Alison Lochhead studied art and ceramics at Loughborough College of Art and Design and Wolverhampton Polytechnic from 1971 – 1975. She studied tapestry weaving in Poland during 1975 – 1976. She has lived and worked in many countries, working with human rights and access to justice; especially for women. Her experiences are reflected in her art work.
She has exhibited widely from 1977 to the present day, with 20 one-person shows and over 70 group exhibitions.
Alison is a member of Sculpture Cymru, 56 Group Wales, is a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors and Sculpture Network.
Alison has been involved in many projects and events, including running an artist led gallery; Gas Gallery; in Aberystwyth for 3 years and currently involved with a wide range of exhibitions and events with 9 other women sculptors working with iron; Iron Maidens 2 – Made in Wales and a group of artists looking at the state of the world ‘Vulgar Earth’.
Alison was selected to exhibit in the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2018.
Selected One Woman Exhibitions:
- 2020 ‘What’s Happening’ Paintings. Volcano Theatre, Swansea. South Wales.
- 2019 ‘Layered Memories of Conflict and Abandonment’. Paintings and sculptures reflecting on conflict and migrations. The Foundry, Oval Way, Vauxhall. London.
- 2019 ‘Beyond the Boundaries’. Bodies, bones, shoes and outer space; exhibition of sculpture and wall pieces. Volcano Theatre, Swansea. South Wales.
- 2019 ‘Layered Memories of Conflict and Abandonment’ sculpture installation reflecting on conflicts; to mark Holocaust Day. Art Central, Barry.
- 2019 ‘Such Courage’ Sculpture installation reflecting on people migrating from their homes, trying to find safety. Volcano Theatre, Swansea
- 2018 ‘Layered Memories of Conflict’. Sculpture installation in Gloucester Cathedral. UK
- 2018 ‘Conflict – Abandonment and Conflict’. Sculpture installation at Volcano Theatre, Swansea
- 2017 Canwood Gallery and Sculpture Park. Near Hereford.
- 2017 ‘Migration and Abandonment’. A sculpture installation. Llantarnam Grange. Cwmbran, Wales.
- 2016 ‘Layered Memories of Conflict’. Sculpture installation. MoMA Machynlleth. Wales.
- 2015 ‘Mine Memories’. Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum, Purbeck, Dorset.
- 2013/14 ‘Mine Memories’ CARAD, Rhayader, Wales. This exhibition was of work based on the lead mines of the Cambrian Mountains, Wales, exploring the histories, stories and memories and physical realities about and around the mines. Working with the visual impact mines have on the landscape, the juxtaposition of raw material, construction, exploitation and change. The mines are a mix of construction and raw material and the work exploited this juxtaposition; linking the memories of the lives involved in the mines.
- 2013 Oriel Q, Narberth, Wales
- 2013 Strawbale Gallery, Lampeter, Wales
- 2012 Pontardawe Arts Centre
- 2011 Briggait Gallery, Glasgow
- 2009 MOMA y Tabernacl, Machynlleth
Recent GROUP EXHIBITIONS include:
2020
- Sculpture Trail. Mid Wales Arts, Caersws, Wales
2019
- Iron Maidens II – made in Wales. Women sculptors working in iron. Art Central Gallery, Barry, Wales.
- ‘A Creative Pool’ small sculpture making in Wales. 11 sculptors showing their work at The Art Shop Gallery, Abergavenny, Wales.
- Aberystwyth Printmakers at King Street Gallery, Carmarthen.
- ‘Rivers of Gold’ the legacy of the mining industries. An International Print Portfolio and Exchange between New Zealand, Australia and Wales. Exhibition in Aberystwyth Arts Centre. UK
- Sculpture Trail, Mid Wales Arts Centre. Caersws
2018
- 56 Group Wales, Hearth Gallery, Llandough Hospital, Cardiff.
- Impact 10 – Encounters. International Printmakers Conference, Santander, Spain
- Sculpture Cymru at The Old School House, Bleddfa Centre, Knighton.
- 56 Group Wales. Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester.
- Iron Maidens II at Scranton airport, USA, as part of the International Cast Iron Conference.
- Canwood Gallery and Sculpture Park, Checkley, near
- Hereford, UK
- Mid Wales Arts, Caersws, Wales
- Iron Maidens II – Theatre Clywd, Mold. Wales
- ‘Rivers of Gold’ – Printmakers from Australia, New Zealand and Wales. Melbourne, Australia.
2017
- Blythe Gallery, Imperial College London. ‘Creativity and Curiosity’
- Set House Gallery, Pembrokeshire. 56 Group Wales.
- Iron Maidens II at Port Talbot. Exhibition around Port Talbot, Wales.
- ‘Curious Travellers’. Creative responses to writings of C18th Thomas Pennant. Oriel Brondanw. North Wales.
- ‘Thinking’- sculptural wall mounted boxes. Sculpture Cymru exhibition at Mid Wales Arts, Caersws.
- ‘Creativity and Curiosity’, conversations between astronomers and artists. Cambridge Science Festival. Christ College and Institute of Astronomy.
- Aberystwyth Printmakers exhibition. Mid Wales Arts, Caersws.
- ‘Place’ Sculpture Cymru installations in the grounds of Dyffryn Gardens, Cardiff, Wales.
- 56 Group Wales. Kings Street Gallery. Carmarthen.
- Mid Wales Arts. Caersws. Wales
2016
- Attic Gallery, Swansea.
- ‘Curious Travellers’. Creative responses to writings of C18th Thomas Pennant. Sycharth Gallery, Wrexham.
- 56 Group Wales. Red House Gallery and Cyfartha Castle ,Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
- Oriel Q, Narberth. 10 Years of Iron
- Mid Wales Arts, Caersws, Wales. Sculpture Trail
2015
- ‘Breaking Traditions’, Kidwelly Castle, Wales. Sculpture Cymru and Cadw.
- Mid Wales Arts, Caersws, Wales. Sculpture Trail.
Publications include:
- Interpreting Ceramics ‘The Fragmented Figure’ (paper given at conference.)
- Planet Magazine. The Welsh Internationalist. 2009 and 2014.
- ‘Revealment’ Book of poems by Dai Jenkins and Sculptures by Alison Lochhead.
- Layered Memories of Conflict. 2016.
Alison has given numerous talks and workshops to a wide variety of audiences.