Free Range London

Congratulations to my friend Amy Wilkins who has just finished her Fine Art degree at Oxford Brookes.
I found out today that she has been given the Modern Art Oxford Graduate Platform Award.

Take a look at her work at Free Range showing at The Old Truman Brewery London between the 28th June - 2nd July.

Pinterest

In the last couple of weeks I've not only joined Twitter but now I've discovered the world of Pinterest. How fantastic this is for sorting out your sometimes muddled thoughts. An online pinboard is a genius idea it not only enables you to gather images but it saves having to print loads of photographs and stick them into a sketch book. I'm not saying it will stop me working in such a way as this process is so deeply ingrained within my practice but you can build an overall image, idea or mood very quickly this way. 
Take a look at what I've gathered together so far the Monotone board is coming together rather nicely and sits well with the Black images I posted last year.

Twitter

As you will be able to see I have finally decided to join Twitter.
Now I've made the leap I don't know why I've been so slow on the up take. You will be able to follow me from my web site shortly.

Designersblock at MOST

As our home for the past week here are some overall shots of the Designerblock space within the cloisters at MOST

Milan favourites 2012

Here are a few examples of the stand out works I saw during the Salone del Mobile. My focus during the show was based upon colour sound and experience. The works hi lighted here are designed spaces that have been created to evoke an atmosphere or emotion.
There was so much to see during the week it was impossible to travel around and catch everything particularly when you are exhibiting yourself. Sasha and I decided to try and get around to see other shows in the mornings and spend the rest of the day over in MOST.


In Cloister two Molo design a collaborative design and production studio from Vancouver were exhibiting this temporal space that was specifically designed for the museum space. In the centre of these panels a sound system was embedded creating a soft enveloping wave of ambience combined with this incredible vibrance resonating from the yellow walls. 
The moment I encountered this work I knew I would be revisiting several more times during the show. It was interesting to see how the work changed with the extreme change in the weather conditions and light. It felt like a small haven.... what ever seemed to be happening in and around the cloisters Molo managed to instantly slow you down and I wanted to savour this experience as I  encountered the space. 

Moroso was hosting a project designed by the Chinese architect Zhang Ke called Hidden Dragon. The space was flooded with red lighting and the central room opened up revealing a series of screens hugging the edge of the room with lucid black ink brush marks. 
In the centre was a large red upholstered seat. Designed to sit alone or together to recline into the seat and for several people to sit separately but still be able to engage in conversation.

Studio Toogood at MOST

La Cura Studio Toogood 

I managed to visit La Cura on Sunday morning the last day of the show. It lasted around half an hour and I managed to slip into the room at the very last moment just as the performance began. 

The 40 chairs were positioned around the edge of room each one had been wrapped in different materials symbolising protection the view into centre of the room focussed on the pavilion. 

Obviously the evidence of clay was my driving force for attending as well wanting to see how successful this space or environment that had been designed to force you to stop or slow down. 

I was filled with intrigue surrounding not only the space but the aesthetic the atmosphere, the sound and once fully immersed in the experience I was blown away....

It had to be a combination of everything the lighting the sound the ritualistic nature of the piece there was a distinct Japanese feel in both the colour white and simplistic tools used. (Zen gardening instantly came to mind !)

The sterile clean functionality of the enamel bowls and trolleys used to present the clay the pace at which the performance unravelled always hinted at slowing down and to take a little more time.

There was a specific language attached to the entire experience 'the caretakers' 'the cures' 'the garden' 'protection' 'dressing'

It hints at modern day healing or spiritual healing. Designed for the senses as opposed to the physical although there was a physical aspect attached to the experience. Engaging with the clay a material that can often be associated with school as it's normally one of the first materials children tend to use due to it's ease it's a welcoming material that brings people together in the sense that is impossible not to make something it can be rolled flattened squeezed moulded it doesn't have to represent any kind of form it can be used as a tool to simply communicate a emotion or mood. In that respect it was interesting to see how others were responding to the material. At this stage it became very instinctive some people touched it with hesitation others were straight in. As a ceramic designer this process was like second nature to me however, I was wondering whether I may have been too precious because it was familiar compared to those who have had little or no contact with clay In the past. As the week progressed the small clay cures were carefully and respectfully taken away and added to the garden making a large scale installation or sculpture.

Lighting Installation in Zona Tortona.
It'a magic take a look... 

Set up for Salone del Mobile 2012

Sunday set began early in the morning at MOST and continued through to until 8pm

it turned out to be a long and exhausting day I don't know how we managed to stretch the day out to a 10 hours.

The venue was beautiful Designersblock took place in one of the two cloisters within the museum. 

Lovely Wood by Sam Sheard www.samuelsheard.com

Sasha's bio fireplaces www.essenceofflame.co.uk

My final set up... it's always difficult to convey the scale of my work through models therefore photographs and slideshows are always really important for visitors to gain more insight into the entire working methodology.

Preparation for Milan

It's a week until Sasha and myself leave for Milan Sam will be arriving on the Sunday.
All the work left from Designersblock on Thursday so I'm just preparing the last pieces of work that will travelling with me. I think it's important to show these mortar samples Pause was reconstructed with coloured mortar these were the shades available to choose from and will be  positioned next to a sample of the cheddar red brick to give a clear visual reference of the final aesthetic.

The last model I want to include is a white and black model to show a contrast next to the dense black models that began at the beginning of the research.
This body of work is being showcased not only to document the progression of thinking within the research but also to understand how the working methodology can be moved forward and directed into future projects or further research.