A Sootpeddler‘s Banquet

Heidi Wickham

October 14th - November 11th 2023

“A Sootpeddler‘s Banquet“ is a brand new collection of works from artist Heidi Wickham. This eclectic ensemble of paintings and sculpture is a response to the artist’s professional experience in theatre and festival decor with a nod to the surreal and darker side of all things carnival.

“My first experience of festival decor was way back in the 80´s when I made some decor signage for Glastonbury Festival. I was with a travelling family of entertainers, my brother’s rig were those old fashioned swing boats and I fell in to sign painting whilst hanging out with the performers. Since then, I’ve worked on theatre sets, murals and festival decor, but it’s the shabby back of house chaos that really inspired me to make this collection.“

“I’m A Bad Bunny” is an ambiguous image, bright and shiny on the surface but with a slightly disturbing sub-context. The paintings are big, worked up from charcoal and pastel (that’s the Sootpeddler) and finished with acrylics and lashings of varnish.

The sculptures and mini movie are more in the ´end of the pier´ genre with a hint of religion - church decor isn’t a million miles away from the circus with it‘s dripping gold and sideshow oddities. ´Rosealeen The Circus Queen‘ is a direct reference to ancient and modern reliquaries, her beating heart prevails through the centuries as the show does (and must ) go on.

Wickham‘s awards include several art bursaries, RUA Drawing Award, RUA Perpetual Trophy, The Hamilton Award as well as selected work in the RUA, RSA, RA, RHA and galleries in the US and Ireland. Her work can be found in a tiny gallery in County Clare called Kilbaha Gallery, from which she sells the majority of her animal paintings.

This collection is a sometimes dark, sometimes humorous peek behind the red velvet curtains, with a warning to the coulrophobics : there are plenty of clowns.