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Artist Sue Leach, a Lancashire lass ‘migrated’ to Liverpool to train as a nurse at the age of eighteen. She was drawn to Liverpool because of its artistic milieu. Although not intending to remain, fifty years later she is still a resident in what was the Toxteth deer park, the greenest and most interesting area in Liverpool. Not having had the luxury to train as an artist when young, her art career developed slowly over the years and on retirement commenced a part time fine art degree. Her current work explores women’s issues including childbirth, motherhood, discrimination and feminism.

In the later months of last year Sue exhibited at Unit 51 for the ‘Respect’ exhibition organised by the Liverpool Health Consortium in celebration of World Mental Health Week. We were presented with a baby book like form, three solid panels where an infant can help turn the large page like forms as part of the reading process. The panels are made from porcelain to symbolise fragility, bound together with ribbons using methods similar to those used for items of baby clothing. On the panels, there are images of items which relate to childcare, knitting needles, safety pins, nail scissors, zips, but also a hammer. These ‘tools’ of motherhood present opposing views, in this we have items which could help care for a child, but items which could also harm. Sue looks to highlight the anxiety a new mother can feel and how this is dependent on her support
network .

‘Woman’ is a large scale sculpture made with chicken wire and Plaster of Paris. The virtually shapeless form depicts a woman’s self image. The female body viewed as a commodity begs the question, is it ever quite right? The indistinguishable head and features negates personality, emotions and feelings. This can be seen as a symbol of a woman’s position in society in general or in personal relationships. The chastity belt conveys both ownership and sexual oppression. ‘Woman’ is currently being exhibited at the ‘Shatter the Silence’ exhibition held at the Quaker meeting House, Liverpool.

Nearing the end of her degree, Leach is busy along with other artists organising an exhibition on the migration crisis in June at Liverpool Central Library. The aim of the exhibition is to educate and raise funds. Workshops will be available for school aged children. The exhibition runs from 03/06/17 until 23/06/17. There will be a private view on the 2 nd of June at 17.30 pm.

We have a new artist from an earlier generation, we have life experience combined with current arts degree study, we have work which utalises modern conceptual practice to explore issues which are as relivent as they were when she firrst migated to Liverpool.

We have Sue Leach, a new name on more mature shoulders making her mark on the Liverpool creative sector.

‘Shatter the Silence’ exhibition takes place in the cafe exhibition space at the Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BT, the private View being held 4-6pm on Friday 24/03/17, the exhibition running until Sunday the 21/05/17. The Cafe is open from 9am-3pm weekdays and 9am-4pm on Saturdays closed on Sundays. Arts activities relating to the exhibition are planned for the Light Night taking place on the 19/05/17 the closing weekend of the exhibition.