Saggar firing of suited figures

I have been asked about the glazing finish on the clay suited figures I have been posting images of. There is in fact no glaze involved but what I love using is a saggar. A saggar is a heavy clay tomb like box that can be used to create a kiln within a kiln. Originally saggars were used to cleanly fire precious clayware in coal-fired kilns where the heated atmosphere would have been full of nasty contaminants. Each glazed bisqued piece was carefully sealed inside its own saggar and these were stacked inside the kiln keeping their micro-environment hot but clean. I use the saggar in exactly he opposite way by sealing in contaminants with the piece being fired. I have experimented with packaging the figures with all sorts of things such as wood, bones, metal, coal, shells in fact anything is worth trying.

The saggar is loaded up and sealed tight with clay and fired.

Then opened to reveal interesting colouration and effects.

Damaged protective suits.

Nunhead Chapel Artwork Removed!

My installation in Nunhead Chapel has been removed without any consultation or discussion at all. On Thursday just gone the creature, his bedding and food and I travelled by car to the beautiful old ruined Anglican Chapel and the artwork was installed ready for 3 months out in the elements. The animal figure which I have nicknamed Bosci is the central element of an installation piece called Animal Within. It's the second in a series of artworks in public places curated by Jolanata Jagiello under the title Angel Looks On.

I'm really hoping the decision will be reversed and the public will get a chance to see this intriguing piece soon, so check back for an update. Leave a comment. Or contact the Head of Cemeteries at Southwark Council here in London UK. It seems the artwork was considered too scary but I have spoken to lots of visitors who loved it and were spreading the word that it was something to see, despite the short time it was there. I think people are being denied the opportunity to engage with a thought provoking piece and if found scary, denied the chance to examine why that should be so. He's not intended to scare but to represent us all. In the meantime I'm posting some images of Bosci in the making to give you some idea of what he is like.

Admittedly the early head structure is a little weird.

Materials like leather and wire will ensure the sculpture lasts the coldest wettest three months of the year. The eyes, lids, lips and teeth allow changes of expression to be made over the period of the display.

The carefully built body, hands and feet can also allow changes of posture and expression. A removable fur mask gains access to the face.

We discuss the imminent move to the cemetery.

The day of travel arrives.

Then its aurevoir....

On our way to the chapel. Thurs. 5th Jan.

Three figures in survival suits

Head specimen number 1.

These three little etchings are made by creating an initial tonal shape using tusche lithographic ink. As the tusche solution dries on the plate its microscopic emulsion of greasy particles settles into amazingly detailed patterns which can be etched . Then I enhance these marks adding linear structure by etching many short bites.

Head specimen number 2.

Head specimen number 3.

Come and visit....Open Studio next weekend April 2nd and 3rd

Next weekend you have a chance to see lots of my work in our house in South London.

See here for a map to locate my and all the venues.

http://www.telegraphhillfestival.org.uk/findus.htm

This is part of an annual event that forms part of the Telegraph Hill Festival. Dont miss another venue; the now world reknowned Nunhead and District Municipal Museum and Art Gallery where I have been kindly invited by the great grandson of the illustrious Museum Founder and general philanthropist, George Alfred Gellatly, to exhibit some recent work in the Gallery. There are wonders to see there including a full lecture and theatrical performance programme running over the weekend from 2 to 6 pm on both the 2nd and 3rd of April. There will be commemorative busts of the great George Gellatly available at bargain prices in the expanded Museum Shop; and a chance to see the soon to be unveiled redevlopement plans for the site.

Objects from a recurring dream

I've been working on some sculptural pieces for an exhibtion which forms part of our local Telegraph Hill Festival here in South London ,UK. If you've never visited before then its certainly worth while and all are welcome to visit my home and see plenty of new and old work. If you want to find out more simply google Telegraph Hill Festival to find lots of events and a map of the 25 artists venues including no. 15 which is mine. More on this soon.

Burry Man Suit

survival suit

More work for sale up North

I have several small prints in a nice show in Hull, Northern England at the Artlink Mini Print 2010 exhibiton. The theme is obvious, small but affordable print work in any medium. The show starts this Friday the 3rd Dec. 2010. I'm posting an image of a new print re-vitalising an old favourite theme of mine; Kinder Egg Toy instruction sheets. Sadly current Kinder Eggs are far less rewarding often being simple solid one piece characters but in the good old days I used to love buying them, mainly for the small piece of paper showing how the complex item was to be put together. Here are some I wish they'd made.

here details of the miniprint venue;

http://www.artlink.uk.net/index.php?idsection=3&subid=2

Xmas Art Bazaar

If you live in South London or fancy visiting the area where I live (called Telegraph Hill) then pop into The Hill Station and find some affordable art to buy. From next Monday the 22nd of November until December 26th our wonderful community space-come-cafe are hanging massive numbers of small desireable artworks by local artists all for immediate purchase and all keenly priced.

I'm posting here a picture of a recent drypoint on perspex. This work wont be one of my submissions as its rather too big but do come and see if you can spot my other things.

more about The Hill Station and the Bold Vision here;

http://ourboldvision.blogspot.com/search/label/art%20bazaar%20christmas%20gifts

See more new work up North

I've been selected to show some new work in an exhibition at the beautiful Northen Print Gallery in Newcastle here in the UK. The show is called Northern Footprints and is a follow up to the successful Northen Print show last year where I sold out my large "A crime-free day in the busy life of Batman" drypoint edition. So if you are in the area pop in and see printmaking at its best in many different forms. The exhibition is on from 17th November to 22nd December 2010.

http://www.northernprint.org.uk/pages/gallery/current-exhibitions-events.php

Northern Print,
Stepney Bank,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1 2NP

below are some small sections of a new very detailed print I've recently finished which is available for purchase entitled "Disaster on Adam West commemorative flight HA29".

Meet Yvonne and Barry

Come and see Yvonne and Barry; hanging in Morley Gallery this week.

See some new work. South London

I have a selection of some of my more recent prints in a group exhibition in South London at the moment, ending Friday 12th Nov 2010. The venue is Morley College just near Lambeth North Tube Station. Come and see, come and buy! see above. Come this Thursday the 11th to our second (closing party) P.V. and meet me and have a glass of wine.

the eyes of a god

new prints

ceramic figures and heads...prints...paintings...photography.

new work

next weekend

come and visit

I'm opening up my house in London soon as part of our local Telegraph Hill Arts Festival. The festival itself runs from Wed. 10th through to Sun 21st with loads going on; to be found by googling "Telegraph Hill Festival". There are 19 artists venues including mine opening up their houses/studios for the public to visit on that last weekend. Opening times are 2 to 6 pm for both days so please come along and visit me here in our lovely bit of London. This year aswell as my print work I'll be show for practically the first time, my ceramic objects. Making things from clay has come like a revelation to me and I think some of these things are the best things I've ever done. My claywork relates closely to the sort of subject matter in my prints and paintings so if you know and like my work or if you've never seen it before please come and see all the new stuff. My partner has become an accomplished photography despite her busy role as chief of Flow Associates and this year some of her latest images are on display.

click on the little poster image above to see a map of the area and other artists involved...

Postcards from the Northpole

coloured prints

I've been working a few new smaller prints recently and will post them over the next weeks. These are slightly different from my usual work in that they are more colourful. I hope you like them and make comments. These prints are from drypoint (scratched) plates where several different identically sized plates are printed onto the paper one on top of the other in sequence, each plate providing its own colour. Traditionally with the more normal metal plates one complication with this technique is that its tricky to ensure the images register exactly. I use a transparent polycarbonate plate material which means they can simply be placed on top of each other with all layers visible. I'm making these prints in small exclusive limited editions of only 5 or 10 so they will sell out much faster than my larger edition work.