Laura Ellen Bacon is an artist from Derbyshire who is inspired by nests and cocoon-like forms. She enjoys a direct, physical contact with her work, often creating large-scale pieces big enough to climb into or pass through in some way.
Is there an object or artwork that has inspired you, encouraged you to work in a different way or given you a great idea?
Primitive tools – hand-made implements, such as a piece of flint being tied to a piece of wood and then used as an axe.
Reed Chamber. Courtesy Chris Drury
I am also inspired by architectural processes, such as the Reed Chamber made by artist Chris Drury at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Arundel The Reed Chamber is a building but it is also a sculpture.
Can you think of a person who has inspired you?
Sometimes I think you have to be switched on to being inspired: you can then be receptive to ideas you wouldn’t normally conceive.
Gyöngy Laki - Red Limbs 2005-2006. 11.5” High x 17” Diameter . Eucalyptus, apple, paint, bullets for building. Photo: Tom Grotta
There are a whole host of people who inspire me for different reasons, but one would be Gyöngy Laki - an American artist who dowels wood – the process of using wood as a nail, for example.
Which idea or invention are you most proud of?
I think the idea I am most proud of in my work was the design concept used for my work at Charnwood Museum, Loughborough.
'Pouring Forms' are woven, abstract forms that appear to flow from the windows on a tower of the museum, illustrating that the museum was 'so full of interesting objects and ideas, that they were oozing from the building'. It was a simple concept but possibly the most successful to date.
Which innovation will have the most impact in the future?
It isn't invented yet (not that I'm aware of!) but I often think the one invention that would truly change the world, would be something that could read people's minds.
I'm thinking it would change the world for the worse in fact, so I hope it's never invented!
Tell us what you think. We would like you to use our simple Storymaker editing tool to tell us what you'd put in a museum of me. We will be selecting some of the most interesting examples and publishing them next to the expert's views during MGM 2008.
