29/04/2009 by James.

Posted in me & my work | Print | No Comments »

24/04/2009 by James.

I heard yesterday that we didn’t get the funding for Human Nature, my residency at Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. The plan was for me to work in response to the Museum’s collections, both those on display and behind the scenes, exploring how culture has interpreted nature throughout history. I was going to investigate the museum’s natural history collection, which is moving on to new homes, and the local landscape, and involve the local community in creating their own work and influencing the themes and content of my own, and the resulting exhibition.

Anyway…. its not happening… BUT I am going to be running some workshops at the museum, so look out for those. And I am still fascinated by the way that societies use cultural practices to create and present different models of nature that they present to the world.

Today I have been continuing working with maps and natural history imagery, exploring how landscape and nature as concepts are presented, and how the ways that I treat these materials can make them accessible as material and image at the same time, starting to blur the boundaries between these representations, and the stuff of the world, and helping to enable a more direct sensory perception of the world around us.

Posted in environmental issues, projects, me & my work | Print | No Comments »

24/04/2009 by James.

I took a walk around the village yesterday and took some photos of the different drains, manholes and signs that are dotted around the road sides and surfaces.

I am attracted to the combination of the ‘man-made’ imagery and the worn and corroded surfaces, which link with the appropriated natural history imagery and cut/stitched/distressed materials in my work… a link between the image and object, man-made and natural.

For me these things are an expression of ‘one-ness’ and highlight the beauty to be found in the everyday.

Posted in me & my work, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »

23/04/2009 by James.

A quick mention for those of you that are local, of two free workshops that I will be running at The Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum this May Half Term, in partnership with The Salisbury Arts Festival.

We will be working outside on the lawns (weather permitting) creating animal sculptures inspired by the local landscape and the wildlife of the water meadows.

Wednesday 27th May - Swimming Sculptures - Drop in Activity for children aged 5+ and their families, creating a shoal of fish from willow and recycled materials - 10.00a.m to 12.30p.m

Thursday 28th May - Willow Birds - Booked Activity for children aged 8 to 12, using willow, wire and recycled materials to create sculptures of birds - 1.30 to 4 p.m

Contact the Museum for more information or to book…

www.salisburymuseum.org.uk 

www.salisburyfestival.co.uk 

Posted in Museums & Galleries, projects | Print | No Comments »

22/04/2009 by James.

I just got back from a lovely morning at a pre-school and thought I’d put a few photos up here.

I took the children outside with some of their parents, and we hunted for natural ‘treasures’, gathering them up and taking them back inside to explore with clay.

The ‘brief’ was pretty open, leaving the children to explore through their senses and imaginations.

Posted in projects | Print | No Comments »

15/04/2009 by James.

I was back up the Forest again today, having decided that I’d spent long enough indoors in my studio. I love this time of year, the sense of rebirth and new beginnings, of greenery bulging and bursting out everywhere and the birds singing. I also saw my first swallow today, sitting on a telephone wire, probably a bit exhausted after its marathon journey.

Here’s a couple of images of a tree-mask that I made using similar imagery and techniques as with my recent collage pieces.

Posted in me & my work | Print | No Comments »

06/04/2009 by James.

Although everywhere else the buds are opening and green is creeping back into the landscape, in the middle of the forest everything still feels quite cold and stark. Last year’s leaves are slowly rotting down and the trees stand bare, waiting for the warmth and sun to break through.

Posted in me & my work | Print | No Comments »

06/04/2009 by James.

Just opened - an exhibition of PAWS community arts projects in Wiltshire and work by the artists who run them, including images of artwork by me and the participants on the Recycled Sculpture projects that I have run over the years through the PAWS scheme (set up and funded through the four Wilts District Councils).

1st April to 25th April 2009 - Arcadia Lounge, Arc Theatre, College Road, Trowbridge, Wilts. (Open during performances - phone box office 0845 299 0476)
www.arctheatre.org.uk

Also touring to The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham, Wilts from 1st May 2009.
poundarts.blogspot.com

Posted in Museums & Galleries, other art, events, projects, me & my work | Print | No Comments »

01/04/2009 by James.

images of two of today’s pieces, taken on my ageing phone.

Posted in me & my work | Print | 4 Comments »