MICHELLE READER

Discover & support Nottinghamshire artists & makers in these ‘virtual studios’, plus by exploring the OSNotts website and by visiting them in their studios and workplaces around the county & city on the dates stated.
  • Visit Michelle at her Open Studio on 11-12 June, 2022 (10-4).
    • alongside fellow Harley Artists: Jane Withers & Michael Hanmer, Louise Asher (Hope & Elvis), Phil Neal, Free Natives & Steve Handley.
    • Refreshments – Harley Cafe, Welbeck Farm Shop & Notcutts Garden Centre are all a short walk away.
    • Full Wheelchair Access.

Michelle ReaderSCULPTURE
Colourful and characterful large-scale recycled sculptures made from household and industrial waste materials.
Unit 4 East Workshops, Harley Foundation Studios, Welbeck, Worksop S80 3LW
www.michelle-reader.co.uk
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ABOUT MICHELLE READER

I have been making unique figurative sculptures from waste materials for over 23 years. I studied Fine Art at De Montfort University, a few years later moving to London to take an MA in Scenography (design for performance) at Central St Martins, the legacy of which has been a continuing interest in interactive installations and visual storytelling. I relocated to Nottinghamshire in the summer of 2017. I make sculptures for businesses and events created from waste materials relevant to the client, encouraging people to consider the environmental impact as well as the creative potential of the materials they throw away.

MICHELLE READER – STUDIO

I work from the Harley Foundation Studios on the Welbeck Estate in North Nottinghamshire near Worksop. It is a large purpose-built workshop space on two levels which is totally self-contained. It gives me the space to work on large sculptures, store work for exhibitions and prepare for community workshops.

Ahead of physically opening her studio to visitors on 11-12 June, Michelle here gives a short tour of her studio.

MICHELLE READER – WORK

My sculptures made from waste materials are often representations of the natural world, for example a goat climbing a mountain of household appliances. Most recently I have created two life size horse sculptures for the Harley Gallery courtyard made from scrap metal sourced on the estate, and a giant wave made from waste plastics for the National Space Centre in Leicester.

If you are interested in this work, please contact the artist directly through the links above.

‘VIRTUAL’ ACTIVITIES

Michelle’s physical open studio is on: 11-12 June 2022

Meanwhile here are some activities by Michelle for you to view:

During 2020 and into 2021 I created work for a solo exhibition at the Harley Gallery that was originally due to open in July 2020. Due to the pandemic it was postponed until 2022 and will now be open, as ‘Recycled Sculpture‘ from 14th May to 24th July – so you can tie in a studio visit with a visit to the horse sculptures in the courtyard as well as popping in to see the exhibition too. Below are videos showing the making of two of the pieces, ‘Wild Goat’ and ‘Bearded Vulture’ together with an introduction to the exhibition and associated art trail.

  • The goat, on a mountain of electrical waste, is made partly from fly-tipped household waste found on Nottinghamshire nature reserves.
  • The vulture is inspired by Vigo, the female bearded vulture that flew over from the Alps and spent a few weeks in the Peak District the previous summer.
  • You can also see an online talk about the courtyard commission and how the two horses came about.