I have four pen and ink drawings, ‘Female Deities’, in  All About Drawing “the sensational new exhibition that positions drawing at its focus.”  This visually exciting show presents the work of 17 artists, based at Cross Street Arts, Wigan, who employ drawing within their practice.

These Female Deity drawings are inspired by the work of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas and her book ‘The Language of the Goddess’ in which she establishes the existence of Goddess worshiping, earth-centred, egalitarian and non violent cultures in the European archaic era.

‘Shrine’, mixed media, from my collection of Female Deities, includes  Icon, Madonna and Child with two angels, Head of African female (vase), Venus of Catal Huyuk, relaxed candle, Artemis, ‘Mona Lisa’ of Dolne Vestonice, incense and holder, my Mother’s embroidered tray cloth.

Shrine 2, knitted female deities, work in progress.

I’ve been busy during April working on my piece for ‘Testing Space’ exhibition.

Talisman

The work I have created for Testing Space exhibition is a powerful and protective talisman for the Cultural Quarter, the Arts and the artistic community in Warrington from the current economic threat to the cultural industries.

This mixed media work continues an idea I began researching in 2011 in which I am objectively examining ancient belief systems that persist into the 21^st century.

For this exhibition, I am bringing together three ancient objects of power, still used in many parts of the world for their purportedly strong protective qualities.

Incorporating the pyramid, the inverted tree and a collection of amulets in the form of nazars (evil eye beads) and other small objects I have created a talisman to protect both the Pyramid building and the activities that take place there.

Talisman –an object that is charged with magical powers by its creator.

Pyramid – from the Greek pyramis. Pyra meaning ‘fire in darkness’ and a-mid in the middle of.

Inverted tree, the tree of life, symbolic of protection, wisdom, strength, bounty, beauty.

Amulet – an object with natural magical properties.

Big thanks to Rob Baker for building the externals for me.

Continuing my interest in the female form as seen in Paleolithic and Neolithic sculptures from Northern and Eastern Europe I’ve started a series of knitted fertility deities. Following the pattern of the ancient sculptures these small works concentrate on the shape of the hips and the pudenda, they lack feet and I have given each one a safety pin for a mouth.  The safety pin mouth brings these ancient forms into the contemporary world where women have yet to achieve an equal voice in society. They also reference the unknown nature of the paleolithic female forms coming as they do from the Archaic Era before the written word, they cannot speak. These ancient sculptures, found in great numbers, suggest the importance of the female in Paleolithic and Neolithic society.