"One's for Sorrow"
Dec 2023 - Jan 2024
Banks Mill Studios
71 Bridge Street
Derby
DE1 3LB
This installation was part of my MA studies, the work was inspired by the numerous versions of 'Black Dog' folklore that can be found throughout the UK, known in British folklore under many names; Black Shuck/ Gytrash/ Padfoot and Skriker, he is the central element of this installation who acts either as a guardian providing safe passage, or a Hell Hound on the hunt!
As well as the Black Dog, this piece also features elements of the folklore surrounding Magpies, their relationship to numbers and the uncertainty of their nature as a trickster and potential servant of the devil.
Materials & Practices
The pieces in this exhibition were all handmade. The use of practical making processes is something that is deeply entrenched within my work. I find that the best way to express my ideas is by being involved with the materials that are used to create it. I love to create art and for me, part of that creation is working closely with the materials.
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The head of 'Black Shuck' is a handmade ceramic sculpture with a smoke fired finish and gold leaf eyes. The body was created with a wooden frame base which was then filled out with a mixture of materials including wire and sponge. The frame was then covered by multicoloured fabric strips to create the shaggy fur.
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All of the magpies are cast from black porcelain and finished with glaze and gold lustres. The moulds for these designs were all made and cast from my own sculptural designs. The nests were all individually made from terracotta clay, the initial form was thrown on the wheel and then covered by separate 'strands' of clay.
The metal branches and feet of the magpies were beautifully made by my friend and local metal artist Trudie Wilson, you can find her website here.
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