In the studio
I work in my studio in North Cornwall with a very busy desk. When I'm working on a build or a large project it can get very chaotic, in a creative way!
I'm really interested in other practitioners' workspaces and creative processes, so I thought I'd share a bit about my own in case you're interested too. Here I'm sharing current ideas, plans, insights, work in progress, or things that may have just happened...
What's going on?
Beast Fest at Bodmin Jail Museum
Recent and current commissions for Beastly goings-on at Bodmin Jail over the summer! Here's a 'heads-up' about a set of makes dubbed the DeadHeads - created in conjunction with another local willow artist, Jasmine Fassenfelt - which can now be enjoyed after installation throughout the Naval Wing and other areas of the Jail Museum, before appearing at a special Beast Festival on August 26th with a surprise friend....! More details here
A Child's Eye View at Wadebridge Museum
Working closely with the Wadebridge Museum team and Year 5 pupils from St Breock Primary School, I've been helping conceive and develop ideas towards a more child-friendly Museum through the Child's Eye View project. The idea is simple: ask children what they find most interesting in their museum, their history and heritage, and then make it more accessible and inviting to them! With the children, we've been planning and designing a new Child's Eye View Treasure Trail in the Museum, and have also been busy developing a set of child-friendly hands-on exhibits and four new murals, which will be installed at child's-eye-height, depicting aspects of local life and history.There'll be a special Trail / project launch in the summer term; big thanks to the St Breock Community Fund and Wadebridge Rotary for their support.
3D at Architectural Association School of Architecture
I was approached to lead the first 3D module in light and scale construction techniques with the international Foundation student cohort, at the prestigious Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, and at their Hooke Park base in Dorset, in autumn 2022.
We created small-scale maquettes, tested new materials, and used 3D construction techniques to interpret the students' drawings of fragments of the built environment in Prato, Italy. This culminated in a 1:1 scale paper light pavilion we jointly constructed at Hooke Park, in celebration of the life of young Foundation team member & ex-AA student, Chiyan Ho, with a ceremonial burning there to close the project.
I'm in discussions with the team about how we build on this for 2023 and are looking at also planting a bamboo grove at Hooke Park to enable such sustainable projects in the future.
Time & Tide (in development)
An ambitious concept in planning, born of my Random Act of Art for Kneehigh in 2021, and highlighting rising tidal ranges and vulnerable settlements due to climate change.
Part build, part performative touring work, part almanac & published work, this piece explores our age-old yet ever-changing relationship with the sea and the tides; it articulates women's voices; and it will appear on the highest tides each month around the full moon, in a different village, town or city connected to the sea.
A pilot planned for Cornwall will precede a wider tour in 2024, from Cornwall, Devon & North Somerset up to Avon, London and beyond. I'm currently seeking funding and establishing partnerships, and have agreed appearances in principle at a range of host sites. If you would like further information or would like to support or book this project, please email contact@laurafrancesmartin.com
Her Hours (in development)
Narrative poetry, stitching and prose fuse with a focus on women’s time: its use, and its loss, through the ages. Women’s work-wear items - aprons, overalls, pockets & pinnies, from a battery of caring and domestic roles - come alive with poetry and word: embroidered, printed, spoken; articulating the countless hours that women, over time immemorial, have spent in childcare or in bearing the unseen domestic workload, their words and their worth often muted, lost and forgotten as a result. Ultimately this will be a touring exhibition of women’s writing, artifacts, heritage items & more that makes visible what has been lost or unregarded for centuries.
Thank you to Arts Council England
for their valued support
