Thursday, 1 November 2012

so heres what I'm gonna do


Everyone who's seen the St Kenny has loved it. I had Kev Sapmson come over during the exhibition. He read my poem, and I took his pic with it.
Lots of people said that they would buy a small version of it if I had one. I've done a fair bit of carving, most recently, I did the 'Sweet Melissa', which commemorates the womens golf at Royal Liverpool this year. I also carved a central piece, for a Japanese flag I made last year called 'Liverpool for Japan.' It was sold at art auction, together with 13 other artists work, including Willy Russell and Adrian Henry, amongst other peers. I carved the Liverbird with the Japanese symbol of Japan in its beak, and set it against my interpretation of a cracked and crazed land with waters flowing through. The money raised, went directly to help the victims of the Japanese Tsunami. Its hard to tell from the picture I've posted of it, but the carving is extremely delicate, inspired by Japanese Netsuke.
So I'm about to start work on another. The 'St. Kenny', and I'm going to make a limited edition casting. I'm setting the pricepoint to reflect all the expenses I've had to this point. I'm giving half of the money to the HJC, the other half will pay for the mould-making, materials, etc, and will hopefully provide some shopping trolleys full of food from Tesco's to feed a struggling artists ever growing family while I'm doing it all. I'm carving up a miniature version, and I should be ready to start producing them in December. I want to help those affected by the tragic events 23 years ago, and raise awareness of my sculpture, which one day will hopefully adorn Anfield.
You'll get a dinner plate size St. Kenny, in a pewter finish, signed by me, and a copy of my poem, which will act as your certificate of authenticity. I'm going to make 250, and I think I may try to get a hold of Kenny, see if he will sign them too!
If anyone wants one, they will be £75 each, with £40 going to the HJC, to help pay for their deliverance of Justice.
If you are reading this, please share on FB, twitter etc, and spread the word. JFT96.
Please read the rest of my blog....its not that long, but I've been at this for 18 months now in one way or another. I'm happy with the way I want it to conclude, and I hope I can get everyones support. Contact me on
terryhayes65@gmail.com
@terryhayes65  on twitter, but I hardly ever use it.
Thanks

Head-turner, down by the Tate

 I've just had an exhibition of my art down in the Albert Dock for the Liverpool Biennial. I got great publicity for it. The title of the exhibition was 'Deliverance', and the signature piece was a poem I wrote in the days after the findings of the Independent Panel. It was a written response to an emotional few days. It seemed that after 23 years, Justice, may be on its way for the families of the 96. I got a great mention in the Liverpool Echo, where I was one of their two selections for the 'Long Night', and I was honoured to be mentioned in the company of an incredible photographer, whose work I've admired immensely over the years.
 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2012/10/19/the-long-night-of-the-liverpool-biennial-features-work-by-wirral-artist-terry-hayes-and-american-photographer-annie-liebovitz-100252-32061118/


They ran a great picture of the Liverbird I made, in which I printed my poem onto an old scroll, the Liverbird representing the people, the scroll representing the Justice sought.
I was trying to set everything up in the Unit I had been graciously awarded by The Independents, who had been given the empty unit to be turned into gallery space by the Albert Dock Company, when a face appeared, pressed to the door. 'Thats Kenny' he said, 'Can I come in?'. Yes I said. 'Can I touch it?', yeah....sure I said. 'Can I kiss it?', then he did. A wonderful older couple came into the unit, and while things were still scattered all around, they marvelled at the St. Kenny, read my poem, and left after 10 minutes of me telling them the story of how I spent close to a year trying to get my sculpture of Kenny errected at Anfield. I told them about the Manchester football museum too, and I was deeply moved when I returned home the following day to lovely email from them. And can I say, I had hundreds of people, from all round the world come in, photograph themselves with the piece, and heap more praise, and cause more delight than I could have ever imagined. I'll leave you with an extract from the email I got, genuine and heartfelt emotions, about a great man, who has done as much, if not more, for the Club and the City and people of Liverpool, than anyone who has gone before.
Mikes voice was not alone.

hi terry spoke to you on thursday about your exhibition starting friday ,after meeting you my wife and i went along to radio merseyside and left datails about you and tour plans about your artwork ,we said you have a piece of artwork called the saint kenny and the football museum in manchester were after it .we told them that it should stay here in the city,they took your details and said they would follow it up ,lets hope they do. also called into radio city and did the same with your details they also said they would do same, i am trying to email neil atkinson who has a radio show on city on a  friday  called   the anfield rap its a programme  about all things   LFC ,so lets hope you get off the ground and  up and running,so good luck to you terry  we both wish what you wish yourself. look foreward to your next showing,bye


1st and 3rd picture copyright Gary Hunt.

Read all about it!






Got some great publicity earlier in the year. Shared a page, together with a new poem written by Dave Kirby, which ominously appeared on page 13 of the Liverpool Echo, the day of the FA Cup final! Following week, I was totally startled to open up the Wirral News, and see myself on the cover. I had no idea, and was completely shocked!
Got quite a bit of interest from a couple of people back then, and had 2 offers to buy it, both from bar owners. The original intention was to help raise some funds for the HJC, and tempted as I was to get a quick sale, I never saw the St. Kenny as an ornament behind some bar.
The new Football Museum in Manchester was opening around that time, and I received a communication saying they would have it for their display. I emailed them, and told them, 'Great'. I also said I'd want a donation made to the HJC if they wanted to add it to their collection, and given Kennys legendary status in the game, I thought at the time there could be no finer location for display. I then received word that they would take it, but only as a 6 month or so 'loan', a temporary exhibit. Thats as far as it got with them. So after a few stops in various parts of Liverpool, the St. Kenny has been in my front room since September. By then, I'd developed another idea to help raise some funds, for a most worthy cause.