The impact on me as an artist was huge as I had lost my medium and had to start again from scratch. The layer of aluminium had been the important element of the roofing felt so I began hunting for any form of aluminium in large flexible rolls and eventually discovered my new medium, aluminium mesh.
My favourite piece of sculpture ‘Sentinel’ was made in roofing felt and was the first piece where I formed a complicated surface using the embroidery technique of "reversed smocking" achieving an interesting reptilian effect. One day I’d like to have this cast in bronze as it’s like a familiar and precious old friend. I intend to experiment with this smocking technique on my aluminium work in the near future.
I was awarded a solo exhibition at The Royal Engineers Museum in Kent in my roofing felt days and I erected two tall abstract pieces on the forecourt which was next to the road.
When I went back to collect the sculpture the curator just happened to say that the road had been a stream of heavy traffic for the duration of my show as the public had been returning and driving slowly past to get a good look at the strange sculpture! It’s always great to make an impact….
Once at a show I had a group of pieces arranged on a roundabout and unbeknown to me three of them were stolen to the consternation of the organisers. A series of pleas to the thieves were broadcast on local radio asking for their return and to the organisers relief two days later they reappeared undamaged. All part of the learning curve….
Meeting and talking with other sculptors (such as at the Surrey Sculpture Society)is always pleasant and rewarding. Sometimes just a bit of a chat with another artist can have unexpected results.
I was once talking to a sculptor about some work I’d made but didn’t know how to finish and he suggested casting it. I knew nothing about casting so took it to a number of casting studios who all took one look and said it was impossible.
Bronze Sentinel by Carole Andrews
Float by Carole Andrews
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