About the artists no.5 Kate Thomas

I studied for a BA (hons) in Fine Art at The University of Northampton from 2007 – 2010 achieving a first class degree.  I am currently working towards an MA at The University of Leicester in Country House Studies (The Country House: Art, History and Literature).  My dream job would be to combine my fascination with contemporary fine art and my love for the country house; its social history and fine architecture.

Last summer this dream was partially realised as I was involved with school’s work at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire which involved teaching over 500 children (not in one go!). Using art, games, a bit of history and fun activities I was able to give primary school children an exciting and educational fun day out.   These links with Kelmarsh Hall have developed into an opportunity for Edge Arts to exhibit at the hall in February 2012, which is an exciting venture combining our eclectic mix of contemporary art and the stunning setting of a beautiful country house.

My final exhibition at university (summer 2010) involved steel sculptural forms and pigment drawings as an installation (see photographs). The black pigment I used was so intense it appeared to be a hole through the paper and hinted at what was beyond the void.    

The steel sculptures were coated inside with pigment which emphasised their emptiness and had a spiral form which spoke of descent into an unknown and a tension within its actual shape. I would say that my work has a numinous quality, which raises questions of what is beyond what we see.

Artists that have inspired me include Anish Kapoor, with his visually simple yet profound sculptures and Darren Almond, whose interrogation of the passage of time and of loss have informed my work. 

The centenary of the Neon sign

To celebrate the centenary of the Neon sign the BBC’s Front Row commissioned Northern artist, Richard William Wheater, to create a large neon sign of the word ‘Listen’ to hang outside the BBC’s new Salford offices. Wilson said he chose 'Listen' partly because of its obvious connection to radio, but also because he liked the idea of a visual artwork stimulating an aural action. The sign was unveiled on the 21^st December and will remain until 12^th Night, on the 6^th January.

Part of Wheater’s interest in working with Neon, light and glass is the medium’s relationship with people and the environment. In his interest to explore the narrative and interplay between medium and spectator, Wheater teamed with artist Victoria Lucas on a 12 month project called 12 Months of Neon Love which began on St Valentines day in 2011. The artists took 12 snippets of lyrics from well-known love songs and created large red neon signs from them. They then placed them above a neon workshop Wakefield so passers by and commuters could experience the lyrical artwork.

Here is a selection of artworks using this very evocative and suggestive medium.

See the links below for further reading

Chryssa, Ampersand III, 1965

Mona Hatoum, Hotspot, 2006

Ceryth Wyn Evans

I Kiss You, Tracey Emin, 2010

William Richard Wheater, Neon Lights, 2010

Links and further reading:

polishneon.com

Guardian - 100-years-of-neon
Essay on Wheater's Neon Lights
Wheater's sign for the BBC Salford building
Tracey Emin's neon sign for Downing Street
Publication - Polish Cold War Neon
Festival of Lights
Neon Studio

Verve Exhibition photos //Set No. 2//

Here are some more photos from the Verve Exhibition archive - the exhibition ran from 9th November - 3rd December, 2011 at Verve Bar and Gallery, Rugby.

Don't forget, our next exhibition will be at Kelmarsh Hall in February. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for further updates.

Painting by Donna Thacker

Illustrations by Emma Carpendale

Painting by Leanne Gilroy

Painting by Leanne Gilroy

Painting by Kate Thomas

Prints by Jill Wales