Traditional And Contemporary Planting City And Guilds: The Certificate in Gardening AWARDS
Suffolk Craft Society 'Making it' scheme for new graduates - 2011 (member until 2018) Cuckoo Farm Studios/Colchester School of Art and Design Graduate Scholarship Award-2009 Formica Design A Laminate Competition 2006 - included in Design a Laminate Book SOCIETIES Member of The Society of Designer Craftsmen Artist tenant at Cuckoo Farm Studios PUBLIC ART COMMISSION 'Life and Times' Commissioned by Higgins Homes. Chlemsford, Essex. Installed April 2021. COMMISSION ENAS (Essex Network of Artist Studios) 'Routed Through Essex' Exhibition - 'Cloud' collaborative installation with Jon Lewis, glass artist, 2015. TV Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution BBC2 10/10/12 |
