March 2008 Eco-renovation, House: Receipts III,
Homes for Good Show, ECOS Trust, Bath & West Showground, Somerset

September 2007 Eco-renovation, House: Receipts II,
Devon Art Works, Totnes, Devon

May & August 2007 ongoing Collaborative Conversations
with an eco-psychologist, environmental sociologist and community artist. Work in progress

June 2007 ongoing Belonging
Work in progress

July 2006 Eco-renovation, House: Receipts I
Dartington Gallery, Devon

April 2004 Insufficiently Prepared Adventurer: Escape to the Country
City Centre and Drumchapel, Glasgow

April 2004 Insufficiently Prepared Adventurer: Escape to the Country, Join Me
Buchannan Galleries, Glasgow

November 2003 The Cabin Exchanged
Hope Street, Glasgow (part of ‘Cabin Exchange’)

February-May 2003 The Truth?
The Terrace Coffee Shop, Garelochead

June 2002 Leaf Cube
Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

JH: Escape to the Country
Escape to the Country,
Escape to the Country, Join Me

Old man approaches:
JH: Hello, Escape to the Country, Do you live in the country or do you live in town?
Old man: Eh I live here
JH: Oh do you? I’m going to leave to Escape to the Country tomorrow morning and I’m inviting people to join me
Old man: Oh I see yeah
Old man leaves
JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country
Old man returns

Old man: Alright tell me the story
JH: Well really I’ve been thinking about Escaping to the Country and decided it was about time I actually did it
Old man: How are you getting there?
JH: I’m going to catch a bus
Old man: Right with who ever? How many have you got so far?
JH: Well I’m just starting. I’ve got 100 invitations to give out to people, You know so we’ll see. I know dawn is very early.
Old man: Well that’s alright. So how many takers have you got so far?
JH: Ah, none
Old man: None yet
JH: No none yet
Old man: Are you going to write a book?
JH: Write a book?, well I don’t know yet…probably a book, some pictures and things like that.
Old man: Well good for you…Why don’t you phone the Evening Times and get a reporter out and take a photograph
I laugh
Old man: Oh no that’s what you want to do
JH: Really
Old man: Oh yes
JH: Do you think this is important?
Old man: Yes vitally important, what you’re doing is unique, it’s interesting, it’s readable, it’s a story, it’s something different, yeah go for it, good for you. I’ll not be able to join you tomorrow.
JH: Ah well, You’ll have to do your own escape, everybody can do this can’t they?
Old man: Oh course. So what’s is this image here.
Looking at invitation
JH: Well it’s an idyllic picture, which is why I’m wearing this poncho
Old man: Did you draw this?
JH: No I took it from the fabric here
Old man: Are you an artist too?
JH: Yeah
Old man: Well you got a story to tell, you’re creating a lot of interest, you’ve got to go for it
JH: Alright well thank you very much, goodbye
Old man leaves again

JH: Escape to the Country
Escape to the Country, Join Me

Two girls approach:
JH: Escape to the Country
1st girl: Oh I would like to go to the country
JH: Would you? Well I’m leaving tomorrow morning at dawn
1st girl: To go to the country? Where?
JH: The country outside the city. Well I’m going to see if I can find it anyway
1st girl: I used to live near the country
JH: Did you? Near the country
1st girl: Well yeah
JH: But not in the country
1st girl: Well no
JH: I’m going to try and escape to the country tomorrow
2nd girl: I live on a mountainside
JH: Do you? Well that’s definitely the country. So is it all it’s cracked up to be?
2nd girl: What do you mean what its cracked up to be?
JH: Well I don’t know, this sort of escapism and…
1st girl: I wouldn’t like to live in the country
JH: So you like the city. Don’t you like to get out sometimes, do you think green space is important?
1st girl: Well I live quite near a park
JH: And that’s good enough?
1st girl: Yeah, I think that’s adequate for me
JH: Oh okay
1st girl: 5.53?
JH: Yeah well that’s dawn you see, I know it’s early
1st girl: That’s true, it would probably be the earliest ever for me. Are you going to be back by Nine?
JH: Ah No
1st girl: Okay, bye
Two girls leave

JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country
Passerby: No thanks
JH: Escape to the Country, I’m leaving tomorrow
JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country, No?
JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country, I’m leaving tomorrow, Join me
JH: Escape to the Country
Passerby: Thank you

JH: Escape to the Country, I’m leaving tomorrow
Neds: Yeah whatever
JH: Escape to the Country, I’m leaving tomorrow
JH: Escape to the Country, would you like to escape?
JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country, I’m leaving tomorrow, Join me

Two women approach:
JH: Escape to the Country?
Woman: Sorry
JH: Escape to the Country? Yeah, I’m going to be leaving tomorrow morning
Woman: Where in the country?
JH: Um I don’t know, we’re just going to catch a bus
Woman: Are you?
JH: Yeah and go
Woman: I’m at work unfortunately, can’t do that
JH: Don’t you think you should just take the initiative and Just go? Don’t you really want to go?
Woman: No I need to work, I’ve got other responsibilities unfortunately, thanks for the offer.
JH: Oh well
Two women leave

JH: Escape to the Country, go on, everybody wants to
Passerby: I’m escaping out of the country
I laugh
JH: Escape to the Country
Passerby: No thanks

Young family approaches:,
JH: Escape to the Country? I’m leaving…I’m leaving to escape to the country tomorrow
Man speaks: What’s that?
JH: What’s that? Well its about just about escaping out of the city and getting into the countryside
Man speaks: To do what?
JH: Well to be in the country, to live the country dream. I’m leaving tomorrow at dawn. I’ll be here so if you’d like to come and join me
Man speaks: Do you need piles of money?
JH: No just going to catch a bus?
Man speaks: Are there a lot of people?
JH: Well I’m just trying to drum up support
Man speaks: Have you got a lot of pals and that going?
JH: Ah No
Man smiles
Man speaks: Well you never know I might see you
JH: Okay, bye
Young family leaves

JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country
JH: Escape to the Country, Join me, I’m leaving tomorrow.

The next morning
JH: It’s 5.54am, one minute after dawn
JH: Ah, nobody’s here
JH: 6.05am there’s still no-one here, so it’s time to escape

Plymouth Arts Centre

March 2005 House, Circus Circus, Glasgow

October 2004 New Media, Taigh Chearsahagh, North Uist

August 2004 The Gang Hut, Spike Island, Bristol

January 2004 Impressions de Nature, Assembly Gallery, Glasgow

March 2003 Left Behind, Britannia Panoptican, Glasgow

November 2002 Workshop, Newbury Gallery, Glasgow

March 2002 Back of Beyond, Hans Price Gallery, Weston-super-Mare

As an artist and researcher I am working in the field of climate change and environmental behaviour. My current work is exploring the tension between our recognition of the need, but then our inability to change our own behaviour. Posing myself as a typical well-intentioned green aspirant, and provoked by my own admissions of failure, I use conversation as both method and outcome, to encourage a sharing of experience and knowledge, frustration and achievement.

Graduating from the Glasgow School of Art’s Environmental Art degree, I worked as a research assistant for the Department of Sculpture and Environmental Art, GSA before moving back to the South West of England. I am currently undertaking a PhD through Plymouth University (2005-2009) “Conversations: Investigating the ‘value-action gap’ through socially engaged art practice.” (supervisors Malcolm Miles, Tracey Warr, Marta Herrero)

Previous research and artwork focussed on issues of leisure and landscape, exploring our well-documented desires to ‘escape from it all’ to live a simpler life in a rural idyll.

Generally choosing to operate outside of the art world, my last next ‘exhibition’ was a stand at the ECOS Trust “Homes for Good” show at the Bath and West Show Ground 28-29 March 2008.

I am the Arts facilitator of Transition Town Totnes, where events I have hosted include Helen Mayer Harrison and Newton Harrison “ Greenhouse Britain” at the end of February 2008; Lynne Hull June 2008, and a forthcoming project in sustainable design spring 2009 with Ian Grout of Glasgow School of Art

Solo Works
March 2008 Eco-renovation, House: Receipts III,
Homes for Good Show, ECOS Trust, Bath & West Showground, Somerset

September 2007 Eco-renovation, House: Receipts II,
Devon Art Works, Totnes, Devon

May & August 2007 ongoing Collaborative Conversations with an eco-psychologist, environmental sociologist and community artist. Work in progress

June 2007 ongoing Belonging Work in progress

July 2006 Eco-renovation, House: Receipts I, Dartington Gallery, Devon

April 2004 Insufficiently Prepared Adventurer: Escape to the Country, City Centre and Drumchapel, Glasgow

April 2004 Insufficiently Prepared Adventurer: Escape to the Country, Join Me, Buchannan Galleries, Glasgow

November 2003 The Cabin Exchanged, Hope Street, Glasgow (part of ‘Cabin Exchange’)

February-May 2003 The Truth?, The Terrace Coffee Shop, Garelochead

June 2002 Leaf Cube, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

Group Exhibitions
May 2006 Conscience Offsets in
For a, Totnes, Devon

March 2005 House, Circus Circus, Glasgow

October 2004 New Media, Taigh Chearsahagh, North Uist

August 2004 The Gang Hut, Spike Island, Bristol

January 2004 Impressions de Nature, Assembly Gallery, Glasgow

March 2003 Left Behind, Britannia Panoptican, Glasgow

November 2002 Workshop, Newbury Gallery, Glasgow

March 2002 Back of Beyond, Hans Price Gallery, Weston-super-Mare

Education

Current September 2005 – December 2009 projected PhD student, Plymouth University (part time) Supervisors, Prof. Malcolm Miles, Dr Marta Herrero, Dr. Tracey Warr
Conversations: Investigating the value-action gap through socially engaged art practice

2002-2004 Glasgow School of Art
BA Fine Art: Environmental Art 2:1, Distinction for dissertation

2000-2002 Weston College, Weston-super-mare
HND Fine Art: Distinction

1979-1980 London College of Printing, London
Diploma in Print and Periodical Production

1976-79 Sheffield University
BA Hons, Ancient History and Classical Civilisation 2:2
1969-1976 The Ridings High School, Winterbourne, Bristol. A Levels: Modern history, Geography, Economics

Publications, conference papers and presentations
Summer 2008 forthcoming Behaviour Change and Collaborative Conversations: the power of the collective individual
Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Plymouth

March-September 2007 Working in Public, core group participation with Suzanne Lacy and On the Edge, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen,

• ‘Ethics and Aesthetics (plus social change). Can a ménage-a-trois ever work?’ http://www.workinginpublicseminars.org select seminar 1; select studio

• ‘Proposed ethical statement for art practice’ “http://www.workinginpublicseminars.org” select seminar 1; select studio

July 2007 ‘Cacophonous voices, conflicted purposes, Conversations: Investigating the value-action gap through socially engaged art practice’ at http://ocs.ilrt.org/viewabstract.php?id=86&cf=8
All Singing, All Dancing Arts Based Educational Research Conference, Bristol University

Summer 2007 Eco-Purchase Matrix to assist environmentally friendly shopping in
Mendip Sustainable Living: Information Pack Ecos Trust, Langport, Somerset

November 2006 Eco-Renovation: House Receipts I
Falmouth College of Arts RANE Symposium

Work Experience

June 2008 - ongoing Project Manager for 3 Moors, Devon with Helen Mayer Harrison and Newton Harrison

October 2007 – December 2007 Participation Co-ordinator, for More Opportunities: Staged Demonstration Plymouth Arts Centre and artist Barbara Holub

February 2006- July 2006 Project Manager, Art Farm Project, Middle Rocombe Farm, Devon
Project management and administration for temporary art event

September 2004 – June 2005 Research Assistant, Glasgow School of Art, Department of Sculpture and Environmental Art.
Project: Scoping, defining and funding proposal for database and website of art in social and public contexts for Scotland
January 1996-December 2001 Operations Manager, OCN West (adult accreditation agency), University of Bristol,
Responsibility for admin staff, finance, quality assurance, IT and database support, general smooth running of the office, reports to management committee, committee admin

May 1993-January 1996 Department Administrator, MBA, University of Bristol

November 1992 - May 1993 Temporary Jobs:
Christmas Product designer, Minds Eye, Corsham, Bath; Typesetter, South Avon Mercury, Clevedon, Bristol

June 1988-November 1992 Self-employed Graphic Designer
Artful Graphics, providing graphic design, print and project management for own clients

June 1985 – June 1988 Chef/crew on charter yachts in Caribbean and Eastern Seaboard, USA

January 1984-June 1985 Print Manager and Book Designer
Associated Book Publishers

July 1980 – January 1984 Print Manager and Book Designer
Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd ]]> http://www.escapelane.co.uk/?feed=rss2&p=91 http://www.escapelane.co.uk/?p=89 http://www.escapelane.co.uk/?p=89#comments Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:54:59 +0000 admin http://www.escapelane.co.uk/?p=89

Eco- Renovation: House Receipts (2006 - ongoing) is one of a series of participative artworks addressing the issue of lifestyle and behaviour. It is an artwork that uses process and dialogue in its articulation as a means of exploring intention and behaviour, and specifically understanding the failure of the eco-renovation. Participation by the public is crucial to the outcome of this work through comments, stories and conversations sharing thoughts, frustrations, knowledge and ideas.
Through layered narratives and using text and sound Eco-renovation: House Receipts allows an uncritical space to admit the difficulties of going green.

Development of this artwork

This work began as a wall sized mind map exploring my own purchasing behaviour, during the refurbishment of my house, during an exhibition at Dartington College of Arts July 2006, constructed during the show and starting from the collected receipts.

Developed further during Devon Art Works September 2007 , exhibited in my own house, the work achieved a very intimate feel with more stories were added and conversations recorded.

Exhibited at the Ecos Trust ‘Homes for Good Show’ March 2008, the work succeeded at a large venue, with many contributions of stories, conversations and video footage.

Contributions

Some of the contributions to date have been: ‘Asking what an eco-DIY store would look like?’; designing an eco-purchase matrix to help reprioritise our buying; (See below) Other contributions comment: ‘Can we be local, environmental and ethical all together’?; ‘I’ve decided if I can’t buy it in Totnes, I probably don’t need it’; ‘”Which?” magazine founder Michael Young had links to Dartington, we need that sort of available and clear information for eco-products’.

Click on the image below to view the full size.