Sarah Misselbrook, paphos
Member Since August 2007
Artist Statement Sarah Misselbrook, born 1977 in Southampton, England. Misselbrook studied at Nottingham Trent University and received a first class honours degree in Fine Art. At Portsmouth School of Art, Misselbrook’s foundation year saw the beginning of her multi media practice surrounding such issues as the body, the artist and consumption.
After graduating in 2000, Sarah Misselbrook returned to Southampton to continue extensive historical and contemporary research as well as producing regular art works for exhibitions and commissions. Sarah has provided workshops and drawing classes and has completed sculptural commissions for local schools and colleges.
Having registered on Southampton City Art Gallery’s list of practicing artists, Sarah has enjoyed various workshop placements and commissions within schools and other establishments. She has had the opportunity to work within the Art dept. at St. Anne’s School, providing life drawing classes, conceptual self-portrait workshops and slide lectures. A commission at Oaklands School was documented in the Echo Weekend magazine showing pupils casting each other’s faces and that of their headmaster! This relief artwork is displayed within the school reception.
Sarah has not only established interest in gallery based artwork but more importantly in the practice of art making, audience participation and theoretical debate within the local community. Her placement at the Hexagon centre, working with clients who had a physical disability or had specific learning requirements, highlighted the response to her skills, energy and enthusiasm for drawing, painting and sculptural processes. ‘Creation in itself is a positive process and I feel it remains underestimated within establishments such as these.’ (SM) ‘The passion and enthusiasm I have for my subject evokes creativity, imagination and motivation from others.’ (SM)
Sarah Misselbrook’s solo exhibition at the Beatrice Royal Gallery in Eastleigh, Southampton May 2003, embodied work spanning 3 years since graduation and included new works created within the previous year with financial support from the Arts Council, England. Sarah's work received an overwhelming response from local businesses with sponsorship from Southampton Saab and she was invited as 'special guest' for the leepeckgreenfield corporate event held at the Beatrice Royal Gallery. Sarah’s solo show moved to the Michael Naimski gallery in London in October 2003 and generated interest from national and international press, collectors and other galleries.
Sarah Misselbrook’s art practice has strongly developed over the last 3 years with solo and group shows both locally and nationally. Sarah has been given many exhibition opportunities for new art work to be viewed in both the gallery environment and the inspirational backdrop of the Artvaults show in 2004. With financial support from Arts Council England, a new body of work entitled ‘Absolution’ was on show throughout the summer of 2004 in Quilter’s Vault, one of the underground medieval vaults within the historic walls of Southampton, and saw over 15,000 visitors.
With further funding from Arts Council England, Misselbrook produced a site specific body of work for a solo show at the bargate monument gallery, Southampton, UK. Entitled 'Affirmation', the work saw over 5,000 visitors open to the public in May 2006.
Misselbrook’s work has featured on national television and in national and local press, which has further heightened the anticipation for new works and forthcoming shows.
Misselbrook’s practice involves digital photography, sculpture, casting, and drawing. Her 3D works are a play on traditional sculptural concerns, the process of adding or taking away. However, this is not achieved using stone or wood but chocolate or soap, degradable or even edible materials which underline the transient state of the body. The final works show the seductive yet repellent nature of human anatomy.
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