People 2 Fiona Kam Meadley                                                                                     goes to Fresh Air 2003

FIONA KAM MEADLEY has been selected to show at the Quenington Sculpture Show.  Fiona's entry will be  "Global Village," a group of three copper people. The Show is a bi-annual event organised by the Quenington Sculpture Trust. The unique outdoor art gallery is set in the  five acres of gardens of  a Gloucester rectory. For the first time in its history, an adjacent river meadow has been made available.  This extra space has enabled  Fresh Air 2003 to explore new ideas and to site larger-scale installation works.    Global village Altogether the work of over 100 contemporary sculptors from Britian and abroad will be on show. Sculptors exhibiting will include Anthony Abrahams, Lynn Chadwick, David Mach, Kate Malone, Ronald Rae, and Sophie Ryder.  The artist Laura Ellen Bacon will be creating a giant willow nest, which will connect two trees on the banks of the river Coln. Over the years, the Fresh Air events have built up a reputation as being an arts show with a difference.  The successful marriage of mixing an eclectic exhibition of work which juxtapose as much as compliment each other, in a quintessentially English garden setting, has given the event a unique identity and a popularity. . In 2000, Fiona started Patiopeople, to make affordable art for the garden. Three years later, she has a small but growing, enthusiastic client base. Patiopeople are exhibited at art galleries; garden shows like Urban Gardens in London; and have been selected for art shows like Artspace in Henley on Thames and now, the Quenington Sculpture Show.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Adam and the flower     Fiona sculpts people. First they were small, contemplative figures. Like Sara* - a cross legged woman burning a candle. "She seems to strike a cord with so many people - she's still my best selling piece. I wasn't conscious of it when I made her but there is an element of the figures in the temple from my dimly remembered childhood." The figures are growing bigger, and more quirky. "I've started a copper family, Adam and Eve - they have ceramic faces, hands and feet, and copper bodies" she says. "Their faces are inspired by ancient African masks, and their bodies made from plumbers fittings. Adam holds his hands out in a Buddha -like blessing. Eve is dancing with African abandon. Somehow the mixture works". With an attendance target of over 6000 visitors, Fresh Air 2003 will  be an occasion for Fiona to celebrate. You could say that she has finally arrived. # *for Sarah, Click Issue 17                                                                                                                                                                                                                    _________ Top photo: Quenington (Photograph by courtesy of the curator of Quenington)

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_____________________ The Penang File Issue  27