Staging Group Installation in Newton Building, NTU, Nottingham

A building is of a stark white exterior with a dominating appearance and part of the NTU campus was the setting for a most thrilling happening. The University most recently used the Newton Building as part of its technology and engineering departments. Andrew Brookfield and myself explored the existing levels and chose the lowest floor of the building that had not been completely gutted.

Though level 2 had been deserted many items had been left behind such as obsolete computers and teaching aids. There were enough working items to reform and thoroughly clean up a single office to create a convincing environment that appeared as though it was still being used.
Our success could be summed up by the actions of a member of security who had passed the office and when they saw it was in use, locked it)

As a viewer walked along the corridor, (not knowing of the condition of any other floor other then the reception area that is still in use) it seemed almost unrecognisable as a classroom or office but resembled more of a disaster area or war zone.

This was the view through one window into a locked room from the corridor on floor two.

Discombobulate 05/06, Raffles Art Café (Currently ‘The Chameleon’)

"Finished?" - series

My exhibit for Discombobulate was a selection for three paintings from a series of twelve.
Previously presented in the Bonington building, the three paintings when shown alongside each other show off my painting style and my awareness of limitations, in this case the point at which the artist ceases painting. The painting on the left ceased at two or three layers of paint, the painting in the centre was four or six and the painting the the right saw over ten layers.

For me Returning to painting after a five year break was a pleasure and to be able to dedicate my time as I saw fit was very useful to my development. I painted with passion and felt an urge to create a lot of work. I’ve always lived by the phrase, “If you throw enough shit at a wall, some of it’ll stick.” So as I make a breadth of work, I then have curative control when it comes to the presentation of my work. I felt that working to this system was effective for me as I was very happy with what I presented and others sempt to respect the attitude I had shown.

My progress through the first term at Nottingham Trent University pleased my then tutor, Professor Terry Shave, a respected painter and 'Academic Team Leader' with 'Visual Arts'.