Lost but not forgotten

arrested development

mixed media on board

30x40cm

allostatic overload

mixed media on board

30x40cm

figment

mixed media on board

40x50cm

splinter

mixed media on board

40x50cm

The idea for this body of work came from a visit to an antiques and collectibles fair back in 2012. I was browsing the stalls and happened across two broken dolls, laying amongst an array of oddments and curiosities on an old faded tablecloth in the baking sunshine. I was immediately intrigued by them and began taking some reference photos. A few years later, when clearing my phone of images, I came across the photos again and an idea for an artwork began to germinate. I had been toying with the idea of using gelli plate monoprinting as a jumping off point for making some new work. Not wanting to pursue the usual making of decorative and pretty patterns, so frequently favoured with the gelli plate technique, I hatched the ambitious plan to use my broken doll reference photos as the central subject matter. A week or so later, my peice 'Arrested Development' was born! ...closely followed by 'Allostatic Overload'. Both works received mixed reviews on the socials. Some were intrigued, some horrified. Nevertheless, all were engaged in a way that all artist's crave (or at least this one does); the satisfaction of grabbing attention and procuring a suitable emotional response. However, I couldn't find a single buyer for these works and - as always - I needed to make some money as sadly, food, shelter and warmth aren't given freely. So, I shelved them.

Fast forward to 2024, I had moved back to the North West and now living in Chester - post Covid and looking for a new challenge; I came across a post on Facebook for local artists to apply to the AA2A (Artists access to Art Colleges) residency scheme. My application was successful and it was then, I decided to resurrect the idea of the broken dolls.

Scroll down and read on...

PLAYTHINGS

ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

91cm x 121cm

Taking inspiration from the first two peices I had already created, I went onto create 'Figment', 'Splinter' (above) and my first very large scale painting, 'Playthings', (Left) which was longlisted for the Women in Art Prize in 2025.

Each one of these works employs the doll as the common denominator for evoking a sense of nostalgia and perhaps an acknowledgement of our shared histories by the use of fragments of familiar wall paper patterns which appear to be scraped off to reveal layers of designs beneath. This serves as a nod to the plight of the homemaker, who lovingly decorated the surroundings and who also was the giver of the care and attention bestowed on us as children, as well as the giver of the doll itself.

On a less sweet and sentimental note, these works also allude to abandonment and dereliction and speak to feelings of loss but also perhaps feelings of triumph in the face of adversity; a resilience that acknowledges that we remain and we survive, no matter what.

To read all about the work I have created in 2026 during my extended residency at UoC, please click here to read my blog post 'Reborns are among us'.

#figurativeArt #artAboutMemory #nostalgicArt #AA2AResidency #dollArt #outsiderArt #healingThroughArt #UniversityOfChester #socialClassInArt #traumaAndArt #UOC