Shellie Holden

Wall Paper - Mounted Paper Textile Approx. 60 x 115 cm

 

Q So who is Shellie Holden?

I am an artist/maker, wife and mother brought up in Lancashire, trained originally in embroidery at MMU, Manchester then later at Goldsmiths University, London. I lived in London for 11 years before relocating to Wales two years ago, having been drawn to living by the coast.

 

Behind Clouds - Framed Paper Textile - 41cm x37cm

 

Q How did you decide to become a maker?

Naturally progressed from a background steeped in creative and practical endeavours. It seemed the most obvious and fulfilling direction for me to take.

 

Text Book

 

Q What made you choose the materials that you work with?

Low cost/low key/reclaimed- freedom they gave to be experimental and non-precious with the opportunity to turn them into something unique and valuable because of the labour and investment of time spent in the making.

Extracted Teeth Book and Neckpiece

 

Q Are there any other materials you would like to explore and work in?

I have recently been producing a series of laser cut paper textiles and this has led to an interest in working with more precious materials such as silver and copper as this would enable me to produce more robust pieces hat could be used for both interior pieces and body adornment.

Bookworm

 

Q What are you currently working on

Several projects - one of which involves looking after my new-born! I’m catching moments in-between to work on pieces, including the project described above. I am also completing a piece for the ‘First Anniversary: Paper’ exhibition, 5th May- 31st July 2011, at Unit Twelve, Tixall Heath Farm, Tixal, Stafford, ST18 0XX and also for an exhibition at Newport Art Gallery and Museum, Wales, with Fibre Arts Wales, a textile group that I am affiliated, 30th April - 11th June.

 

Q Where do get your inspiration from?

Difficult to pinpoint exactly - my surroundings, attitude to life, experiences and chance occurrences. Perhaps something someone has said, or something I have seen that triggers a response or reaction.

 

Q What motivates you on a cold winter’s day?

Being in my home. I collect and acquire pieces of furniture, objects and textiles which I enjoy refurbishing, restyling and reinventing. This is an on-going project, which I see as part of my creative work. I like the idea that objects can evolve and change, but can also be timeless when mixed with traditional and contemporary styles.

Stitched and Constructed Textile Painting  - Dimensions 92cm x 92 cm each

 

Q Do you create your work in a studio base or a home base?

I have a studio from home in the loft of our Victorian property. It’s a unique space, which has slanted walls and an original fireplace. I have furnished this with tables and chairs I have acquired over the years, each which has its own story. They just happen to fit perfectly around the edge of the room leaving me a big open space in the middle. I love walking to the top of the staircase and entering the room. It is my sanctuary.

Q What is your working style?

It is very much about collecting and collating, reclaiming and reinventing. I approach my work with an idea, which I then aim to convert into visual objects/pieces through a process of experimentation with materials and techniques.

Q What does a typical day look like?

Varied - Some days/weeks I am able to devote entire periods to the production of new work, which I find deeply gratifying and inspiring. Other times I am distracted by domestic chores, and other projects, which perhaps take me away from the immediate task of making although give me the time and space to process ideas and consider new or different approaches, which are equally valuable to my work as a whole.

Stitched and Constructed Textile Painting 2 - Dimensions 50cm x 40 cm

 

Q Crafts in the 21^st Century – what does this mean to you?

Versatility, vitality, diversity - breaking the rules, revisiting traditional materials and techniques, experimenting with new technology. Less about trying to categorise, more about (effortless) originality.

Q How do you sell and promote your work?

I am a member of CAA, London, Fibre Arts Wales and Textile Forum South West (TFSW). I’ll be showing work at the two exhibitions due to open (mentioned above), and am hoping to sell work directly through my website soon.

Q 3 words of advice for an aspiring Craft artist/maker...

Perseverance, persistence and passion!

 

Corsages - hand made in fabric or paper. Approx. 10 cm circumference

 

Q Who is/are your favourite artist(s)/maker(s)?

Wide and varied including photography, sculpture, painting, textiles, mixed media….. Includes Jeff Wall, Cy Trowbly, Sarah Sze, Jonathan Callen, Louise Hopkins, Joseph Cornels….My husband recently brought me an exhibition catalogue featuring photographs by Robert Polidori which I am currently looking at.

 

Q What music are you listening to at the moment?

Wintermusik by Nils Frahm, The Blue Notebooks by Max Richter, Music for Egon Schiele, by Rachel’s, Found Songs by Olafur Arnalds……

 

Q What do you do to relax?

Fresh sea air (and a swim in the sea in summer) always helps.

 

Ordnance survey of England, Kingsbridge and District (third edition) sheet 150, 1908-9 - updated in London 2006 Dimensions and Ordnance survey of England, Cornwall and Devonshire 1919 - updated in London 2006 - Framed Stitched Drawing 75cm x 87cm

Benedicte Bodard

Q So who is Benedicte Bodard ?

Benedicte Bodard is that French girl who never felt that she was at the right place and went to live in California at the age of 22 where she eventually worked as a wardrobe stylist mostly on commercials. She always liked colours, shapes, prints, patterns…

Q Where in the world are you?

9 years ago, for my husband’s work, we moved from Los Angeles to Barcelona. The economy was booming and there were constructions/remodelling being done all over the place. I started seeing with great dismay hydraulic floor tiles way too often thrown away in the dumpsters. I just could not believe that such beauties would have such a fate.

 

Q The work you make uses found tiles, what is that attracts you to these tiles?

I believe in recycling just about anything in life. I love leftovers and the idea of turning them into a new dish. I like the idea of passing over some clothing or furniture you do not need/use and I totally believe in the conservation in architecture. Something had to be done, these tiles cannot go away forever ?

 

Q How do you source the furniture that you transform?

I find the tiles and depending on the quantity, the state, the style they have, turn them into a console, a frame, a bench and so on… Sometimes, people ask me for specific pieces but usually I am the one who comes up with new designs. Just by looking at a tile I usually know what I would like it to be placed on.

 

Q What are you working on at the moment?

Right now I am working on a table to ship to Malaga, a night stand with drawer and some really amazingly sweet and extremely rare little tiles with a flower print that I will turn into coasters, I am growing impatient…

Q Do you having an arts background?

No not really but always took some Art History classes as I worked, always went to Art galleries, Museums and I love Architecture.

Q Where do you get your inspiration from?

I look at magazines, Art, I look at patterns, contrasts, anything can light a spark but in general I know just by looking at a tile and its composition as a floor.

Q What motivates you?

Nobody does what I do, it is a very physical work, the tiles are heavy, dirty and it is a challenge to turn them into the finish product, really a lot of work that I am willing to do just for the love of the tiles. They are way too pretty to be thrown away and I might as well turn them into some useful objects so that people want to have them in their homes. They are part of Barcelona’s heritage and can be up to 150 years old.

Q Do you create your work in a studio base or a home base?

I have a studio where I keep the tiles and work, it happens to be downstairs from where I live therefore my home is like a showroom. The “dirty” work is done in the studio, the “assembling” work is done in my home.

Q Crafts in the 21^st Century – what does this mean to you?

A woman/man aged 20 to 75 working at night while everyone is asleep because it is what he believes in, what he relaxes with and loving every moment of it (or almost). The antithesis of made in China.

Q How do you sell and promote your work?

Ah that part !!! you mean one is supposed to make a living ! Well like many, this is the part that I have the most difficulties with. I have a web page : www.mesabonita.es and if you like what I do, please feel free to order from it. I ship all over the planet. I also do some markets around town, this allows me to meet local people and make them somewhat aware.

Q What is your typical working day look like?

After I take my daughter to school, it is not rare for me to go and pick up some tiles in some dumpster or go to talk to some workers about upcoming remodelling projects. I clean up the tiles that I need, make some phone calls. Sometime I go and visit the person who makes the frames, the aluminium guy… My customers, I often see at night or during the week ends, lots of them like to come as a couple to decide on a style of tile. At night, I work on the internet.

Q What music do you listen to?

My taste in music is fairly eclectic, depends on my mood : Brazilian, African, Classical, French classics, Latin, Opera… When I need to concentrate on some idea, I need the silence though.

Q 3 likes and dislikes?

The Likes: Having friends over, travelling and visiting new places, a day at the beach doing nothing but looking at the sea.

The dislikes : Pretence, greed, tripe!

Q What do you do to relax?

Look at the sea, play with my daughter, cook for my friends, listen to music, walk, look at Architecture…

Shirley-Anne Murdoch of Shymerge

Shirley-Anne & Shymerge are based in Scotland,UK


Q. How did you decide to become a maker?

It just happened. Wendy Walker and myself had already produced a collection of mixed media artworks together as Shymerge. We were in the midst of producing a new body of work on the theme of ‘Tempus Fugit’ for a solo show at the 3 Harbours Arts Festival when we decided to expand our media into the third dimension. It just made conceptual sense to make our assemblages fully functional clocks - we liked the idea of making art assemblage works which had a utilitarian functionality.

Connect Tiempo  (Assemblages of Time Collection)

Q. What made you choose the materials that you work with?

Our canvas-based mixed media works had significant amounts of ‘found’ ephemera worked into them already. We were both diligent hoarders and collectors of what we considered ‘true’ junk. We raided not just junk yards- but the skips and bins of junk yards- fascinated with materials regarded as having absolutely no value or being at the end of their life cycle. We combed urban streets and nature spots equally. Only the quartz digital clock mechanisms, paints and glues are bought in the production of our works. Rusty metals, environmentally-worn woods and used paper and textiles are currently the main components of our assemblages - but it will always depend on what we find, the forms we are working towards and the workability of the materials- so we’re open to choosing any material that has the feasibility of usage!

'Tray of Infinity' (Tempus Fugit Collection)

Q. Crafts in the 21^st Century – what does this mean to you?

Mass consumerism and the market appetite for low cost, low quality copycat craft has put the original designer-maker in a very precarious position. As creatives we are increasingly producing for a very reduced but discerning market which looks to well-made, original and unique products. The ease of using the internet has opened up the global market for us - but virtual galleries still have limits in showing three-dimensional works effectively enough. There’s many challenges out there, but this only forces us to develop further in what we produce and how this can reach expanding markets. There’s a very positive move to ‘cross-over’ works, with design, art and craft all being re-defined as they break out of their respective pigeon-holes – I find this the exciting part of the potential future.

Leaning Tower (Assemblages of Time Collection)

Q. How do you sell your work?

We’re just at the beginning of looking at the commercial viability of our works. We’ve tended to specifically produce bodies of work and sell them through solo shows at the 3 Harbours Arts Festival (annually in May/June) and individual works through our http://www.shymerge.com/ website. We’ve just completed a new set of twelve works currently on show at Howden Park Centre - a great new gallery/theatre/café space in Livingston, West Lothian. Smaller galleries In our localised areas of The Lothians and in Norfolk are starting to show interest- particularly in smaller collections of three/four pieces, and we’re just about to launch a Facebook group page to increase interest.

Justice (Assemblages of Time Collection)

Q. What is your working style?

Each individual work has it’s own form and scale. All works are initially constructed using ‘found’ ephemera, which are then layered, painted and built on using typographic or image narrative to convey unique messages. All works go through a variety of phases- passing from one to the other until both of us are completely happy that it has been completed. I tend to take care of sculptural form, composition and narratives, with Wendy concentrating on colour, texture and additions for the finalisation of visual balance.

Q. Three words of advice for an aspiring Craft maker...

Determination
Quality
Originality

Q. What inspires you?

Life.

Temple of Fire (Assemblages of Time Collection)

Q. Who is your favourite artist/maker?  (click name for more detail)

Kurt Schwitters

Q. You walk into your bathroom and see a crocodile in the bath tub .... what would you do?

Wake up in a cold sweat.

Fuji Temple  (Assemblages of Time)

Assemblages of Time can be seen at Howden Park Centre, West Lothian, Scotland

http://www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk/