Carmen / xTiff

artist, sculptor, model, printmaker

I have made large scale sculpture commissions [in concrete and bronze] for several institutions in South Africa. I have managed a band [www.thewildeyes.com] and modelled for music videos and taken part in short films. I have recently been aproached by Suicide Girls and am planning my first photo-set for them. I have also illustrated children's books, and drawn comics. I have exhibited and my work has been published in magazines and quartelies in South Africa. I am also a practicing printmaker/photographer and have full working knowledge of printing presses and processes etc. As a photographer, I documented the band THE WILD EYES and my photographs were published in several South African newspapers and magazines.

Networking, Business deals, Just looking around, Getting back in touch, Business opportunities, Consulting Offers, Job opportunities

www.sunnysidedown.co.uk [art] www.myspace.com/hispider [a new band I am involved with-styling and occasoinal keyboards] LAUGH IT OFF -a South African magazine franchise in whose annual my work has currently been featured capsule creative - www.capsulecreative.com

drawing/paintin modelling [character driven and interesting work - not sales/down the line advertising] sculpture commissions.

Carmen Williams contact me here please area: London Website link: http://www.sunnysidedown.co.uk/carmenwilliams/Home.html www.myspace.com/cococarbon Solo Artist Mediums: painting(oil, acrylic, watercolour and ink), printmaking(relief printing and engraving), sculpture, drawing/illustration( pencil, pen, ink, charcoal etc.)and photography. My work is predominantly comprised of painting and drawing. I explored printmaking a few years ago, and have a working knowledge of the equipment and processes. The majority of the sculptures I have made have been commissioned works. My inspiration comes from my imagination and archetypal symbols. I enjoy working from life, but prefer a more internal approach. I also enjoy and regularly practise automatic drawing. Qualifications Bachelor of Fine Arts year 1 Sculpture Apprenticeship with established South African Artist, Anton Smit http://www.antonsmit.co.za/ Education 1885-1997 Academy of Royal Ballet Dancing : Elementary ; Tap Dancing: Bronze Lower ; Modern Dancing: Bronze Higher 1995-1996 Private Art lessons with established South African Artist Marcella De Boom http://www.art.co.za/marcelladeboom/ 1997-1999 Attended Pro Arte Alphen Park secondary school, Pretoria, South Africa. I specialised in visual arts. My subjects were Graphic Printmaking, Painting, History of Art, Drawing, Mathematics, Geography, English and Afrikaans. I also did occasional Stage Decoration and Art direction for the Drama department. 2000 Intermediate Certificate in Photography at the National College of Photography, Pretoria, South Africa. We were instructed in the principles of photography, with practical tuition in traditional developing techniques and photography with special focus on night photography 2001-mid 2002 Bachelor of Fine Arts 1 at The University of Pretoria 2002-2003 Sculpture Apprenticeship with established South African Artist, Anton Smit http://www.antonsmit.co.za/. I enlarged and rendered his designs, from maquette’s into large sculptures. I used graphs, then carved the forms out of polystyrene utilising a wide variety of tools [including a variety of electric saws, sanding machines and professional hand-tools]. I would then finish the sculptures off by either carving relief texture, smoothing or applying wax to create textures. A team of workers would then assist, under my direction, inserting the armatures into sculptures. They would also, under my direction, mould the works using plaster, fibreglass or rubber, and then cast them in a resin/marble mixture or cement. I completed 15 sculptures ranging from 1 cubic metre to 5 cubic metres. Relevant Experience 2006 - Completed a sculpture commissioned by Andre Oelofse for a pilates studio in Cape Town. I sculpted two large statues [each over two and half meters tall]. The statues depicted realistic human figures in motion. The material I used was white cement over a hollow, sculpted metal armature. These armatures were also of my own design and construction. I worked and completed this project on my own and without aid. A team of six assistants was employed to erect the sculptures once they were finished. 2005 - Completed three sculpture commissions [over a period of 4 months] for artist Anton Smit in South Africa. I enlarged and sculpted two abstract interlocking shapes. The size of these was approximately 5 cubic metres. I also completed three smaller abstract forms, about 2 cubic metres each. In addition, I carved out 54 relief clay/brick blocks which I sourced from a brick factory. Each square block was roughly thirty cm tall and fourty cm across. The relief’s depicted photo-realistic body parts. -created three paintings for private collectors in Gauteng [these were also on a commission basis] - worked as Assistant Manager, Poster designer and Photographer for the band “The Wild Eyesâ€, www.thewildeyes.com. This job involved many activities, including the organising of gigs/venue dates, management of a strict practice timetable, managing/design/upkeep of their website and merchandising [t-shirts/design and printing of posters and flyers/dealing with retail outlets and distributors for these items, as well as actual albums.. I also developed ideas for promotional items and acted as their private stylist and image consultant. -Part time waitress at the Daily Deli, Cape Town. 2004 - Exhibited a painting, engravings and drawings as part of a permanent group exhibit in a commercial gallery, Contemporary Art Gallery Cavendish Square, Cape Town - Fashion Illustrations screened at a Capsule Creative fashion event in Cape town [www.capsulecreative.com] -created five large paintings for private collectors in Gauteng [these were commissions] -Part-time waitress at the Daily Deli, Cape Town. I worked here predominantly to help fund my work and acquire the materials necessary to its execution. 2003 -Illustrated two short stories for a series of children’s books called ‘The Adventures of Pute the Bear’ by Herman Swart. - Part-time assistant teacher at Pavane Kunsskool, a private art school for children between the ages of 3 and 13. I assisted in teaching and guiding the children with projects and helping them to arrange, assemble, mix colours etc. as well as carrying out tasks too dangerous for them to do and running the studio. I also helped with putting up the annual exhibition for the school at The Association of Arts Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa. -Collaborated on a series of murals with established artist Nikhil Singh www.nikhilsingh.com for the "Miss Kitten" new years concert at the Royale Theatre in Cape Town 2002 July- May 2003 -Sculpture Apprenticeship, on a commission basis, with Anton Smit [see above] 2000-2001 - Two self-organised group exhibitions with established South African artists Lionel Smit and Zander Blom. - Part-time manager at ’Armadillo’s’ coffee shop, Pretoria. I was responsible for the temporary exhibitions displayed in the coffee shop. - An etched artwork was accepted for the Sasol New Signatures competition 2000, held annually at the Pretoria Art Museum. -Etchings bought to be sold at a gallery in Holland -Etchings bought for a permanent, private collection in London -A number of Etchings and relief prints exhibited in a group exhibition, “Art on Paperâ€, at Tina Skukan gallery, Pretoria, South Africa. http://www.ts-gallery.co.za/ -Etchings exhibited at Bang The Gallery and The Peanut Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa -Arranged exhibition, ‘Piquant’ ,and exhibited with two other artists at Glenwood Contemporary Art Gallery, Pretoria. My organisational activities included management of funding, advertising, hanging of the work, catering and cataloguing the sales. My work was sold out at this exhibition. - An oil painting on wood sold to a private collector at the Italian Renaissance Exhibition, Gallery on Campus, Pretoria University. - Commissioned to produce a fountain and two basins for Dado Tiles, Silverton, Pretoria. This involved sketching plans, carving, moulding and casting as well as budgeting for the project. 1998-1999 - Exhibited a selection of drawings at a Group exhibition for Pro Arte Alphen Park secondary school at the Pierneef Museum, Pretoria, South Africa - Exhibited a triptych painting at the Rentmeester Youth Arts Festival, Pretoria, South Africa - Exhibited drawings and paintings at the Gauteng Heritage Day exhibition, Pretoria, South Africa - 1998 Junior painting pupil of the year amongst approximately 300 students - Achieved Second place in the Glenwood Millennium Mural competition at Glenwood shopping centre, Pretoria. - 1999 Senior Drawing pupil of the year amongst approximately 200 students - Highest achievement in printmaking and painting with an A+ grade in both mediums. Interests and a little about myself I enjoy physical movement and regularly practice yoga and dance. I love music, can sight-read a little, play the piano and sing. Eating correctly, being healthy and remaining vital is very important to me. I am thusly vegan and maintain a lively interest in current nutritional trends and traditional herbal remedies. I love nature, all of its fauna and flora. My parents are both professors in the vetinary sciences and I was brought up with a fascination for nature and its processes. I am also interested in the character of people, their lives, myths, personal stories and legends. These influence my art to the highest degree. I also enjoy reading diversely, visiting museums/galleries and places of historical significance. I appreciate cinema as a great 20th century art form. I also have a strong interest in feminism and the power of feminine ideals. I am kind, honest and trustworthy and can be relied upon. It is a personal challenge for me to succeed in perfecting the tasks that I take on to the best of my ability, whatever they might be. I find this very satisfying. It is in my nature to be well organised. I learn quickly and thrive off facing new challenges. I work well independently and I am capable of using my initiative and common sense under pressure. I also function well in a team or when providing services to other people. I believe in being polite and friendly at all times and enjoy listening to and empathising with the needs of others. I enjoy promoting the arts - although I don’t even think that art should need promotion. Art is an integral and a most precious, beautiful part of humankind, and has been since the beginning of our existence as a species. It is my life as well as my livelihood. Referee’s Agent: Simon Davis overeasy@sunnysidedown.co.uk Agency name: Sunny Side Down - UK based

United Kingdom

University of Pretoria

I left due to a conflict of interests

2001

2002

art - self taught sculptor - apprenticeship to a proffessional artist [see resume] photographer - intermediate certificate at national college of photography

drawing/illustrating painting sculpting