First Metal Wall Art Sculpture and Featured BBC Art show Appearance.
This time last year I took a moment to sit down with a cuppa and just take in and reflect on what had been two crazy and life-changing months. Which involved featuring on a BBC art show and making an innovative metal
wall sculpture to a tight deadline.
What show do you ask? Home is where the Art is” Series 2 Episode 9 ( Check it out available on BBCIplayer). The basic concept is three artists go around a buyer’s home and get clues and ideas to pitch and create a piece of art for the buyer’s home.
A year on and I thought I’d write a blog about making my first metal wall art sculpture and my experience being a featured artist on BBC’s Home is Where the Art show.
Having been close to getting on the first series, the previous year I had a hopeful feeling I would get another chance to get on the show. To my delight, I got a call from the BBC looking to have me on the show for their second series. I just had to do a Skype interview and show my recent works. Sounds simple but at this stage in my career, I felt my work was all over the place with lots of unfinished pieces, I was franticly running around the studio accumulating a selection of uncompleted works I could have ready for the show. Fortunately, they were excited about me and my work so I was selected Woop Woop.
Me having a snoop at the buyer’s house.
Then a few weeks later, I turned up for the Snoop day filming at the buyer’s home, that’s where I met the other artists and some of the crew. We then got the chance to have a quick snoop around the house and begin investigating. It was such a strangely thrilling experience you couldn’t help feel a bit sneaky and naughty that we were allowed to do this. Once we had a bit of nosey it was time to get our TV heads on and get Mic’d up which for me is when the nerves crept in, I put so much pressure on myself to do a good job because I thought this could be life-changing for my career. Those first few shots were horrendous, I was only required to make a comment as I walk into the house, but as soon as I appeared in I suddenly started to tense up and walk a bit wooden. Numerous takes later the crew were satisfied, I had then worried how the rest of the day will pan out following this. However, I needn’t of worried I realized that was the only scripted part and the rest would be like a conversation to the camera with them just asking me my thoughts and opinions.
Me finding yet another rabbit.
We were then each allocated a room we would be filmed in, searching and commenting on any potential clues there would be. Luckily for me, I was given the kitchen and dining area, where we all agreed had the most intriguing bits in. My biggest fear throughout the day was would I make sense and would the audience understand me, as those that know me well, will know I can often mumble and talk perhaps a bit too quickly. After each segment, I kept asking to be sure if I made any sense. Surprisingly after a while, though it began to feel a bit easier to talk to the camera. I actually started to enjoy having the focus on me and my thoughts. However, it didn't go to my head too quickly and did rein in my ego from going full TV wannabe presenter diva mode. I hope.
Once the filming day was finished, I left with my brain feeling frazzled, by the experience with so much to take in and think about. My mind was in a swirl of thought about the numerous ideas and possibilities I could create. Perhaps knowing how much was at stake made all that bit more intense. The initial thoughts I had, from the buyer’s home, were I could so easily make an animal, in particular a rabbit. However, I felt that would be too easy. I was compelled to show the world and the buyers I could create a beautiful piece that celebrated them as a couple but still involve climbing. I had a few weeks to sketch up some ideas and plan how to pitch them.
I came up with a variety of ideas below, from figurative to more abstract forms. It was so challenging to celebrate climbing and couple connections at the same time. I finally settled on the idea of a figure climbing a rock face, with having a hint of a human face in the cliff to celebrate the connection and support of a relationship.
With my idea sorted now, it’s pitch day, in Manchester studio. I turn up a bit early and it’s the first day of filming that week so they are behind on time. Which is no problem I thought initially then it becomes apparent they have 4 different episodes to do that day with me being the last and they still working on the first one yikes. I sound like a diva complaining about the wait, it’s only because looking back now, that was the most nerve-racking wait I’ve ever experienced. (so many nervous loo trips )
However, the wait did give me a chance to meet a variety of amazing artists working on the other episodes such as textiles fabric artists, abstract painters, to fellow metal sculptors too. We all quickly bonded well, it was lovely to get to know them being an artist can be a very solitary pursuit, it’s not often I get a chance to meet fellow creative people.
My fellow artists Louise O'hara and Samantha Yates
After numerous hours past it was finally our time to film, and to meet the legendary Nick Knowles, who instantly impacts the room with warm enthusiasm. I have a lot of respect for him he made us TV newbies feel so at ease to engage with him on camera and was so helpful in guiding us through it all.
One by one we pitched our ideas to the buyers, my turn came, which was a total disaster, normally I could have shown a drawing of my idea, that helps do the talking. But in a bid to not give too much away to the audience we could only describe the idea, which didn't exactly go to plan, I went a bit quick, and just rushed through my planned speech, and I left thinking I’d messed it big time. Then cue the nervous wait as they decided who to go forward with to make the pieces. We finally got called back in and lined up to hear the chosen two.
The tension was unreal, ( As seen above AKA my Face) I never thought I’d be in a situation like this, you see this kind of scenarios on x-factor telly shows and think is it really that intense. For me it was so when I was chosen I was so happy and excited I didn't know what to do, Nick must have sensed that so gave me a nice man hug. Samantha a stain glass artist was chosen next which sadly meant Louise a textile fine artist had to leave the show.
After talking with the buyers it was clear they wanted to change the idea and focus on celebrating them as a couple more so. I came up with the idea of creating a wall art piece that focuses on capturing the essence of the couple by shaping steel bars and showing an intertwined form. Which also connects two textured sheet steel pieces together with a crackdown in the middle as a reference to climbing and support.
How did I Come up with this idea?
Well, it wasn’t totally out of the blue, more of a combination of two styles of work I have done in the past first is my Linear sculptures, in which I create the essence of animals using round steel bars. As seen in my boar and hare sculptures below. At this point, I’ve not sculpted a human figure before, but I was confident I could create an emotive striking form. As for the organic textured background parts, these effects can be seen in my Ora lighting range pieces such as my lily floor lamps and shroom lamps. They are unique sculptural pieces that focus on emulating organic forms and textures, to create these I hand beat the sheet steel in a spontaneous way.
Once the idea was sorted it should be a simple matter of getting cracking and create it, but due to the show needing progress shots of the piece, it meant I had to hold out on making some parts just so we could capture it. This was a challenge for time concerns however, I knew it would be worth it and give me the best opportunity to show off my skills.
As for the making, it was a daunting piece to take on as this was my first wall sculpture and was basically like a new style with no guarantee it would work. The main concerns were how well or could I attach the round bar pieces to the sheet steel in a seamless neat way. I decided I’d drill holes into the sheet steel where the round bar pieces meet the steel sheet, I wouldn’t know then but this nearly was a grave disaster waiting to happen (More on that later).
I began with making the textured sheet pieces first, thinking it would be an easier part, but actually was pretty tricky to make and add texture in a spontaneous organic way, while keeping pieces relatively flat.
Next is shaping the figures, with just a few bars making each piece so crucial and yet confusing to create as I’m trying to form the figures to be seen from multiple angles. Just when it doesn’t get any more troublesome I then need to align the pieces to both sides of the sheet steel pieces to make them all connect together. Confused?? that’s how I was a proper head-scratcher.
Now for the disaster part.
It was a day before the reveal filming day so time was tight with still the most daunting part to go, welding it all together. As mentioned earlier I wanted to connect the figures to the sheet in a seamless neat way. My cunning plan was to have holes where the round bars meet the sheet steel so it could be welded from the back so you wouldn’t see any nasty welds. Good in theory but can I do it in practice, just to add to the pressure I’m still a bit of a novice to MIG welding as well. Excuses over, I put the panels on its side and hold the figure pieces and try to weld it from the other side, and crap all I’ve managed to do is just fill up the hole with metal. No worries I shall persevere and drill it out and try again I say to myself. Moments later oh **** Poop I’ll say, it happened again. Numerous attempts and a broken welding mask later, I lost one’s rag some might say. After a bit of a cool off, I accepted the simple solution requires an extra pair of hands. Normally I’d get my resident handyman AKA Dad to give me a hand, one snag this time he was in sunny France. But he came to rescue still as he rallied around his contacts to find me a chap to help me. Later that day help arrived and it was piece of cake with him involved I held the pieces in place from underneath while he welded above. Happy days, all I needed to do was the finish of the patina bit and final polish up.
The Next day is Reveal and I’m heading to the studio feeling the nerves but I’m satisfied with the piece I’ve made. I’m not gonna a lie I am relatively confident at this stage as I got such a good vibe from the couple and they liked my revised idea so fingers crossed.
I get there and do the pre reveal interview bits which they constantly jibe you to get a competitive comment out of you, all to make good telly they say. I wouldn’t take the bait though, I didn’t want to come across cocky, only confident, as you never know Samatha could knock it out of the park.
We set our pieces ready to unveil and you could feel the tension build, I go first and unveil my piece. And to my delight, I get a wow reaction from the couple so I’m very happy, and I slightly get a bit more confident. Samantha goes next and they too give a great reaction, our pieces were so different from each other, in their own beautiful way I wasn’t sure how it would go. We left the room so they could discuss, and after agonizing wait later we lined up for the final time next to our pieces.
The tension in the first stage was nothing compared to this, it was immense never experience anything like it before. These two mad hectic months of effort came to this moment.
They’re ready to decide, Richard the buyer then begins a never-ending spiel, basically saying they really liked mine but then feel changed by Samantha’s piece, so on so on. I’m thinking ok Ollie, time to prepare your losing face, and as I slowly come to terms with it, he then says they will take both. WHHHAATT Oh my days flipping ekk and I drop to my knees in relief and shock. I couldn’t believe it.
After a few ecstatic moments later that was that my maiden Tv appearance was over, what an experience. I drove back home I began to reflect on my time on the show and felt a tad sad it was all over. However, the show gave me so much more than just an incredible experience, it pushed me and my art to new boundaries and I left exuding confidence.
Looking back on the piece I made,
I was very happy with how it turned out. I think the round bars cleverly intertwine with the textured form to encapsulate the couple in a subtle way. I feel very blessed to get the opportunity to create this for them and believe it showcases my talent to the world. And realize I can make a personal contemporary beautiful artwork for anyone. Lastly, I Knew after making this piece that, it had the potential for future works, and since the show aired it has been in high demand. I have since made, three more pieces in this style and I’m currently working on two commissions in this style.
Thanks for reading, I will also be writing a blog about my life since the show aired and how it changed my life. Until then, below are some examples of Ora metal wall Art sculptures I’ve made.
