Autumn 2020

Last year was a challenge to everyone. In my world it, was to find a way of continuing to exhibit "art'.

When we were getting used to this dramatic change to our way of life, the South West Academy asked it's members to create an image of how they were feeling, to be exhibited as part of the Annual Autumn Show.

As with all exhibitions it was shown digitally.

Like many people I have drawn and painted the elements of what I was missing. This was the loss of hugs and chat with family and friends, but the paintings seemed empty and did not show the gulf between us. In a final effort I decided to make three bubbles, one showing grandparents looking at their iPad to see their family, one of someone living alone and the third a conductor, connecting with his orchestra remotely.

The people drawn on the inside of the bubble, which is made of paper mâché, are in monochrome, in the shadows, distant and untouchable. The figures are made out of the grandchildren's left over clay and they are the only tangible element.  A homespun medium for "lockdown" times.