Corridor Gallery is privileged to introduce “Blood & Bone” an incredible solo exhibition by the supremely talented, Award Winning Brighton Sculptor Eve Shepherd.
“Blood & Bone” promises to be a mesmerising solo show which will explore figurative forms through the fragility of porcelain made masterful by the extraordinary hand of sculpture of Eve Shepherd.
Eve Shepherd’s work explores the journey of femininity, shaped and inspired by her own experiences as an artist and mother. Pulling together for the first time in her working practice, a singular and encompassing theme which captures fragility and fortitude through feminine archetypes of maiden, mother and crone. “Blood & Bone” creates a setting for Eve’ Shepherd’s sculpture to tell the story of ancient women; capturing the strength and power of strong women from the primordial ancestry of our beginnings to the complex and intricate femininity of modern day.
“Blood & Bone” showcases porcelain sculpture which seems to grow from the ground itself. Rough, gnarled clay is transformed by Eve Shepherd. Refined with delicacy and expertise each figurative sculpture evokes a haunting, ethereal quality while remaining both fleshy and visceral.
These new porcelain sculptures are particularly significant to Eve Shepherd; the process of creating these works involves complex layering of clay by hand in a lengthy process. This physical connection with each sculpture is evident in every stage of making. The artist resonates all through the work and her intention, moulded through meticulous layers of clay, much like rings on a tree marking the passage of time and growth in nature.
The material is of great importance to the themes and ideas addressed in “Blood & Bone” the clay Eve Shepherd so expertly manipulates, is made from the earth; a natural combination of bone fragments and minerals, marking our connection to ancestry and our physical bodies. The choice of material is poignant; inviting contemplation of ancient knowledge, a reminder of mortality and the swiftness of our own passage of time. The porcelain clay reinforces the concept of Eve Shepherd’s “Blood and Bone”; creation, womanhood, ancestry and physicality. Life and Death.
Eve Shepherd’s working practise embodies the lineage of Fine Art; her work explores contemporary themes through the precision and artistry of traditional sculpture techniques. Eve Shepherd has spent over 20 years exploring her craft and perfecting technical skills, creating new techniques entirely unique to her practice. At the age of just 17 Eve Shepherd was working under the apprenticeship and tutelage of the established artist Anthony Bennett. By her early 20’s she was given the responsibility of heading sculpture teams globally working in countries from Croatia to Aswan, Israel to Singapore.
Eve Shepherd has enjoyed recognition from the prestigious Society of Portrait Sculptors and The Royal British Society of Sculptors. Having gained much success in her career with several high-profile commissions (including a life-size portrait of Stephen Hawkins) her work has rightly garnered many Awards. Eve Shepherd continues to work and show in the South East, exhibiting regularly in galleries and high-profile exhibitions throughout the UK – Corridor Gallery is both humbled and awestruck to be included within Eve’s prestigious CV!
“Blood & Bone” – a solo show by Eve Shepherd
At Corridor Gallery, Brighton
3rd November – 4th December, 2016
Gallery’s website: Corridor Gallery | Art Gallery and Gift Shop
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