ARTIST STATEMENT AND CURRICULUM VITAE

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a designer-maker based in Bristol combining the traditional craft of enamelling with fresh, clean, contemporary design.

Enamelling is the art of fusing glass onto metal. Watching an enamelled copper panel emerging from a kiln glowing red hot after being fired at a temperature of 800°C is always an exciting experience. As the metal cools the true colours of the panel emerge. It takes multiple short firings to create a finished piece of work.

My enamel panels and jewellery are generally inspired by trees, flowers, leaves and seed heads, taking their shape and form in new directions through the creation of intricate hand-cut stencils. These stencils form the basis of many of my panel and jewellery designs when enamel powder is sifted over these stencils onto the bare copper.

Enamel is a durable, strong, impervious and colourfast material which is well-suited for every room in the home or workspace from kitchen to bathroom, washroom to boardroom. The inherent qualities of the enamel, its sheen and its interplay with light bring something new and very tactile into any space.

With artists as parents, I grew up in a home filled with fine art and ceramics and with the smell of oil paint ever-present. I took a History of Art degree at Sheffield City Polytechnic followed by an MA in Museum Studies at Leicester University before working in a number of galleries and museums. In 2002 after the birth of my second child, and to take my life in a new direction, I began studying Enamelling one evening a week at the Bristol School of Art and Design, Filton College. I became a full-time enameller in 2006.

In the recent past I have taught Enamelling to adult education classes, but most of my spare time is taken up by my voluntary role as Co-ordinator of the Southbank Bristol Arts Trail. This is a large city centre arts trail in South Bristol which takes place each May. This work brings me into contact with many artists and makers in all disciplines and is a very fulfilling if sometimes testing experience.

My work is exhibited in an ever-increasing number of galleries and retail outlets through the UK from St Ives to the Shetlands.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education

August 2007
Week workshop with Bob Ebendorf, UWE

July 2007
Contemporary Enamelling Week Course, UWE

July 2005
Contemporary Enamelling Week Course, UWE

May 2003
Enamelling Day Course, UWE

2002 - 2007
Enamelling Bristol School of Art and Design, Filton College

1995
MA in Museum Studies Leicester University

1991
BA (Hons) in History of Art,Design and Film 2:1
Sheffield City Polytechnic

Other art education includes O-Level Art, Pottery courses, Bookbinding course,
Jewellery course

Past Employment has included:

Playscheme Artist, Assistant Curator, Photographic Documentation Officer, Lecturer and Dissertation Tutor, Secretary, Personal Assistant, Enamelling Tutor, Co-ordinator of Arts Trail (Voluntary), Transcriber, Logo Designer, Full-time Artist/Maker

Membership of Associations

The Devon Guild of Craftsmen
- elected Full Member 2007

Visual @ Arts and Business
- selected artist November 2008

DesignGAP

British Society of Enamellers
- elected Full Member 2009

Guild of Enamellers
- Associate Member

Exhibitions & Displays

1 August - 6 September 2009
- A Banquet, Walford Mill Crafts - invited exhibitor

25 July - 13 September 2009
- Mixed Summer Exhibition, Cambridge Contemporary Art - invited exhibitor

24 July - 24 August 2009
- Members Showcase Exhibition, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen - invited exhibitor

27 June - 22 August 2009
- Botanic Gardens, Platform Gallery - invited exhibitor

26 June - 1 August 2009
- Seeds, Pods and Petals, Bianco Nero Gallery - invited exhibitor

5 - 7 June 2009
- The Contemporary Craft Fair, Bovey Tracey - selected exhibitor

15 - 17 May 2009
- The Affordable Art Fair, Bristol - exhibited with Rostra Gallery

9 May - 21 June 2009
- Cup, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen - selected exhibitor

2 May - 27 June 2009
- Spring into Summer! 2009, The Alexander Gallery - selected exhibitor

4 April - 20 May 2009
- Artstyle, Cotehele Gallery (National Trust) - invited exhibitor

12 - 15 March 2009
- The Affordable Art Fair - Spring Collection, Battersea Park, London - exhibited with Rostra Gallery

24 January - 1 March 2009
- Winter Draws What Summer Paints, Parkfields Gallery, Ross-on-Wye - invited exhibitor

28 - 29 November 2008
- Gifted, Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey - selected exhibitor

19 November - 20 December 2008
- Bedazzled, The Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford - invited exhibitor

14 - 16 November 2008
- Hereford Contemporary Craft Fair, Hereford - selected exhibitor

11 November - 21 December 2008
- British Contemporary Crafts - Flower Power, Nature in Art, nr Gloucester - selected exhibitor

8 November 2008 - 31 January 2009
- Winter Wonders, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham - invited exhibitor

23 - 26 October 2008
- Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, Manchester - selected exhibitor

18 - 19 October 2008
- Festival of Crafts, Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey - selected exhibitor

4 - 22 October 2008
- Exhibition of work by Janine Partington and Joanne Cooke, Rostra Gallery, Bath - invited exhibitor

2 August - 8 September 2008
- Summer Mixed Exhibition, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge - invited exhibitor

12 July - 21 September 2008
- Wired, Otterton Mill, Budleigh Salterton, Devon - invited exhibitor

28 June - September 2008
- Boundaries, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon - selected exhibitor

6 - 8 June 2008
- The Contemporary Craft Fair, Bovey Tracey - selected exhibitor

10 - 11 May 2008
- Southbank Bristol Arts Trail, Bristol

6 - 8 April 2008
- British Craft Trade Fair, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate

16 March 2008
- Spring Art Market, Paintworks, Bath

1 March - 12 April 2008
- Solo Exhibition, Arts Cafe, Black Swan Arts, Frome - invited exhibitor

8 February - 6 April 2008
- Nature in Focus, Ferrers Gallery, Ashby de la Zouch - invited exhibitor

19 January - 23 February 2008
- Open Arts Competition, Black Swan Arts, Frome - selected exhibitor

1 - 24 December 2007
- Art Presence at Christmas, Centrespace Gallery, Bristol - selected exhibitor

1 - 24 December 2007
- Arts and Crafts Fair, Newcastle Borough Museum and Art Gallery, Newcastle under Lyme - selected exhibitor

25 November 2007
- Contemporary Craft Fair, mac, Birmingham - selected exhibitor

24 November - 24 December 2007
- Be Dazzled, Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford - invited exhibitor

23 November - 23 December 2007
- Twinkle, The Bonhoga Gallery, Shetland - invited exhibitor

18 November - 23 December 2007
- Black and White, Angela Mellor Gallery, Ely - invited exhibitor

17 November - 31 December 2007
- Gifted, Devon Guild of Craftsmen - invited exhibitor

16 - 18 November 2007
- Front Room, Totterdown Arts Trail, Bristol

mid-November 2007 onwards
- Christmas Exhibition, Coterie, Haverfordwest, Wales - invited exhibitor

13 November - 16 December 2007
- Nature-inspired British Contemporary Crafts, Nature in Art, Gloucester - invited exhibitor

3 November 2007 - 5 January 2008
- Compilation, Platform Gallery, Clitheroe - invited exhibitor

3 November - 31 December 2007
- Winter Group Exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham - invited exhibitor

3 - 4 November 2007
- Designer Maker Fair, mac, Birmingham - selected exhibitor

27 October - 23 December 2007
- Replenish, Saltburn Artists' Projects, Saltburn-by-the-Sea - selected exhibitor

26 October 2007 - 6 January 2008
- Christmas Craft and Gift Fair, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth - selected exhibitor

21 October - 12 December 2007
- 155th Autumn Exhibition, The Royal West of England Academy - selected exhibitor

16 September 2007
- Autumn Art Market, Paintworks, Bristol - exhibitor

8 - 19 September 2007
- Bristol Art Show 2007, Centrespace Gallery, Bristol - selected exhibitor

6 September - 21 October 2007
- Autumn Group Exhibition, Angela Mellor Gallery - invited exhibitor

August 2007
- Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth - invited exhibitor

August 2007
- Rostra Gallery, Bath - featured invited exhibitor

19 June - 1 September 2007
- Summer Retail Area, Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton - selected exhibitor

8-10 June 2007
- The Contemporary Craft Fair, Bovey Tracey, Devon - selected exhibitor

12-13 May 2007
- Southbank Bristol Arts Trail, Southville, Bristol - exhibitor and event co-ordinator

11 March 2007
- Spring Art Market, Paintworks, Bristol - exhibitor

3-31 March 2007
- The Women's Art Show 2007, Fairfield Arts Centre, Basingstoke - selected exhibitor

30 January - 26 February 2007
- Mixed Show, Artshed Gallery, New Milton - selected exhibitor

13 January - 25 February 2007
- Get Fresh - Emerging Designer-makers from the South West, Devon Guild of Craftmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon
- selected exhibitor

8-9 December 2006
- Festive Fayre, Create, Bristol - selected exhibitor

3 December 2006
- Christmas Art Market, Paintworks, Bristol

2-14 December 2006
- Art Presence @ Christmas, Centrespace, Bristol - selected exhibitor

25 November 2006
- Christmas Craft Fair, Ashton Gate Primary School, Bristol

20 November - 24 December 2006
- Blaze Gallery, Bristol - invited exhibitor

17-19 November 2006
- Front Room - Totterdown Art Trail, Bristol - 88 Oxford Street venue

16 November - 20 December 2006
- Select '06, The Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford - selected exhibitor

10-11 November 2006
- Make It Contemporary, Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford - selected exhibitor

9 November 2006 - 11 January 2007
- Pick of the Trail, Grant Bradley Gallery, Bristol - co-curator and selected exhibitor

9 November - 12 December 2006
- Box of Delights, Keele University - selected exhibitor

6 November 2006 - 14 January 2007
- Christmas Exhibition, The Red Forge, Corsham - selected exhibitor

November - December 2006
- NB Gallery and Tapestry Workshop, Trowbridge - selected exhibitor

28-29 October 2006
- Christmas Gift Fair, Nature in Art, Glos

26 October 2006 - 5 January 2007
- Rostra Gallery, Bath - selected exhibitor

1-14 September 2006
- Bristol Art Show, Centrespace, Bristol - selected exhibitor

May 2006
Southbank Bristol Arts Trail, Southville, Bristol - group exhibition, member of Steering Committee, Artist/Venue Co-ordinator (52 venues), Southville Centre venue organiser

May 2006
Moon Consulting Art and Wine Evening, Pill, Bristol - invited exhibitor

May 2006
Redland Green May Fair, Bristol

April 2006
Stove Pipe Hat Exhibition, CREATE Centre, Bristol

March 2006
Ernst and Young Art and Wine Evening, Bristol

Feb - Mar 2006
Black Swan Open Exhibition, Frome - selected exhibitor

December 2005
Create Festive Fayre, CREATE Centre, Bristol

Oct - Dec 2005
Primrose Café, Clifton, Bristol - solo exhibition

October 2005
Art and Food, The Basement Gallery, Bristol - group exhibition

September 2005
Art in the Park, Southville, Bristol

August 2005
Affordable Art Fair, Trinity Centre, Easton

May 2005
Southbank Bristol Arts Trail, Southville, Bristol - group exhibition, member of Steering Committee, Southville Centre venue organiser

December 2004
Create Festive Fayre, CREATE Centre, Bristol

September 2004
Art in the Park, Southville, Bristol

August 2004
Really Affordable Art Fair, Northern Lights Gallery, Bristol - group exhibition

June 2004
OCN Show, Bristol School of Art and Design - group exhibition

May 2004
South Bank Arts and Performance Trail, Southville, Bristol
- group exhibition, member of Steering Committee

December 2003
Sparkle - an exhibition of contemporary jewellers and enamellists, The Basement Gallery, Bristol - group exhibition

November 2003
Bags of Talent, CREATE Centre, Bristol - group exhibition

September 2003
Art in the Park, Southville, Bristol - group displays

June 2003
OCN Show, Bristol School of Art and Design - group exhibition

May 2003
South Bank Show, Southville, Bristol - group exhibition