Dreaming and Drawing

Dreaming and drawing are the ground from which my work stems.  I rarely show my drawings, I see them as workings out, they reveal ideas and images to me.  Drawing is an act of faith, I trust the drawing and allow it to lead me.  

I have kept a dream diary for almost 20 years now.  My artistic practice is a long, slow and constant process of bringing up images from the personal and collective unconscious. 

I am working even during sleep, and consider my dreaming time  precious.  I begin firstly by  writing up and drawing down my dreams and then if I am particularly struck by an image I may bring it to life in whatever medium seems appropriate, for example a mask, a performance, an action, an object, photograph, print, text or textile piece.  

I once heard the role of the artist described as "a fisher-woman trawling the sea of the subconscious, night after night, in order to bring up images to share" this image of the artist resonates with me and describes my practice.

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"Wherever a sheep's feet touch the ground, the land turns to gold." Spanish Proverb

Sheepwoman created a performance/installation in Oxford Town Hall last Friday 2nd December,  as part of a "Spotlight" event curated by OVADA.  Images to follow.

The Three Fates

In the coming weeks I will be devising a new performance/installation for Oxford Light Night which takes place in many venues within Oxford town centre on the evening of December 2nd 2011.  Together with a number of artists selected by OVADA I will be showing work in historical rooms not always open to the public at Oxford Town Hall.  Doors open at 5pm and work can be seen until 9pm.

I made this dry-point etching several years ago whilst spending time on my friend's sheep farm.  This orphan lamb died just a few hours after I drew her, she spent her last hours in the warmth of the farmhouse kitchen.

Arboretum

In the summer of 2009 Sheepwoman performed as part of an International Artists Residency at the Arboretum, Nuneham Courtenay Oxfordshire.  The Arboretum has a wonderful collection of exotic trees as well as native woodland.  Sheepwoman wore a blue dress with a nod to the resident peacocks and the beautiful swathes of bluebells found under the canopy of the woodland in springtime.  Sheepwoman sang some songs of love and loss and did a bit of cleaning.  I would like to develop the singing aspect of Sheepwoman, to learn how to project my voice through the mask.  The piece I made was an experiment and could be developed.


http://www.blurb.com/books/1454321

St Giles Fair

St Giles Fair in Oxford has existed in one form or another since the consecration of St Giles Church in 1200.

I like to think that over the centuries sheep were an attraction at the fair.   Sheepwoman was caught on camera, by Emma Reynard, as she friskily played on the merry-go-round as it was being packed up by the fairground men and women.

                      My work spans the mediums of performance, printmaking, feltmaking and maskmaking.