Rosie Fierek is an artist and musician. Her degree is in Three Dimensional Design/Ceramics, and she has a Post-grad teaching qualification, having studied at Loughborough, Wolverhampton and Leicester. In the 1980s she and her husband, Rob Fierek, renovated a set of old mine-related buildings in Albaston, Cornwall and set up a pottery studio. Rosie is well known in the area for her large ceramic murals, and her designs are unique and wide-ranging, including traditional pots, individually hung pictures, special awards, commemorative ware, sculptural containers, signs and house plaques, and book illustration. She is also an experienced leader of workshops and community projects, in both ceramics and music. Rosie was recognised for promoting Cornwall through the community arts by being made a bard in 2019.

In 2017 she collaborated with former ESI researcher Dr. Gloria Salmoral and Senior Lecture in Energy and Environment, Dr Xiaoyu Yan on 'Resilient local food systems in the Tamar Valley'. This Creative Exchange sought to disseminate knowledge of how local food systems function, in particular to raise awareness of relevant linkages between soil health, water and food production. Inspired by both the researchers and the work of Tamar Grow Local, Rosie created an artwork called 'Roots' which was displayed in the ESI's gallery space between September and October 2017. The artwork was a visual metaphor showing the key concepts of the cycle of nature, local ecology, sustainability and growing food.

For 'Catalyst' Rosie is exhibiting two new pieces which have been developed since her Creative Exchange collaboration. The first 'Fruitful' was commissioned by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership in 2018/2019 and is a series of twelve fruit bushes which line the platform at Gunnislake Train Station in Cornwall, each representing illustrated in the fruit, a different aspect of the Tamar Valley.

The second piece 'Wheal Talk'is a large ceramic mural commissioned by Gunnislake Community Matters and was made in collaboration with residents in Gunnislake during a series of workshops. Situated near the village's Buccaneer Inn, the mural depicts a life-size bal maiden and two children which represents a conversation between the past and the present. Alongside this is a large tin mine engine house made from tiles impressed with words that reflect aspects of Gunnislake made by participants during a series of workshops.

You can see both pieces and find out more about them by visting the new ESI virtual gallery. Just click on the image below.

About 'Catalyst'

Showcasing nearly a decade of arts/science collaborations at the the University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn, Catalyst features new work by twelve artists, all of whome have previously worked with researchers as part of the ESI Creative Exchange.