Rebecca Gouldson Metal Art

Teaching Creativity in Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:24:00 +0000

The UK is renowned worldwide for its creativity. This innovation enriches our lives but also enriches the economy; creative industries are contributing almost 10 million pounds an hour to the UK economy, according to a recent press release from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), and they're growing - by 8.9% in 2014 You can read more here.

The last couple of years saw the Crafts Council succssfully lobby for the inclusion of craft within the DCMS creative industries definition used to produce their economic estimates. You can read more in the report; "Measuring the Craft Economy" found here. The same report concludes that craft industries and occupations generated nearly £3.4bn for the UK economy.

The Crafts Council have published other reports too, dating back to 2010. Some of the research relates to the craft economy, others to innovation, technology and education. The Crafts Council are persistant advocates for craft and run programmes such as 'Firing Up', which saw dormant ceramic kilns in UK schools fired up and teachers inspired to teach ceramics again. You can see a short film about the programme here...

Photo: Sophie Mutevelian.

We need to ensure we have a future generation of 'creatives' to build on the current growth of this industry through an excellent and broad education in schools. Richard M Wilson has created a petition lobbying for the inclusion of 'expressive arts' in the English Baccalaureate. "Creativity must be at the heart of our schools." If you feel passionately about the subject, you can find more information and sign the petition here...

Finding beauty in decay

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 17:22:00 +0000

There’s something fascinating about decay. Something about nature taking over, something that reminds us that there’s something more powerful than the perceived control we have over our everyday lives.

Talking about the pleasures of specifics..... “ the wonderful peculiarity that accrues from dilapidation; what we build gets differentiated as it comes apart - boards loosen to crazy angles, windowpanes fall out, and rain and snow streak white clapboards” “People too become marked and thus individualized as they age”.
Robert Adams in Why we photograph. p79

The photos of derelict London mansions in this Guardian article highlight this fine balance between order and chaos, 'Inside London's derelict mansions' article

I’m not alone in my love of the derelict… “Strand, like Cartier Breton was attracted to the picturesque desolations and damages of urban life” Susan Sontag, On Photography p101

One of my most inspirational trips was to Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, USA. The most wonderful thing is that the site hasn't been tidied up, cleaned, renovated.... which led to some fantastic photographs. There's a sense of authenticity with a site like this; its uncompromised, and this leads visitors to a deeper connection with the building.

All of this got me to thinking about the preservation of buildings. I came across an article written by Rowan Moore, about the difficulties of choosing which buildings to assign heritage status to. The article really highlights the challenge; how do we decide which buildings are culturally and historically significant?

You can read Moore’s article here: Architectural heritage article

The future of maps...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 17:57:00 +0000

Knowing how much I love maps, a friend forwarded me a link to this article by Suzanne Wilson, which talks about the future of mapping in a digital age and particularly how Bristol city council have used digital technology to create 'Know Your Place'.

'Know Your Place' layers contemporary over historic maps so that the viewer can easily study the changes to Bristol city between the two time periods. Not only that, a toolbar on the screen allows the viewer to layer further information over the top, including the location of historic cinemas, or listed buildings, for example. For me, the most exciting feature is to be able to pinpoint places on the map corresponding to archive photographs of that precise area. You may not see me for a couple of weeks while I play with this...!

In most of my public art projects, one of my first areas of research is to study local archives, often looking at historic maps of the area, looking for clues to distincitve local stories, which may form the basis for the artwork.

For Broomhill lane in Denbigh, I scoured the historic tithe and OS maps at Denbighshire Archives for visual motifs, patterns and lines which I could collect, like a database of map symbols. I then used these symbols to create new compositions to tell seven individual stories about Denbigh, including local Author Kate Roberts and the significant Welsh press; Gwasg Gee which was located in the town centre.

Maps were also a starting point for a vitreous enamel public artwork I made in 2014 for Wardour street in London. Like the 'Know Your Place' application, only on paper, I layered hundreds of years of maps of Soho over eachother as a starting point for the design process.

For 'Buy Black Country', I was commissioned by Wolverhampton Arts & Museum service to create a limited edition series of pieces for their museum shops. Here, I created layered metal etchings of historic Black Country maps which showed the most wonderful symbols and patterns denoting the hundreds of industrial sites accross the area. I cut circles of the etchings out and inlaid them in enamel hemispheres to create 90 magnetic brooches.

I can't wait for the next opportunity to be inspired by maps!

Here's a link to 'Know Your Place'
http://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?

and to Suzanne's article
http://www.connectingbristol.org/5917-2/

Reminiscing about Copenhagen...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 20:30:00 +0000

It's been so warm here in Bristol, I don't feel even slightly wintery. I was thinking back to November last year when I visited Denmark for an enamelling workshop and had time to explore a cold, rainy but beautiful Copenhagen...

Place Making

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 19:33:00 +0000

PLACEMAKING

"As both an overarching idea and a hands-on approach for improving a neighborhood, city, or region, Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community." by Project for Public Spaces:

Back in 2012, I was given the opportunity to explore what placemaking means to me, and to test the potential benefit that a Maker can bring to the process. We spent two days at the fascinating Chatham Dockyard working with other makers, architects and students on a capsule project initiated by the Crafts Council. Our brief was very open, and working in teams of three; one maker, one architect and one student, we explored;

How can the specialist understanding of materials and skills influence the built environment?
What does the meaning of preciousness or consideration of scale have on making a place special?
What impact can creative input have on local distinctiveness within place?
What kinds of places and communities can emerge from these collaborations?

We found ourselves looking for and identifying things that made Chatham 'distinctive', which wasn't hard in such a rich historical industrial site. The plethera of industrial relics appealed to my inner gadget- making child and I had to supress urges to start making some sort of motorised floating den...

What also fascinates me about industrial architecture is the relationship between the building's form and its function; each window and roof facet fulfiling a specific role for the activity happening in and around it. The incidental beauty of the building's form and facade is meaninfully purposeful.

To read more about the project and to watch a short film of the two days, you can visit:

http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/articles/place-making/

New sculptural wall pieces for SOFA Chicago 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 20:11:00 +0000

After months of development, I shipped three new, sculptural wall pieces to Chicago last week. They're a development of the Monoscope series I showed at SOFA Chicago 2014, moving in to three dimensions.

I'll be showing with Kirsten Muenster at Contemporary Artifact Gallery Booth 404. www.sofaexpo.com

If you're lucky enough to be visiting the show, drop by and say hello to Kirsten and have a look at the pieces in person.

I got some fantastic images of the pieces before they left, so here's a sneak preview of what I'm showing at SOFA Chicago later this week.

And here is some of the work that went in to them....

New pieces for 'My Warehouse Home' magazine's Capsule Collection.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 20:07:00 +0000

I'm excited to announce the launch of My Warehouse Home magazine's Winter Capsule Collection, which I've created a series of three wall pieces for. They are available tomorrow through mywarehousehome.com/shop

The pieces were inspired by a body of work I made for 'Collect' at the Saatchi Gallery, for the Bluecoat Display Centre back in 2012. The work references historic shipbuilding with diagrams from my shipwright grandfather's workbooks etched in to the surface of metals.

Three circular wall pieces for 'My Warehouse Home' Winter Capsule Collection in copper and brass, each measuring 22cm diameter. Warehouse Home | Styling by Lucy Gough | Photography by Oliver Perrott

The full winter capsule collection for My Warehouse Home magazine with talented designers:

BeatWoven @BeatWoven

BLURECO @ala_blureco

Higgs & Crick + Setyard @higgsandcrick

Katie Brown @katienbrown

Miles Dexter @m_dex1

New North Press @NNPletterpress

Nick Fraser @nickfraseruk

Primary Grey @PrimaryGrey

Stolen Form @StolenForm

Warehouse Home | Styling by Lucy Gough | Photography by Oliver Perrott

Warehouse Home | Styling by Lucy Gough | Photography by Oliver Perrott

Work in progress back in 2012 when I first started developing this body of work.

Printing, Voltaire & Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 20:46:00 +0000

Whilst looking through some photos of my visits to Geneva over the last couple of years I found these images of beautiful metal tools in a really wonderful Letterpress museum in Ferney Voltaire (Named after Voltaire, French writer and philosopher. You can also visit his house in the village)

The photos reminded me of the utilitarian beauty of metal, and also of good times eating my favourite local dish, tartiflette.

Richard Serra at the Guggenheim, Bilbao

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 21:12:00 +0000

A recent visit to see Serra's monumental sculptures at the Guggenheim in Bilbao led me to think about the scale of my own metalwork and inspired me to think on more ambitious and industrial scales.

Capturing details of the world

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 21:51:00 +0000

“Photographers found that as they more narrowly cropped reality, magnificent forms appeared.”

Susan Sontag ‘On photography’.

Above are pictures of:

Street in Chicago, 2013

Metal wall piece - Bath city series, 2014

Flaking paint on wall of Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary, 2012

Metal wall piece - Bath city series, 2014

Peeling paint on Edinburgh's Leith dockside, 2014

Metal wall piece - Bath city series, 2014

Wall surface, Chicago, 2013
Metal wall piece - Bath city series, 2014
Litchen, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2012

A walk through Industrial Bristol

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 09:23:00 +0000

Last weekend, I took a sunny walk along the harbourside in Bristol with enamel jeweller Jessica Turrell. The journey took us from Cumberland basin to Centrespace studios, where we both work. We're working on concurrent projects for a 'Make & Think' research group project with the Univeristy of the West of England.

The highlight for me was exploring the working boat yard; Underfall Yard. I was in industrial heaven. Functional details often have a life, or character to them, which, for me, stems from their imagined use.

And of course I found plenty of rusty metal joy at the dockyard.

Industry often works its way in to my own metalwork:


Leith Docks 2014 made for INDUSTRIAL SHIFT solo exhibition at Edinburgh Printmakers


Tinsmith Template Series 2012

Find more industrial work here.

You can see Jessica's photos of our walk on her facebook page.

A hypnotic glimpse of tile making

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 07:12:00 +0000

at British Ceramic Tile...

Come and Meet the Makers....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:50:00 +0000

Rebecca Gouldson
Meet the Makers at Contemporary Applied Arts, London

I'd love it if you can join me on Thursday, 20 August, 3-5pm for an informal Meet the Makers afternoon at Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery, at 89 Southwark Street.

Refreshments will be served.

The event is part of the current New Members Showcase which includes new work and rarely seen pieces by:

Jilly Edwards

Rebecca Gouldson

Akiko Hirai

Tony Laverick

Agalis Manessi

Admission is free. If you would like to join me, please email rsvp@caa.org.uk by Wednesday 19 August.

Metal reflecting light in Interiors

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 09:52:00 +0000

I wanted to pay homage this week to Amanda Celeste, who earlier this year wrote a fantastic article about the role of texture and light in interiors, with reference to colour theory.

Her article is particularly poignant for me, working with both texture and light.

"Light-reflective textures such as silk, paints with a sheen, glazed, or glossy finish and as mentioned mirrors and metals bounce light around the room."

Interior from Amanda's article

Installation of metal wall pieces by Rebecca Gouldson for Private Client, Park Ave, New York.

"Colours can look brighter, stronger and possibly even lighter when seen on reflective surfaces such as glass, mirror and metals. Our perception of a colour’s temperature can also alter under different lighting, at different times of day and when seen in relation to other colours"

Installation of abstract metal wall pieces by Rebecca Gouldson, Private Client, London; Silver plated gilding metal

These examples show how metal can reflect light and brighten dull walls. The metal surfaces transform throughout the day with the changing light, which has the added benefit of creating a different mood and atmoshpere with each change in light.

Installation of abstract metal wall pieces by Rebecca Gouldson, Private Client,Winchester; Silver plated gilding metal

See Amanda's excellent article here: http://amandaceleste.com/2015/01/25/colour-theory-what-effect-does-texture-have-on-light-colour/

Manhole covers; Behind the scenes....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:18:00 +0000

I was really happy last week to see so many people interested in the manhole covers I designed for Denbigh town centre last year. Many thanks to the Crafts Council for sharing the project on their weekly newsletter.

I thought I'd share some of the processes involved in creating the manhole covers.

The seven, individually designed manhole covers each related to a story about Denbigh and the surrounding area, for example the glove making industry, and local famous Welsh author Kate Roberts.

The process began with visits to the Denbighshire archives in Ruthin, where I studied and photographed hundreds of years worth of Tithe and OS maps. I then took map symbols and motifs from them, and re-composed them to tell the seven stories.

From my computer based design, a company in Liverpool made deep etched 'patterns', which were used by the foundry in Bury to make an impression in casting sand, which is then used as a mould to pour molten steel into.

On the left; here's a detail of the cast 'manhole' cover.

On the right; the 'pattern' used to make the impression in the sand.

Test Fitting the raw cast cover.

Finally, an enjoyable day spent in Denbigh saw the installation of the seven individual 'manhole' covers. Tony and Paul joined me at site with all seven cast covers weighing down their car, and the rain just held off for the three hours it took to install. Before long, local people were walking past and stopping to have a good look. I was particularly touched when the first of the seven covers was christened by a little present from a pigeon nest above....

A big thank you to Denbighshire County Council, CADW, Emma Wynne, Mererid at Celfwaith and Geoff Wood, as well as the feedback and support from the other Artists I was involved with in the Broomhill lane project; Joss Smith, Ann Catrin Evans, Dyfed Wyn Jones.

See more Public Art Projects here...

When metal is functional...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 09:33:00 +0000

I always travel with a camera; these surfaces are too valuable to leave behind. Here are some photographs I took on trips to Chicago and California, of metal fulfilling its functional purpose, whilst slowly ageing.

Sometimes the 'patching up' of these metal surfaces to prevent corrosion create new, unexpected, and undeliberate beauty.

Starting new pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 21:41:00 +0000

It's always daunting but at the same time, exhilarating, starting a new body of work as I'm sure every Artist and Maker knows...

Last week I started to play with folding new forms from sheet metal, aiming to make wall pieces entirely from metal rather than mounted on wood.

I cut this oval shape from a copper sheet that I'd first created a verdigris patina surface on. By scoring a 'v' line in the metal, I was able to fold the shape. This week I'll be making accompanying forms to join to this one, in contrasting metals.

Off to a good start, watch this space...

Crafts Council Hothouse 5 - final workshop!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 08:55:00 +0000

I spent yesterday with 'Hothouse 5', a group of emerging Makers who've been working over the last 6 months with the Crafts Council to establish an excellent grounding in both the creative and business aspects of making a living from their Craft. On this, their last day of training, it was really clear what a significant change the programme had made, predominantly in confidence, and in the ability to articulate really clearly what they're trying to achieve over the next three years of launching their career.

The group each presented their creative business for 10 minutes, followed by peer feedback from the group, alongside Katia Stewart, talent development manager at the Crafts Council, myself, and Karin Jordan, who runs postgraduate entrepreneurship courses at our venue, Plymouth College of Art.

I left Plymouth feeling energised, despite my early drive over from Bristol in the morning!

The attraction of metal

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Gouldson) — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 19:54:00 +0000

THE ATTRACTION OF METAL

With metal and metallic colours being incresingly popular in interiors, I've been thinking about why I have become so passionate about it as a material.

Image from, Spruce Furn

When I was studying, I experimented with different materials; ceramics, cast resin and wood, but it was metal that seemed to suit the way I liked to make; I could put a piece I was working on down, for a day, a week, a month, then come back to it. Apart from the colour of the surface changing as it oxidised with the air, the metal remained unchanged, ever ready for me to pick up and keep working on it.

In contrast, it's how metal changes over long periods of time in outdoor contexts that fascinates me; a rusty corrugated iron shed, a verdigris covered bronze sculpture, an oxidised lead roof....

I took these photos in Berkeley, California, and in Denmark

Our mastery of the earth's natural resources teeters in delicate balance with nature who takes them back through their exposure to air and rainwater; a play between the preservation and decay of metal.

Blacksmith, Image from Jayperoni

Metal is commonly a functional material, used to create tools, electric circuit boards, strong architectural structures, amongst millions of other applications. Some metals are hard like steel, and some are soft, like lead. By varying the quantities of each metal in metal alloys, we create new metals with properties designed to fulfil particular functions, for example super stength, flexibility and reflectivity. This is true in large scale industry, but also when making in metal by hand.

Image from freepatterns

What I love most about metal is the potential to use its properties; including colour, which can be manipulated with chemicals and heat, and texture, which can be created through engraving and acid-etching, to create images in its surface.

Metal wall pieces

Back from a successful show in Dubai

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Gouldson) — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 10:13:00 +0000

The grand entrance to Design Days, next to the Burj Khalifa, Dubai

The Crafts Council stand at Design Days Dubai. I was amongst 8 makers selected from hundreds of applications to exhibit at the show earlier this month. It was a real honour to be invited, and to exhibit amongst such a talented group of designer makers.

Set up was a fairly relaxed affair

Monoscope series laid out and ready to hang

5 of 'Monoscope' series on display at the show, each measuring 38cm diameter.


As exhibitors, we were treated exceptionally well by the Design Days team, and treated to two drinks receptions at exclusive locations; Here at 'The Address' hotel, I'm enjoying a glass of wine with a view of the Burj Khalifa, and the extravagant fountain display which draws attention every 30 minutes at the Dubai Mall.

Veuve Clicquot champagne party at 'Vida' hotel.

Plenty of Lebanese food consumed during the 10 days with especially good hummous and lentil soups.

The Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world, on our doorstep at the show.

A day out to Sharjah Art fair was a welcome break half way through the week. We lunched outside courtesy of the British Council, then visited some of the exhibitions on site at the Sharjah Art Foundation. A calm Oasis of air conditioning in the heat!

A trip out to the preview of 'Art Dubai', which overlaps in the same week with Design Days Dubai, was another fascinating glimpse of the very glamorous Art world in the Middle East. Created by Issa Al Kindy, the winner of the 2015 Authentic Expressions Award.

Getting ready to fly to Dubai for DESIGN DAYS DUBAI with the Crafts Council

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 21:22:00 +0000

DESIGN DAYS DUBAI

16 - 20 March 2015

I'm excited to be showing my 'Monoscope' series of metal wall pieces with the Crafts Council next week at the prestigious exhibition, Design Days Dubai. I'm flying out for the show on Thursday and very much looking forward to experiencing Middle Eastern culture and excellent international Design.

One of 'Monoscope' series. Etched metal wall piece.

I'll also be doing portfolio reviews for Design students visiting the show.

Visit to Lion Salt works, Northwich

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 18:12:00 +0000

As part of my public art project for Barons Quay in Northwich, I'll be working with the soon to open 'Lion Salt Works' near Northwich. Industrial buildings have been beautifully restored and converted into museum and cafe / shop, along with education facilities. I'm planning to work with Lorna from the salt works, to facilitate workshops with school students, creating artwork images for the project's IMAGE BANK.

Public Art project completed in Denbigh

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 18:08:00 +0000

Made it back to Denbigh on Monday to see the completed public artworks on Broomhill lane. Artists Joss Smith and Ann Catrin Evans and local blacksmith Dyfed Wyn Jones created sculpture and sineage for the lane, sitting alongside my recently installed manhole covers.

Joss made a large circular cast Aluminium sculpture along with two smaller sculptures for two corbels.

"Joss Smith created a large scale relief sculpture and built it into the wall itself, which was dismantled and re-built by a local stone waller. The relief is in the shape of the iris of an eye, filled with flower motifs (including the broom flower) which reference the story of Blodeuwedd from the Mabinogion. She was a woman created by Math and Gwydion from nine types of flowers - broom, meadowsweet, oak blossom, primrose, cockle, bean, nettle, chestnut and hawthorn. Married to Llew Llaw Gyffes, she later fell in love with Gronw Pebyr and betrayed her husband by finding out how he could be killed and arranging his death with Gronw. However, Gwydion, avenged his nephew Llew by changing Blodeuwedd into an owl, the most hated of all birds. Some say that Gwydion pursued the faithless Blodeuwedd through the night sky, and a path of white flowers sprang up in the wake of her passing, which we today know as the Milky Way. Joss makes reference to these parts of the story with two small scale sculptures installed on the wall above the lane, of an owl in flight, and the milky way." Mererid Velios, Celfwaith

Ann worked with Dyfed to create a finger post, signposting the castle, bespoke window grilles and lighting for the lane.

"Finger post, window grilles and light fittings by Ann Catrin Evans, Dyfed Wyn Jones and Brian Fell
An existing black painted finger post at the bottom of the lane was not visible enough to mark the important route. A new finger post was made, painted in brighter colours and incorporating the town's motif of the key. The base of the post includes stylised broom flowers, followed by stylised leaves, topped by the 'Castell / Castle' sign below a large key.
Along the right side of the lane black painted, plain window grilles gave the impression that the lane was unsafe. These grilles were replaced with individually crafted grilles, depicting the broom flower, keys, flames, and weapons.
Four existing wall-mounted light fittings along the lane were of modern design and not in keeping with the historic character of the area. Bespoke light fittings were created in the form of large broom flowers that help to lead the eye to the lane from both directions. " Mererid Velios, Celfwaith

Click here for more information about the commission

A day at the Institute of Making

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 21:55:00 +0000

I spent yesterday amongst 40 makers exploring the materials library, and playing around with 'stuff' at the Institute of Making. Hosted by Dr Zoe Laughlin, Co-founder and Director of the institute, along with Richard and Arron, of R&A Collaboration, who also documented the event.

As well as being the right balance of informative and fun, it was a great opportunity to meet some talented makers and get carried away talking about, amongst other things; where to source the best metal mesh, how long plasti-dip takes to dry, and importantly, how lucky we are to work for ourselves, doing a job we love.

Highlights of the day included pewter casting in cuttle fish moulds, crocheting in fine copper wire, and fishing 'coolmorph' thermoplastic out of warm water with chopsticks, ready to mould and sculpt with our hands.

Shelves of wood and metal samples in the materials library. Each material in the library has a unique number, and is searchable on the library's own app, downloadable from the Apple App store.

Zoe explained that the workshops are designed to be domestic in scale so that one machine sits enticingly next to another, encouraging exploration of more than just the tools you came in to use. Workshops can be intimidating places for the un-initiated; you search for a 'way in', some way to get started. Here, not only are the workshops deliberately un-intimidating, but technical help is on hand to help UCL staff and students make something for their course / research, or just for fun.

A rich and meaningful engagement with materials is at the heart of the Institute of Making. I am in awe.

Here's a link to Richard & Arron's photos of the day:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.899310810087867.1073741847.318160774869543&type=1

In the press!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 15:14:00 +0000

Yesterday, I appeared in the Northwich Guardian, talking about my new Public Art project at the soon to be build Barons Quay development, which will sit on top of a disused and recently filled, historic salt mine.

Here's a link to the online version of the article: http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/11621349.Barons_Quay_art_plans_revealed/