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| Debbie Chessell |
Does love endure forever? Does a bad penny always turn up? During this Valentine month the artists and writers from CollectConnect explore this flip-sided theme with an exhibition of 32 miniature sculptures. These objects are placed in public places (#unsettledgallery), helping us to remember those who we hold dear - or cast off those who we would rather forget. Every day throughout February we will be featuring one of these tokens/pennies on this website. A writer will also use the art as inspiration to create something new and fresh.
Art - Debbie Chessell / Words - Dean Reddick
It is a heavy thing, this locket, this lock.
Guardian of a gate to the other end
but without a key.
Jewel crusty and gaudy gold on the up side
you can feel the heat seeping through.
I clench it in my fist like brass knuckles
ready to swing at the would be Angels
who declare what love is.
They blind themselves and forget.
Love is the fire which we all dance around.
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Debbie Chessell's Token at the #unsettledgallery Dogend site
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Debbie's artwork nestles in a flowerbed at the Dogend site in the #unsettledgallery which includes, railings and gates, as well as spaces between
bricks, in gullies and beside drainpipes - basically anywhere an artwork can rest and be seen by the public. These spaces change and evolve on a daily
basis although some artworks survive for a longer
period of time.
Debbie Chessell is an exciting new
artist breaking onto the public art scene. As a Kingston University
student she launched a non-profit campaign on confronting rape
culture that brought together groups of artists, activists and
designers in a series of workshops, art exhibitions and
publications. She is currently collaborating with Kingston Council
running a drawing and painting course for the Centre of Community
Development, which focuses on outreach with Kingston residents
especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Speaking about her
burgeoning career so far, Debbie said: "I have loved drawing and
painting since I was a small child. My artworks have been exhibited
across the UK and feature in international collections including the
Suzzallo Library in Washington USA and St George's Hospital in
Wimbledon London."
Dean Reddick is an artist, an art
therapist, occasional lecturer and editor on the Art Therapy Journal
ATOL. He has a small studio space at his home in Walthamstow where he
works on sculptures and drawings often based on his fascination with
birds and trees.
Don't forget to submit to our next
exhibition. The Art of Caring is accepting submission until the 7th April 2019. More
at http://collectconnect.blogspot.com/p/submit.html
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