Bonnie Paddle
Artists Statement
My work exists because of a playful experimentation with objects that I come into contact with. The inspiration I get from found objects feeds my urge to discover new and unexpected sculptural techniques. The creation of my work often involves repetitive procedures with long timescales, which allow for the period of making to become a time of contemplation of the work being created. Within my sculpture I aspire to convey my enthusiasm for exploring new materials. My work originates with intuitive, yet intelligent manipulation of found objects and through creation and artistic problem solving develops its own set of connotations. I respond to my material and push the boundaries of what might be expected from it, finding new sculptural possibilities. I don�t limit my work by starting out with strong concepts as I feel these develop in their own time as the interplay between material and artist expands. My recent work has dealt with extremes of colour, and the manipulation of an object when used on a mass scale. There has always been a certain pleasing aesthetic quality to my work which comes from an attention to detail, and strong perfectionist personality traits. For my work, the making process is most important. When I work with repetitive tasks I am reminded of the significance of time and how our perception of it changes according to what task we are undertaking. Thought processes during the making of my work are for me, as important an action as the actual making. When people see my work I'd like them to experience something new and unexpected, provoking a level of curiosity and excitement equal to that which I experience in the creation of my work.