If more information is required please fill in the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Artist Statement & CV
Michele’s
work; described as “shadowy and sometimes macabre images that linger in the
mind”1 has its
roots
in the wellspring of mythology and superstition, “I’m fascinated by the act of
make believe
and the emotional
investment required for superstitions
to survive. An object can only be
believed
possess magical powers if emotional
commitment is invested in that belief.” The
work combines these
elements
with themes of the human condition.
“Fundamentally I’m interested in parts of ourselves that
we can’t escape –
hope, despair, wishing, sacrifice, bliss.” She expresses these experiences
using
symbolic objects and creatures. “I become obsessed with
symbols such as wishbones or moths and
study them for years,
then when a narrative has formed through preparatory prints, drawings and
research I Infuse and
twist the story with contemporary concerns.”
A key theme running
through most of Michele’s projects is journey and change “Myths often involve a
heroic journey; the
symbols in my work experience their own journey from lifeto death, hope to despair and incarceration to freedom but above
all there is always a sense of hope.”
Harris’ techniques
weave into and inform each other and are often a combination of contemporary and
traditional processes, charcoal drawings are made from a print, drawings are used as
backdrops for photographs or monotypes are blended with digital prints.
1, David Baldwin, Sacrifices & Wishes, Metro,3/11/2006
Biography
Born West Midlands 1971
Solo Exhibitions * Forthcoming or current
*2010 TBC, Birmingham, Procession
2008 Chameleon Gallery, Walsall, Stages
2006/07 MAC, Birmingham, Sacrifices & Wishes
2006 The Works Gallery, Birmingham, In Between (with Alex Everitt)
2006 Bilston Gallery, Wolverhampton, Beyond the Reaches
Selected Group Exhibitions * Forthcoming or current
*2009 The Works Gallery,
Birmingham, Winter
Salon*
2008 The Works Gallery,
Birmingham, Winter
Salon
2008 Pavillions Shopping Centre, Birmingham, Positively Red, World Aids Day Exhibition
2008 RBSA, Birmingham, Print Prize Exhibition
2006 Will’s Art
Warehouse, London, Bliss
2006 Surface Gallery, Nottingham, Beneath
2006 Battersea Park,
London, AAF
2005 Nov-Dec, Colony
Gallery, Birmingham, All
at once, together, at the same time
2005 Surface Gallery
Nottingham, Print
exhibition (Juried show)
2004/05 The New Art Gallery Walsall, 55
2001 The Royal Pump Rooms Leamington Spa,
Resonance; Juried exhibition (judges included Terry Frost & Nigel Prince)
2001 The New Art Gallery Walsall, Walsall Open; Juried exhibition
(judges included Deborah Robinson)
Bibliography
“Workshops
& Wishbones”, Journal, Sept 2008
Dave Freak,
“Stages”, What’s On, 3/8/2008
David
Baldwin, “Sacrifices & Wishes”, Metro,3/11/2006
Rachel
Armstrong, “Michele Harris In Between the Realms of Myth & Reality”, Scan, Oct 2006
Michele
Harris, “Beyond the Reaches...Michele Harris”, Art of England, Jan/Feb 2006
Artist’s
magazine, The Gallery Enquirer (exhibited
and distributed in Galleries), 2005
Awards
Birmingham
Institute of Art and Design: Michelle Knight Scholarship
Education and professional Development
Flying Start,
Arts Facilitator training course, Birmingham City Council.
A Birmingham
City Council run accredited course for artists who want to develop workshops
& project planning and delivery skills:
Course covered Planning and preparing
arts based learning programmes, delivering arts based learning programmes,
developing professional practice in the arts and cultural industries. The course also included a workshop delivery
placement and training with Walsall Creative Development Team.
Exploring the
Youth Justice System: an introduction for Arts Practitioners. Arts Council
& Open University
B.A. (hons)
Visual Communication (illustration), BIAD, University of Central England
B Tec Foundation in Art & Design. BIAD, University of Central England
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, placement in print and drawings dept.
assisting Reyahn King; prints and drawings curator.
Public access
lottery funded project at Birmingham
Museum &Art Gallery Print Room, delivering introductory sessions and facilitating
public viewings of rarely seen artworks.
Workshop Devising & Leading
Holds a current CRB check & 5
million pound public liability insurance
Workshop
devising and leading for The New Art Gallery Walsall
- Regular print and sculpture workshops based around
the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Using Drypoint etching
and various relief printing techniques, Modrock modelling, felt and
drawing materials
- School workshops for all ages
- Special needs workshops
- Professional
development sessions for teachers wanting to introduce print techniques
into the classroom.
- Adult printmaking workshops
- Family drop in sessions
Workshop devising and
leading for Birmingham City Council
- Ongoing Art on the Move drop in sessions in the BCC Mobile Art Unit
- UFA family
drop- in session in the BCC Mobile Art Unit
- Birmingham School project for nursery and reception
pupils using block printing and collage on the theme of growing. Pupils explored individual and
collaborative work. key stage 1
- Artsfest 2008 family drop in session block
printmaking workshop with Allsorts Collective
Workshop devising and
leading for other projects
- The Herbert Museum & Art Gallery, Coventry: Adult
workshop-drypoint etching for the "Through others Eyes" exhibition
- Walsall Youth Arts:Face Facts NHS anti smoking schools
project.
- Walsall Black Sisters Collective:Empowerment and
identity project with mental health group
- Forthcoming workshop Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford Adult print workshop for the "Images 33" exhibition
***********************
If you wish to contact Michele please complete the form below.Thank you for your time.
Thank you! Your information has been submitted successfully.
There was an error submitting the form.
