Mess and progress

The only near-appropriate things currently on my dining room table are some found forks. But you wouldn't want to eat using them, trust me. This table is currently the designated spot for all my objects to be amassed. (And the lounge floor. And the spare room). A flattened pen sits alongside an old outhouse window, a cardboard fish rubs gills with a broken miniature mirrorball. Needless to say it's a little busy here! 

There are under three weeks to go until the opening of the Shed - Collect - Shed exhibition. Thankfully progress is being made! There's a lot to do and a lot to come together before then but that's half the fun of it (I think!).


Martin Green and Joanna Rucklidge have nearly completed their commissioned works and I'm excited to be able to offer a sneak peek at one of Martin's twelve City Box sculptures.

#1. Rail and Coach Stations
• Box made from the cover of Play Better Soccer and 2 worn heels.
• 20 found suitcase wheel rims.
• Found spectacle frame.

I can't wait to see the full set of 12 installed.

Cork Walks

Back from adventures in Cork...
Martin Green and I had 2 and a half days in Ireland's second city to walk the streets and pick up as many interesting things as we could. The first day was a little concerning - there wasn't a lot to be found. The streets were very clear apart from a fair amount of dog poo, beer cans and cigarette butts - none of which we were particularly interested in taking home. The second day we explored outside of the city centre a bit more - along the river which provided a few more bits. We were feeling better about things. The final day was a walk into the more industrial area of the city. Again it was fruitful. I literally wore my shoes out doing so much walking. We'd been made to toil for our finds, but we brought back some goodies.

Now we just need to actually make the work... 

Paradise Lost and Found

Martin Green and I journeyed to find the area called Paradise in Coventry and as we did so collected found objects along the street. This was the first part of a two legged journey, the second being in Cork, Ireland (taking place this weekend). We will compare the objects we find in both cities and make a piece of work from them for the Shed - Collect - Shed exhibition. The work relates to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum's remit to collect things that relate to Coventry, its people and twinned cities it's linked to (such as Cork). 

There's always a bit of pressure when you need to find objects so I'm hoping the good people of Cork have been doing their bit over recent days. Coventry certainly did theirs as we came away from our walk with some decent items including this, the (litter) pick of the day - a miniature metal skull.

Shed - Collect - Shed: Coventry's Lost and Found

In six weeks on 16th August 2014 my latest exhibition will be opening to the public at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum Coventry. I will be working with Martin Green and Joanna Rucklidge, showing our collections of found objects and new works, relating them to the Herbert's own Coventry-centric collections of artefacts.