Paula’s artwork is recognised for its innovation, depth and accomplishment and she is distinguished in her approach as one of the regions finest and most sought after practitioners. She has a longstanding proven track record for producing high quality and challenging photographic works and has recently been awarded the prestigious Visual Arts Bursary from Arts Council England, for ‘making mountains’ images of manufacturing in rural communities, which opened at UCN Gallery Northampton in September 2004.
The threads and themes of her work come from a sincere and ongoing interest process and in ‘revealing the hidden’. What we are offered is an intensity of looking; of time spent working, that takes us from the real to the imaginary, from the memory to the actuality and back again. Looking at something inactive/inanimate carries the notion that our look will not be returned by the ‘object’ of our gaze, this allowing a viewer to clarify their relationship or potential relationship to the thing or things depicted.
Once the object or group of things has been selected and the ‘studio/ table top’ has been constructed, nothing is adjusted. The work therefore remains inconclusive, these are sites and spaces where something else, something transformative could happen, allowing for a wider and equally deeper reading of the work.
‘My interest in the notion of personal archaeologies, histories and memories is revealed through the still life process and the photographic transformation that takes place, particularly when working with an object or in this case a group of similar ‘things’. The images are purposefully, mysteriously simple – objects often appear to float in a vacuous, unidentifiable space. They are a representation of the parts that make up the world around us – our histories and memories, losses and preoccupations. My intention is to ensure the exceptional presence of interior things and whilst my work is often quite large the images themselves have nothing overwhelming about them’.
Her most significant body of work ‘mass’ was made as a response to the death of her mother in 1995, from Breast cancer.
‘All the objects I chose to work with were round and in their ’roundness’ and inherent function held deep associations with my mum. Constructing each image was like reconstructing aspects of her identity lost or missing. Replacing the missing breast could be considered an attempt to make her, in spirit and memory, ‘perfect’ again and to then question what it was I mean by that. The images represent the permanent, an undeniable physical presence – she is there as ‘momento’.
Resume
Born Nottingham, England. BA Hons Photographic Studies: University of Derby.
Artist biography
Paula is a photographer, digital media artist and consultant who over the past 9 years has creatively led and interpreted many high profile initiatives. She is exhibited both nationally and internationally and her work is commissioned and collected in the public and private sectors.
Her educational work takes place in both formal and informal settings and she is presently a freelance ‘Creative Agent’ with the Creative Partnerships team, Derby. She organises and delivers one off and long term projects and is passionate about process and creative engagement/intervention in the public arena. Much of her work focus’s on artist centred and cross art form collaborations, and she has produced on traditional and on line presentations and publications for both individuals and organisations.
With Lucy Banwell she has been commissioned by Charnwood Borough Council, as Public Art Consultants ‘orange dot’, seeking to develop an ambitious programme for the groundbreaking Hallamfields development. Over the next 6 years, the programme will see the realisation of both temporary and permanent works by leading contemporary artists, festivals, happenings and interventions.
Her clients and collaborators include; Amber Valley Borough Council, Arts Council England, Awards for All, Lucy Banwell, Charnwood Borough Council, Creative Partnerships, Derbyshire County Council, English Heritage, Flying Giraffe, Groundworks Erewash, Maxine Hall, Hansen Bricks, Heritage Lottery Fund, Martin Heron, The Home Office, Junction Arts, Sara Maitland, Usha Mahenthiralingam, New Opportunities Fund, Louise Plant, PublicArts Wakefield, Southern Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce, Thomas Firths, Thorntons and Thorsby Colliery.
