News
Image Gallery
Future Projects
June 2009 A Visual Art Project with 12 Wakefield Artists collaborating with 12 Israeli Artists. The work produced will be on the question of 'Identity' either as collaborative piece or informed by the relationship between the two artists. The project will cullminate in an exhibition in Wakefield.
July / August 2009 A Collective Exhibition of North Kirklees Artists. This is a Showcase collaboration between Artists and Designers, Loca and Batley Art Gallery.
We are hoping to have this event publicised on local BBC Radio, Leeds. ( I would like to say here.... to encourage using your Local Radio where possible! I have previously been interviewed on BBCRadio Leeds. This was an informal interview involving other members of the public. It was scarey to say the least as I did not know what to expect. What I did learn from was to be very well prepared. Being thoroughly prepared you can may be enjoy the experience more? )
September / October 2009 Artist in Residence / Open studios ; HOST, Kirklees. Further information regarding working days at the gallery and workshop participation opportunities will follow in the next month or so. For HOST details please visit: www.hoststudios.co.uk .
Ongoing Development:I have been creating new series' of paintings:
Celeistial Dance : An extension to the landscape paintings, are oil studies of the sky. The concept behind Celestial Dance was to help conjour up what it was like passing time as a young person looking up on a summer day and watch the clouds dance by.
Grace : Script bssed images created during the influence of sound.
Hillside, Return : I return to themes again and again. I am facinated by how time and experience do influence perspective. I am interested in the physical ans allegorical aspects of rural landscape.
The Art House is an exemplary new build for artists with and without disabilities. There was a call to Art House members to submit artworks for stationery for the new branding of The Art House. I am delighted to say I was selected. The result being a mixed-media painting was the image chosen as part of the first set of The Art House business cards. From these successful submissions two designs were then chosen for The Art House signages positioned on the two entrances of the building, mine being chosen for Drury Lane entrance, the main reception area. Click on http://www.the-arthouse.org.uk/view.aspx?id=38
To say am pleased seems rather an understatement. I have been a member for all but a year of its existence and have gladly supported its journey. I look forward to The Art House having a permanent physical home.
Further to this Wakefield is my adopted home. Having been an Art student at Bretton Hall College, an annex of Leeds University. I also regard my artwork being on public display in Wakefield as a tribute to Graduates from Bretton Hall.
Art Practice
My new development is that I have recently moved studio space, within the same organisation. It has different dimensions from the previous space. This in consequence is having an impact on the size of works I am currently producing.
The new collection of series of works are, oil paintings, which as yet are not titled.. They are abstract in style. The subject theme relates to the ever changing colour, texture and rhythm of the sky above us. I have, for as long as I can remember been a sky and star gazer and have brought me many an hour of wonder, Beyond Yonda was the last series of Oil Paintings, the "Sky Collection" has a natural link.
This body of work is developing well.
The second collection is part two of the Chimera Series. These are monochrome canvasses produced by various mediums and styles. The purpose for Chimera S2 is an inner journey. The initial idea is to produce multiple images to run in sequence to be an Exhibitdeal of work.
I enjoy working collaboratively, thus I have made connections and tentative steps for an idea I have had for some years to produce a combined visual art and performance project in 2008.
Education
Further to the Residency below I have been asked to return and support Year 11 students with their exam. O! I did experience sweaty palms at the thought of being 15/16 years of age again and about to do a school exam. I was in awe of the level of how much is expected of these young people at school. The brief was no different to when I was at art college, not when I was at school. My school exam was to produce one painting.
November / December 2007 I undertook an " Artist in Residence" at a High School in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The brief being to demonstrate to students is the value of producing good quality project based work by being methodical and keeping to the design process. The impetuous is for the production to relate to vocational practice.
"After Schools Club" is another Educational project I is involved with at the moment. This is in Partnership with North Kirklees Junior and Infant Schools. Artists present their own specialism to the students. What is gained from this is that young people experience the creative process first hand to enhance and develop creative thinking. Not least, to enjoy Art.
