su blackwell blog

NEW BLOG-SITE

2010-07-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

MY BLOG-SITE HAS MOVED TO

http://www.sublackwell.co.uk/blog

PLEASE FOLLOW ME THERE

2010-03-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

Last year I did a talk about my work at Bradford College. After the talk, the Arts Officer from the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth approached me with a possible offer of a Residency. After a few exhaustive months of securing funding, I’m now planning a Project, which will culminate in an Exhibition within the Museum Collections later on this year.
I am intrigued by the mystery that surrounds the Bronte family, and by the Moors that surround their once family home. Wuthering Heights was one of the first books I read, and is still a favourite of mine. Not least because I have personal associations with it. I remember my nan giving me her copy of the book, when I was about ten years old. I drove from London to Haworth last week to begin my research in the Museum Library. There were many inspiring objects on display, but I am still in the early stages of my research, and am not sure which direction I am going to take yet.

New Studio

2010-03-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

I've been absent for a while. For the last couple of months I've had nowhere to work. The old studio was too cold and damp during the Winter months, and it was impossible to sit and make art-works in sub-zero temperatures. Recently, I have taken a lease out on a new studio in South London, and I finished moving all of my stuff into the delightful space last week. It feels good to be back at work.

The Times Magazine 'A Christmas Less Ordinary'

2009-12-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

The Times Magazine ran a feature on Saturday by four writers, writing about their 'Christmas's less Ordinary'.
I was commissioned to create the art-work to accompany the feature.
The Christmas Tree is cut-out of Dickens's 'The Christmas Carol' and is adorned with four baubles in the shape of a suitcase, a tipi, a Sikh Temple and an AK47 machine gun.

2009-12-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

Here is a commission I did for the December issue of Waitrose Food Illustrated. It presents a different way of working for me, away from the book, and also incorporates food, in this case, a sumptuous 'sea of meringue'.
The illustrations compliment the Story of The NutCracker, re-interpreted by the writer 'Sophie Dahl'.

Festive Feeling

2009-11-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

The December Issue of Harrods Magazine is out already, for which I was asked to create three double-page spreads based on 'The Wizard of Oz'. The kids and cuddly toys were photoshopped in afterwards.

All the Things I Love are going to Disintegrate

2009-11-19T05:27:00.000-08:00

I am preparing a small exhibition of my works in Edinburgh at The Scottish Gallery, which previews on the 1st December.
Here is an invite, and a couple of pieces which I will be featuring in the Show.
The Title for the Exhibition is taken from the surrealist artist 'Leonora Carrington's' brilliant book,'The Hearing Trumpet, 1977'.
Photographs by Lacey (Copyright 2009)

2009-11-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

Here is the book-cover for 'The Poetry of Birds' by Simon Armitage, which was released by Penguin this week.

2009-10-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

I'm in New York for a new Show opening at the Museum of Art and Design ''Slash, Paper Under the Knife'. It runs until May 2010, and features 50 artists from around the World all working with paper.
Kate's Paperie are sponsoring the Show, and I was there a few days ago, signing copies of the Catalogue. The piece in their Store Window on 13st St. 'Beauty and the Beast' was a specific commission Idid for kate's paperie.

2009-07-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a two-week trip to Hong Kong, where I have been exhibiting my work. I worked alongside a Company in Hong Kong to create large-scale replicas of my book-cut sculptures. It was fun to see people interact with the work.