Trapdoor to a Fantastical County Durham: Make a Plasticine Monster

Trapdoor to a Fantastical County Durham is a collaboration between Paul Raymond and Strange Quark, an artist studio composed of James Stephen Wright and Polina Chizhova. The plasticine monsters were created by students at Walworth Primary School, Consett Academy, Wolsingham School and Durham 6th Form Centre. The project was funded by No More Nowt.

Paul Raymond is an artist, teacher and freelance art-educator based in the

north east of England. He regularly works with schools, universities, galleries

and arts organisations across the UK. Raymond’s practice incorporates

sculpture, collage, digital moving image, print-making, live performance, and

kinetic assemblage. He is drawn to experimental and playful approaches to

making, and is passionate about working with others through collaborative

projects and workshops.

James Stephen Wright is an artist based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Currently

James is completing a PhD in Fine Art and Computer Science at Sunderland

University in collaboration with the National Trust. Previously, he studied at

Leeds College of Art before graduating with a BA (Hons) in Environmental Art

and Sculpture from Glasgow School of Art in 2011. He also holds an MA in

Contemporary Art from the University of Edinburgh.

Polina Chizhova is an artist and curator based in the North East. She is

currently a PhD candidate in Curating and Architecture at Manchester

Metropolitan University part of the Leverhulme Unit for the Design of the Cities

of the Future. In her research, she is interested in the impact of emergent

technologies on the experience of place, as well as in what role creative

practitioners can play in fostering social justice through technology.