Polished & Worn Exhibition 2022
‘Polished & Worn’
New Exhibition at Fiddleford Manor from 20 – 29 May 2022
Fiddleford Manor is the setting for a collaboration between Dorset artists Karina Gill & Jamie Hart. They present a beautifully orchestrated blend of new works in sculpture, woodcarving, silverware & jewellery against the backdrop of this stunning Dorset manor house.
Contemporary silverware designer Karina Gill will be exhibiting a selection of jewellery and silverware, created using her distinctive sinuous, folding techniques.
Using locally sourced hard woods Jamie Hart will present crafted figurative and abstract forms that express the human condition & embrace the organic, the visceral.
The Artists
“Inspired by the human form and its many representations, my wood sculptures are created using a subtractive process, which reveals the inherent qualities of the wood, most of which is waste and commercially unworkable. This allows me to embrace the natural imperfections, structural deformities, unusual organic growth which reflect the life of the tree. Growth & movement are organically linked & by sculpting the limbs, trunks & roots, I feel that I give the tree new life and form.”
Jamie Hart, graduate of Bath Academy, sculptor and maker in wood produces hand crafted pieces at his Dorset studio. Within the constraints of a difficult, organic, natural medium his dramatic sculptures aim to capture the human condition often based on real or imaginary people. His work is led by the natural characteristics of the wood, gathered locally from roots and other waste pieces. Each unique piece emerges from the wood in simple forms and bold silhouettes, incorporating all the idiosyncrasies and flaws of the natural wood. Hart uses traditional wood crafts to exploit form, materiality, and limitation.
“Twenty years ago, I unearthed a deceptively simple and unique idea, which had the potential to develop an infinite number of variations on a single-minded theme. The idea drew influence from nature’s patterns and organic repetition – the endlessly uniform variety inspired by seed pods, fossils, and ferns. It also drew on the principals of print-making and textiles, creating an outcome that is delicate yet solid, natural yet structural, simple yet confoundingly complex.”
Karina Gill, award winning silversmith & graduate from Surrey Institute of Art and Design, has built up her business from her workshop in Dorset, designing and making her unique etched metal bowls, jewellery, spoons, and sculptural pieces. Gill also maintains a busy schedule of exhibitions across the UK and Europe. Her work captures the transformation of hard metal into brilliant organic forms that mirror the geometry of nature. She has established a unique voice through the crafting of exquisite contemporary pieces that demonstrate her characteristic experimental approach. In 2021 she achieved a Gold Award in the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council competition.
The Venue
In the care of English Heritage, Fiddleford Manor is a 14th Century medieval stone manor house, beautifully situated on the idyllic banks of the River Stour near Sturminster Newton, Dorset. Completed circa 1370, this ancient house is steeped in history. Over its lifetime the manor has endured many changes, but the timber roofs over the great hall are still miraculously intact and thought to be the best in Dorset. Surrounded by scenic walks, there is plenty to do and see if you choose to spend the day here.
The exhibition is part of Dorset Art Weeks and is open to the public every day from Friday 20th May until Sunday 29th May, 10am – 6pm. There is ample parking at the manor and free admission.
Fiddleford Manor, Fiddleford, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 2BX
Directions
1 mile east of Sturminster Newton off A357.
No toilet facilities.
Accessibility
It is a short distance from the car park via a grassed pathway. Wheelchair accessible.
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