Approved: 02.10.2007

Alice Forward

Artist, Consultant, Curator, Event organiser, Film-maker

Approved: 02.10.2007

My practice essentially centres around ambiguities in human perceptions of nature and wildness in both rural and urban environments, often involving minute exploration through the languages of sculpture, film, drawing and painting, at times in collaboration with my partner Louise Short, calling ourselves Short&Forward. We are passionate believers in slow art, which is just one reason we find rural living so condusive.

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    Artist Statement

    My practice essentially centres around ambiguities in human perceptions of nature and wildness in both rural and urban environments, often involving minute exploration through the languages of sculpture, film, drawing and painting, at times in collaboration with my partner Louise Short, calling ourselves Short&Forward. We are passionate believers in slow art, which is just one reason we find rural living so condusive.

    Short&Forward are currently working towards a show in Capel Bethel in March 2023 (postponed from 2022) together with local mining historian Ioan Lord exploring architecture, above and below ground, of abandoned mines around the Rheidol valley in Wales where we live and work.

    Alice's work,Twnel, was purchased for the National Library of Wales collection in 2021, and Pyre (Ash) was winner of the RWA  Academy Prize in 2022 

    CV & Education

    Qualifications and training

    2007    - MA Fine Art with Distinction, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, Wales

                - BA (Hons) Ceramics, first class, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, Wales

    1984  - Documentary Film Training, BBC Ealing Studios, London

    1977  - BA (Hons) Fine Art, Hornsey School of Art, London

    Solo exhibitions

    2014 - Swarm Society, Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK

    2010 - Bee Lines, Stroud Valleys Artspace, Gloucestershire, UK

    2006 - Regeneracion, Biblioteca Nacional de Tunal, Bogota, Colombia

    Public Collections

    The National Library of Wales 

    Group exhibitions

    2023  Ballinglen Arts Foundation Biennial, Co Mayo, Ireland

              Above and Below = Uwchlaw ac Islaw, Capel Bethel, Cwmrheidol

    2022  Royal West of England Academy Open, Academy Prize winner

              Y Lle Celf, National Eistedffod 2022, Tregaron

    2021  Oriel Lockdown, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales, People's Prize winner

    2019 - DEFAID/SHEEP at Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth, Wales

    2018 - Gathering, UK/Georgian artists at Ambrolauri State Museum and Tbilisi History Museum,                Republic of Georgia. 

    2016 - The Drawing Book, University of Carmarthen, Wales

    2015 - Griffin Gallery, London. Conte Drawing Prize finalist 

                BV Open 2015, Bristol UK 

                Excerpt From a Library of Cast ObjectsNew British Art, Cylhrynys, as part of the                        National Eisteddfod 2015, Wales, UK

                The Art of Pollination, Peninsula Gallery, Plymouth, UK 

    2013 -  Sweet Dreams, Wallsworth Hall, Gloucestershire, UK.

    2012 -  Boar Skull Vanitas, Short&Forward filmwork screened at 

                Geneva Projects Film Festival,  Bristol. 

               Art&Bee, Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh, Devon.

    2011 - Marmite Prize for Painting finalist, Central Art Gallery/Lanchester Gallery/The Nunnery,                  Tameside/Coventry/London, UK.

    2010 - Lines of Desire, Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Wales, UK 

             - Super8Station Film Festival, ARNOLFINI, Bristol, UK

    2009 - AiM International Biennale, Cyber Park, Marrakech, Morocco

              - Curatorial Contrasts, BAYART gallery, Cardiff, Wales, UK.

              - The Darbyshire Award (winner), Museum in the Park, Stroud, UK

    2007 - Cardiff Fine Art MA Show, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, Wales, UK

                Very Important Products, CentreSpace Gallery, Bristol, UK

    2006 - Venice Bienal de Bogota, Barrio of Venice, Bogota, Colombia

    2005 - The Marconi Project, Site-ations International 2005-6 (Artists Projects), Flatholm Island, Bristol Channel, UK

    2004 - From The Ground Up, Old Brewery Galleries, Brick Lane, London, UK.

    2003 - Fossil Fuel, ceramics, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK

    • Live/Performance

    2011 - SUPER8STATION Film Festival, live film accompaniment at ARNOLFINI, Bristol, UK  - 2010 - The Bristol Beehive Inaugural Walk, public participatory event, Arnolfini Gallery to Windmill Hill, Bedminster, Bristol, UK

    2007 - Being Bird, Resound Art/Radio Sonic Art Conference, Stroud Valleys Artspace, Gloucestershire, UK

    • Artist talks

    2014 - Bees in Art, lecture at Ceredigion Museum offsite gallery, Aberystwyth  - 2011 - Artist's Presentation, Cortijada de Los Gazquez, Andalucia, Spain 2010 - In Conversation with Tom Trevor (director of ARNOLFINI, Bristol), Stroud Valley Arts, UK 2009 - Artist's Presentation, Cortijada de Los Gazquez,  Andalucia, Spain - Marrakesh and AiM presentation, Stroud Valleys Artspace, UK - 2006 - Invasion, Presentation, Biblioteca Nacional Central, Bogota, Colombia

    • Workshops

    2021 Covid Recovery Sculpture Program Ysgol Penllwyn school Aberystwyth

             Covid Recovery Sculpture Program Ysgol Penrhyncoch school Aberystwyth

    2019  Drawing by Moonlight, public drawing programme in the Elan Valley, Powys Council funded

    2017 The Treehouse Project - 8 weeks sculpture workshop with 7-11yrs at Newbridge on Wye                 CIW School.

    2014 - Swarmbuilding, schools workshop at Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth, UK

    2009 - Drawing in the Dark I , STATION and Spike Island, as part of The Bristol Drawing                             Exchange  Project, Bristol, UK

               Drawing in the Dark II, St John's Crypt, public drawing project, Bristol, UK

    Residencies

    2018 - Arteli Ratcha residency involving six Georgian artists and six UK artists in rural Racha district, and thenTbilisi, Republic of Georgia

    2015 - Popty Bach 2015, South African and Welsh collaborative residency, Oriel Q Offsite, Pembrokeshire  -

    2011 - Joya Artists Residency Part II, Cortijada de Los Gazquez, Andalucia, Spain 

    2009 - Joya Artists Residency Part I, Cortijada de Los Gazquez, Andalucia, Spain

    2008 - Marrakesh, two week residency funded by AIM Biennale and Stroud Valley Arts

    2006 - Wales Arts International funded residency in Bogota, Colombia 

    2005 - The Flat Holm Project, part of Site-ations International 2005/6, Flat Holm Island, Bristol Channel, UK

    Private commissions

    2021 - Twnel II for Phillipp Scofield, Aberystwyth University History deptmnt - 2017 - Grimaldi's Lunch, plasterwork ceiling, Short&Forward collaborative piece, Venice, Italy - 2009 - AliasArtCamp 2009, documentary film commission for Artist-Led Initiative Advisory Service , South West England, UK 2008 - a momentary, film with Louise Short, Tblisi Film Festival commission, screened at The Cube Cinema, Bristol, UK 2008 - CLIMB, film commission , Forest of Dean Sculpture Trust and Forestry Commission, Coleford, Gloucestershire, UK Public commissions 2005 - Ghost, sculpture installation, Cardiff Parks, Roath Park, Cardiff, UK

    • Projects

    2021 and ongoing, Burrowing, in collaboration with Louise Short and mining historian Ioan Lord, multidisciplinary responses to the local abandoned mines of Cwmrheidol and Ystumpteun where we all live, with the aim of a culminating exhibition in Capel Bethel in 2023. The chapel was specifically built in 1872 in the service of the local mining community. 

    2016 - 2020 and on

    ~ Dai and Nancy, collaborative Short&Forward film project in the Rheidol Valley

    ~ Troedrhiwsebon/ Capel Bethel International Artists and Writers Residency Project in  Cwmrheidol, Aberystwyth

    ~ Capel Bethel events organisation

    2012 -2014 The Short&Forward MOBILE STUDIO Project: UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal 2011 - Beelines on Windmill Hill, Windmill Hill, Bristol, UK

    • Publications

    BARN, RHIF 703, p 29, review, Books Council Wales, August 2021

    Y Lle Celf catalogue, Eistedffod 2022

    Gathering, catalogue, Tbilisi History Museum publication, 2018

    Lines of Desire, catalogue, Oriel Davies, Newtown 2010

    Marmite Prize for Painting, 2010, catalogue, Susak Press,London  

    International Journal of Nautical Archeology, review, vol.39, issue 2, 2009,Blackwell Publishing, London International Journal of Nautical Archeology, review, vol.38, issue1, 2009, Blackwell Publishing, London

    Sense in Place, Site-ations International 2005-6, catalogue, University of Wales, Cardiff