Artist Statement
"If I could explain it, I wouldn't have to dance it!"
Isadora Duncan
Much of the raw inspiration for my work is a relationship between finding and imagination. While design themes are carefully planned and functionally feasible, the highly individual surfaces emerge from memories, thoughts and feelings evoked between ideas and the material I am drawn to. In a sense, the materials and I are engaged in writing our shared history. I grew up immersed in rural and coastal environments, in the old ways of make-do-and-mend and deeply connected with nature. The details and remembered joys and challenges of those experiences, a practical intelligence and love of ancient, weathered and ambiguous objects and architecture, and slower hand-driven technologies are all reflected in my work.
My backgroundI started on my artistic odyssey as a self-taught ceramicist. Eventually, yearning for a wider art experience, I journeyed through art and design, finally graduating with a BA Hons in Fine Art. After university, I unexpectedly fell into teaching but seven years later I made the leap to focus on a full-time professional art practice as a painter. Bursting with unformed ideas but with little initial direction, I was set on my path when my blacksmith associate, Nathan Bennett offered me part time work and training in the forge until I established my own practice. The furniture naturally followed.
My work is in collections across the UK, Europe, Canada and America.The surfaces
Slate - reclaimed from local and Cornish yards - is the bedrock of my work. Into and around this I weave found materials: sea-worn glass, ship-wrecked pottery and anything else interesting that draws my magpie eye. Features forged out of non-corrosive metals are both decorative and functional in the construction and are often inspired by an object’s original purpose or history. I also use stained and handmade Smalti glass for special effects and mosaic sections. Material is sourced from all sorts of places including finds from our beautiful southwest coastlines from Portishead to St. Ives.The furniture and sculpture substrates and adhesives are made using high quality exterior materials. Repeated sanding and waxing creates the almost unnatural sheen on the slate surfaces and repels rain water to stunning effect.
Minimum maintenance of occasional clear waxing and buffing protects the work indefinitely in all weathers. Commercially available slate oil or tile sealants can be used for added protection in more extreme weather environments. The work is incredibly tactile and hand-waxing is a very satisfying way to connect with it.
The metal bases and armatures
The metal bases and armature are hand forged by Nathan Bennett from my designs. The metal is usually galvanised - dipped in molten zinc – to make it rust proof. Alternatively, ‘weathering’ is available as a cheaper alternative, and such work can then be painted or occasionally oild, or waxed, to protect it. Nathan is a professional blacksmith specialising in superior quality period wrought ironwork using traditional technologies such as hand punching, dovetailing and riveting, and fire welding. He also has a strong engineering background in industrial and architectural metal fabrication. Nathan has an outstanding portfolio of private, public and corporate commissions. I will be happy to forward images or information and contact details.
Photo courtesy of Toby Leetham, 2010
More studio and visiting information http://www.helen-nock.co.uk/profile