I chose to approach my sculpture as I do with the majority of my work, intuitively and head-on, coming at it with an idea and allowing the visual concept to play out. Though mindful and dedicated, by not over thinking my practice, I strive to balance sparky enthusiasm with measured methodology and technique. Keeping it fresh.
My Kingfisher, Lockdown Love Bird, is an illustration of living though lockdown and the counter intuitive notion of socially distancing from someone you love.
During the pandemic, nature has been a constant uplifter and delight. My design celebrates our living alongside the natural world.
The printed text within Love Bird is a love poem, lilting around the form from hand to chest to speech bubble. It is taken from my short, illustrated book, Rubbish (published Yew Tree Press in 2021), which delicately and frankly describes the incredulous ordeal of physically distancing from a loved one during this past lockdown year.
Capturing the lockdown zeitgeist in a playful, yet poignant visual suggestion, Lockdown Lovebird is of the moment, a recollection and slightly anarchistic two fingers at covid-19. Having diligently socially distanced from so many loved ones outside of my allocated bubble, I, like many, found this really hard. My kingfisher celebrates nature, reflects on human nature and combines the two in a visual challenge. Art, like life, isn’t served on a plate.