May 2, 2014

PRIMITIVE SKILLS

bone tools

I’ve just come back from a course in primitive skills with Lynx Vilden. It was a very special treat. We worked with flint knives, we killed, ate and worked a lamb. Creating and tanning hides, cordage, pouches, broth and bone tools like the ones pictured. We picked plants, shared stories and walked together. It was great!

It feels relevant to share this here as I’ve found these techniques hugely inspirational, people who have taken the time to learn and test these crafts have a great simplicity, honesty and skill. It gives such an insight into the history of technology, our environment and human ability.

You can watch a video about Lynx here. I think it’s in French (I haven’t watched the other videos out there on the internet).
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April 17, 2014

SONDRY FOLK RESIDENCY

Research Box

Somewhere in a Kentish woodland I have been looking at ways to make Pine needle blankets. You may have noticed, pine woodland as a quieter, insulated space that is warmer to sleep under. I wanted to make something simple and repetitive to celebrate this, and so the pine needle blanket came into being.

I am fully committed to it now and have much more to make! Luckily I have a supply of the needles being delivered by post. Many, many thanks to those involved in hosting my stay in the woodland. Updates of the blanket will be posted here.

http://www.sondryfolk.com/

draped on a chair

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April 1, 2014

WILD CITY LAUNCHES

Pool of leaves

Wild City opened today at the Knowle West Media Centre in Bristol. Scenes of the Northern Slopes; Knowle West open green spaces, were composed from photos groups had taken through out the year and put into boxes to be hung at the centre and in the community. Landscape images are being projected at human height to you can walk into the images.

It will be in the gallery space at the Media Centre until early May when they will be taken out into shops and homes with directions on how to get to the Northern Slopes.

It’s open to everyone Monday – Friday. best to call in advance incase the space is being used.

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February 5, 2014

WIGS

For the next piece I will be working on I’ve been to visit Campbell Young Associates in Bristol to discover the art of wig making. 

Hairs are aligned using a very impressive brush of sharp nails, keeping the thick tops of the hairs and thinner lighter ends in place. The mesh base is moulded to an individuals head and then individual strands of human hair are knotted into place taking growth direction and density of hair into account. 

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Each head has its own form to work the wig on. They used to be made in wood like this one but have been replaced by styrofoam.

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January 17, 2014

WILD CITY at the Knowle West Media Centre

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I will be joining the Knowle West media Centre and the Guardians of the Northern Slopes to create an exhibition using photographic perspectives of the people in the area. The centre is an amazing space that has grown out of the local community and gives people access to digital technology. The residency will run between February and March 2014 and I’m very much looking forward to working with them.

The image comes from Wildfest! 2013 on the Northerns Slopes.

February 10, 2013

Object Atelier in Bristol!

all_tobacco

Object Atelier took the family of interactive furniture to four new homes in Bristol. The Rocking bench to a dentist, the Balance table to a theatre, the Tapas table to a bar and the puppet table to a school. They all gathered together at the Tobacco Factory for the weekend market. Take a look at more images of the pieces here or read about our journey here objectatelier.wordpress.com

February 4, 2013

Able Table

puppet_people

We installed the puppet table at Begbrook Primary Academy in Bristol, transforming it into a drawing table complete with illustrated table cloth. All colouring pens are attached to each other to make a game of interaction and cooperation. Come and see it at the Tobacco Factory on the 10th February!

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December 14, 2012

Scuttling Stool

broom

I’ve tried to make a stool based on the process of greenwood broom making. It’s ended up shuffling around the studio as quite a little character, hanging out with the plastic brushes. I don’t like the way it’s turned out but it’s humoured me.

 

August 14, 2012

Wooden Shoes

shoes

Whilst researching for Object Atelier, Alex and I chanced up an old clog making barn in the pyrenees, and was given a tour my the son of the maker. The barn was frozen in time so we could capture the process through the blanks left over. The arrival of plastic shoes and wellies rendered wooden shoe and their makers obsolete, there is one remaining workshop in the Ariege. They are surprisingly comfortable and effective at keeping out cold and mud.

August 2, 2011

Special Work

Tonight is the launch of the special works schools’ first publication. Come along!

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
6.30-8.00pm

2/3 Great Pulteney Street
London W1F 9LY
On 2nd August we publish our Preliminary Report, which gathers together field observations, speculative proposals, historical images and capsule essays.

First established by the Royal Engineers during the first world war as a place to teach, display and experiment with new techniques of camouflage. The school was eventually dismantled but has been brought back to life by this collection or artists, writers and designers.

For more information on the project visit http://www.camouflagepark.org/

January 18, 2011

The Algae Garden goes to the International Garden Festival Metis

The Algae Garden will be shown at the International Garden Festival, Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens,

Gardens of Algae are believed to have begun with the Aztecs skimming edible and protein rich spirulina from the surface of Mexico’s Lake Texcoco it’s now being used for food and fuel production. Algae is commonly found in gardens, but rarely is it celebrated.

So we’ve made a garden to produce and show the variety of uses of algae. looking at the imaginative possibilities for productive gardens of locally produced energy and food.

The ALGAE Garden by Heather Ring, Dr. Brenda Parker, Synnøve Fredericks