Artist’s Statement
My subject matter stretches out under the forest floor and swells in the oceans, it hides in the dark and quivers in the depths of space. It echoes off my window panes and its colour seeps in through the gap in the curtains. It is both within me and flows through me. The lattice patterns I draw speak of an arrhythmia in the metronomy of the universal heartbeat that makes me aware of its tick-tock pattern.
I look at natural structures that replicate at different scales and imagine the invisible, vital, animating energy running through the veins of living things. I think about the cosmic forces, tides and elements that impact the world around me and space beyond. I am drawn to patterns I observe both in nature and the man-made environment and the way objects and places are shaped by their interactions, particularly by the repetitive rhythms of life. There is a grounding in pattern, a security that things will continue, like reaching the edges of a map, there is a certainty that the terrain extends beyond what we can see. My studio at Artist Hive in Tottenham is packed full of works on paper, sketchbooks, mixed-media models, found natural objects and large scale paintings on canvas.
I employ a systemic approach to drawing, loosely following a course predetermined at the outset but working organically and allowing space for a drawing to evolve in the making process. Grids and networks reminiscent of woven fabric and organic structures bring a unifying rhythm to the drawings and screenprints. My paintings play with the formal elements of colour, pattern and composition, endless permutations within the confines of the 2-Dimensional plane. I work predominantly in acrylic ink on stretched paper and enjoy the subtleties of different surface textures, absorbency of pigment and the potential to search back into layers of work beneath. Large scale drawings are rendered in acid-free, archival quality pen or acrylic ink refillable pens. I print my own short-run silkscreen and photopolymer editions alongside unique state screen-prints and mono-prints. I have grouped different series of works into collections on this website, where I have written about each project in more detail.
Education
2004-2005 Post Graduate Diploma Jewellery, Edinburgh College of Art
2000-2004 First Class BA(Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing, Edinburgh College of Art
Residencies
Artist in Residence at Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, London. 2011
Six-month residency to research and produce artwork for the Clore education centre focusing on fragments of historic wallpaper. Design and delivery of a participation and education programme with HRP learning department.
Artist in Residence at Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, London. 2008 – 2012
Dedicated studio time to develop my practice and work towards two solo shows. Lead artist on education projects, gallery exhibitions, funding proposals, studio manager. Designing and facilitating projects with newly arrived and refugee teenagers, talented young artists, young carers, elderly people.
Craft Artist in Residence, Aberdeen City Council, Hazlehead Schools ASG. 2005 - 2006
Selected Exhibitions
Artist Hive Gallery, Tottenham, London, Studio Artists Exhibition, October 2019
Bainbridge Print Open, Elephant and Castle, London, June 2018
LCN Showcase, Space, Mare St, London. March 2018
GAS Gallery, London, Represented 2015/18. Stockholm, New York and London art fairs.
The Other Other Way, Solo Show, Carousel, Marylebone, London, 2016
The Way, Solo Show, SE9 Container Gallery, Greenwich, 2015
Familiar in an Alien Landscape, Wallis Studios, Hackney Wick, 2014
A Remembered Dream, The Invisible Line, Dalston, London, 2014
The Other Art Fair, Brick Lane, Hackney London, 2014
The Crooked Tree, Sink Art Gallery, City of London, 2013
Artsho 4, Budapest, 2013
Inside Out, solo show, Tricycle Gallery, London 2010
A Cough to Break the Silence, solo show, Tricycle Gallery, London 2008
Commissions
Gunnersbury Park and Museum, London, 2019
Creation of larger than life cake sculpture from cardboard and tape to celebrate the museum’s 90th birthday event.
Historic Royal Palaces, Tower of London, Go Medieval and Tudors at the Tower festivals 2014 - 2018
3 x interactive sculpture tableaux commissions based on historical paintings. Design and delivery of participatory workshops for families. Large scale cardboard sculptures representing historical figures, architecture and events.
Painting Connections, Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, UCL. July 2016
Site specific light projection. Network drawing projection in Things warehouse based on topographical data from Hackney Wick. The projection onto paper and wooden palettes showed the creative clusters in the local area through density and an animated pulse rippling through the network.
Sutton House, National Trust, Hackney, London. April 2014
Georgian Tea Party immersive play installation in heritage setting and accompanying workshops for children.
Cabinet of Curiosities Handling Collection for Kensington Palace, London. 2012 - 2017
Creation of mixed media objects based on written accounts from Queen Caroline’s court.
Roof canopy commission at Kew Palace and Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey 2012
Collaborative printed textile installation for the internal roof canopy for the Temple of the Imagination.
Sculpture Commission, Kilburn Adventure Playground 2011
Erect Architecture, Developing Projects, Camden Council, The Building Exploratory
A series of steel and wood sculptures referencing the life cycle of trees, reaching up high, seasonal changes and reflections of movement. Ideas for the sculpture came from “Exploring Adventure” engagement workshops.
Selected Participatory Projects
City of London Academy School and Tower Bridge, London. Guest Artist. Jan - March 2018
Design and delivery of an 8 week project with year 9 exploring structures and patterns in 2D and 3D. Creation of suspended sculptural work constructed using geodesic triangles and screen-printed designs based on drawings and photographs of the architecture of Tower Bridge and the surrounding built environment. Exhibition vitrine designs displayed in public walkways.
Bow Arts, London. Various long and short term “artist in schools” projects. 2016 - 2018
Gunnersbury Park and Museum, London. freelance artist. Aug 2016 - present
Development of KS1 and KS2 schools sessions in printmaking.
4 seasons, 5 days. Bronze Award art workshops ages 14 - 21, installation art and site specific responses, building heritage project, installation shown as part of Open House London.
Bush Theatre, London. Guest artist workshops. Art and Privilege. Feb 2017
Creation of collaborative artworks with teenagers excluded from mainstream education exploring group portraiture and collective thought relating to the theme of “art and privilege”.
Royal Opera House, Thurrock Trailblazers Cultural Partner, Essex. 2015 - 2017
Designing and teaching school art workshops that deliver cross-curricular outcomes and teacher CPD.
Discover Children's Story Centre, Story-Telling Machine participation and installation, Stratford. Oct 2016
Multisensory interactive sculpture, guiding children’s forum to manage family activities.
South London Gallery , Sunday Spot artist workshops. March 2016
V&A Museum, Artist educator on family and outreach programmes, London 2015
Further clients include Tate, Arcelor Mittal Orbit, The Building Exploratory and Arts Across the Curriculum.
Further professional experience
London Creative Network, Participating artist, Space, Hackney. November 2017 - March 2018
Professional development programme to facilitate and help contextualise a 6 month project that introduces innovative working practices culminating in a group exhibition in Space Gallery.
ACE Open Studios bursary, Arts Council England and Hackney WickED, July 2017
New Creative Markets, Art business development. Participating artist, Space, Hackney. 2012 - 2015
Seminar presentation at Engaging the Artist’s Voice – Museums, Galleries and Artists working in collaboration, Arts Council England and the British Museum, British Museum, July 2012
I delivered a presentation to museum, gallery and art professionals about my experience as Artist-in-Residence at Kensington Palace and took part in a panel discussion considering the different formats that art residencies in museums and galleries can take.
