Why ‘The Acid Test’

I’ve decide to remame this blog…..’The Acid Test’, as I would like to write about more than just Wapentac. I want to recall what came before Wapentac and what happens alongside it. Talk a bit about the people behind Wapentac.

Several years ago I produced a new body of work I called ‘The Acid Test’. It was  a solo show of new experimental artwork, at The Design Centre, Barnsley. All the work arose from research I did into the integration of hand and digital drawing with industrial processes. This work was acid etched, mainly in stainless steel. All the work I have designed and developed since has come from this, and I am keen to keep experimenting and testing ideas. I need to keep questioning ‘does it pass the acid test?’

Running & Writing

About a year ago I read ‘What I talk about when I talk about running’ by Haruki Murakami.  I was doing a lot of running at that time, and naturally felt inspired by his talk about running. We were in it together. I knew exactly what he was talking about. What surprised me even more, was how fascinated I was with his talk about writing. The words just seemed to tumble off his tongue with such ease. I felt so inspired I should be able to do the same! Sadly this is not the case! So I will stick to running and reading………..and occasional blogging.

My Metal World

I have a re-occurring question in nearly all my design projects. What can you create with a flat sheet of metal, using only selected cutting to influence the folding and forming? I haven’t tired of this question, although I may concentrate on some of the themes and developed series, as has happened with the Wapentac Wapenmap range. This has concentrated and brought together all my loves – walking in the countryside (I’m very lucky to be living on the edge of the Peak District), maps, mapping, design and metalwork. This is one of the first maps I made – my metal world – Damflask is a very local reservoir and we often run or walk around it. In fact we explore the whole area. I am somewhere on that map most days – around Ughill or Agden.

Whole New World

I will admit blogging is very new to me. I am a visual person, I like to create physical, visual things. I love reading other peoples words…..but writing is a whole new ball game….or  a better phrase would be a ‘whole new world!’ Isn’t the world a fabulous place? I live on the edge of the Peak District, and I try to step into it at least once a day. If you have the right clothes it doesn’t matter what the weather is like. In fact if it’s a bit wet you get more of the place to yourself. The NE of the Peak District is quite quiet as far as visitors go. I am constantly pouring the map searching out new paths, new worlds I haven’t visited before.

Tilly

We climbed Maol Chean-dearg our first Munro in August this year. It was a relatively easy climb to about 500 meters, then became a rock climbing exercise.

Tilly on Maol Chean-dearg

In the beginning!

I love maps, I love being out in the countryside with my dog Tilly, and I’m a metalsmith……..so the Wapenmap happened quite naturally.