Marrying the bright plastic colours of punk rock and the affinity with nature of the environmentalist, I re-purpose waste.
Transforming found materials by using platonic solids as my base forms I allow my subjects to emerge. I take the problem of capitalist consumption and turn it into something beautiful and sympathetic.
Ai Weiwei states that ‘Everything is art, everything is politics’. For me everything is art, politics and feminism. My work often comments on and is informed by my lived domestic and family life. I explore repetitive processes as a reflection of the domestic and what is traditionally seen as women’s work. Contextualising my own position and status as a woman in Western society cannot be separated from my concerns as a human and the destructive exploitation of our shared home and its finite resources. Nurturing and encouraging creativity in others is important to me and sharing Art with the wider community. The relationship between materials and space and the way work is presented to the viewer is as important as the making.
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
Curation
Group Shows
Community Arts Practice
I acted as artist/facilitator on the following projects:
Residencies
Open college of the North
Lancaster University and The Open University Preston College 1993/4
100hr s
Art (67%)
Drawing and Painting (62%)
Specialist Areas of study(textiles ) (60%)
50hrs
Art History (62%)
Life Drawing (62%)
Salford University-Visual Arts and Culture 1994-6 Diploma in Higher education.
I was studying as a mature student and had to leave due to personal circumstances.
Other Creative Activities
Further Achievements
Transforming found materials by using platonic solids as my base forms I allow my subjects to emerge. I take the problem of capitalist consumption and turn it into something beautiful and sympathetic.
Ai Weiwei states that ‘Everything is art, everything is politics’. For me everything is art, politics and feminism. My work often comments on and is informed by my lived domestic and family life. I explore repetitive processes as a reflection of the domestic and what is traditionally seen as women’s work. Contextualising my own position and status as a woman in Western society cannot be separated from my concerns as a human and the destructive exploitation of our shared home and its finite resources. Nurturing and encouraging creativity in others is important to me and sharing Art with the wider community. The relationship between materials and space and the way work is presented to the viewer is as important as the making.
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
- Jan 2020 "Accumulation" solo exhibition of new work at Centre Celf in Llandrindod Wells, Powys.
- May 2018 "Boneshakers Gallery" in Llandrindod Wells opening show. Prints and sculptures.
Curation
- July 31st - August 11th 2022 Celf o Gwmpas Artists network 6th Annual exhibition. Exhibited "Bubbles and Boundries" and "The Day the World turned Dayglow."
- March 5th - April 16th 2022 "Celebration" An exhibition that celebrates women artists from Mid Wales to mark International women's Day at Radnorshire museum in Llandrindod Wells. Exhibited "The Lockdown Ladies", "Sheela-na-Gig" and "Girl Power"
- December 2020 Christmas advent calendar window exhibition for the old Bradleys Hardware store, Llandrindod Wells. Curated and exhibited “Cresent”, “Construction” and “Xylem”
- Sept 2020 “Language” Celf o Gwmpas Artists network 4th annual exhibition in a Virtual gallery on the Celf o Gwmpas website and hosted by kunstamatix.com. Set up the virtual gallery, curated and exhibited photographs and a short film “Double think”.
- Jan 2020 "Discovery" Celf o Gwmpas Artists network 3rd Annual exhibition Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon, Powys. Curated the exhibition and showed a developing project called "Unearthed" and documentation of process.
- Sept 2019 "Discovery" Celf o Gwmpas Artists network 3rd Annual exhibition at Centre Celf in Llandrindod Wells. Curated the exhibition and showed a developing project called "Unearthed" which invited the audience to contribute to the work by making impressions in clay which were then cast into plaster tiles.
- Sept 2018 "Growing Together" Curated Celf o Gwmpas 2nd annual Artist Network exhibition and exhibited 2 installations.
- Oct 1995 “Art Displace” Public house, Golborne, Wigan.
Group Shows
- July 31st - August 11th 2022 Celf o Gwmpas Artists network 6th Annual exhibition. Exhibited "Bubbles and Boundries" and "The Day the World turned Dayglow."
- June 23rd 2022 Salon de Refuses, Aberystwyth Arts Centre. "Refuge"
- June 5th 2022 Positive Environmental Art, Mid Wales Art Centre, Caersws, Powys. "UnEarthed". "Joined Up Thinking", "Cloud 2".
- June 2021 Oriel Lockdown, Aberystwyth Art Centre.
- April 2021 “Climate Change” exhibition at Mid Wales Art Centre, Caersws, Powys.
- Feb 2020 Guest exhibitor at the Tower gallery in Crickhowell. Powys, Wales.
- Oct 2019 Made in Roath open exhibition at G39 Cardiff. Tiles from the "Unearthed" project.
- Sept 2017 “The Beginnings” 1st Celf o Gwmpas Artists Network exhibition at Centre Celf, Llandrindod wells. 1 Hanging sculpture and 4 collage poetry pieces.
- Nov 2016 “Boxing Shadows” at Centre Celf, Llandrindod wells. 4 pieces of sculpture, prints on paper and canvas hangings.
- March 1996 “Elastic Frontiers” Sheffield. (exhibited Sculpture `Barricade`)
- July 1995 Saint Peters art centre, Preston. (exhibited sculpture “Peat head”)
- Nov 1994 “25 years from Scratch” SO.ACT 101 performing some of the 1001 Activities at the Institute of Contemporary Art, London.
Community Arts Practice
I acted as artist/facilitator on the following projects:
- August 2021 #StandForNature Radnor and Montgomery Wildlife Trust
- August 2021 “Summer of fun” activities for Air Coed in Elan Valley, Arts Connection in Llanidloes and Llanfyllin and Celf o Gwmpas in Llandrindod Wells.
- June 2021 Priory Church in Wales school Brecon, as part of the Creative schools initiative working with year 6. Pottery and kiln building with Vic Pardoe.
- May 2021 Priory Church in Wales school Brecon as part of the Creative schools initiative working with year 1 Land Art and mud sculptures.
- April 2017- ongoing - Artist/facilitator at Celf o Gwmpas
- April 2021 - Mandala making workshop on zoom for Credu and Arts connection, working with young carers.
- October 2020 - Commissioned to make a Film for the “Our Isle” exhibition at Oriel Davis, Newtown, in conjunction with the Where the Severn smiles project.
- March - June 2020 - produced a series of tutorial videos for Celf o Gwmpas. Compiled and distributed boxes of Art materials and instruction leaflets for Learning disabled Adults and Care home residents in Powys.
- Feb 2020 - Oriel Davis Gallery, Newtown, as part of the Where The Severn Smiles Project. Recycled bird feeders.
- July 2019 - CARAD at Rhayader carnival. Mask making.
- May 2019 - A series of silk painting workshop with Young carers for Credu.
- April 2019 - Elan Links Rhayader, Powys. Mythical creature creation.
- Nov 2018 - Upcycling workshops for Mid Powys Mind.
- Aug 2018 - 2021 Rubbish Garden at Landed festival. I was asked to take over and develop a garden made from rubbish which was an established exhibit at Landed festival, Doldowlodd, Powys
- July 2018 -CARAD at Rhayader carnival. Badge making.
- Sept 2017- Print workshops at Mid Powys Mind.
- May 1998 -“ Kollision Collective” float for Carabian carnival, Preston, Lancashire. ( Design and artistic co-ordinator)
Residencies
- 2021 - Landed festival, Doldowlod estate. Punk that sheep for CARAD.
Open college of the North
Lancaster University and The Open University Preston College 1993/4
100hr s
Art (67%)
Drawing and Painting (62%)
Specialist Areas of study(textiles ) (60%)
50hrs
Art History (62%)
Life Drawing (62%)
Salford University-Visual Arts and Culture 1994-6 Diploma in Higher education.
I was studying as a mature student and had to leave due to personal circumstances.
Other Creative Activities
- 2014 - Established an upcycling clothes initiative called Tatty Buys which developed into an online business and a music festival shop by 2016.
- 1989-1991 Performed with the band “Scatwailing”. Gigging all around the north of England and at Glastonbury festival.
- 1982-1984, 2013 - Performed as and produced merchandise for Anarka and Poppy, anarcho punk band. Including releasing a single on vinyl which had been lost for 30yrs.
Further Achievements
- August 2021 - Initiated and set up the opening of Stiwdio Celf o Gwmpas as a development of Celf o Gwmpas Artists Network.
- 2018- ongoing Artists Network Co-ordinator at Celf o Gwmpas. Developed and ran Celf o Gwmpas artists network.
- 2019-June 2021 `Art is Power` trainee. In addition to my Artists Network development work for Celf o Gwmpas I began on the job training as Arts administrator for the `Art is Power` (Art and Health) training programme
- July 2019 Accepted as a member of Sculpture Cymru