Event Info
A Continuance of Circus Macabre: Rick Lawlor
Rick holds a UK Higher Diploma in 3D Ceramic Design, a Diploma in Furniture Desi...
Sat. August 22nd 2015 - Sat. August 29th 2015 + Add to Calendar
Generator Artist Studios (All Ages)
Noon to 5pm
Free
Opening: Saturday 22nd August 2015
Event Description
Rick holds a UK Higher Diploma in 3D Ceramic Design, a Diploma in Furniture Design, a B.A. (Honours) Degree in Fine Art Ceramics, and an M.A. in Art & Design, specializing in the field of Outsider Art. Rick works by merging incongruous techniques and materials to work together in subtle, inventive and diverse ways, to bring into reality unconventional art, ideas or designs. Rick creates work with four different identities: Ceramics, Boxed Art, Furniture, and Illustration.
CERAMICS
Rick’s ceramic pieces often work in series, and derive their inspiration from a metamorphosis of art deco furniture, early electrical appliances, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, and the industrial age of steam, all blended with an added suggestion of animation. His work is derived from Stoneware and fired just once, using a raw glazing technique developed over many years.
BOXED ART
Rick creates dark, hidden humoured, macabre or ‘play on words’ boxed based art pieces, which pick up on such themes as Outsiderism, fetishism, 19th century side show carnivals and freak shows, combined with the darker side of human nature; the assemblages are usually confined behind glass or restrained within barred enclosures. These boxes often contain visual humour and are not always as obvious as they may first appear. As an aside, yet related to his boxed art, Rick occasionally invents unique, one-off, hand made board games.
FURNITURE
The furniture pieces evolve from a reusing of salvaged, discarded, and found objects and materials. Rick combines an assemblage process of the pieces with bright coloured finishes, naturally worn surfaces, and a sense of fun. Such ideas are often inspired by elements from Outsider Art, ‘Alice in Wonderland’, early 20th Century fun fairs, and a little touch of, ‘The Crooked House’. Occasionally the pieces have speakers hiding within, as well as lighting to give them an added element of life; some even have concealed compartments in which veiled objects may reside.
Rick enjoys creating pen and ink drawings of predominantly eccentrically created characters, inspired by the writings and drawings of Mervyn Peake, among others.
Rick hails from Portchester, on Hampshire’s south coast (in the UK); he has worked and exhibited for much of his life, balanced against other careers to support his family. He has always continued to practice his art whenever it’s been possible to do so. Rick moved from the UK to Sooke in August 2014 to seek new possibilities; he is hoping to build a new studio in 2015/16, or as soon as funds allow.
Rick has been a practicing artist, designer and maker since 1990, during which time he has been involved in over 80 exhibitions, with 26 solo shows; these have been primarily in the UK, but also have included shows in Belgium, Italy and Canada. Rick has also been previously interviewed and profiled on UK televisions’ ITV1, "The Pier" arts programme, and on UK cable network television, he has been interviewed for BBC Radio, and has been previously featured in Crafts magazine, The Times, and in various newspapers on many occasions (in the UK). Previous commissions and customers include: an award-winning British poet, a fabric designer from Paris, various universities, Arts and Sculpture Trusts, Galleries, Museums, several Arts Centres, and Arts Societies (in the UK and Canada), Local Authorities, theatres, banks, national UK companies and manufacturers, as well as numerous individuals and private collectors.
Venue
Generator Artist Studios
8 Artist Studios rented varying in size
2716 Rock Bay Ave Victoria BC
Open / Operational
In-Person Event
