1: professional narrative
2: resume
PROFESSIONAL NARRATIVE
I have been working as a professional artist for fifteen years, since receiving my B.F.A. from Bretton Hall college of the University of Leeds in 1991. As a student I was introduced to many important contemporary artists while maintaining and encouraging a strong work ethic in a tremendous peer group. I established myself as an invaluable technician and continued working in the sculpture department as workshop and foundry manager while co-founding Emley Moor Art Studios, a cooperative of artists working in a rural setting.
During my time in West Bretton I became known to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP), a premiere outdoor sculpture park. YSP is home to the work of Henry Moore, whose foundation initiated and funded the park. Here I was consulted during exhibition installations and assisted many internationally recognized artists such as Sir Anthony Caro, Phillip King, Federico Assler, Colin Rose, Sophie Ryder and Emma Posey. I became trained in the art of slinging Henry Moore sculptures during relocation..
At my first solo show of sculpture entitled "Level Core Exit" in 1992 I was approached by Irwin Touster, the chairman of graduate study at Parsons School of Design in New York who was visiting at the time. After discussing my work, philosophy and seeing the Emley Moor studios Mr. Touster offered me an unconditional place on the MFA in New York. I accepted bought a one-way ticket and moved to New York.
I received full scholarship during my MFA study and many awards including Chaim Gross Sculpture scholarship, Vera List Scholarship for Excellence in Artistic Achievement and the Helena Rubenstein Award.
I continued with my unique work and developed my material base considerably, exploring the act of choice and the definition of sculpture by trawling the streets of New York with a home made cart and collecting the most massive things I could find: pieces of road, barricades, radiators, tile, bricks, steel. I made large assemblies testing parameters of the materials for durability and strength. Many of my works had a limited life span and collapsed under duress and were challenging to exhibit. These principles continue to be the root of my artistic endeavors.
My interest in 3D photography evolved to capture the essence of my works with a limited life span and led me to consider what constitutes presence of actual form; something which I still am trying to discern using virtual reality. Using stereoscopic slides and good viewing lenses I was able to deliver high quality images to each eye. The 3D representations had an intense sense of presence in a hyper-static image.
My non-resident visa status allowed me to stay in the USA and work for one year. I wasted no time in accepting a job offer from Jeff Koons and I worked tirelessly in his studio as a mold maker and technician. I also assisted other artists such as Lenore Malen, Jackie Brookner and Martine Kaczynski. Other notable activity toward the end of my stay in North America include a residency at IndEra art space, in Guelph, ON, Canada culminating in a solo show of my work entitled "Settle". The work's title refers to physical states of material while iterating personal concerns based on notions of place; in this show I used unfamiliar materials found on site which included large blocks of rubber and a massive block of iron. I included work in one group show: "Sink" in NYC at a Parsons school of Design Gallery, and in a show called "Copyright Island" in Bilbao, Spain – where the physicality of the material of art was challenged when all works were faxed to the gallery.
Upon returning to England I was commissioned for a large public art project in a village where I already had a controversial public commission from 1993. This large bronze portrait of a Vietnamese pot bellied pig honored the pig farmer who donated his land to public paths in the village. It was welcomed by the community and spawned further large scale outdoor works, privately commissioned, which led me to learn new techniques of traditional sculpture such as casting iron, an ancient practice. During the last of my outdoor commissions I applied to participate in an innovative graduate program; the MA in Creative Technology at the University of Salford adjacent to Manchester England.
The program was funded by the European Social Fund and brought together visual artists, musicians, writers and IT engineers. I saw this as an opportunity to further my investigation of physical form using virtual reality. I was amazed how smoothly my mind allowed me to work with technology. I began to learn about the crossover of fine-art and new media. I began a series of experimental work, continuing my examination of 3D imagery superimposed into stereoscopic photographs of the urban landscape. In 1998 I graduated from the program with distinction.
At Salford I also began investigating augmented reality; the enhancement of the real environment via the inclusion of virtual imagery. I made a series of projection installations for my MA show which combined real and virtual images. I projected 3D images into drawings and onto walls to explore spatial relationships between what is real and what is perceived as real.
Manchester was a vibrant place to be at the turn of the century, and Salford became known as the 'silicon canal', a place where technology was given considerable funding. I approached the Center for Virtual Environments (CVE) at the University of Salford where I worked free-lance as a 3D model maker and consultant. Here I worked on many projects including 'Virtual Liverpool' where I built models of street architecture and a children's playground. I also built a virtual solar system for Jodrell Bank Astrological Research Center. My affiliation with the CVE brought me to the attention of a professor who offered to mentor me in a PhD project. This was a surprise and an honor. I made progress on the degree until recently when my mentor left to work for another University in the UK. We are now in the process of renegotiating the terms and content of the doctorate. The PhD specifically involves writing a computer program for real-time simulations for use in the physical sciences. The project proposed in this application is not part of my PhD research.
At this time I also I presented research in a national symposium on uses of Virtual Reality, an event sponsored by the MA in Creative Technology at Salford.
Providing artistic guidance at CVE for techno-centric people was rewarding but I sought teaching to maintain discourse in fine art and to remain centered on my own interest exploring the presence of actual and virtual form. I accepted adjunct work at Chester College in the fine art program, taught part time on the MA in Creative Technology at Salford (3D module) and on the B.Sc. in Computer and Video Games at University of Salford. Also I ran a series of adult training workshops at IDEA (Innovation in Digital and Electronic Art) centre, in Greater Manchester.
During my affiliation with IDEA, I became the caretaker for their new headquarters, a large warehouse space in Salford. In exchange I used the space as a studio, where I built a major piece, and the first in the series "Sculptures for a Virtual Environment" This piece was an oversize table whose surface was entirely clad in red spandex, carefully balanced on two small metal claw feet and cantilevered by two concrete bollards. This was the first time I made a sculpture specifically so that I could use a state of the art laser range finding scanner borrowed from the CVE to create a digital simulation . During this time I included work in "Autoparts" a major group show for digital artists, where I had two installations investigating augmented reality and methods of transposing a form into virtual reality. I exhibited "Sculpture for a Virtual Environment I" and I presented my first 3D phantagram video of a water vapor vortex rotating calmly in a brightly lit the room. Viewed with special 3D glasses one perceived the vortex as actually existing in space.
Living in Manchester afforded me yet another opportunity to enhance my critical assessment of art and artists when I was the installation designer at the Centre for the Understanding of the Built Environment (CUBE). I met and worked with a number of interesting artists, most notably the architect Sir Norman Foster.
I left Manchester having succeeded in many sculptural projects, including a joint show at AMP studios. This show was favorably reviewed and I received a letter from the TATE Gallery in London who were interested in including this piece (Sculpture for a Virtual Environment II) in their collection. Ultimately this did not happen due to the size of the work and the TATE Modern's lack of storage facilities. The piece was a large balance piece; on one side a Mini, painted matt yellow to refer to the surface quality of virtual objects, rested on a ladder. On the other side a collection of 6 concrete bollards acted as a counter balance. Once again I used the laser range finding scanner, scanned the piece uploaded it to a computer and printed a limited edition run of large format prints.
My wife (a US citizen) and I relocated to NYC and I began working at SUNY Purchase in 2001.
An aspect of my current artistic practice includes digitally recording my commute using GPS data from a handheld device. I convert these journeys into 3D forms which I can explore both physically and virtually. One such image has been included in the book, "Digital Currents: Art in the Age of Electronic Media" by Margot Lovejoy, published by Routledge 2004 . This ongoing project is an exploration of choice, whereby the selection of content is dictated by things close to my circumstances, i.e. the act of commuting generating sculptural form.
I worked with this notion during a 2002 residency in Maine as part of the LandEscapes arts symposium at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, where I made a large scale outdoor piece mapping in 3 dimensions my movements while on Mt Desert Island. Using a grid system, high visibility twine and polystyrene balls I created a 150 foot scale model of my data. I also presented a new augmented reality projection piece of a treasure chest bobbing on an ocean.
Early in 2003 I was an artist in residence at Alfred University as part of the Institute of Electronic Arts (IEA). Here I lectured to MFA students and members of the large format print workshops and worked in the institute developing a body of high quality large scale 3D digital prints which I exhibited in a group show, "Inside : Outside" at the gallery of the Westchester Arts Council in White Plains. These prints are of spatial landscapes which show signs of change, decay and physical oddity. I am particularly proud of this series of prints. Their quality is directly related to that fact that I was able to focus solely on the enterprise of making an excellent print both technically and artistically without the distractions of teaching, commuting or administrative tasks.
In the summer of 2003 I returned to the UK to build and exhibit a large scale sculptural work in the world's first railway warehouse at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. Whilst in residence I used cotton bales, oak barrels, railroad ties, railroad rails and cobble stones. For this project I received a $6000 grant from the Arts Council of England and a $1500 grant from Purchase College. Each element of the work was accurately digitized and made into a virtual reality object. In the virtual environment I explored the characteristics of the objects and composed a sculptural arrangement based on what I learned. I created an interactive component of the exhibition which allowed visitors to reconfigure the virtual version of the sculpture. During my residency I managed the time to participate in a group exhibition: "Eve of Destruction" at the International 3 Gallery in Manchester, where I showed a small version of a 3D digital print made at Alfred University.
In 2004 I was a guest artist at Princeton University where I lectured on my GPS body of work and ran a seminar as part of the atelier "Trace- Against the Digital Wall – Landscapes for the 21st Century". I utilized the unique large scale digital wall for my lecture where I presented real time 3D visualizations of my GPS data. I exhibited some prints generated during the Atelier in the closing show.
2005 has been a time of intense introspection for me. I spent many hours repairing part of an old barn on my property that I could use as a year-round studio space. I have also begun construction of an outdoor arts venue: "The Slab". This rurally located site will play host to national and international artists with the first installation planned for summer 2006.
I have relished the time spent contemplating my art: both sculptural and digital, theoretical and actual. The barn studio has been a welcome sanctuary where I have been able to organize my thoughts and is the place where my current project came to life.
RESUME
Education and Qualifications
2000-2004University of Salford, Manchester EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council) Research studentship.
Virtual Environments to Support Creativity
1997-1998 University of Salford, Manchester MA Creative Technology
Graduated with Distinction
1993-1995 Parsons School of Design, New York City MFA in Sculpture
1988-1991 Bretton Hall College of the BA(Honors) Fine Art
University of Leeds, Yorkshire
1987-1988 Cambridge College of Art and Technology Foundation in Art and Design
Exhibitions ( * indicates solo exhibition § indicates upcoming)
2006 "Shingling Fool". Artswalk. The Pocketbook factory. Hudson, New York
2004 “Outside/In”, Westchester Arts Council, White Plains New York
2004§* Augmented reality installation, The Performing Arts center, Purchase, New York
2003 "Eve of Destruction". Work and Leisure International. Manchester, UK
2003* “Rails and Bales”; Sculpture and Digital Installation, The Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, UK.
2002 ‘NEW MEDIA: Experiments in Digital Printmaking’, Richard & Dolly Maass Gallery, Purchase, NY.
2002 ‘Landescapes 2002’. College of the Atlantic, Maine.
2001 ‘Staff works’ SUNY Purchase, NY
2000 ‘Chapel Street Open’. Salford, Greater Manchester.
2000 ‘Autoparts’. Chapel Street, Salford, Greater Manchester.
1998 ‘0000:1’. Innovations in Digital and Electronic Arts gallery (IDEA), Manchester
1996* ‘Open Studio’. 3R Gallery. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York
1996 ‘Site Four’. Urban Wasteland, Brooklyn, New York
1995 ‘Copyright Island’. Bilbao, Spain
1995* ‘Settle’. Ind. Era. Gallery, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
1995 ‘Sink’. 26 E14th Street, New York City
1995/6 Group Show. The Theatre Studio, New Milford, Connecticut
1995 Thesis Exhibition. 2 W 13th Street, New York City
1994 New York Area MFA Exhibition. Hunter College, New York City
1993* ‘Block-Hold’. The Angles Centre, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
1992* ‘Level Core Exit’. Inn Fold Farm, West Bretton, Yorkshire
1991 ‘Final Show’. Bretton Hall College, Yorkshire
1990 ‘Responses to Virtue Rewarded’, Leeds City Art Gallery
1988 ‘Site Specific’. University of Astronomy, Cambridge
1988 ‘Sculpture for the Blind’. Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge
1988 Student Show. The Dark Room, Cambridge
Residencies
2003 Museum of Science and Industry, England.
2003 Institute of Electronic Arts, Alfred University, NY
2002 ‘Landescapes 2002’, Mount Desert Island, Maine.
1999-2000 Associate Artist, IDEA (Innovation in Digital and Electronic Arts), The IDEA Centre, Manchester
1997 Summer residency at Berllanderi Sculpture Workshop, Gwent, Wales
1997 Mother’s Cookie Factory, Oakland, California
1996-7 Kaczynski Studio, Brooklyn, New York
1995 12 Day live-on-site sculptural installation. Incorporation of found or ‘given’ materials. Ind. Era. Gallery, Guelph, Ontario
Permanent Public Works
1997 ‘Level Lift’; 17’x6’x4’6”: Bronze, Cast Iron, Oak and Steel. Rushden, UK.
1997 ‘Frank Perkins’; 2’6”x12”x6’: Bronze and Cast Iron. Peterborough.
1996 ‘Whapplehog’; 4’x3’x3’: Bronze. Whaplode, Lincolnshire
1993 ‘False Start’; 5’x5’x 18’ 4”: Oak, Steel and Concrete. Whaplode, Lincolnshire
1990 ‘One Saturday Night’; 4’x6”x6’: Steel, Plaster and Glass. Bretton Hall College, Yorkshire
Grants and awards
2002/3/4/5/6 Faculty Support Award. Purchase college.
2003 Arts Council of England. Project support award.
1997/8 European Social Fund arts maintenance grant
1993/5 Chaim Gross Sculpture Scholarship. Parsons School of Design
1993/5 Vera List Scholarship for Excellence in Artistic Achievement
1993/5 Parsons Sculpture Scholarship
1993 Helena Rubenstein Award
1990 Wren Charities Award. Tydd St. Giles, Wisbech
Publications
2004 ‘Digital Currents: Art and Artist in the age of Electronic Media’- Margot Lovejoy. Routledge, UK.
2000 ‘Autoparts’ Catalogue, Introduction by Dr. Emma Posey.
1998 ‘Sculpting in the rain’. Written article and photographs. Royal Society of British Sculptors Sculpture ‘98 magazine. Spring Edition.
General Employment
2005 Nancy Davidson - "SkyHi": Computer Model maker and project visualisation presentationmaterials
2001 Macintosh technical support assistant, ‘Think-fixed’, NYC.
1999-2001 3D Model maker. Centre for Virtual Environments, Salford, Greater Manchester.
1999-2001 Gallery Assistant CUBE (Centre for the Understanding of the Built Environment), Manchester
2000 P/T Network Admin., Mac Labs. The IDEA centre, Salford, Manchester.
1999 Fabricator. FAT (Fashion Architecture Taste) Ltd. London
1996 Technical Consultant and mould maker for Artist Jeff Koons, NYC
1996 Art handler/Exhibition Assistant. The Brooklyn Museum, New York
1996 Studio Assistant for Artists, Lenore Malen and Jackie Brookner
1995 Studio Assistant for Artists, Michelle Charles and Martine Kaczynski. NYC
1993 Assistant to Artist, Susan Tebby. Quarry House, Leeds
1992 Site worker, Yorkshire Sculpture Park
1992 Assistant to Sculptors, Philip King, Emma Posey, Yorkshire Sculpture Park
1991 Co-Founder ‘Group Three’ Sculpture Studios and workshops, Emley, Yorkshire
1991 Assistant Fabricator for Chilean Artist Federico Assler. Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Work in Education
2001-present Full Time Assistant Professor in the School of Art and Design, SUNY Purchase, NY
2004 Visiting lecturer, Princeton University.
2002 Visiting Lecturer, IEA. Alfred University, NY
2000-2001 PT Lecturer. B.Sc. Computer and Video Games. Univ. of Salford.
1999-2001 PT Lecturer. Single Honors Fine Art. Chester College of Higher Education.
1999-2001 PT Lecturer. Computer Imaging. BA Media and Performance. Univ. of Salford.
1998-2001 PT Lecturer. MA Creative Technology. Univ. of Salford.
2001 Visiting Lecturer. Media Arts, International Centre for Digital Content, ICDC, Liverpool.
2001 Visiting Lecturer. Installation Arts, Huddersfield University, Yorkshire.
2000 3Dstudio MAX Instructor, Centre for Virtual Environments, Salford, Manchester.
1999 VRML Instructor, IDEA (Innovation in Digital and Electronic Art), Manchester
1999 Visiting Lecturer. Media Arts, UWIN (University of Wales Institute at Newport)
1998 Demonstrator. Department of Design Practice. University of Salford.
1998 Visiting Lecturer. Fine Art, UWIC (University of Wales Institute at Cardiff)
1997 Visiting Lecturer. Isle of Ely College, Cambridgeshire
1997 Visiting Artist, Installation Art seminar. S. F. State University, Tiburon, CA
1997 Visiting Lecturer. San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
1997 Visiting Artist. University of California at Berkeley
1997 Visiting Artist. University of Southern Mississippi
1997 Visiting Artist. University of the South, Tennessee
1995 Head of Sculpture Facility. Buck’s Rock Camp, Connecticut
1995 Head Technician. Foundation Department. Parson’s School of Design, NYC
1994 Sculpture Counselor. Buck’s Rock Camp, Connecticut
1994 Teaching Assistant to Professor L. Light, ESL (English as a second Language)
students. Parsons School of Design, New York City
1994 Teaching Assistant to Professor Don Porcaro. Parsons School of Design, NYC
1993 Ran a series of technical workshops on:
• Steel Fabrication and Welding
• Mould Making and Bronze Casting
• Stone Carving and Toolmaking
Bretton Hall College, Yorkshire
1991-2 Full-time technician for the Sculpture Department. Bretton Hall College
Computer Expertise
3D Modeling – 3D Studio Max, SoftImage, 3Dipsos, VRML.
2D Software – Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Flash, Adobe Illustrator
Digital Editing experience – Adobe Premiere, Media 100, Final Cut Pro.
Programming knowledge –VRML, HTML, javascript, C++, OpenGL, MaxScript
Platforms – Macintosh OS 9.2-X, Windows 98-XP 64, Silicon Graphics (UNIX)
Other software experience- Adobe After Effects, Macromedia Director, Macromedia Dreamweaver.