After much planning, emails and butterfly folding I arrived at the Walker Art Gallery to give my artist talk and deliver the workshop. I was welcomed into the bowels of the Gallery and delivered to the resource area by means of the biggest lift I have ever seen. Angelica was on hand to setup the workshop area, and we began to pin the butterflies in preparation for the workshop. The artist talk took place in the main gallery in front of my painting. If you want to find out more about that some of the main topics that I covered are in this interview by Stephen Martin click here
The initial aim of the workshop was to deliver a collaborative installation piece that could be contributed to over the day by members of the general public; it had to have a painted element and reference my entry for the John Moores painting prize. I knew straight away what I wanted to do, and it was a piece that was on my mind for some time.
437 butterflies were folded and painted each one represented a British serviceman or woman who had lost their life in the current afghan conflict. One member of the public said “Its quite sad really when you see how many people have died, the families that have been effected, loved ones lost”.
The final piece is on Display at the Walker art Gallery until the end of the John Moores Painting Prize 5th January 2013.
