Justine Cook

Letting The Light In

2012-01-29T19:32:00.000Z

Take a look at my new book that gives you an insight into my time as artist in residence at the quarry.

Letting The Light In by Justine Cook | Make Your Own Book

CUBEOpen 2011

2012-01-29T19:23:00.002Z

The CUBEOpen has been extended until 18th February 2012! Hurrah!....

'That Roads May Rise' at CUBEOpen 2011

2011-12-16T17:28:00.004Z

The Private View last night. A busy lovely time in a rainy Manchester! After a few technical hitches the film is now being seen in all it's full audio glory!

Thank you to all at CUBE especially Kim and Kate!

A must go and see...

CUBEOpen 2011

2011-12-07T13:57:00.002Z

My film 'That Roads May Rise' has it's first showing as part of the CUBEOpen 2011 in Manchester.

The film documents a 3.7 second shot blasting at an aggregate quarry. The stone is Pre-Cambrian, 1,000 million years old, too old for fossils. The stone will be crushed into 10mm scalpings to make roads and runways. The stone is valued for it's lack of shine and it's non-skid properties.

The film was made whilst artist in residence at a working aggregate quarry and was generously supported by ACW, Elbowroom and Tarmac.

Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star

2011-12-07T13:47:00.000Z

A two day installation at Clitheroe's Platform Gallery 10-11th December 2011.

De-fence

2011-07-06T22:10:00.002+01:00

This is an installation created as part of a sculpture walk for Powys Arts Month's 'Made in Knucklas' event at Knucklas Castle near Knighton. It is a small circle or stockade of white chestnut palings, which I have recycled from my 2008 installation 'Fence' . The structure alludes to the lost military architecture of Knucklas Castle but is deliberately small and vulnerable, suggesting 'defensiveness' as well as 'defence'.

Flights of Fancy

2011-03-16T10:22:00.000Z

Clitheroe Library and Ribble Valley Borough Council commissed me to create an art work for Clitheroe Library. The brief was to use the books taken out of circulation that were due to be pulped.

I created a flock of origami birds from the pages of the books. The idea was the journey a book takes you on, the flight of fantasy when you enter another world.

The commission was great fun and I'd like to say a big thank you to Katherine Rodgers at the Platform Gallery and to Sandra Ellison at Clitheroe Library for all their help and support.

arts-engine LIVE exhibition

2010-09-04T19:54:00.005+01:00

A mixed show of contemporary art work from 20 Powys artist.

The Andrew Lamont Gallery

Theatr Brycheiniog

Canol Wharf

Brecon LD3 7DS

10th September - 3rd October 2010

I will be showing three of my residue works.

a-n

2010-07-07T16:56:00.003+01:00

As well as http://viewfromawelshhill.blogspot.com, I have started a blog on www.a-n.co.uk website about the quarry residency. Titled 'Quarry' in the Artists talking section. I hope it will start a discussion about artists working in heavy industry.

Quarry Residency

2010-05-12T14:08:00.001+01:00

I am delighted to let you know that I have secured funding from SAFLE for a residency in a quarry!

The residency will start at the beginning of July.

10 Artists for Christmas

2009-12-07T13:57:00.003Z

Please come and see Jo King's beautifully curated show '10 Artists for Christmas'.

The Old School

Stanton Lacy

Ludlow

SY8 2AE

Open Saturday 5th- Tuesday 8th December 2009 12-7.30pm

Gentle reminder

2009-09-13T17:01:00.002+01:00

Just to remind everyone about my Open Day to celebrate my 'View from a Welsh Hill' project.

Riverline

2009-09-13T16:49:00.001+01:00

Where the river Arrow used to flow

Riversdale Gardens

September 2009

Riversdale

2009-08-17T14:06:00.002+01:00

I am creating a new work for Riversdale Garden for H-art 12th-20th September 2009. Thank you to James, Mark and Chris for giving me the opportunity! Details can be found at www.riversdalegardens.co.uk

Ludlow Summer Exhibition

2009-06-26T11:51:00.002+01:00

I have just had the Tudor Roof Tiles series accepted into the Ludlow Summer Exhibition! The show is on for the month of August.

RBS talk

2009-05-08T18:53:00.002+01:00

A quick thank you to all who attended my talk at the RBS on Wednesday evening. The talk was part of the 18@108 - Stone exhibition.

Arts Council Wales Grant

2009-02-23T11:41:00.002Z

I am delighted to announce that I have been awarded a research and development grant by Arts Council Wales. The project will start on May 1st and will be recorded in my blog "View from a Welsh Hill'.

Clitheroe Well Commission

2009-02-23T11:37:00.003Z

'Dark I am...' is a riddle created by David Lewis that spirals around to mark where the original well stood in Clitheroe Castle. The well head has been made using Marmoleum and can be found in the museums cafe when the Castle and Museum reopen in May.

Sheep Line Grasmere

2009-02-23T11:20:00.006Z

The Wordsworth Trust kindly asked me to install a 'sheep line' after seeing my installation at Kendal last year. As part of the 'Home within a Home' exhibition (on until 14th June 2009) a dry stone wall has been created by Alistair Irving. The wall is a response to Wordworth's poem 'Michael' which addresses youth, age and change. The Trust asked me to create a'sheep line' in the wall. I used two Herdwick fleeces, one a lambs fleece, the other an older sheep fleece. The line starts with the dark red tones of the lamb and traces through the wall maturing into the softer grey of the adult fleece.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2008-12-17T18:52:00.001Z

18@108: Stone

2008-11-23T17:33:00.023Z

The 'Tudor Roof Tiles' have been selected as part of the Royal British Society of Sculptors 18@108 series of talks and displays in 2009. They will be part of the Stone category. The tiles were first shown this year as part of an exhibition called 'Stone Drawings - linear journeys' exploring my responses to a new landscape and my own personal journey during that time.

I will also be giving a talk about the use of stone in my work.

Gothic Tears

2008-11-06T19:35:00.005Z

‘Gothic Tears’ 2003
Small plaster tears were placed amongst salvaged gothic stonework, then left to dissolve or be found.

Sheep Line

2008-10-04T18:26:00.005+01:00

Just returned from the Lake District after installing 'Sheep Line' for the 'Coat is my canvas' commission. The work was to celebrate the textile heritage of Kendal. I wanted to show the relationshp of the fells and the sheep. Using rough fell sheep fleece I created a line of the fleece through a drystone wall, tracing the symbiotic journey of stone and wool.

Stone Drawings - linear journeys

2008-09-13T13:22:00.016+01:00

White Hall exterior with 'Paper line' hanging in the window.

Tudor roof tile.

'Linear map' - a year long journey.

As part of h-art this year I'm exhibiting at White Hall in Hereford. The exhibition charts my exploration of stone and line - the works are my reaction to a new landscape and my journey over the past year.

Clock Watching

2008-09-06T17:40:00.004+01:00

A June birthday commission.
Collecting dandelion heads in May in preparation.

Capturing time.
Holding potential.

'Coat is my canvas' commission

2008-09-03T16:31:00.003+01:00

A commission for Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre as part of their 'Motto' project. The work will be on display for the 'Motto' Open Day happening throughout the town on Sunday, 28th September 2008.

Fence

2008-08-21T12:38:00.009+01:00

I've just finished a new installation called 'Fence' at the Bishop's Palace in Hereford. It's part of a week long art exhibition called 'Palace Art-Fest' now in it's third year.

'Fence' head on.

'Fence' from an angle.

Shaping the fence in the rain.

Shadows cast.

All lined up and ready to go.

Working at the Rodd back in June trying to figure out the work in willow against the wonderful backdrop of the Hindwell Valley.

Clitheroe Castle and Museum Art Commission

2008-08-15T11:03:00.002+01:00

The writer David Lewis and myself have been commissioned to produce an art work as part of Clitheroe Castle and Museum refurbishment. The piece will recall the castle's well. We are both excited about the project and looking forward to working together.

Royal British Society of Sculptors

2008-08-03T11:51:00.002+01:00

I'm delighted to say that I've just been accepted into the Royal British Society of Sculptors as an Associate member.

RHS Tatton Flower Show 2008

2008-07-26T21:26:00.007+01:00

I have just had the opportunity of collaborating with Rachel Ramchurn to create a site specific installation at the RHS Tatton Flower Show. We were commissioned by Cheshire Year of Gardens 08 as part of the 'Something Beautiful' project. Thank you to everyone involved.

The project can be seen on http://cookandramchurn.blogspot.com

spikes, aloes and pods

2008-03-06T19:41:00.018Z

Now the Little Moreton Hall commission is finished, I thought I'd put some of my 'back catalogue' on. For 'the unsafe garden' installation, I created three other works alongside the 'fans'.

'pod' was based on the banana flowers, which had produced bananas for the first time since the Palm House had reopened.

'aloe' was inspired by the aloe leaf and the way it unfolds with hooked edges interlocking. I created the sculpture to look as if it was balancing on a fine point hovering above the soil.

The 'spikes' were inspired by the palm 'dasylirion acrotrichum' with it's vicious sword-like leaves. They ran in a deep undulating line through the border around the Palm House. The 'spikes' gave the installation it's title.

'Something Beautiful'

2008-02-16T13:25:00.001Z

It's finally finished!
We spent a clear cold yesterday painting, cleaning and securing.
All four pieces are now installed and ready for press day and then for the hall opening on 1st March for the 2008 season.

the 'cobble skirt'

'PYRUS' stones

sunlight through 'PYRUS' stone

backlit 'moat seat'

'moat seat'

the beech balls arrive at Little Moreton Hall

2008-02-12T10:08:00.001Z

I spent yesterday installing the beech balls at Little Moreton Hall.

It was a beautiful crisp, clear, sunny day.

beech balls

2008-02-07T18:58:00.000Z

I've spent the day photographing 'beech balls' for press images for the 'Something Beautiful' project at Little Moreton Hall. It's been a drizzly, dreak day.

The beech balls are one of four pieces made for the commission.

fans

2008-01-30T19:32:00.000Z

As part of the installation 'the unsafe garden' at the Palm House, Sefton Park, I created a series of large paper fans based on the leaves of ‘trachycarpus wagnerianus’ .

I went on to develop the 'fans' further and had them made in aluminium.
Here they are at Hillier Gardens, summer 2007.

'flying with the tide'

2008-01-29T18:44:00.000Z

Here are a couple of images from

'flying with the tide'
an installation at the World of Glass museum
summer 2007

Where I'm up to...

2008-01-26T04:00:00.000Z

Whilst I get my website up dated, I thought that this was a good way of keeping in touch and letting people see what I'm up to. Over the next few weeks I'll post images of the commission I'm working on at the moment; a series of works in the orchard of a National Trust property, Little Moreton Hall, as part of the 'Something Beautiful' Cheshire Year of the Garden project. Also I'll put some images of work I've done since having the website set up - work that may be new to some of you.