A few weeks ago in April 2020, I was interviewed via Zoom during the COVID-19 lockdown by Gemma from Publib – an online public library and resource for socially engaged arts practitioners.
As the COVID-19 lockdown continues and travel is limited, I’ve been seeking inspiration from my home and garden for art-making this month.
I’ve been lucky to be commissioned by Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Suffolk Artlink, Making Waves Together/Norfolk County Council and Norwich University of the Arts to produce various remote learning resources. The creative resources have been a range of videos and written pieces with photos, which aim to support people to find inspiration and creativity during lockdown at home. This has kept my own creativity flowing through these difficult times.
Alongside trusty cyanotype, I’ve been experimenting with anthotype photography. This technique is completely chemical-free and plant-based, and uses the liquid from plants, leaves, berries, vegetables, etc as a light sensitive coating for paper to expose in the sun. I’m really enjoying playing with this new-to-me medium that I’ve been longing to try for ages, and can’t wait to try new plants in the bright spring sunshine.
Art making in March has been affected, as with every other aspect of life, by the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s also made me think more about waste/value of objects, such as junk mail and food packaging, in the context of national panic-buying for food.
This long line makes the best of it and is dotted with silver linings in the form of foil wrappers and milk bottle tops. It was a joy to escape into and will be off to a new home soon.
Switching to a wholly domestic-focused life means not only more time for art-making but it has also give me new perspectives on things around the house. I’m making the most of the sunshine and experimenting with painting items with a porous surface with cyanotype photographic chemical… The eggs now hold miniature sea/skyscapes!
I was invited to feature on The Jack Jay Show on BBC Radio Norfolk, on Monday 11th November, to talk about the new Artist Educator Social Network I co-founded with Kaitlin Ferguson. Plus, to talk about the upcoming Material Matters exhibition, as part of the collaborative #SayItWithStitchGY project. The Material Matters exhibition takes place from 19th to 23rd November at Skippings Gallery, King Street, Great Yarmouth. If you missed the live broadcast, you can catch up on our chat from around 1 hour in.
I’d recommend listening to the full 3 hour show, if you have the time, as you’ll hear about a community walking event with free cake in Great Yarmouth, Dean Parkin from The Grit talking about his work inspired by the lost Lowestoft fishing village, and more!
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