new work

Wizardry in Wood 2021

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It’s the last day today of the 2021 Wizardry in Wood exhibition, normally held every four years by the Worshipful Company of Turners. I thought that I would be able to take part this year after it had been postponed from last year because of Covid but sadly I had to withdraw.

Like so many women I have been suffering with various symptoms that going through the menopause brings. It’s a very unpleasant time which throws up many challenges – particularly when it comes to trying to maintain your work levels. Not only have my energy levels and general mojo been down, my immune system has also been thrown out of wack and with Covid still very much with us I did not feel that it was a wise idea to travel to London and be at a show (hopefully) filled with people!

I did make a couple of sets of salt and pepper mills to send to the show which the organisers were kind enough to exhibit on their Bursary stand.

The pink and black mills were inspired by the beautiful Japanese magnolia trees, Magnolia Liliiflora. They began on a visit that I made to Bodnant Gardens in North Wales. This beautiful National Trust property is famous for its collections of plants from all around the world and among them are more than 500 magnolias. I love their large dramatic flowers graduating from a deep pink to white and so I used this as inspiration on the deeply carved sycamore base and top.

I also love the process of Shou Sugi Ban – the particularly striking method of preserving wood by charring which originated in Japan in the 18th century. Burning wood gives it a different softer black to colouring it with paints or dyes and accentuates the grain. So for the other mill base and top I scorched the surface of the turned elm and wire brushed it to bring out the beautiful three dimensional grain texture.

There is also a wonderful sunken pool surrounded by plants of all different purple hues which is one of my favourite parts of the garden. One of them is Osteospermum Purple Sun, with stunning flowers graduating out from purple to pink to yellow. The photos that I took of them led to this new second set of mills that I made for Wizardry in Wood. The bases of the mills are turned and carved before being airbrushed to match these vibrant colours, and the tops have a ‘blobbed’ texture to represent the centre of the flower.

I hope that all the other makers had a great show!

#wizardryinwood2021

National Eisteddfod Llanrwst 2019

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The National Eisteddfod of Wales will soon begin in Llanrwst, North Wales on the 2nd August 2019.
I have been having fun collaborating with paper artist Chloe Augusta Needham on some new Moth lamps and we were thrilled that these were selected to be exhibited at the Y Lle Celf – the Eisteddfod’s visual arts gallery.
It’s a great place to exhibit as it attracts 40,000 visitors during the course of the week!

Below are some work in progress photos of the new lamps – Moth II and Moth III that we have been working on that you will be able to see on show.

You can find out more information at https://eisteddfod.wales/yllecelf

New Collaboration

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In the last few months I have been working on an exciting new collaboration with Chloe Needham, a paper artist also living in North Wales.

It has been really interesting working with someone who’s medium is completely different to mine and one I haven’t had any experience of before (except being slightly obsessed with cutting things up with scissors when I was at school!).

After some discussions together at Chloe’s house in Llanrwst we eventually decided on a design for a sculptural moth light.  With me making the body and Chloe the delicate coloured wings, the moth would rest on a bare bulb hanging on a wall.

We were then very fortunate to be able to visit Rhyd-y-Creuau – the Field Studies Centre in North Wales (and where my partner Mark works) – where we were able to look at the moths caught the night before by Alice, and their collection of moths and butterflies.  It was great to be able to see them in 3D, see how they moved and flew and look closely at the fine details.

Looking at the moth trap at Rhyd-y-Creuau
Chloe and Alice
Chloe and me

 

We are close to finishing the piece and hope to have it ready in time for me to show it at Wizardry in Wood in London this October (www.wizardryinwood.com)

 

carving the body out of ash
moth body with scale drawing
copper antennae and blackwood eyes
trying out wing designs
working out the legs
legs in copper

Wizardry in Wood Oct 2016

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I will be exhibiting in London from the 12th-15th Oct 2016 at Wizardry in Wood – organised by the Worshipful Company of Turners, and only held every 4 years.  You can find out more and buy tickets at https://wizardryinwood.com/

One of the oldest Livery Companies in the City of London, the Turners’ Company was already a guild in the 12th Century. Some 200 years later, Edward III decreed that ‘wooden measures, as well for wine as for ale’ should be made only by ‘turnours’ with marks of their own – and the medieval turners established the English ‘pint’ as an official measure. In 1604 the Company received its Royal Charter from James I.

This year their one of competitions is commemorating the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London and I have made a special piece inspired by the start of the fire at the bakery at Pudding Lane which will be exhibited at the show.

fireengraving

 

Beautiful and amazing original works by over 70 of the world’s greatest contemporary woodturners

Where, When, How?

Where: In the spectacular and spacious Carpenters’ Hall in the heart of the City of London.

When: Wed 12 – Sat 15 October: opens 10am each day.  On Wed 12, Thur 13 & Fri 14 October: closes 6pm, last entry 5pm.  On Sat 15 October: closes 4pm, last entry 3pm

Go to http://www.wizardryinwood.com to buy tickets

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New Beetles for Ruthin

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In July this year I started designing some new coleoptera inspired boxes for my show coming up at Ruthin Craft Centre – a beautiful gallery in North Wales.  The show is called ‘Is it Wood’ and is curated by Mary La Trobe Bateman OBE (who used to be the director of Contemporary Applied Arts).  Other artists include:

Peter Archer / Fred Baier / Dail Behennah / Roger Bennett / Chatwin : Martin / Eleanor Glover / Nicola Henshaw / Eleanor Lakelin / Lina Peterson / Anthony Roussel / Sophie Smallhorn / Wycliffe Stutchbury / Rupert Williamson

Bringing together 14 unique makers, who through their innovative and original ideas, challenge our traditional perceptions of wood.

I hope this colourful exhibition challenges traditional ideas about working with wood.
I hope it causes some surprises.
I hope it counters the response to so much work that is handmade in wood by inviting the visitor to look beyond the surface and the skill of the making to see the original ideas and innovations of each individual artist.
And I hope that the exhibition is enjoyable!

Mary La Trobe-Bateman, Curator.

You can find out more about the show at Ruthin Craft Centre  It runs until Nov 30th 2014.

New furniture with Cillian O’Suilleabhain

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Mock up for large cabinet

My latest project is a collaboration with Irish furniture maker Cillian O’Suilleabhain.  We met in June during the Irish wall project, got on really well and decided it would be an exciting new venture to work together on some furniture pieces.  The challenge was how to combine my finely detailed, organic work with the minimal geometric aesthetic of his furniture.

It’s taken a lot of experimentation, tests, and discussion but we are very happy with the results so far and are looking forward to showing them at the two London shows coming up soon.