I went to the private view of ThreeD on Thursday evening. It’s the new show at Boxbird in Brighton featuring 3D works by Graham Carter, Tom Frost and Helen Musselwhite. There was a Q&A session with the three artists and Simon Armstrong, animator and of Ticktockrobot Animation Studios, who worked with Graham, Tom and Helen on a set of short animations. The Q&A was led by The Enquiry Desk.
I’m very familiar with Graham Carter and have a couple of his prints on my walls at home, but his 3D work is a new approach, which keeps his work fresh and interesting. After designing the image all of the component parts are laser cut in wood. These are then coloured and put back together like a layered jigsaw, creating complex and detailed works. There are so many details in each piece that every time you look you spot something new. His work always brings a smile to my face and I really wanted to take home his Gentleman Grooming Emporium featuring a variety of fantastically bearded faces.
Graham Carter
The other work I would have bought in a flash (if I had more cash!) was a pair of wrestlers by Tom Frost. Cut from wood and screen printed, they would have looked fabulous in the living room. I am still hoping that somehow (a surprise windfall?) I can go back and get the little guys. Tom’s work in contrast to Graham’s is simpler with images printed onto flat pieces of shaped wood. There’s a really fun and retro feel to his work, especially the old-school cars, which feature in a piece he worked on with Simon for the Goodwood Revival (see it here).
Tom Frost
In contrast Helen Musselwhite works in paper. At first glance the cut out shapes are so crisp and precise that you might imagine that they were laser cut. However, Helen works entirely by hand and with such detailed and layered pieces you can’t help but be impressed.
Helen Musselwhite
Boxbird is a gallery and workspace to be envious of. Owned by Graham Carter and his wife Alice, it’s a light and airy gallery at the front and screen printing workshop at the back. I like to daydream that I’ll be successful enough to have a place like that to work one day.
ThreeD is on now until 29 May.
