PASW Regional Newsletter: Autumn 2000
Hitec-Lotec project : Craft Commissions on the cutting edge
The Hitec-Lotec Project has just taken delivery of TWELVE brand new craft pieces (see list below) that will be featured in a national touring craft exhibition later this year.
Hitec-Lotec is an exciting new craft initiative based in the South West and the exhibition will include all twelve craft pieces which have been specially commissioned for the project. Each of the makers selected for the commissions was asked to create innovative pieces of work that would explore cutting edge materials and industrial processes.
The project has been developed by the Crafts for Now Consortium, a group of four craft venues in the South West. Brewery Arts in Gloucestershire; the Black Swan Guild in Somerset; the Devon Guild of Craftsmen in Devon and Walford Mill Craft Centre in Dorset.
"Hitec-Lotec will focus on the ways in which designers and makers are developing exciting new materials" says Marie O'Mahony, the Project Curator. "Today's designer combines the traditional, the low-tech and the latest techniques and treatments, bringing a unique approach to the development of new materials."
The exhibition will feature a range of materials. Glass, ceramics, textiles, metals will be included, plus composites that consist of several different materials which combine to produce a new material with enhanced performance characteristics.
Two and three-dimensional work will include fabric lengths, garments, sculpture, furniture, jewellery and other small and medium sized artifacts. Additional work will be shown by four International exhibitors from Japan and The Netherlands.
The exhibition will open at Brewery Arts in Cirencester in Gloucestershire in August 2000 and tour nationally until December 2001.
Hitec-Lotec is supported financially by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of England; the Crafts Council and South West Arts.
New craft commissions
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OLIVER BROCKLEHURST, Reading, Berks.
Oliver has made a series of five body pieces in dipped latex, perspex and/or metal. This includes three or four bracelets in perspex, aluminium and silver plus one perspex necklace.
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GORDON BRENNAN, Edinburgh.
Gordon has made a series of five interrelated 3D pieces, developed as a 'collection', that explore industrial materials such as concrete, rubber and felt in cast and moulded forms. A series of 20 drawings linked to the work will also be shown.
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NIGEL MARSHALL, Middlesex.
Nigel has made a suspended piece that consists of a series of woven textile composite panels incorporating laminated plastic and glass fibre materials. The panels can be viewed from both sides and will be hung from the ceiling. The majority of the panels have some 3D surface effects using vacuum, press moulding or similar process.
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NICHOLAS PRYKE, Oxford.
Nicholas has made a coffee table in partnership with the Arrows Formula One Team in Oxfordshire who use high technology processes and materials. Materials include glass, a paper/aluminium honeycomb and carbon fibre with resin.
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SOPHIE ROET , London.
Sophie had made four fabric lengths using different fabrics and treatments.One has been woven by the designer and others hand printed or painted. Lightweight cotton, silk and jersey fabrics has been combined with aluminium using and industrial bonding technique. 2 simple garments will also be shown, one very scrunched the other less so to demonstrate the effect of metal combined with fabric.
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ANN MARIE SHILLITO, Edinburgh.
Ann Marie has made a large wall light feature in fabricated steel which utilises CAD (Computer Aided Design) technology and laser cutting. It will be finished in black.
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JANET STOYEL, Honiton, Devon.
Janet has made a series of five metal spherical objects in various sizes. These pieces have been treated with ultrasound and laser techniques using different metals. These include airplane wing mesh; stainless steel; copper, brass, phosphur and bronze.
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CHERYL WELSH, Stourbridge, W. Midlands.
Cheryl has made a series of "containers" fabricated in metal filtration mesh augmented with polyester, monofilaments and other materials and finished using traditional embroidery andsilversmithing techniques.
Placement Holders Commissions -
Adam Gallimore, Shaftesbury, Dorset.
Adam has made two chairs and a bench as modular units. The pieces will be made in GRP (Glass reinforced plastic) with curved plastic mesh 'joints'. The bench will be suitable for outdoor use and, like one of the chairs, will be in strong colours.
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Tim Andrews, Exeter, Devon.
Tim has made a large ceramic vessel from lightweight clay pellets mixed with other clay materials and fabricated using moulds. It will be suitable for outdoor use.
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Sandie Macrae, Bristol.
Sandie has made a series of three glass panels treated with smoke to create decorative "carbonated" effects.
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Julia Keyte, Plymouth, Devon.
Julia has made a series of small fabric panels and two fabric lengths - one featuring fabrics treated with resins and red pigments and one showing layers of black and white fabric circles.
Ros Marchant, Hitec-Lotec Co-ordinator on 01963 370413. e.mail: [email protected]