I applied for the Broomhil National Sculpture Prize competition last year, but I was unsuccessful. My proposal consisted of images of small scale sculptures (examples of my previous work)and working drawings of a large scale sculpture that I was intending to create. My experience of large scale art was made up of past work I had done with other artists/sculptors, but I had no sculptures of my own to show. This got me thinking...it was time to put my efforts into larger pieces of work.
Last year i had the opportunity to attend the International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art, in Kidwelly, Wales. This conference was a chance to spend 4 days working on cast iron sculpture.
In the week leading up to the conference, I was interseted in working on a figurative piece that I could take with me and work on.
One of my many interests is in death rituals. I am intrigued by the different ways, people across the world, treat and have treated their dead. I am drawn to all forms of ceremonial practices, from the bog bodies of Europe, to sky burials to the mummies of ancient Egypt. The imagery of sarcophagi and wrappings formed the basis of my concept.
Generally within my sculpture, I combine man-made industrial elements with organic elements. You can see this within these sketches, with the relationship between the fluid form and the mechanical 'fixings'.