Recycled furniture: Break Up

A sad, worn piece of furniture it was when I found it at a charity garage sale somewhere in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its appearance improved considerably by applying paint and an interesting design - but the colourful lines hold unhappy memories. I gave this coffee table the name Break Up because this is what was happening in my relationship at that time. Well, at least the table sold...

Wood, acrylic paint, acrylic varnish. 1997.

122x43x38cm

Fabric design: T-shirts

Here I am showing some of my earliest designs on hand dyed cotton tunics and T-shirts.
I used stamps made from foam lining, mounted on small pieces of wood or cork. Details were painted in using fabric paint in plastic bottles with metal nozzles.

Cotton fabric, handmade stamps,
Procyon fabric dye, Setacolor fabric paint. 1997.

Clay sculpture: Work in progress

Last fall I went to a life-drawing class at Lismirrane Art Centre near Kiltimagh, County Mayo. I wanted to find out to what extent looking at a real model influences the "liveliness" of clay sculpture the way I do it. And how I would deal with speed as the model changes poses frequently.
I drew pencil sketches first and then started forming clay following a pose I liked. It wasn't possible to finish a figure in class, I had to to go back to my sketches in my studio. But I feel that working from a live model does add movement to my sculptures.
I haven't had a chance yet to bisque fire the figures I made - hopefully this is going to happen soon.

 Grogged red earthenware clay, unfired. 2009.