Tom Buchanan

Artist statement:

I come from a background in illustration, working across the board as a freelance graphic artist. Image making is an eternal work in progress. Although in awe of the digital process, I’ve always had a love for the tactile, experimenting with assemblage and the endless possibilities of box art. I like to think of this craft or form as a celebration to the lost art of collecting, a re-discovery of objects resonant with memory.

Work statement:

Over the last couple of years I set myself to task, illustrating onto ceramic ‘plates’. My fascination was about the relationship in bringing together unlikely objects. It started as a pure response project, using neglected lonely plates as a storyboard. The powder trails are always instantaneous, often the quirks, textures and imperfections sparking an idea. Plates being an easy venture to hoard, I was lucky enough to have a substantial supply at home to feast off over lockdown. You might say my plates provided an escapist gateway that fed my wanderlust. These random journeys took me places. There are some recurring themes, such as urban dream utopias known as the ’Future Cities’ series. The selected titles in this show hint at natures awakening, and the despair of exactly who’s meant to be in charge in these crazy times. The naming & framing of the pieces has become integral to the process. Each plate is presented in a bespoke wooden box frame, colour tinted to accentuate or exalt the story inside. I’m hoping to share my second collection in the New Normal sometime in 2021.

Links to websites and Instagram