Mary Fletcher
Artist Statement
I have been an artist all my life. Returning to college to complete an MA in Contemporary Visual Art in 2006 in Falmouth helped me to reconnect with the experimental work I had done at Nottingham University on my BA at the end of the 60’s, and the feminist work I did in Brixton Women’s work and Woman’s Eye in London in the 80’s. I was then learning about ‘A Hidden Heritage’ of women artists at Roxane Permar’s evening class. I felt a link between myself and artists such as Artemesia Gentileschi, Kathe Kollwitz, Frieda Kahlo, Yoko Ono and Shirin Neshat, whose work tells us about their lives.
I have made art from the most upsetting things in my life, such as grief, but in the end the work is hopeful and connects with a wide range of people because it is about important experiences. I have practiced drawing skills which enable me to catch a likeness, the movement of figures and the rhythms of music and dance. Swift gestural drawings from observation lead to celebratory works in painting and ceramic figures. Having worked as an art teacher and art therapist has helped me to develop work interacting with people in a sensitive way to value their contributions, often made via conversations. Some of my artworks are about ideas, about contemporary life, its politics and my responses. What links all this is my being a flâneur, an observer of my life and other people’s. At last artists are now expected to produce diversity in ideas and use of media rather than repeating stylistic habits to prove their own seriousness. I am working to be seen and heard, a woman expressing her life in the 21st century. |
My Uncle was always at Grandma's, 2009 - 2010 / Video
Fading Away, 2010 / 61cm x 61cm /acrylic on canvas
Carbon Footprint and the Last Taboo, 2008 / 10cm x 15cm book
One, two, three, four ..., 2010 / 50cm x 50cm / acrylic on canvas
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Stuart J. Blackmore's video of Mary Fletcher playing 'Music of Changes' by John CageThis music was played on the opening day of '4:33' project curated by Janet McEwan at Cornwall Media Resource, Redruth. Mary Fletcher had not seen the score of John Cage's 'Music Of Changes ' before and did her best outside on an old piano in the wind. Sept 15 2012
At the end she begins a performance of '4:33' which was not recorded but was very engrossing and much enjoyed. |
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Playing Kane's soundboard
Kane Baker was one of the artists in residence at cmr, Redruth,' 4:33', 2012, and while he wasn't in his space I went in and improvised on the soundboard from an old piano, which I had performed '4:33' on and 'Changes' both by John Cage, the previous day. I was also a contributor to the project, experimenting with new processes and ideas in my work. Darren Ray dismantled the piano to use for his art work and gave the soundboard to Kane. Its only 3 minutes or so long.
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Impro 5 x 2
Mary Fletcher and Darren Ray as part of 4:33 project at cmr, Redruth, improvise using various instruments for 5 minutes.,
Janet McEwan curated this project, around the work of John Cage, enabling artists to experiment at Cornwall Media Resource and culminating in a show 12,13,14 October 2012, 1 - 7 daily. |
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10 sided dice plus 2 sixes
Mary Fletcher wrote a score using chance, Emmalena Fredriksson used dice to make a dance. The two women made the dance and the music entirely separately and then put them together. This was the first time they met. Inspired by 4:33, a project around John Cage's work at cmr, Redruth, Cornwall Sept/Oct 2012, curated by Janet McEwan
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About CMR
CMR is an artist-led
initiative designed to create a community of artists who will exhibit
and flourish within this three storey building. It is a voluntary-run organisation and project. We aim to be all
inclusive; we aim to encourage adventurous work that will respond and
challenge not only to CMR’s various spaces but also the broader
Contemporary Art landscape of Cornwall.
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Want to be involved?
Membership is open to artists, makers, curators, writers and thinkers at all stages of their careers who are interested in developing a rigorous, critically engaged level of contemporary practice, and who are interested in actively contributing to help promote the overall well-being of the project.
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