artists @ foldgallery

Steve Messam:

"Much of my work challenges the concepts of truth and belief. Through a combination of sculpture, design and archaic photographic processes, I create worlds and present images that question their own validity."

Richeldis:

"I use paint, textiles, digital media and the written word, in a multi-disciplinary way, to explore modes of expression. My work is rich, tactile and sumptuous using materials and colour relevant to both theme and the process. In shorthand: v. sexy!!"

Kate Robinson:

As a founder member of 'Grinneal' Kate has created large scale works in sand and snow across the world, including being part of the team who built the world's largest sand castle in San Diego in 1997. As a solo artist she has exhibited widely, including the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, and at the World Ice Sculpture Championships in Alaska.

Melanie Wickham:

"I like to create images that make me smile - and hopefully viewers will do so too. The images are mainly black and white lino prints in limited editions and are handprinted using a boxwood burnishing tool on Somerset Satin paper. The quality of line produced using this technique is something that I particularly like and I feel it lends itself well to my images which are influenced by my training in illustration."

S. Mark Gubb

My concerns are born out of the culture that I live in and around every day such as television, film, music, roadsigns, Dulux colour charts, whatever. I can’t say that I aim to offer any answers or pass any particular judgment with what I say in my work. It is derived from things that I see or encounter that I want to hold up for people to reconsider or question. This manifests itself in an interest in exhibiting outside of the white cube, as I have done on several occasions. By considering an artworks final destination at conception I think it lends an inherent honesty which promotes a questioning from those that experience it.

Selected Exhibitions/Residencies/Awards/Nominations

Nov 2002, Grizedale Arts, Sculpture Commission: Awarded £1000 project grant for new permanently sited installation in Grizedale Forest.
Aug 2002-Aug 2003, Sculpture Residency, Rufford Country Park, Newark.
Aug 2001, Arts Foundation Fellowship: Nominated to apply for fellowship by Jonathan Watkins, Director of Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, Turner Prize juror 2001.
Apr 2001, CASPAD Curatorial Award, ‘A Perfect World (Once Removed)’, University of Derby Gallery: Curator of exhibition. Artists included Richard Billingham, Kwong Lee, Rart and Sete.
July 2000, Jerwood Foundation ‘New and Young Sculptors from the West Midlands’: Nominated by Jonathan Watkins, Director of Ikon Gallery, Birmingham.

Lawrence Cassidy

“I use multiples to represent the city or an urban environment, where I grew up, surrounded by mass production and consumerism.”

Kate Calico

Kate Calico is a self-taught artist whose childhood was spent in Cornwall. She has since continued to live near the sea, which has coloured much of her work. Her first pieces were personalized artefacts. These now reflect a love of books, and this has become an integral part of her work.

Bookbinding is now combined with textiles and collage to create special places for keeping words, thoughts and feelings. In her current work, the content of the books is emerging, as she brings book construction together with her poetry, stories and paintings.

She has also recently begun to explore digital imagery, which is incorporated into hand-fashioned, mixed-media pieces, as she continues her personal development through Further Education courses.

She now lives in Kendal, Cumbria, where her primary influences are her pets, wildlife, the river, and the limestone pavement on the local fells.

Susie MacMurray

Susie MacMurray was born in London and after spending her teenage years in Montreal, Canada she returned to London to study music. Later, following a successful career as an orchestral musician, she turned to contemporary fine art and sculpture. She lives in Cheshire, teaches sculpture at Manchester Metropolitan University, and is an active member of the studio group ‘Suite’ at Islington Mill in Salford.

Working mainly in sculpture and installation, Susie showed most recently in the Liverpool Biennial. She will be taking part in a two person show ‘Beyond the Pale’, at Oriel 103 Gallery, at the NEWI Institute in January 2003. Some areas of Susie’s work cross from contemporary fine art into the design world. Sometimes she plays these two off against each other. The ‘Object of Desire’ rubber gloves made for the Telegraph Magazine are a case in point. Her garment sculptures also make reference the fashion industry.

Susie’s art-multiple wall sculptures and cushion pieces sell internationally; at the chic Mayfair boutique ‘Mint’ in London, at B & B Italia’s ‘Maxalto’ shop in Paris, Seedhouse in New York City, and most recently at Garderobe in Moscow. Each of these shops currently have exclusivity for retailing in that city. Consequently the work remains exclusive, with clients often commissioning individual pieces. Work has also gone to Cairo in Egypt, to Hong Kong and to Sydney, Australia.

Claire Fell

Although I am a painter. I often find myself torn between fine art and graphic illustration. At first glance these images look quite trivial even superficial, this is not the case. The images are highly personal to the self, to the psyche and imagination. They are quite Jungian in content linked to narratives and amalgamation of old world mythology, archetypal imagery and science fiction. Although my work is abstract it is still quite controlled in both form and content, the work is cubic and can be likened to tiles. This work is derived from the opposing elements of spirituality and science fact or fiction. Here pointing methods are most important, derived from etching and collography techniques, they are ritualistic and obsessive reflecting the overall structure of the work My work contains a subtle form of alchemy, surfaces are built up then abraded with sandpaper and repainted. I never know what is going to happen because the surface is in constant flux.

recent exhibitions:
Oct 2002 Madeira Show, Textiles exhibition, Harrogate
July 2002 Warwickshire arts week 2002
November 2001 Stratford salon, show at Stratford Leisure and Visitor Centre
October 2001 The old Stable Gallery, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire
July 2001 2001 artists open, Jane Powell art studio
November 2000 One man show at the other place (Royal Shakespeare Company)
October 2000 10X20, show at Stratford Leisure and Visitor Centre
May 2000 Degree show, Chichester

Steven Barrett

"My work focuses upon things that most of us can relate to, such as consumer goods, the National Lottery, celebrities or dieting and ranges in approach from computer-manipulated imagery to painting. I tend to use my obsessive personality to interpret things, which often leads to the analysis of trivial information that is usually overlooked.
My work is strongly influenced by popular culture and has included a board game, an analysis of all the chance encounters I have had with famous people and a sticker album"

Recent Exhibitions:
London Biennale: 291 Gallery, London Body Politic: The Green Room, Manchester Family: a nine month touring exhibitionbeginning at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, and touring to Leicester City Libraries
2001
Advent 01: Envelope Art, Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham Artlink Collection: Victoria ParkPlaza Hotel, London Glitterati: Gallery Fresh, London Chalk & Cheese: Identity UK, London Artlink International Young Art 2001: The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York, USA Artlink International Young Art 2001:Sotheby's Tel Aviv, Israel
2000: St-ART: Brentwood Town Centre, Essex Peepshow: The Custard Factory, Birmingham Lucky Dip: The Foundry, London Wigs, Diamonds and a Frozen Turkey:House Gallery. London
Solo Exhibitions:
2000 : It's Only a Game Show!: The Farnham Maltings, Surrey

Christine Stringfellow

"I started sudying Fine Art as a mature student in 1994. Since graduating from the University of Central lancashire I have combined my love of art with my predilection for sharing information and organising... My latest project 'c.art.ed' takes contemporary art (made by other artists) into the classroom to inform and inspire pupils and students. my previous public art project, 'p.arty' addressed the gap of understanding the general public seem to experience when confronted with new or seemingly difficult contemporary art. Both projects were designed to empower and encourage the viewer to become a true participant of a contemporary artwork.

"My philosophy of caring and sharing has been transcribed into this limited edition for snowcase which acknowledges the interconnectedness of thoughts and ideas that transcend rligion. These pieces are part of a larger series which explores how as individuls, we may experience a deeper knowledge of ourselves as part of a global community.

"I have also worked with Cartmel Village Society, South Lakeland to design and lead the implementation of the new exhibition for Cartmel's medieval gatehouse."

Kate Brundrett

Illustrator and sculptor with exhibitions currently in Cumbria and London.

Adam Clarke

Russell Mills

Russell Mills moved to Cumbria in 1992. His work draws directly from the ground – fusing found objects, often distressing them over long periods of time, and elevating the mundane and insignificant to objects of exquisite beauty and fragility. These qualities are also evident in his sound works. Since the late 70’s Russell Mills has exhibited widely and influenced a generation of illustrators and designers. His work has appeared on album covers for Brian Eno, David Sylvian and Nine Inch Nails among others.
As a recording artist with Bellaunion records (set up by Simon Raymonde from the Cocteau Twins) he has collaborated with some of the most influential musicians of the last 20 years, including Harold Budd, Michael Brook, Ian McCulloch and Peter Gabriel.

Paul Scott

"I use print a lot in my work. I like the unique qualities I can achieve with the technology, and the associations printed ceramics carry. Printed ceramics traditionally carry images of fantasy, pastoral landscapes; or they commemorate events or places. I like to commemorate events or places too...

Its almost a secondary thing, but as a result of the engagement with print, I also produce work in multiples or editions... "

Maddi Nicholson

Maddi Nicholson has worked and exhibited Internationally as a full time professional artist since 1985.
She creates huge painted works on canvas, and Flexible p.v.c. and is well known nationally for her innovative use of inflated plastic, in works ranging from a pink inflated Bathtub; 6 metres high balanced on the balcony of Bishop Auckland Town Hall, in the work “ Shall I Draw you a Bath My Dear “ to 1500 Inflated Dog Bones wallpapering gallery walls, as the installation “ Bona Fide”, or “Bone Idol.”

Not daunted by large-scale commissions her images have clad Castles, London Tower blocks, Town Halls, Art galleries and vehicles; from Norwegian car and passenger ferries to Double Decker buses and trucks.
She undertakes public art projects, commissions, exhibitions and residencies, also working in community and educational contexts, giving lectures and courses of training.
Her lateral thinking is utilised as a creative consultant with Industry, business and the public sector on all manner of research and development, art, education and design related issues.
Maddi often works in collaboration with Stuart Bastik, (as ‘ N.B.’) in a wide range of contexts and media - they specialise in producing stuff they don't specialise in:
Paintings on Articulated Lorries for Visual Arts UK inaugurated at Tate Britain,
An inflatable Venue in Durham used for Millennium Celebrations by diverse groups and organisations including the Royal Institute of British Architects in Newcastle for a 'Mad Hatters Tea Party',
80 Cryptic Text and Image-based signs for Barrow's Public Art Programme which viewers mistook for road signs made for a recent influx of Kossovan Refugees to the town,
A year of the Artist Project (YOTA) 'Totally Confounded' an artwork applied to North West Newspapers delivery vans, and
An installation for the art gene Gallery, Barrow: 'The First’ which was specially created to open the new Contemporary Art Gallery and Artists Production Facility they established in 2001.

Conrad Atkinson

Conrad Atkinson was born in Cleator Moor, West Cumbria in 1940. He studied at the Carlisle College of Art and Liverpool College of Art before being awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy in 1962. Since the early 70’s, Conrad Atkinson has exhibited and lectured all over the World. His work is in the permanent collections of some of the world’s greatest institutions including the Tate Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He is currently Professor of Art at the University if California, USA.

Malcolm Mitton

Although I studied printmaking I was not a purist! I’d pull in various approaches, techniques including individual skilled labourers i.e. a fairground decorator and a supermarket cling-film wrapper etc to help fix my ideas. This work was exhibited widely between 1975 –80 and was initially received with much success. My first retrospective exhibition of prints from the era took place at Abbot hall, Kendal in the summer of 2003.

Jac Scott

Jac Scott is an artist nationally renowned for her work on waste. She has received awards from both the arts and environment sectors. Working with industry, environment officers and the public she communicates concepts through sculpture. Creatively, the reclaiming of redundant materials, and the challenge of transforming them through recycling processes and innovative construction techniques, is an Integral part of her work.

Scott has a national programme of solo and group exhibitions. She is a visiting lecturer at a number of universities. Her book on sculpture, Textile Perspectives in Mixed-Media Sculptures is published by The Crowood Press.

Ian Walton

Ian Walton has exhibited nationally and internationally and has lectured here and abroad. He has collaborated on many occasions with Russell Mills on installations involving sound, light and sculpture.
His works are land based and explore, in an intuitive and personal way, the relationship between nature and man. Through the sheer physicality of the surfaces, combined with the infinite combinations of substances and processes, traces can be found of the visual evidence of human presence in the land. Aesthetic choices are often governed by intuitive and instinctive responses to past histories, with autobiographical references which reflect the emotion and feeling of being amidst and part of nature, memories of time passing and the evocation of place.

Rob Ives

Rob Ives was born in 1962 in Harrogate, England.
Rob first began his interest in cardboard modelling whilst teaching in Cumbria. A chance meeting with a publisher at a mathematics education conference led to his first book of cardboard models. The Paper Locksmith was first published in 1995 by Tarquin Publications. 'Paper Automata' was published by Tarquin in 1997.
In 2002 Rob first exhibited his work in a gallery in Tokyo. He has since run various workshops and talks to education and business audiences around the world.
Rob now lives in Cumbria with his wife and two children where he continues to design and build new models under the 'Flying Pig' brand and work on his website.

new artists:

We are constantly looking for new artists wanting to show in the gallery space or in an alternative rural environment. We are particularly keen to hear from multi-media and installation artists who live in rural areas. However, we would like to reassure you that work in all media will be considered on its own merit.

If you think your work is challenging or innovative, or just damned good, please email us a couple of small images. (see our 'how to submit work' guidelines)