My work Resuscitare at Mottisfont has an extended presentation and could be visited daily from 10am to 5pm.

Please download the invitation to the opening of Resuscitare.

Resuscitare Opening

Doing the gilding outside on the Beech Circle was an interesting task. The wind was a bit of a problem. By the time we organised and put some covers the direction of the wind would change, it was an interesting game… we had to work and gild fast and try not to loose to much gold….

Patterns developed by the conservation team and volunteers, from detailed elements taken from the Whistler room, and transferred onto the living living and fallen trees. The patterns on the beech circle where gilded using dutch metal and the patterns on the fallen trees gilded using 23.5 ct gold leaf.

Although there were some concerns if the trees, with its heavy tops, will stand up by themselves, the installation at Mottisfont when very smoothly. Just gets to show you once you have the right equipment and machinery everything is possible…..

The trees which John Surplice and me selected where moved by David Chase to the wood yard at Mottisfont. Within a week me and John with the help from Estate staff and volunteers had the trees prepared and ready for gilding.

A days workshop with conservation team and volunteers in the “Shator”, learning the process of gilding.

Myself and John Surplice walking at Mottisfont Estate looking for fallen trees. The ancient woodlands are over 400 years old and in a semi-natural state due to man’s interventions. There are amazing estate walks that takes between 2 and 4 hours.

I have been selected to develop new site-specific work for the artSOUTH project at Mottisfont Abbey. I will be working in partnership with valued retired staff member John Surplice and this project will take place in consultation with Forestry Commission conservation staff, Mottisfont Estate staff and the Art Office at Test Valley District Council.

Employing nature as both subject and medium, these ambitious and poignant contemporary art installations will offer a poetic rupture in the grounds of Mottisfont Abbey and beyond. The work will encourage visitors to view the past in a new way, and will highlight the sensitive balance at play between present, past and future. As such, in addition to the creation of visually striking interventions, these pieces will also deepen engagement with and appreciation of the rich historical and cultural heritage of Mottisfont Abbey.

The aims of the artSOUTH projects are to instigate engaging and innovative collaborative commissions of the highest quality, for indoor and outdoor non-gallery locations across central southern England in Autumn 2013.

artSOUTH has developed from the ambition of several key contemporary art venues in the wider Hampshire area to work in partnership, combined with the commitment of Hampshire County Council for Hampshire to be recognised as a county where people of all ages have the opportunity to experience high quality contemporary visual art in a variety of distinctive settings and to encourage a vibrant and active artist community and a diverse and engaged audience.

The partnership currently consists of 15 organisations, including local authorities, universities, art schools and independent arts organisations.

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/artsouth.htm