My work is based around my own personal passion and obsession for the celebrity, incorporating incongraphy as a main area of interest. The chosen icons depicted in my work are often there to represent myself in some form, whether there be a certain expression or mood to the chosen image, or rather there be an emotional connection to that person. Either way these iconic figures have inspired me at some point in my life on a personal and creative level. The work itself therefore is a celebration of these people showing my gratitude towards them.

The intricate combination of collagae, painting and drawing to make up each piece, brought together by personalised and distressed box frames helps to isolate each piece into a singular private celebration of the chosen icon, however when displayed together the singular pieces are united in order to create almost shrine like formation.

My work looks at the world of consumerism and popular culture. It also reflects modern day pop art. I have always been inspired by pop art and one of the artists that have influenced my practice has been Claes Oldenburg with his large scale sculptures. Another strong influence in my practice has been food, either using it to make sculpture or depicting it out of various materials. My main focus for the work is the interaction it has with the viewer; I like the reaction they get when seeing a familiar product being bought to them in a different context. When the viewer sees my work I want it to evoke childhood memories that relate to the piece. An important factor in my work is the scale. By making large scale sculptures of familiar products it changes the viewer's perception of the piece and I rely on this to get a reaction from the audience.

War against the system is an on-going democracy emergency. I am intrigued in how people are manipulated by the hierarchy, like marionette, in addition how those in power are sequentially controlled. My attention is captivated in what is happening around the globe, in reaction to that 'puppet state' direct viewers to think about the status of such characters. By setting a scene through a series of three-dimensional life size dolls shaped out of fabric, the works wants to revisit their identity and be easily reached to everyone. The nature of the work is motivated by the necessity of explain to others on the human condition, corruption, manipulation, control and abuse. These objectives liaise within an exaggeration and normality.

Life-size puppet, Puppet State, 3D Out Of Fabric, embroidery and stiching

My work involves mix media pieces, this is the most effective way of expressing my ideas and emotions for natural. I use the actual subject of nature and found materials from the environment inside and in contrast I construct with manmade outside of the conventional idea of the gallery space or in the natural environment.

The processes of compact gardening is a strong factor in the work conducted inside, as the world changes the element of technology is becoming ever stronger and there is a growing boundary between it and nature, as there seems to be no time for gardening anymore.

My work relates to the roles of females with in performance, like dance. The role of the female performer may be questioning, the behaviour of the male and roles within the performance, by making myself the main subject within the performance, l try to show that dance and performance can work in changing ideas of sexuality projected onto the female performers, whose work was seen as sexual but empowering to all female performers whose work was seen as sexual when clearly it is just a performance art piece, a sham, a masquerade of desire.

When thinking about the concepts surrounding my practice, it is clear that the main focus point is about process and the material side of the work. It is never based on political or obvious problems that are present within the world today, and never tries to influence a view or opinion onto the viewer.

The underlying theme beneath my work is the concept of a journey. A journey that is present within everyday life and is often overlooked, forgot about and lost. This is then created and reformed into a 3Dimensional drawing using threads stitched into a dissolvable fabric using a sewing machine, that once dissolved, seems to resemble the long and twisted forms and lines present on a road map. This process is then repeated using the first initial documented journey.

However this is not often seen within the final piece as the journey has been manipulated to the extent that it becomes lost, much like the original journey. I have always been interested in the process of the work, and like the fact that both the materials and the hidden concept of the sewing are both consider a journey and process. The way in which the viewer observes my work has never really been a concern of mine, I purposely never try and force a specific feeling or view onto them as I feel they should be given the opportunity to create there own opinion on it, without any persuasion.

I see my practice as Interdisciplinary, with a current live performance emphasis. I am interested in the relationship between actions that take place in the public and private realms. My work attempts to rearrange the familiar. It examines what happens when the private ritual is recontextualised by being projected into the public sphere, where it loses its' autonomy, and becomes subject to the institutional, hegemonic social structures of the public domain.

I also have an interest in documentation and archival methods, and enjoy exploring different modes of audience engagement.

Ink in the water is the main part of Anna Melikidou's art works. The technique is throwing, dropping or spilling ink onto a gelatin surface and mixing it to create unique shapes. There control of the ink is limited so every single piece is unique and it is impossible to create the same pattern twice. Paper marbling is a traditional method in Middle East countries which was used for decorative purposes.

By using the technique of paper marbling Anna Melikidou is expressing her feelings through the medium and the process and transferring the images to paintings. The value of paper marbling is questioning by representing this technique in a contemporary art context. The aim of the artist is to share her feeling by using this old method of decoration. This way she could be inspirational for the public that decoration methods can be used as methods of personal expression and have more inherent value than a simple craft activity.

Movement and change are two different words which have informed the development of my practice. We're consistently changing and adapting to our surrounding. So to really understand the changes that are happening around us we need to pay close attention to details.

My recent work is combination of movement and time combined. I am interested in reconstructing the ordinary patterns that we walk by unnoticed every day. Currently I am producing a body of work based on tyre marks.

Using found, every day objects - as material, reference and model. I work with such materials to create forms and objects, with an emphasis on engagement and intrigue. Collections of objects pose questions regarding origin, creation, materiality, matter and value; thus developing a personal narrative behind the artwork as it is viewed.

The technical process and the material used can have as much importance as the outcome of the work; creation of the work being the consequence of artistic craftsmanship combined with chance. Working directly with materials, subject matter is selected simply by what is available and what the artist can 'easily lay his hands on', Although inspiration is taken from the natural world; having a personal connection to the Mid Wales area, beach combing has supplied many of the materials and inspiration for my work.

My practice focuses on how we as viewers engage with a moving image. To what part do we contribute when we watch a moving image? Do we lose control, become immersed and then get thrown back out or do we relinquish it gladly and snatch it back at will and what are we doing in the middle of all that, where do we go between one place and another?

This fluctuation and what lies within and around it are at the core of my practice. As viewers we naturally look for meaning, if it's not there we'll try to find it and weave it into the fabric of the work.

My practice investigates contemporary expectations of the viewer, the videos are devised as single shot edits choreographed together and presented as large-scale projections in triptych form. The installations are intended to explore a concept of the viewer as complex, activated and decentred and how this impacts on the relationship between viewer – practice – artist. There are multiples and variables threaded throughout this fluid relationship. The decentred viewer: is active and independent within the space always in a state of flux, negotiating the interplay between subject and object.

Email: laroffey@hotmail.com

My initial ideas at the start of this year where strongly linked with the value of photographs and what happens when you aesthetically change them. This led onto a series of work that looked at images from World War 1, after researching this for a time I became interested in the politics that started this war and the rational behind the killing of soldiers and civilians when there seemed to be other options.

In recent years there has been rebellion against government bodies and it seems that there is a revolution happening around the world that is going against government, there are groups being formed and each side representing itself with a flag. This has all led me to look at nationalism and how we all see that national flags as being a valued object that is not offensive but symbolic, without looking at what the country represents.

I have been researching a range of artists that have used nationalism and ideology in their practice and plan to use this within my work. I have now created my own flags that have a similar colour and shape to national flags so that they resemble them but cannot be identified to a country.

My work evolves through application of paper and paint to canvas in loose and doodled forms covering one with another until I'm satisfied. A technique I use when creating my work is something similar to "Automatic Drawing"; I call "semi-automatic collage". Through use of abstract imagery, doodling and billboard posters, I create artworks that mix my love of vibrant colour with abstract form.

I see my work as "painting with paper" and "collaging with paint" underpinned with a strong sense of narrative, frequently of a playful nature. There are elements of play with suggested characters existing upon brightly coloured contemporary landscapes. Inspiration for imagery comes from a variety of sources - Graphic Design, toys, typography, Street Art and themes from popular culture.

I am a visual artist specializing in abstract painting and the focus of my work is through inspiration from natural forms found in the landscape. My practice explores the elements of colours, movement and space through surface layers, gesture and texture.

The paintings are triggered by my walks and journeys in the countryside and I sometimes take a moment to absorb the scene by drawing. I become enveloped in the weather, the smells, colours, sounds, stillness, season and the whole atmosphere. In these drawings, only the view is recorded but the ambience is retained as a memory. I am motivated by these experiences and strive to translate the emotions and observations by echoing the colours, textures, momentum and history of the place through expressive application of paint. The work develops from these reflections, by capturing tonal variations with surfaces which are embellished through gestural marks which have an element of control and uncontrol symbolising the unpredictability of nature. Calm spaces are fractured with an interplay and interchange of colour, glossy surfaces, depths and organic labyrinths displaying a viscous friction between seductive surface, disruption and movement. My aim is to invite the viewer to contemplate, link and recall the ephemeral nature of the landscape through my interpretation of its presence.

Although my specialism is in painting, I regard myself as a versatile artist, having experience of creating 3D sculpture in a variety of materials. I also draw and paint extensively, using a range of media, in subjects including figure, portraiture and traditional landscape. Throughout my artistic journey I have maintained a passion to share artistic expression with others, whatever their background, culture or ability. I firmly believe that everyone has artistic talent that can be harnessed through the introduction to a whole variety of media and with encouragement, expertise and empathy a valuable experience and success can be gained.

Email: g.sheep@btinternet.com

My practice is formulated around my spiritual belief that energy cannot be destroyed and only changes form. I see myself as a channel for manifesting images of energy, of unseen abstract worlds. With the use of vibrant colour and experimental processes, it is my intention to allow the viewer to move into a different place within themselves and let the painting speak its own language.

I see art as a universal unifying force, without race, religion, colour, gender or politics and it is my hope that when my paintings are viewed that each person is seeing something that is not affected by any predjuduce from our society.