Laura McGrath - Untitled Frame & Holding Hands

Laura McGrath is the second of our thirteen artists that we're writing a blog about to share with you her work that will be exhibiting and her practice.

Laura's work takes influence from her background as a trained goldsmith as she concentrates on creating objects which explore the nature of how commodity objects function within our society. It is the image the objects leave with the viewer that reflects a trace in the eye of the individual. Alongside her interest in the trace left with the observer, Laura is facinated by the concept of exlporing the boundaries between art and craft.

Laura recently graduated from a Masters degree in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery from the Royal College of Art, and since then has been exhibiting workd across the Europe.

Laura will be exhibiting two pieces in the Trace exhibition. One titled 'Untitled Frame' shown above in the image and another called 'Holding Hands'.

You can find out more about Laura on her personal website - www.lauramcgarth.co.uk

Alec Stevens - Free/Tree Series

Alec Stevens is the first of our thirteen artists and makers to feature on our blog, which we're writing to tell you more about his work that will be exhibited in the Trace exhibition taking place at Motorcade/FlashParade from the 26th to the 29th July.

Alec's work looks at changing the status of objects from those that were once made into something new through means of craft. The original objects used are freely acquired or detritus found in gutters, corners and side alleys which then are reused outside or their traditional concepts to create replicas using wood and carvings. Using lime wood and hand carving, Alec Steven's remakes the collected objects that have all had a past and found at a point which there is no more attachment or importance. Their existence within the piece is an echo and through intervention have been pushed into importance through their new placement.

The work that will be exhibiting in Trace is named 'Free/Tree Series', a piece consisting of six found objects, as well as six remade ones created in reverse.

Alec Stevens graduated from a Craft Degree in 3D Material Practice from Brighton in 2011 and has recently moved to Bristol to continue his practice.

For more information about Alec Stevens you can visit his website -

www.alecstevens.co.uk

and 

www.unravelled.org.uk

Pop-up cafe and Craft Market

We're really excited as today we had the go ahead from the owner of the Motorcade/FlashParade and BV Studios building for a pop-up cafe and craft market during the Trace exhibition.

These are part of the added activities we're planning during Trace to provide a really exciting, inviting, and relaxing environment during the exhibition. The two activities are promoting concepts within the exhibition to aid engagement and enjoyment whilst visiting.

It's great news to be working with Bristol Magpies Market to run a craft market during Saturday the 28th July with stalls selling unique and beautiful crafts from local makers.

Our pop-up cafe is being run by a Somerset based artist and caterer creating amazingly yummy cakes and nibbles. The cafe will be open during Saturday the 28th and Sunday 29th.

Fingers crossed the weather is going to be good as we're hoping to have tables and stalls outside on Phillip Street.

Trace Artists and Makers confirmed

It's just over two weeks since the deadline for applicants to our open call of submissions to exhibit in Trace, of which we were completely overwhelmed as we received 108 applications all of a really high standard. After spending time going through all of them and deliberating the content of the show we're pleased to announce the following people will be exhibiting work in our exhibition 'Trace' at Motorcade/FlashParade in Bristol later in July -

Chris Millward, with a sculpture cast
Alec Stevens, with an installation sculpture
Kevin Walker, with a digital interactive project
Wendy MacMillian, with two installations
Helen Flanagan and Alex Bailey, with a collaborative book
Joanne Barlow, with a ceramic installation
Delmonte, with a series of paintings
Katie Edwards, with an installation
Sarah King, with an installation
Alex Marsh, with photographice paintings
Claire Weetman, with a time based performance
Freya Kruczenyk, with a series of photographs
Laura McGarth, with two sculptures

Over the next few weeks leading up to the exhibition we will of course be sharing more about the individual artists and the pieces that will be on display, and in some cases for sale.

Many thanks to Motorcade/FlashParade for their help in selecting those the exhibit.

Emily
Context Project Manager

Open Call Closes

Our open call for Contemporary Craft Makers and Visual Artists closed on Friday 1st June. Having been kindly shared through national and international craft and art networks we received an overwhelming response of 94 applications.

Thanks to all of those that helped spread the word of our open call, and of course to those that applied. The standard of work submitted is of a really high standard making our job incredibly hard to select those to exhibit.

The work that has been submitted ranges across mediums such as digital, video, sound, painting, text, ceramics, sculpture and photography, amongst others. One thing that many of those that submitted have in common is the blurred boundaries between whether their work is art or craft and have merged the two meanings into one piece. This reflects the intention of bringing the two 'sectors' together under one banner in one exhibition.

Over the next week Emily Bull, Context Project Manager, and Julie McCalden from Motorcade/FlashParade will be short listing and selecting those to exhibit during 'Trace', which is taking place from the 26th until the 29th July 2012 at Motorcade/FlashParade in Bristol.

We'll be sharing news of those selected right here on our blog soon.