Another year , another project

Almost a year since last post. Given up on town centre workshop unit. All art currently stored in unit in Blackburn, that's another story.
Concentrating on designing my stuff for 3D printing. Means spending more time on computer, and less time actually making anything. Hopefully it will be worth it.
Big advantage is that once designed I can get multiple prints, and then build the items I can't get printed.

 Only the track is 3D printed here, but models of buildings are being designed at the moment, so eventually virtually everything could be 3D printed. 

Summer time update

Not much happening at the moment. I am still hoping to get a commission from brick company, but it is summer so suspect everyone is either busy or on holiday.

Also frustrating because we have had to close our gallery(AOB) in Accrington, as a new tenant has shown an interest in the building. The building is now empty, as change of use planning permission is required. We have been told there are no other suitable places in town, a bit odd as there are a lot, yes a lot of empty properties. One I know of has been empty for over 5 years, and I actually had a look at it 5 years ago as a possible place for another project.

We have shown that an art gallery actually attracts a lot of interest in Accrington, so am hoping somewhere else will turn up.

The town market is too quiet(and sometimes even too hot), so am considering whether it is worth continuing to have a workshop/studio there.

Apart from the paper bricks, I am mainly interested in designing my railway models for 3D printing. This is mainly computer based, so can be done from home.

My bricks at Churchfield

The second exhibition I am in at the moment. This is at Churchfield House i Great Harwood.
The theme is 'Locality' so a good chance to show off my Nori brick inspired work

Here are some real bricks, various types, from local allotment!

And my paper brick display, Another Brick in the War(shortlisted for RA 2014) and Pals of Bricks

The main piece is again WW1 commemoration inspired, and uses 100 of my paper bricks, called Wall of Words. Uses old newspaper, and estimate contains 10 million words

Each brick has the word 'FREEDOM' imprinted into it. Something we take for granted for us , but freedom of speech is also very important. hence the link back to newspapers.

Must not forget that I was originally inspired to create my paper bricks to celebrate one one Accrington's greats, the NORI brick, when the factory was (temporarily) closed down. Now they are back in production, a display from the company is part of the exhibition.

And finally, I produced a paper brick with Churchfield House imprinted.

My pieces at latest AOB exhibition

Here are my 3 pieces of work at latest AOB exhibition, in Accrington.

and up close
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Som(m)e Impressions

The Three Tommies

both of the above are WW1 themed, the final one is based on an illustration of the old Co-op building in Oswaldtwistle

All are created using mashed up newspapers(no glue added), and either moulded or sculptured.

New Art Gallery in Accrington - Art On Broadway (AOB) and more....

I am part of a group that has started a new art gallery in an empty shop unit in Accrington. It is situated in town centre on Broadway, hence the name Art On Broadway (AOB).
First 6 week exhibition comes to an end next week, so planning what to show next.
At same time for 3 weeks a new exhibition at Churchfield House in Great Harwood starts , for 3 weeks, ending just after general election.
The theme of the exhibition is 'Locality' so I am setting up a room with various NORI brick related items.
Setting up is on Monday, so should be a busy week ahead setting up for 2 exhibitions.

2015 a New Year A New Start?

2014 seems to have come and gone. It promised a lot, but it was a bit quieter than hoped. I had expected the WW1 centenary to be a bigger event.
2014 will go down as the year I did most of the development for my 3D printed model railway items, which started with models for WW1 narrow gauge and continued with a range of track for dockyards and tramways. Reviews of these were in Continental Modeller and Railway Modeller.
I built a couple of working demo models in HO(Île de Singe) and OO(Monkey Island). Île de Singe featured in January 2015 issue of Continental Modeller.

Now 2015 is here and I have several exhibitions of my WW1 layout, and this also gives me a chance to show off my 3D printed items.
Model Rail magazine have had an excellent article about my 3D printed track system, and it is hoped to get other magazines interested as well.

Art wize, 2015 has started with a couple of interesting projects. An exhibition is planned for April in Great Harwood and a new local art gallery/centre in Accrington(Art on Broadway).

I have submitted another 3D piece for Royal Academy having had last years entry short listed.

A busy year ahead, I wil try and post more to this blog as and when things happen.

1914 - 2014

It's 2014 already.
I have been looking forward to this year because it is the centenary of the start of World War One, and hopefully after 100 years it just might be possible for people to live together without killing each other.
As to who actually causes wars to start I won't make any comment. They know who they are, it is on their conscience.
I have been planning a number of projects for the commemoration.

Some using my model railways - Place de la Victoire

and some as an artist, starting with Rue de la Guerre

This installation requires a wall about 30ft(9metres) long, but could be split in two. Each picture represents a typical French shop or business, numbered 1-13 and 19-29, and one picture representing the years 1914-18.

Here is a short presentation

 Each picture uses my standard material, mashed up(liquidised) newspaper, pressed into my own molds, and mounted on wooden paneling. They would be hung from barbed wire, representing the barbarism of the conflict.