Art Around The Child - a visit to India

I'm honoured to have been invited to work with the internationally acclaimed charity Arms Around The Child on an art project that has taken me to work with HIV+ orphans in Jaipur, India.

Over the next week I will be working with the children to create their own art, and I'm also making a piece myself to donate - ready for an international auction alongside other artists next spring. The money raised from this project will help transform the lives of children like those I'm with right now.

It is a humbling experience being out here. The young people we're working with are truly amazing, so happy and enthusiastic - they have welcomed us with gusto and are already creating some really wonderful paintings with materials we shipped out ahead of our journey from North Devon. Later this week we're working on three large pieces.

'Art Around The Child' is a major fundraising initiative that will culminate in a VIP reception at a major venue in the West End of London in Autumn 2017, an auction of donated artwork and an after party with live DJ performances and celebrity appearances.

You can read the full press release from the charity below this gallery of photos taken today by my friend and team member George Barrett, and my partner Charlotte Hunter, who have travelled with me on this trip of a lifetime.

PRESS RELEASE

Arms Around The Child (AATC) is pleased to announce a unique opportunity for your art to be the centrepiece of a major international charity art auction.

AATC’s mission is to work from the ground up, within communities across Africa and India - and beyond - to ensure that children who are orphaned, often affected by HIV/AIDS, abandoned, abused, trafficked or living in child-headed households, are rescued from harm’s way, lovingly taken care of, and given the hope they need to secure a better future.

The statistics are shocking! 151 million children are living homeless on the streets. 1.2 million children are trafficked every year. 132 million children have been orphaned worldwide. 17.8 million children are AIDS orphans.

We are reaching out to the international Fine Art family of visual artists, and to leading private collectors and institutional collections to request donations of outstanding contemporary artworks in every medium with the overall theme of “HOME” in mind for inclusion in a Live and Silent Auction, Autumn 2017.

Lee Sharrock is curating the exhibition and auction to include artists individual responses and interpretations around The Dolls House concept. The Dolls House artworks will be exhibited along with art created specially for the auction including work by artist Paul Broomfield, who is traveling to Jaipur, India this winter to spend time with HIV+ Orphans and creating collaborative artworks with them. 

The Dolls House, symbolising a home is an enchanting and popular toy valued by both adults and children, and found to exist in many cultures tracing back to the Egyptian tombs of 5000 years ago. The Dolls House encourages creativity, imaginary play, symbolic representation, social and emotional skills and they are highly collectable.

Guests will be invited to a celebrity cocktail and canapés reception and the opportunity to view all donated artworks, before the Live Auction commences. All Live and Silent Auction artworks will be exhibited publicly and online before the event; Silent Auction pieces will remain exhibited online for 7 days after the event.

The grand finale to ‘ART AROUND THE CHILD’ will be a glittering After Party, with live DJ performances and celebrity appearances at a major West End venue. Arms Around The Child (AATC) has a critically acclaimed, international reputation for excellence in the field of premiere event creation and delivery. The charity’s recent events have included ‘The Black Ball’ with Alicia Keys in New York and ‘The Other Ball’ with AATC Ambassador Mark Ronson in London, where we hosted sensational performances from Florence and the Machine, Lily Allen, Rudimental and Angelique Kidjo, among many others. These wonderful occasions have always provide a highly inspirational platform for the auction of magnificent examples of world-class contemporary art and design, created by some of the world’s leading visual artists.

‘The Other Ball’ in London garnered close to a billion impressions, across every imaginable media outlet in the UK and worldwide – includes The BBC, Vogue, GQ and every major UK national daily newspaper, from The Financial Times to The Sun.

Leading up to the event, AATC, and our online auction partner Charity Stars, will be running a fully integrated, international, multi-media PR campaign (incl. official schedule of contributing artists and donated artworks and interviews & editorial features with contributing artists), to drive maximum media and public awareness of the event, our artists and their art, in order to generate the highest possible auction revenues for the children we support.

HOW WE SAY ‘THANK YOU’ TO YOU

Virtue is its own reward and brings with it the truest and highest pleasure.

A priceless benefit of your involvement with the charity, as a contributing artist, is the simple knowledge that your art has forever changed - for the better - the lives of children you have never met, transforming their life chances.

In every corner of the world, the power and global reach of social media is evident and more Fine Art buyers and enthusiasts are interested in seeing how the artists they support are being socially responsible in giving their support to those who need it.

Using the power of your art to raise awareness amongst your buyers, supporters and followers about the issues we face as global citizens makes a massive difference.

We cordially invite you to join us.

All art donations and related PR are managed directly by Arms Around The Child, supported by its appointed agencies.

For further information to discuss art donations, please contact:

Ellie Milner - Arms Around The Child

Tel: 07801292553
Email: ellie@armsaroundthechild.org

Swan song

The swan is one of nature's most majestic creatures and is steeped in history. From fossils in caves and the crusades of Richard I, to Arthurian Legend and Greek mythology. Aristotle, Plato and Socrates all believed that the swan's singing prowess was heightened as death approaches, giving rise to the idea of the 'swan song', or the final performance.

During the Middle Ages, the mute swan was considered to be a valuable commodity and was regularly traded between noblemen. In the early medieval period, like most wildfowl, swans often found themselves on the dinner tables of both rich and poor.

The owners of swans were duty bound to mark their property by way of a succession of unique nicks in the beaks of their birds. It was the duty of the Royal Swanmaster to organise the annual swan-upping, a tradition that survives to this day. 

Today, while the crown retains their right to swans on the Thames, it is purely ceremonial. 'Swan Upping' still takes place in July each year, and the Queen's keeper of swans oversees a count of all swans. However, the swans are no longer served as a meal, but counted as part of a general census of wildlife and monitored for health problems.

I'm currently working on a new swan taxidermy piece. It's thought the bird died when it flew into overhead cables near Crow Point here in North Devon. When I first saw its carcass I thought it was a dead sheep, such was its size.

As someone who is deeply committed to conservation, I only ever use ethically and legally sourced animals or re-use vintage pieces in my taxidermy and assemblage art. I hope my completed work will be a fitting tribute to this beautiful bird in its swan song.

 

 

 

Don't drop in - a shark's tale

One of my latest taxidermy art pieces is titled 'Don't drop in' and it features a gilded mako shark head with its jaws wide open - both the name and content are directly linked to one of my lifelong passions, surfing.

A 'drop-in' is when a surfer takes off in front of someone else who's already up and riding the wave, and it is a 'red card' act in surfing worldwide. Why? Firstly it's dangerous because you could hurt someone (including yourself) or even kill them if board and bodies collide, also you've most likely ruined someone else's wave - so it really is frowned upon.

Surfers in many countries are entering the shark's natural environment when they paddle out to enjoy riding a few waves. Inevitably this brings the risk of shark attacks, which although incredibly rare, are reported with such hysteria that they have helped to demonise the shark (along with movies like 'Jaws').

The reality is you're much more likely to be injured or killed in the home, or in many other ways that might be perceived as mundane (cows, mosquitos, vending machines, coconuts!), not to mention cars and guns. One of the sad realities of modern life - it has been reported that more people died taking selfies than through shark attacks last year.

All of the animals I use in my taxidermy art are ethically sourced, I don't want nature to be exploited by taxidermy. Where possible I re-use antique taxidermy. In this case the complete shark head, with its skin, flesh, tongue and teeth, came from a fisherman who had caught it off the coast of Cyprus and had already sold its meat to local restaurants.

The population of the mako, along with many other species of shark is declining and I actively support their conservation and that of other marine life through organisations like Sea Shepherd.

For 'Don't drop in' I have gilded the skull in 23.75 karat gold leaf, but left the jaws and teeth in their natural state. It's mounted on a steel rod set in an antique alabaster plinth and surrounded by antiqued mirror glass, with a bespoke wooden box and glass front (430w x 430h x 250d mm).

I hope this piece will help to raise awareness of the human impact on our precious marine life and the environment they live in. Without them, we are nothing.

 

 

 

77Art - Darren West's new art gallery opens in Sussex

77Art is a new gallery being opened later this week in the West Sussex seaside town of Worthing by internationally acclaimed neon artist Darren West (pictured below) and curated by his partner & co-owner Lisa Melendez.

I've known Darren and admired his work for many years, so I was truly delighted to have two of my taxidermy art pieces selected for the opening - 'Holy Water' and 'Kingdom of Heaven'.

He has brought together an amazing array of artists for the launch, including Tracey Emin, Sir Peter Blake, Tom Freer, Henry Hate, Darren Macpherson, Inkie, Sally Kendall, Mason Storm, James Cashmore, Mr Ben, Iain Alexander, Horace Panter, CLS, Robin Coleman, Mr Brainwash, Pam Glew, SR47, Aroe, Edu and Tim J. Fowler.

Darren West is a gifted craftsman and iconic member of the British art world, who has been creating neon masterpieces for 30 years - his work is in discerning collections all over the world. He runs The Neon Sanctum as a base for his eclectic glass art which investigates and challenges contemporary belief systems and dissects the tensions and uncertainties at the heart of human experiences.

77Art has a private view this Friday from 6pm and is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5pm at 6 Warwick Lane, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 3DP.

 

 

In search of lost time - Proust's influence

Each of my works makes reference to a memory of an experience of a moment in time that has captivated me - beliefs, involuntary memories, fantasies and imaginations. Recurrent themes such as myths & legends, the natural & spirit worlds and the passage of time are distilled within each ethereal tableau.

My principle inspiration is the thinking of Marcel Proust, the acclaimed novelist who wrote À la Recherche du Temps Perdu’ (In Search of Lost Time), which examines the concept of a memory triggered by an object.

Marcel Proust

Marcel Proust

Consisting of seven volumes and 3,200 pages, it was begun in 1909 with the final three volumes being published after his death in 1922. Graham Greene called Proust "the greatest novelist of the 20th century" and W. Somerset Maugham described the novel as "the greatest fiction to date".

It is intrinsically linked to art; in it he names more than 100 artists including Bellini, Monet, Whistler and Vermeer and he directly references their paintings as themes in his stories. His work has of course influenced many writers and artists since, myself included.

One of the most famous sections of Proust's novel is his description of when he tastes a madeleine dipped in tea; it is this that inspired my assemblage piece 'The Episode of the Madeleine'. As if it is moulded in the fluted valve of a scallop shell, the humble madeleine invokes a memory in my childhood - as it did for Proust.

The box I have created contains an antique French madeleine baking tray, magnifying glass and watch mechanism, vintage print block pieces. It measures 970mm high, 495mm wide and 200mm deep. It has a bespoke glass-fronted wooden box, with antiqued mirror glass inside (see the gallery below).

You can now buy my art online

I have now launched an Etsy shop so that you can buy some of my art and other related products online. It features mainly smaller items like my book of taxidermy and assemblage art, sets of greetings cards and limited edition giclee prints.

There is also a range of mini taxidermy and assemblage boxes, which are a great way of starting or adding to your art collection. There are a dozen items in the shop for now, but more will be added in the coming weeks.

We've also embedded the shop in my website here, so it's easy to find. It's a first for me, so I'd really appreciate it if you can help me spread the word - thanks!

Nancy Fouts - inspiration & surrealism

I had the pleasure of meeting modern-day surrealist Nancy Fouts recently and the privilege of visiting her London studio (see gallery below). She truly is an inspirational person and her art encapsulates a genius that's rarely found these days.

Her work frequently explore themes of time, religious iconography, nature and humour. Typically working with everyday objects, injecting them with unique wit and manipulating them. Born in America, Nancy has lived most of her life in the UK, graduating from Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art in the 1960s.

Sir Peter Blake said, "I love the work of Nancy Fouts, she makes the everyday object extraordinary".

In the 1960s Fouts co-founded the pioneering design and model-making company Shirt Sleeve Studio, creating ad campaigns for the Tate Gallery and album covers for significant bands including Jethro Tull and Steeleye Span. Examples of her works are to be found in private homes and established collections across the globe, including that of the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Her work has been exhibited alongside the likes of Damien Hirst, and praised by Banksy. In an interview with The Independent she said: "My father was a beachcomber. He used to find driftwood and drag it back and say 'Look you see these charging horses?' So my inspiration came from there - that and his way of talking. He'd say: 'That kid's legs are short, but they're reaching the ground'. You see how that's Surrealist? Then kids and the beautiful things they say. They have a fresh way of looking at things. So I try to be naïve all the time. While being sophisticated at the same time, of course."

I recently had the honour of exhibiting my taxidermy assemblage piece 'Remembrance' alongside Nancy Fouts' work at the Contemporary Vanitas exhibition curated by Lee Sharrock and Hamish Jenkinson at the Lights of Soho gallery.

You can see a selection of Nancy's recent work in the gallery below, and she is exhibiting in the 'Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick' show at Somerset House in London alongside Polly Morgan, Sarah Lucas, Haroon Mirza & Anish Kapoor, Joseph Kosuth, Nathan Coley and many others until August 24th.

Thanks for supporting my solo show in London

It has been a great experience having a solo exhibition at The Tabernacle in the heart of London's vibrant Notting Hill area.

I've met so many wonderful people through it, and I wanted to say a heartfelt thanks to everyone who came along and for your supportive comments about my taxidermy and assemblage art. Also a huge thank you to all those who helped make it happen.

You can see a small selection of images below - the first photo in the gallery shows me with artists Nancy Fouts (right) and Hannah Matthews (left), both of whom exhibited alongside me at Lee Sharrock's 'Contemporary Vanitas' show last month.

It's back to the studio now, but we'll soon be launching an Etsy Shop for my smaller assemblage boxes, limited edition giclée prints, books of work and greetings cards.

My larger taxidermy assemblage boxes are already for sale on my website under 'artwork', and a selection at Broomhill Art Hotel near Barnstaple. More new work will be added soon.

Private View - Conscious While the World Sleeps

There was a fantastic vibe at the Private View for my 'Conscious while the world sleeps' exhibition at The Tabernacle in Notting Hill, London last night. I hope you get to check it out before it closes on Saturday evening.

I'm grateful to Lady Amelia Ward for organising this great opening event, to Andy Wright for the invite and poster designs, Simon Swallow for helping to install the display, Pete Robinson for looking after the media side of things... and of course my partner Char who is currently documenting my work with her fantastic 1959 Hasselblad medium-format camera.

It was great to see so many people engaging with my art, and I hope I got to speak to most of you at some point. Among those who came along last night were Saatchi's Lee Sharrock, who curated the Contemporary Vanitas exhibition that I took part in last month, Prince Constantin Windisch-Graetz, Lady Cressida Ward, artists Nancy Fouts, Hannah Matthews & Ian Sherman, weaver and good friend Gary Ploompf, Angela McDonald, Sunday Times Editor Sarah Dixon, stylist Jonni Fitzgerald, and Kay and Chris Love from the band Lullaby.

There are twenty pieces of original taxidermy assemblage art for sale at the exhibition at special show prices.

'Conscious while the world sleeps' runs from July 13th - 16th 2016, 12pm - 9pm, at The Tabernacle, 35 Powis Square, off Portobello Road, London W11 2AY - directions here.

Solo show in Notting Hill - London's Tabernacle

I have a solo exhibition in London coming up in July at the wonderful Notting Hill art & culture centre The Tabernacle.

The show is titled 'Conscious while the world sleeps' - which is the name of a piece of taxidermy assemblage art that I created in tribute to the artist Mary Krishna. You can read more about this work in my Blog here.

It is a retrospective of my recent assemblage boxes, and will include up to twenty individual works of art that each tell their own story. My work follows the thinking of Marcel Proust, the early 20th century novelist who wrote ‘In search of lost time (À la Recherche du Temps Perdu)’, which examines the concept of a memory triggered by an object.

After the success of the recent Contemporary Vanitas exhibition curated by Lee Sharrock and Hamish Jenkinson at the Lights of Soho gallery, it is great to have the opportunity to bring more of my work to a London audience.

I seek out antique taxidermy, or ethically sourced modern pieces, along with vintage objects that I've collected over the years - adorning them with gold & silver, and bringing them together to provoke thought and imagination of their symbolic meanings. I’m passionate about our wildlife and the environment, and would never harm any creature, and I have made it my mission to re-use as much material as possible.

'Conscious while the world sleeps' runs from July 13th - 16th 2016, 12pm - 9pm, at The Tabernacle, 35 Powis Square, off Portobello Road, London W11 2AY - directions here.

Remembrance - creating new memories in the selfie age

A fascinating 'selfie trend' with a curious irony appears to be developing with my taxidermy assemblage box 'Remembrance', that I created for the Contemporary Vanitas exhibition - running at the Lights of Soho gallery in London right now.

As curator and Saatchi PR guru Lee Sharrock explains in the short film about the show, the Latin meaning of Vanitas is vanity; "It's interesting in a selfie-obsessed, social media obsessed society that we live in, to take a look at the idea of vanity and also the idea of mortality and see what contemporary interpretations these artists come up with."

The work that I created has antiqued and gilded mirror glass surrounding the inside of the case, meaning that most snaps of it will contain a picture of the photographer & those around them, and it seems that people are embracing this and creating their own photographic memory - or selfie - which of course is shared on social media. You also get a snapshot of the other artists' work in the gallery captured in the frame.

Even Lee herself and pro photographer Maximilian Clarke, who was documenting the launch party, are featured in the selection below.

Due to popular demand the exhibition now has an extension and will run through until Saturday June 25th, so do go along and see the fantastic array of art - and of course, take your camera or smart-phone with you & tag any images with my social media pages...

 

 

Contemporary Vanitas exhibition film launched

A short film has been released showcasing the Contemporary Vanitas exhibition at the Lights of Soho gallery in London that's open until June 25th. My taxidermy assemblage piece 'Remembrance' is on display along with the work of 15 other contemporary artists.

Follow all the updates using the hashtag #contemporaryvanitas on social media.

Lights of Soho exhibition now open

I went to the packed private view last night for the 'Contemporary Vanitas' exhibition curated by Saatchi's Lee Sharrock at the cool Lights of Soho, London's first light art gallery.

I've created a new taxidermy assemblage piece called 'Remembrance' for the show's theme of 'memento mori', and it's on display with a stunning array of work from some of the UK's leading contemporary artists from now until June 25th - 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday. Do check it out if you can; the Lights of Soho Gallery is at 35 Brewer Street, London W1 0RX.

It was good to to talk to Lee about her show, and meet fellow artists like Jimmy Galvin - his piece 'Death Disco' is in the front window of the gallery.

The gallery is set over two floors with a basement that feels like a 1960s jazz club, and there was a real buzz about the place, with the cocktails flowing and photographers snapping away as everyone checked out the art and chatted to friends old and new. Social media has been in full flow (#contemporaryvanitas) and the exhibition is getting some great coverage.

Artists exhibiting alongside me are: Alexander James, Alt-Ego, Derrick Santini, Hannah Matthews, Jeroen Gordijn, Jimmy Galvin, Kalliopi Lemos, Lauren Baker, Nancy Fouts, Pure Evil, Rebecca Mason, Sara Pope, Soozy Lipsey, Tom Lewis and Toni Gallagher.

 

 

Contemporary Vanitas - London exhibition

I'm exhibiting in London from Thursday, with a new  illuminated assemblage piece of taxidermy art called 'Remembrance' for the Contemporary Vanitas show at the Lights of Soho gallery in Soho. I'm delighted to be alongside some of the UK's leading contemporary artists for the exhibition, curated by Saatchi's Lee Sharrock, that runs from May 26th to June 25th.

'Remembrance' contains a 19th century human skull & padlock, antique whale vertebrae, Macaw parrot wing & head. In the detail you'll find red sealing wax, antique engraved sherry glasses, old bone dice and clay marbles. The box itself is covered with water gilt silver leaf burnished using a piece of polished agate, while the inside is verre eglomise with 23 3/4 karat gold leaf. Dimensions of the handmade wooden box are 995mm high x 995mm wide x 300mm deep.

You can read & see more by clicking here.

North Devon Arts - an evening with Paul Broomfield

A massive thank you to North Devon Arts and Broomhill Art Hotel for inviting me along as their guest speaker last night, to talk about my work as a taxidermy & assemblage artist and painter.

It was the first time I've done anything like this, and I couldn't have done it without my good friend and former ITV News reporter Pete Robinson who interviewed and guided me with a calm, reassuring style.

I think more than 50 people came along, and we started about 8pm and went on for more than 2 hours with questions from the floor after the main interview and showing my film - then chatting to some really interesting folk before we all headed off into the fog-bound North Devon countryside. If you'd like to see my short film again you can watch it on YouTube here.

A selection of my work is currently on display at Broomhill should you want to take more time to look at it. Thanks again for having me, your support really is appreciated and it's an experience I'm glad to have got under my belt!

Remembrance, revealed

I'm excited to be exhibiting in London later this month alongside some of the UK's leading contemporary artists; to be selected to take part is very cool.  I've created a new illuminated assemblage piece of taxidermy art called 'Remembrance' for the Contemporary Vanitas show in Soho which starts on May 26th (full press release below).

'Remembrance' contains a 19th century human skull & padlock, antique whale vertebrae, Macaw parrot wing & head. In the detail you'll find red sealing wax, antique engraved sherry glasses, old bone dice and clay marbles. The box itself is covered with water gilt silver leaf burnished using a piece of polished agate, while the inside is verre eglomise with 23 3/4 karat gold leaf. Dimensions of the handmade wooden box are 995mm high x 995mm wide x 300mm deep.

You can see 'Remembrance' in the photo gallery at the bottom of this page, with pictures taken by the incredibly talented Gemma Varney.

Press release

London’s leading light art gallery is pleased to announce their next show in collaboration with Lee Sharrock, Contemporary Vanitas, a look at vanity and mortality. Featuring 16 contemporary artists, the exhibition, which launches 26th May, will showcase the artists own interpretations of the Vanitas and features iconic memento mori symbols such as skulls, butterflies, and fruit, as well as more abstract interpretations in the form of celebrity portraiture and the written word in the form of neon.

Contemporary Vanitas will feature new artists and Lights of Soho favourites including: Alexander James, Alt-Ego, Derrick Santini, Hannah Matthews, Jeroen Gordijn, Jimmy Galvin, Kalliopi Lemos, Lauren Baker, Nancy Fouts, Paul Broomfield, Pure Evil, Rebecca Mason, Sara Pope, Soozy Lipsey, Tom Lewis and Toni Gallagher.

Playing on the Latin word for vanity, Vanitas is a metaphor for the meaninglessness of earthly life and transient nature of earthly goods and pursuits. Vanitas artworks were common in the 16th and 17th Century Dutch and Flemish still life painting, and were often created as metaphors for human achievements, as well as serving as reminders of human mortality. Memento Mori symbols of death, materialism, spirituality, earthly pleasure, temptations and corporality often featured.

Curator Lee Sharrock states, “I’ve always had a macabre fascination with the Vanitas paintings of the 16th and 17th century, and was intrigued to see how contemporary artists would interpret the enduring themes of mortality and vanity.”

Each artist’s contribution provides an individual interpretation of the Vanitas theme; Alexander James’ beautiful C-Type print evokes Old Master Vanitas still life paintings; Alt-Ego has created a bespoke skulls series reflecting upon mortality and vanity, whilst Jimmy Galvin’s witty ‘Death Disco’ features a skull and disco ball in a contemporary reworking of the traditional Skull memento mori.

Nancy Fouts’ ‘Exit Jesus’ features the reincarnated figure of Jesus embracing the cross of the ‘x’ in Exit; Fouts states: “Vanity of Vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity” quoting Ecclesiastes 12:8. She continues, “My Exit sight represents corporality and the idea of Jesus being reincarnated in a modern era of neon signs and overwhelmingly constant communication.”

Pure Evil’s new ‘Angels Never Die’ portraits of departed screen idols crowned with neon halos is inspired by Marle Dietrich. Pure Evil commented: “After 1945, Marlene Dietrich's attitude towards her native Germany remained shaky and it was not until after the fall of the Berlin Wall that she began to warm again to her homeland and especially her home town, Berlin. Shortly before her death, she expressed her desire to be buried in Berlin, in the very same cemetery as her mother. Her funeral, on 16 May, 1992, broadcast live on German television, was attended by thousands of fans. Her grave overflowed with flowers and wreaths from fans and admirers from all over the world. One of these wreaths, given by Wim Wenders, the director of Wings of Desire read, "Angels Never Die”. 

The show, curated by Lee Sharrock and Lights of Soho founder and curator Hamish Jenkinson, will bring together their two different eyes for art in a singular show which narrates the vanity which has overtaken our digital world.

“It’s great to work closely again with Lee, whom is a great friend to myself and the gallery, and bring together this new show which will certainly impress members and guests,” states Hamish Jenkinson. He continues, “The show will be a fun play on today’s society who are embracing their own vanity with selfies, social media and the art of oversharing.”

Contemporary Vanitas will be on from 26th May – 25th June at Lights of Soho.

Talk talk - an evening with taxidermy artist Paul Broomfield

In a first for me, I will be giving a talk at Broomhill Art Hotel on the evening of Wednesday May 11th 2016 for the North Devon Arts group. I will be interviewed in-front of the audience by my friend & award-winning journalist Pete Robinson, about my work as a contemporary taxidermy artist.

A selection of my a assemblage boxes and original semi-abstract paintings are currently on display at Broomhill, plus it is also hosting the prestigious 2016 National Sculpture Prize.

North Devon Arts are running an open studio event in the area in September - you can find more information about entering (closing date May 1) and what's on & where through their website here.

paul broomfield

 

 

 

London calling - new TAXIDERMY ASSEMBLAGE ART for major exhibition

My art has been selected for the prestigious 'Contemporary Vanitas' show at the Lights of Soho Gallery in London from next month. It is an honour to have been chosen by exhibition curator Lee Sharrock, director of Global Creative PR for Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, to take part alongside an esteemed array of leading contemporary artists.

The theme for the event is 'memento mori' - the Latin theory and practice of reflection on mortality, related to the perceived vanity of earthly life, our possessions and pursuits. This is one of the veins of creative thought that runs through all of my taxidermy and assemblage art.

I'm putting together a new piece called 'Remembrance' for this prestigious exhibition that runs from May 26th to June 25th 2016 - you can see a preview of some of the elements making up this assemblage box below. It will be revealed in full nearer the time. It contains parts of an antique taxidermy Macaw parrot that I'm re-using, a 19th century human skull, ancient whale vertebrae, along with an antique lock, sherry glass & bottles with 24 karat gold leaf decoration.

Other artists taking part are; Iain Shepherd, James Ostrer, Jimmy Galvin, Kalliopi Lemos, Karl Lagasse, Lauren Baker, Nancy Fouts, Pure Evil, Rebecca Mason, Romulo Celdran, Samantha Roddick, Sara Pope, Soozy Lipsey, Tom Lewis & Toni Gallagher.

You can also see a selection of my latest work at the Broomhill Art Hotel this year, which is currently playing host to the 2016 National Sculpture Prize.

 

 

 

 

An interview for Elephant - the art & culture magazine

The online edition of Elephant Magazine features a new interview by writer Rachel Meek about my taxidermy and assemblage art.

It is one of the leading art and culture publications, so it's an honour to have my work highlighted in '5 questions with Paul Broomfield', which you can read here in full.

There's a lot going on in the next couple of months, with my work exhibited at Broomhill Art Hotel; Mikey Corker's mini documentary about my work at the Ilfracombe Film Festival this month; I'm giving a talk to members of the North Devon Arts group in May; and I'm creating a major new piece for the Contemporary Vanitas exhibition in May at the Lights of Soho Gallery in London curated by Lee Sharrock, Director of Global Creative PR for Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide - more on that soon. Busy times, all good!