Polly Cruse
My practise involves sculpture and photography, employing everyday items as materials. Focusing on the everyday, and the relationships between the intangible and the material, I am currently investigating the need for and creation of an interior haven fom the outside world and the importance played by objects, gifts, memorabilia and flowers. I am looking to bring attention to these items by photographing common place objects and often flowers, arranged into 'still life' compositions to create images of beauty, narrative and potential humour. My sculpture s are constructed from broken pieces of everyday objects and currently I am casting objects into tissue paper and wire sculptures. My influences are 17th Century Dutch flower paintings,Don McCullin photographer and Edmund de Vaal ceramisist.
Qualifications and Training
2004 - MA Fine Art, Norwich Scool of Art and Design, Norwich
Solo Exhibitions
2014 Still Lives, Norwich Arts Centre,St Benedict's St. Norwich. Supported by the National Lottery/Arts Council England, Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council.
2010 - British Red Cross Shop, Norwich
2009 - Polly Cruse, Baskerville House, Birmingham
2008 - Captured Moments of Dreamt Freedom, Wembly Point , Wembly
2008 - Proud to Present, Jane Askew Gallery, Norwich, Norfolk
2008 - Pussycat, Pussycat..., Windows 204, 204, Glocester Road, Bristol
2006 - Out of the Ordinary - Solo Exhibition, Ella Lyon Gallery, Wymondham, Norfolk
Group Exhibitions
2014 - 20x20, Open Art exhibition, The Artist Sanctuary, Northampton
2014 - 20 now 70, Norwich 20 Group, the Forum,Norwich
2014 - Norwich 20 Group Go Underground, the Undercroft, Norwich
2013 - Spring Show, Norwich 20 Group, The Forum, Norwich.
2012 - Outstanding, Stew, Norwich
2011 - Evocations, Wymondham Arts Centre, Wymondham, Norfolk.
2011 - Inspirations, St James Court., Norwich
2010 - Orchestra of Strings, The Crypt Gallery, St Pancras Church., London
2009 - Imaginings, The Gallery. Norwich University College of the Arts, Norwich Norfolk
2009 - Out There, Pulse Fringe Festival, Ipswich
2009 - Voicing Visions , St Margaret's Church, St Benedicts Street, Norwich, Norfolk
2009 - Art Below, Highbury and Islington Underground Station. London
2008 - Art Sans Frontiers Deux, Bally Shoe Factory, Norwich
2007 - Archipel, Atelier Carcavel, Crest, France
2007 - Spirit of The Age, Salthouse Church, Salthouse, Norwich.
2007 - Eastern Open, Kings Lynn Art Centre, Kings Lynn, Norfolk
2007 - Exeter Contemporary Open, Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
2007 - Global Shoe Project, Victoria, Canada
2006 - Art Below, Highbury and Islington Underground Station, London
2007 - Halesworth Gallery Exhibition, Halesworth Gallery, Halesworth, Suffolk
2005 - Landscape 2000. Norwich Castle Open Art Show, Norwich Castle Museum, Norwich
2004 - Crossing the Line, Salthouse Church, Salthouse, Norfolk
2004 - MA 04, Norwich School of Art and Design, Norwich
2003 - Il Sguardo e il Labarinto, Ascea, Italy
2003 - Norwich Fringe Festival, Bally Shoe Factory, Norwich
2001 - Eastern Open, Kings Lynn Arts Centre, Norfolk
2001 - Lemon Street Exhibition, Lemon Street Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2001 - Miscellaneous, Atelier Carcavel, Crest, France Artist talks
2009 - Satellite 'In Conversation', Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich
Projects
2007 Satellite, artist led collective - founder member
2014 Satellite In Conversation - Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich.- supported by the National Lottery/Arts Council England, Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council
2011 - Satellite Portfolio, Aid and Abet, Cambridge
Competitions ,Prizes and Awards
2014 20x20 Open Exhibition selected. The Artist Sanctuary, Northampton
2007 and 2009 - Artist Access to Art Schools, Norwich School of Art and Design, Norwich
2007 - Eastern Open 2007 - Best in Show, King's Lynn Arts Centre, Norfolk
2007 - Exeter Open Art Exhibition selected. Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
2006 - Target Follow Fringe in The City- Prize for Outstanding Work, The Assembly House, Norwich
2005 - Selected for 2 year Artist Mentoring Scheme, Commissions East, Cambridge
Publications
'Still Lives' an exhibition of still life photography. Catalogue, Introductary essay by K.Fijalkowski
Lo sguardo e il Labarinto - Exhibition Catalogue
Norwich 20 Group Publications
On Going
St Etheldreda Artist Studio - Trustee
Norwich Twenty Group - artist member
Satellite collective - artist member
Outpost - member
Greens and Blues Gallery, North Berwick, Scotland. - gallery artist