13 Mile Studio
Counterpoint: The texture resulting from the combining of individual melodic lines.
Wednesday 20 June – Saturday 30 June 2018
13 Mile Studio is a collective of four highly regarded contemporary artists, living and working within 13 miles of each other in South West London- Monette Larsen, Tracy Nicholls, Ros Perton and Megan Rowden.
Through this exhibition Counterpoint they aim to highlight the context and impact of materials in contemporary three-dimensional art.
As individual artists they are pursuing distinct pathways in which they are pushing materials and the traditional boundaries associated with them. Although meaning and context driven, 13 Mile Studio are also material-led artists, where skill and process is an important part of their work. Whilst their pathways and concerns are personal, the four artists share the aim to engage with a wider audience. 13 Mile Studio are seeking to create a dialogue with new viewers, promoting and educating, advancing the discourse surrounding the traditions of art and materials.
Monette Larsen – MA, Royal College of Art
“I have always been fascinated by the concept of beauty within nature; what makes something beautiful, what are the characteristics which define it as such. In my work I examine the idea that what we perceive as beautiful in nature is linked to our conscious or unconscious recognition of underlying patterns and structures. Drawing on the imagery and wonders in the living world around us, I look at the molecular structure, nanoscale and mathematics in nature as the foundation for my work. Each piece is a reflection of the living world and my aim is to share a reminder of the splendour and beauty of the world around us, and let the viewer form links to their own experiences.”
Achievements: 2017 – London Glassblowing Emerging Talent Award, British Glass Biennale. 2017 – National Glass Centre Residency Award. 2015 – Artist in Residence, UCA Farnham.
Selected Exhibitions: 2018 – Collect 18, The Saatchi Gallery, London. 2017 – British Glass Biennale, Stourbridge, UK. 2016 – Emerge Bullseye Projects, Portland, USA.
Tracy Nicholls – MA, University for the Creative Arts
“Intrigued by structures that while appearing fragile, belie the strength they possess, I use kiln formed glass, with its inherent and seductive beauty, to create work inspired by this aesthetic. Gravitating towards a simple palette of opaque whites, greys and blacks, with the occasional splash of colour, I use thin strips of glass to weave diaphanous sculptural forms. By combining multiple layers, a greater sense of depth and fragility is achieved, creating movement within the pieces and inviting an interplay with light; casting shadows onto surrounding surfaces while distorting and manipulating the view beyond.”
Achievements: 2015 – Dan Klein Collection at the National Museum of Scotland. 2014 – Finalist, Coburg Glaspreis, Germany. 2008 – Best in Show, British Glass Biennale.
Selected Exhibitions: 2017 – Collect 17, The Saatchi Gallery, London. 2014 Coburg Glaspreis, Germany. 2008 – British Glass Biennale, Stourbridge, UK.
Ros Perton – MA, University for the Creative Arts
“My work seeks to explore and to question the traditional use of materials and the accepted associations of beauty, usefulness and value in ceramic forms. Whilst I use a traditional potters wheel, the forms are often distended, altered, torn or added to when the clay is still plastic. The forms are interrelated. One piece can be made up of several component parts, which can be assembled or arranged in various ways. Engagement with the viewer/owner/user at this physical tactile level is of fundamental importance. I am interested in the hierarchy of materials and what makes things precious to people. I use various clays for their individual evocative qualities.”
Achievements: 2013 – Shortlisted for ‘Emerging Maker’ at Aberystwyth International Ceramics Festival. 2009 – Selected for FRESH, graduate show at British Ceramics Biennial. 2008 – Selected for MA Stars, AXIS Artists Website.
Selected Exhibitions: 2014 – Ceramic Art London, Royal College of Art, London. 2013 – The Biscuit Factory Summer Exhibition, Newcastle upon Tyne. 2010 – Emerging Artists Competition/Exhibition, Fuping, China.
Megan Rowden – MA Fine Arts with Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Kingston University
“I am interested in relationships, how you can affect one element by introducing another, from the arrangement of forms, chemical combustions to human interaction. I am also fascinated by the technical side of creating. I like to have an understanding of how things work and how they are made, which I believe gives me greater influence when playing with the elements involved, to skew results into more complex aesthetic curiosity and beauty.”
Achievements: 2017 – London Creative Network Programme, 2016 – Six of the best Affordable Artists, House to Home.co.uk. 2013 – Higher Education Academy Fellow.
Selected Exhibitions: 2017 – Ceramic Art London, St Martins College, London. 2017 – Barbican Library. 2016 – Innovations in Ceramic Art.