Together

The sculpture of the figure (below) was made for a project in 2018. I was happy that it had met the brief at the time and was well received. However, I felt that the work wasn’t me. It was too representative, not amorphous enough. For a few months the figure sat in the corner of the living room, while at the back of my mind I contemplated what to do with it. I tried to get it exhibited elsewhere but there was no interest. Should I store it in the loft? No, no point. After a few months I realised the materials needed to move on to another use. By making the piece I found new ways to use wire, joining pieces together using small twists of wire and stitching with it like thread. I had cut out the shapes for the body like a dress pattern. I had found my construction style, drawing on sewing and dressmaking. I took the figure apart and stacked the pieces into a pile. They sat in my studio for another few months.

I felt that the figure should become a landscape, it had had undulations across the torso to suggest this. During autumn of 2020 I began walking sections of the Shropshire Way regularly with another artist, Jill Impey. Inspired by walking over the land; rocks, along the escarpment of Wenlock Edge, by quarries, climbing up the valley of the river Severn, gnarled tree trunks, fungi, decay and renewal, and conversation; I made the new piece. It is stitched together with coloured ribbons kept from clothing I have bought; I am compelled to use only what I have.

The work was also made during weekly Social Studio sessions organised by Raven studios, based in Shrewsbury. The sessions enable myself and currently 5 other artists the opportunity to work simultaneously, sharing a virtual space, ideas, conversation and our work. It has helped overcome the isolation of working from home that was an issue for artists and small business owners, particularly in rural areas before lockdown. We have all agreed to continue our social studio even when things get back to normal. We are all looking forward to meeting each other in person and sharing the work we’ve made.

I have titled the new work. Together II.

The journey from ‘Together’ to ‘Together II’