Stroud-based sculptor and handpoke tattoo artist Kim Francis was recently invited to be artist-in-residence at Hidden Notes festival, where she exhibited a retrospective of her work across skin and stone. After training as a jeweller at Central Saint Martins, Kim found her way to stone sculpture via casting and carving wood and snow, while at the same time swapping body adornments for adorning the body itself. Here she is to explain her practice.
“I’m a materials-led artist who is interested in bodies, in terms of movement, physicality and form. I think skin and stone are linked in that they are both existing materials that are already formed and already what they are. Already precious. I adorn the skin or shape the stone, but they are already themselves complete. One allows me to create a form, and the other allows me to adorn a form.”
“Handpoke is the original method of tattooing, in that it’s not assisted by a machine. The action of introducing ink into the skin is done by hand, rather than through the vibration of a machine. It’s slower, but more intimate, and gentler on the skin. Humans have tattooed themselves for thousands of years, most of it without machines.”
“Handpoke has become popular over the last ten years, I think as a reaction to the modern world. Traditional methods are a kind of antidote to the technologies of our time, which speed things up but disconnect us. Traditional methods connect us back to a simpler paradigm, and I think that is becoming more attractive the more disconnected we become from each other and the natural rhythms of life.”
“Handpoking lends itself to line work or dot work for shaded tones – although all types of shading effects can be achieved with handpoke. All the old Japanese bodysuits were done by hand originally. I love line work. My favourite thing is long, bold or delicate lines that travel over the forms of the body to accentuate or decorate. I love doing minimal, elegant tattoos that are informed by the shapes of each body.”
“My biggest inspirations are the natural world: plants, sea creatures, bodies, strange organisms. But also manmade artefacts: ancient pottery, textiles, patterns, decorative objects and tools. I’m inspired by people and ideas and music… anything can be an inspiration on the right day!”
“Stroud has supported and nourished me for nearly 20 years now. It’s where I’ve put down roots. Before living here, I was always on the move, and I’ve found that having roots has been the most important thing for me in being able to make art. Having a workshop and a creative infrastructure is amazing, and around these parts there are wood yards and stone yards, metal workers, musicians, potters, and a foundry. It’s all going on in these valleys!”
“Locally, a long walk or playing music with my friends – we have a little band called Songs From the Porch – tops me up. Or a good skate! I’ve rediscovered roller skating, and it’s definitely the best battery-charger. I usually skate in Bristol, though there’s a growing skate community in Stroud.”
@kimmitattoo @kimfrancis.sculpture
