Wk 18. Professional Practice
Lauren Gault - ATLAS
After the Professional Practice lecture on the 12th Feb 2024 I got the chance to talk with Lauren Gault and exchanged details as not only do our practices have many elements in common but I’ve always wanted to be studio assistant and help with a project when I know the process that went in behind it.
I have a strong relationship with ATLAS and look forward to communicating with them over the next few months to potentially help assist Lauren with her Current project: Samhla
Montclair State University - Ebb and Flow Exchange
This will likely become a recurrent section in my RRJ as it’s directly correlated to my current practice but due to all the external processes involved within it is definitely slotted within my professional practice.
Finding gallery space
This was definitely a challenge on such short notice and no assistance from the university but we managed to secure a couple spaces. The final one being City Flowers in the Kieller centre (see below)
Here there is potential for video work, projection, installation, free standing pieces, etc. at no fee. (Other than a security fee for evenings but we’ll also need to fundraise in order to fund the opening night.)
The backup space was one of the levels in the public library. Even though this is no longer our main space I intend on keeping in contact with the council who offered it for a potential independent show/ future project!
Working across continents
Aisha
Me and Aisha have mainly been discussing readings that relate to our theme of Ebb and Flow. I linked her to my hydrofeminism essay. We’ve recently been discussing links between philosophy, psychology, theatre and art to the theme.
Jack
Jack and I have been discussing our ideas with the goal of producing work(s) together. Our mediums are quite different with Jack preferring digital and 2D imagery when I’m more experimental with Tactile and sculptural works but we’re both interpreting the theme as an ebb and flow of identity. Jack feels Their Ebb and Flow is a contradictory state of opposites whereas my work is currently focused on the state of being between these extreme states and finding piece within that unknowing.
Our next steps involve a zoom call and perhaps a collaborative image board/collage that inspires further pieces.
Wella
Similar to Jack, Emmanuella and I are planning on working with each other and are more in sync visually than thematically
Wella has shared her interest in working sculpturally and large scale with the ebb and flow of time being envisaged as a clock with moving elements. Since this discussion we’ve explored the UK’s affinity with shopping centre clocks and are in the discussions of each interpreting an abstract definition of time/clocks and seeing what we make.
What next?
A lot of communication, making and marketing. As one of people on the PR team for this event it’s my job this week to get access of social media handles, securing dates and times for advertising and creating promotional imagery.
Dudhope Young People’s Unit (Volunteering)
After my volunteering experience over the Summer holidays in 2023 I was invited back as an NHS trained Volunteer to teach the weekly art classes at Dundee’s inpatient psychiatric ward for young people. This ward holds a lot of memories as I was a patient here myself for several months at the start of 2021 and I know how important external interaction is and want to give back to the ward that helped me.
During this semester, I come every Tuesday morning for an hour and a half and lead art classes. I started with the project below to get to know the kids better…
New Signage by the young people during my class: “Welcome to the Young People’s Unit”
As I’m developing my embroidery practice for my independent practice I thought it would be a good opportunity to offer to the kids I work with (and allow me to build my skills in creating designs and patches both digitally and physically)…
As of writing this I am planning the timetable for the rest of the spring term. Currently looking into ways to help the school achieve their eco schools awards and after receiving feedback from the students they seem to prefer the more directed weeks but are incredibly successful when left to create work for themselves! We’ve worked with paints, collage, illustration and recently felting has been a great success.
A Side Hustle?
Continuing on from the success of the embroidery patches for the kids at the unit I’ve been considering starting a side business where I make patches or embroidery for a small fee for societies, clubs, individuals, illustrators etc. As this will help fund my own activities within the field of textiles but be a step in the direction of developing my creative design skills to fund myself freelance. A work in progress…
References:
Gault, L. (2024) Samhla, ATLAS ARTS. (Accessed 13th February 2024) Available at https://atlasarts.org.uk/programme/projects/samhla
Oussaiden, Sara. (2023) What Might Making Contact with Ice - Cold, Numbing, Foreign, Yet Transitionary, Contradictory and Inevitably Fleeting, Teach Us About the Application of Hydrofeminist Theory and How We Distinguish Our Own Bodies Against those that Co-Exist with and Contain Us. Available at https://saraoussaiden.com/texts/gender-body-water
https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/media/1573718/opp-pocket-garden-guide-2024-final-051223.pdf