Portraits of Friends - Sarah

Dancing to Swimming Instructions

Umbilical Dress and Baby Blanket

These images were made during my second year at art school. At the time I was living in a tiny bed-sit with my two year old son and grieving - due to the sudden death of my mother.

'BFG'

Above are images of a rather ambitious, if clumsy attempt, to make a giant puppet for a carnival parade.  The BFG "Big Friendly Giant" was made with primary school children at an after school carnival club.

An armature of the giant 'puppet' was constructed with a series of circles made by the children from willow or 'withies'. Bamboo poles were used to re-inforce the structure, and then giant clothes; a shirt, waistcoat and trousers were made by the pupils. The BFG's head was made with papier-mache and then painted by pupils and teachers from the school. His hands were made from cardboard and mounted onto bamboo poles. In addition to the BFG a giant trumpet and net was designed and constructed by the children.

The weight of domesticity

An image I made when I was about 19, shortly after my son was born.  This image was part of a series of photographs made with artist Christopher Brown.  We put together an exhibition on the theme of "Re-framing the Family".  I am wearing a widow twanky costume and a porcelain mask.  More images to follow.

From the Red Slippers to Plato's Cave

I have always loved the rich feminine symbolism of 'the red slippers'.  They are so clearly a symbol of female sexuality and abound in fairy stories and art alike.  

There have been times in my life when the image of the red slippers has resonated with me very strongly, at times of transition or when I've felt lost; the red slippers have come to me asking for my attention, drawing me to them like clues. 

The slippers above were inherited from an aunt and are amongst my most treasured possessions.  They 'appeared' in a recent drawing entitled "Guidance".*  The two monoprints above and below were made in my twenties and are based on these slippers.

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I treasure my slippers, but I think I treasure their image, what they represent, the ideas they transmit more so.  

Images are especially important to me, I think in images and images communicate to me.  If I pay careful attention, if I listen, they are like little gifts communicating valuable information that I could not receive any other way.  Images are my soul food.

I consider myself to be an image-maker, the image may come in any number of forms - a mono-print, a drawing, a performance, a photograph or video.  The medium is the vehicle for the transmission of the image, but the image is more important to me.  ( I guess I am more aligned to Plato's Theory of Forms than I am to Marshall McCluhan's "the medium is the message").

For me images have the power to act on you, like medicine, over time they work their magic,  something seeps in, is communicated.  To make and respond to an image takes time.  

Making my work has required periods of introversion and isolation.  My practice as an artist, is an attempt to communicate that which cannot be put into words, to find images that  resonate and connect firstly to myself and hopefully to others.  From time to time I need to go back to Plato's Cave.  

A Doll's House

Early work from student days, in-between taking a Foundation Course in Art and Design, and going on to take a Degree Course in Fine Art.  I spent the summer of 1993 working in collaboration with Christopher Brown on a series of photographs on the theme of "Re-framing the Family".  The series of photographs was an attempt to understand and give images to my situation as a teenage single mum.  In the doll's house is a passport photograph of me and my son aged about 19 and 2 respectively. Through the window can be seen my hands on my heavily etched stretch-marked belly.

More images and text to follow.