Plant Ash Overview

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Over the past 5 years I have been exploring plant ash from farm fires as a material in my artwork.  Pieces from this series have been exhibited in both UK and USA.

In this work I explored:

  • historical use of plant ash as a soil re-balancing fertiliser for growing certain crops.
  • Linking in to the physicality of surroundings and the interaction of living organisms
  • Ash as a residual of forest fires that are effecting different parts of our planet.  Both positive land clearing methods and wild fires.
  • and, how ash is / has been used in cleaning.

I’ve used different surfaces, including canvas, paper, and explored the physicality of making through performance.  By leaving works buried in ash I explored  natural environmental mark making / bio-degrade marking.

Exhibitions: 

USA  –  06 April 2018
Earth Action Initiative Climate Art Show,
UC Berkeley, 2475 Bancroft Way,
Berkeley, California, CA 94720,
USA.
Exhibiting the collaborative work  titled ‘Footprints’ with American artist
Arminee Chahbazian.

UK  –  12 Sept. – 10 Oct 2018
‘Ash’
The Engine Room
Poundbury Gardens, Peverell Ave.
Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3RT, UK.

UK  –  June 2016 – June 2017
’75 Ash imprints’
‘Hix’ Academy Restaurant
Weymouth
Dorset, UK.

11 Oct 2018 – till further notice
Selected works from the ‘Ash’ collection is currently exhibited at ‘Living with Art’ exhibition: Orchard View and Hazel Copse Cottages. Book to stay through: For Hazel Copse Cottage click on this link:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6125848?
and Orchard View Cottage click on this link:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/13545647

Ash works

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Some other works in the ‘Ash’ collection:
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Circle of ash on canvas in apple tree

Farm wood and fire ash

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Bookmarks from buried ash panel were distributed to some galleries including Hauser and Wirth.

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Ash 1 (before the canvas was fractured and disseminated)
Ash 3

Exhibited Ash Canvas Panels

Footprint: exhibited at Earth Action Climate Art Show in California alongside my Arts Territory Exchange Partner’s California forest fire footprint

Tiny canvas fire imprints that made up the three large panels below:

75 tiny fire ash canvases on three 1m x1m canvas covered boards was Exhibited for a year at ‘Hix’ restaurant academy in Dorset, UK.

Experiments with plant ash on paper:  The paper (below left) was placed over ash and covered for several weeks/months.  When uncovered some of the panels had disintegrated and held the natural microbiome markings from the earth.  And (left) some of the paper panels drying.