Daniel Ibbotson is a guest contributor to Craftsmen at the Priory 2021 and his pieces have featured in the publicity for this year’s exhibition. We thought you might like to meet the artist behind the work.

What do you do and how do you describe yourself?
Daniel: I make conceptual sculpture paintings.

Where are you based? Location but also studio, home, workshop unit?
D: I am Carlisle based and make my paintings in a variety of pop-up studios that I create based on the weather and which building site I happen to be on (I’m a full-time decorator).

When did you start to sell your work? 
D: I started to sell work in the 1990s at university in London.

How has your work changed since then?
D: My paintings have developed from flat images through to more sculptural pieces using discarded and recycled materials from my day job.

What are your hopes for taking part in Craftsmen at the Priory in 2021? 
D: My hopes are simple: first to enjoy the experience; and second to sell work to fund my trip next year to Venice. I’ve been invited to exhibit by the European Culture Centre from April to November 2022 in an exhibition called ‘Personal Structures’. This event runs alongside the Venice Biennale and is a huge opportunity for me to achieve my ambition of becoming a full-time artist.

If Craftsmen at the Priory resulted in a commission, what would be your ideal brief?
D: My ideal brief for commissions would be something big – a fresh challenge and likely to support the trip to Venice too.