Charles Myatt

I am an artist, fabricator, concrete specialist and skateboarder based in Glasgow. For the last five years I have directed my own studio practice delivering bespoke projects. I produce work on-site and via the Glasgow Sculpture Studios from where I draw upon the skills, and contribute to, an exceptional network of craftspersons. Whilst I have a specialism in concrete, the output of my studio and practice is incredibly varied, not limited to: design objects, artworks and exhibitions, commercial fabrication, domestic interiors, performative (skateboarding), multimedia projects, construction, consultation, in teaching skills & fostering community.

Q&A

Artist Statement

Fabricator, Artist & designer, concrete specialist, skateboarder.

What craft do you work with?

My main bread and butter is bespoke concrete fabrication. I have produced design objects for London design Festival, I often work with Slancha and have a collection in Mint Gallery. I regularly create bespoke Kitchen related work for Teller Studio Ltd and host of other practices.

I have built many permanent aspects of Glasgow’s commercial/cultural institutions including: Clyde Built Radio Station, The Berkeley Suite, The Alchemy Experiment, The Loading Bay, Chinaski’s, Kelvingrove Cafe, Pluto’s and Outliers. These projects employ carpentry, metal fabrication, glasswork, alongside stone masonry, precast / in-situ concrete construction and design.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

A fascination in materials, their properties and processes, their application and our material culture.

My work often relates to a scene and industry, Glasgow has a lot of great cafes, restaurants, clubs and businesses that want to convey a visual identity or experience, as do brands whom I have begun to work with more frequently.

Likewise Skateboarding is inspiring as an investigative tool into cities, public space and culture. Skateboarding gives so much creative output: sculptural forms of skateparks and skate-able sculpture, community, a playful approach to Architecture/public spaces, graphics, artwork, films, visual media.. A dance, a sport.. You name it, skateboarding has got it in abundance.

In a design context I am inspired by the space for experimentation that working on a smaller scale can offer. I sketch to produce forms and find inspiration in the process of looking, thinking, trying, discarding and trying again to achieve something I am happy with.

How do you start your creative process?

Often I’ll start with a brief which I’ll need to alter and align to the limitation of materials and their handling. I’ll create a technical scale construction drawing with the material I receive from designers, architects, engineers, brands, councils, home and business owners etc. This document will relay the intricacies, practicalities and materials involved in the actual construction of the thing.

Similarly for a self driven creative project I begin by considering materials, processes and ideas alongside the following questions: How will it be used? What stress and environment does it need to tolerate? And how can I playfully experiment within these constraints?

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

Glasgow Sculpture Workshop is the bees knees, its a large facility with plenty of useful machinery. The staff are really sound and talented in a wide variety of production techniques.

Diamonds are a concrete workers best friend.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

The techniques I would like experiment with are endless. I hope to work further in the public realm and continue working on larger sculpture / architectural installations. As time goes on all my avenues of interest and inquiry intertwine, I hope to create sculpture for the city that people can interact and play with as I myself have gained a lot from being in such spaces.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

Take time to play and experiment, share with others, cross pollinate ideas and practice interdisciplinary from time to time. There is a world of building, craft and materiality around us all of the time and it is very important in how we live our daily lives.