UNHIDDEN GEMS

an exhibition

celebrating 'street jewellery' and
other overlooked treasure

During July 2024 my exhibition Unhidden Gems was on show at the Dog & Bone Gallery in Brighton.

This exhibition celebrated manhole covers (drain covers, etc.) - known by enthusiasts as ‘street jewellery’ - and many of the other interesting features of our everyday world that go unnoticed as we live our busy lives. The exhibition was made up of a series of mixed media collages featuring images of what catches my eye as I walk around my local area of Bristol. You can see images and videos of the exhibition on Instagram by clicking here.

The exhibition was made up of a series of mixed media collages.

In order to work with the unique features of the phone box gallery setting, I created a set of translucent collages. These were made by combining layers of printed tissue paper. These collages were attached to the windows of the phone boxes to allow light to pass through.

The other pieces on show were 'hybrid collages' (see below for examples). These were made by combining traditional paper collage and computer-based digital collage to create a fusion of shapes, colours and photographic images. The images are taken from photographs that I take in and around my home.

Can you see what I found? (scroll down to find out)

my inspiration

I love finding inspiration in the most mundane of places. When I walk around my home city of Bristol, I notice lots of little details around me and I take photos of these details. I see lines, shapes, patterns, colours and textures. You can see some of these details in the images below. The mixed media collages in the exhibition include details from my photographs - can you spot any of these?

Household Objects

a fruit net

a comb

a whisk

a slotted spoon

a skimmer ladle

a cushion

a lamp

a wicker chair

Plants

ivy stems

buds