Currently, at the Leicester Gallery located in Vijay Patel, there is an ongoing project called ‘Art by Post: Of Home and Hope’ which was first introduced in May 2020 to provide activities for people in the UK suffering from a range of problems including loneliness, social isolation and digital exclusion. It involved commissioning artists to make activity booklets that were sent out to people to complete and send back in which resulted in over 600 works including poetry, drawings, paintings and mixed media work being received by the gallery.
Examples of ‘Art by Post’ briefs and information about the project
The exhibition was organised based on three different themes being Nature, Sound + Movement & Hope. These are the key themes that emerged during the art by post responses and submissions but they demonstrate the vital needs that we all have including green spaces, music, dance, physical activity, and experiences that we all share.
Selection of framed artworks by participants
These framed artworks (image above and below) are a selection of works made by the participants which are organised by theme and colour coded.
Selection of framed artworks by participants
The green frames are related to the nature theme, the orange frames are related to the sound & movement theme and the pink frames are related to the Hope theme. The colours used for this suit the themes well, particularly the green for nature. The wide variety of different outcomes including written work and artwork demonstrates how we are all individuals and handle things in our own way. Despite different methods, a lot of the works are demonstrating similar ideas which are fascinating as it shows that there are often so many thoughts we don’t consider.
Movement tapestry by Zoe Kreye
This tapestry was influenced by the booklet surrounding the topic of creativity in the home and cultivating that through music, dance and creating a safe space for making (written by Cherrelle Sappleton and Barbara Clarke). Zoe Kreye did a lot of research into tapestries and fabrics to identify common ones used in front rooms as people were spending a lot of time in there and this is why the tapestry includes some domesticated fabrics.
Paintings by Luke Squire and tapestry by Paloma Proudfoot
These are some paintings (image above and image below) by Luke Squire based around nature which are small scale and so Paloma Proudfoot created the tapestry around his work to support them and add scale to the work. The final effect emulates windows which were an important connection for people who had to remain indoors during the pandemic, with shades of blue representing the sky during the day and black representing the night. Being connected to nature is a key way to improve mental and physical well-being.
Paintings by Luke Squire and tapestry by Paloma Proudfoot
I feel that the colours used in these tapestry pieces work well together yet also contrast in areas to keep the audience interested. There is a contrast between the solid colours and patterns in the areas that surround the more intricate and detailed nature paintings. Since I am exploring colour combinations in my own work, I could use some of the colour palettes in this work to see if it could benefit my own work and allow me to develop a more informed choice of colour. I stayed at the gallery for a long time looking at these works, I feel that the meaning behind them is very significant and plays a big role in how they are perceived.
‘Hope’ – Collective self-portrait tapestry
This tapestry brings together a series of self-portraits of the participants. It is entitled ‘Hope’ This is vital in visualising members of the community and showing that their existence matters. This resembles the community and the support that it had for the art by post-project. In addition to the booklets used, there were zoom calls in which the participants did activities, some involving creating self-portraits which were used in this piece.
Domestic interior – Sophia Niazi
These batik works (image above and below) are made by Sophia Niazi in which she used some of the participants’ illustrations of their own interiors to create a kitchen and living room. Even the artworks on the wall in the work are adapted from pieces submitted by the participants. I particularly like that in the batik above, the light is shining through due to the gallery being made from transparent glass. This really makes the work pop and catch your eye. I believe that this is significant as it shows that your work in a gallery can be perceived differently depending on the time of day if it is in a location where light is able to reach the work. I also love the abstract colours used and again could consider using similar palettes in my work to see how it affects my personal subject matter.
Domestic interior – Sophia Niazi
This is the other batik kitchen interior created by Sophia Niazi which uses more muted colours yet the contrasts used still create a captivating effect. This work doesn’t have the same effect as the other in terms of the lighting but I think it is important to show the obvious differences in the outcomes. I have never seen batiks so detailed before but I love the small details such as the wood textural lines on the floor and the labels on the books at the bottom of the page.
My opinion of this exhibition:
Overall, I really loved this exhibition and the way it brought people together during the hard times during the pandemic. I always hated to think about the vulnerable people experiencing those times alone and so knowing that a lot of people had support and someone to talk to puts me at ease. In particular, I love the way colour has been used in the works in this exhibition as they are all very bright and attractive, a happy outcome of this project which is interesting as they could have focused on the negatives of those times but it has a positive vibe which is so lovely. The combination of detail and simplicity is nicely balanced. Some of the colour palettes, specifically the kitchen and living room batik pieces are some that I would be interested in using in my own project as I feel that they are really effective and balanced nicely. Since colour is such a vital part of my work, this is very relevant and I hope it develops my own colour use in some way.
The difference between an art resume and an art CV is that a resume is a summary, typically one page of recent work experience (employment) including relevant background for a job while a CV is typically a longer summary of artistic activities, endeavours, experiences, publications, skills and only relevant work experience would be necessary.
The content of an art CV differs depending on what you are applying for including residencies, open call submissions, exhibitions, funding, studio applications, MA courses, creative industry, employment, project proposals, teaching, museum work, and gallery work.
Master CVs – A master CV is required and it is something to which you add everything so that it builds a structure for all future CVs depending on what is required at the time. It is used to copy, edit, rearrange and structure specific CVs. Making CVs is a continuous process through life that will consistently change as more experience is gathered.
Master CVs include everything related to your professional artistic life. This includes but isn’t limited to:
Artist statement (short) = usually a paragraph, changes as your work develops. Summary of the content and drive you have for your project, summary of practice, not you.
Awards
Biography = section for more established artists could start to articulate this now for a head start. A short narrative describing your journey, where you started to where you are now. Look at examples online
Collaborations = consider putting together some proposals, get comfortable talking to people about your work, consider how you can develop your work
Collections = tricky one but could motivate you to be more visible. Anyone who purchases your work such as art collectors, museums, or galleries. Organisations or colleges which hold your work. Consider donating work to organisations?
Competitions = sign up to newsletters for new opportunities, apply for as much as you can
Contact details
Curation = consider putting together some proposals, get comfortable talking to people about your work, consider how you can develop your work
Education = only ever need to put your BA or above onto artist CV
Exhibitions = college, second-year exhibitions. Use a narrative approach to give more information including rationale, curator, artists, type of work. Enter competitions, open calls for exhibitions, organise your own exhibitions, collaborate, add forthcoming activities
Internet platforms = only have art-related content on social media outlets. Professional and focused, keep social life off of them
Networks = join a-n (artists information company), axis, arts professional, artists union England. Could consider more professional networks like outdoor arts in the UK, printmakers council, for art history, royal society of sculptors. Memberships of local art collectives, studios and specialist workshops.
Publications, press/text = hone writing and pitch ideas to build/encourage others to engage with your work. Has anyone written about your work or you? Be proactive and contact the press, journals, blogs to encourage writers to review the work. Pitch your own writing, ideas, reviews on online blogs, websites, magazines. Approach online art sites to feature work or offer interviews or q+a. Use links to direct readers to sites where your work has been written about. Use the blog to develop a critical voice. Put together publications, zine, pamphlets.
Professional memberships = join a-n (artists information company), axis, arts professional, artists union England. Could consider more professional networks like outdoor arts in the UK, printmakers council, for art history, royal society of sculptors. Memberships of local art collectives, studios and specialist workshops.
Projects = consider putting together some proposals, get comfortable talking to people about your work, consider how you can develop your work
Residencies = apply for some
Skills = what tech do you know such as photoshop, premier pro, laser cutting. Practical skills like spot welding, slip casting, screen printing, driving license, first-aid certificate. Taken any technical/professional courses to support creative knowledge
Work experience = only included if you are applying for something involving employment. Vital to focus on activities within the art and creative industries, don’t include a list of retail jobs. If you haven’t done arty jobs then consider how you have extrapolated skills and experience which would be relevant or transferable. Apply for employment in more related areas. Volunteer for creative organisations
If you don’t have a lot of experience, you can approach it in two ways by building on what you have done from an honest viewpoint or working harder to gain more experience.
To do’s:
avoid clutter, faces, bright colours and patterns
Stick to monotones
Don’t include photo unless it is asked for
Personal details vital including name, number, email, website, blog, social media
Use clear layouts and formats
Aim for one or two pages maximum when established
Reverse chronological order (most recent at top)
Concise and relevant information
My CV:
Gemma Sly
Currently based in Leicester
Email – gemmaslyxxxx@gmail.com
Artist, Painter
Education:
2019-2022 Fine Art BA (hons) De Montfort University
2018-2019 Foundation in Art and Design, De Montfort University, Distinction
2016-2018 BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design, Leicester College
Exhibitions:
2022 Degree Show, De Montfort University
2020 Southwark Park Open Exhibition
2019 Foundation Show, De Montfort University
2018 Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design Show, Leicester College St Margaret’s Campus
Awards:
nil
Collections:
nil
Commissions:
nil
Curation:
nil
Publications:
nil
My CV is quite empty as I haven’t had a lot of experience and never had the confidence or money to apply for exhibitions when I was younger. I wish I would have tried to find more free opportunities but I can’t change things and I’m hoping to apply to a lot more opportunities in the near future to make my CV a lot more impressive.
My Master CV:
Gemma Sly
Leicester
12/08/2000
Gemmaslyxxxx@gmail.com
07505******
Experience working in retail and a school
Currently studying Fine Art BA (Hons) at De Montfort University
Employment
Exam Invigilator – Fullhurst Community College, Leicester
April 2019 – June 2019
Setting up exam halls with adequate equipment, helping students with enquiries, being a scribe for students who need help, enforcing exam boards rules and regulations, tidying up exam hall
Crew Member at McDonalds – Meridian Park, Leicester
November 2016 – October 2017
Greeted customers and handled payments via a POS system, prepared raw food materials to cook over 30 menu items, maintained clean dining areas, restrooms and work stations by routinely sweeping, mopping, replenishing supplies and getting rid of waste, worked with colleagues to maintain a smooth operation and high standards of customer service during high volume rushes
Education
Fine Art BA (Hons) at De Montfort University, Leicester – October 2019 to 2022
Diploma of Higher Education: Foundation in art and design at De Montfort University (Distinction), Leicester – September 2018 to June 2019
Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design at Leicester College (St Margaret’s Campus – Triple Distinction*), Leicester – September 2016- June 2018
GCSE’s at Fullhurst Community College, Leicester: Art (A*), English Language (A*), English Literature (A*), Maths (B), Core Science (B), Additional Science (B), French (B), Geography (A) – September 2011 – June 2016
‘Painting Freedom’ – an exhibition profiling Indian Modernism and its three rebels – Hemen Mazamur, Jamani Roy and Rabindranath Tagore. The largest UK exhibition from the period of modern Indian art including loans from the British Museum.
Although I found the exhibition interesting, I don’t feel that the content particularly relates to my project in any way. However, I feel that I could take some inspiration from the colour palettes used and analyze what could work well in my own work.
Untitled – Nandalal Bose (1952) watercolour on paper
The colours used in this painting are very eye-catching and work well with the intricate imagery. The detail of the illustrations remind me of wallpapers and the colours used in the painting seem to work really well with the grey wall colour. I find it interesting that the piece is made using watercolour as from far away the colours seem really opaque. The gold framing works well as it fits in with the colours used in the painting and although I can’t be sure if this was the curator’s intention, I still personally think it is effective.
Untitled – Rabindranath Tagore, watercolour on paper
This painting was a much smaller scale and I can’t work out the reason for such a big white border, it may have been done like that to fit the frame unless the intention was for a lot of contrast to be created with the border and the actual painting. The subject being animals is relevant to my own work, although I am focusing on farm animals rather than birds, the shades of blue, pinky-orange and yellow create a lovely composition.
Untitled – Jamini Roy, tempera on cloth
The uses of the bold colours in this painting are extremely effective and contrast to draw the attention of the viewer. The black border fits in well with the painting and the colour of the frame fits in well with the golden ochre shade in the painting which is a thoughtful and considerate thing to do when it comes to framing and displaying the work. The painting medium being tempura is interesting as I learned about this technique last year and it makes sense that it was painted onto a cloth.
Untitled – Jamini Roy
This painting is similar in style to the painting above with the pointed oval eyes and the black outlines with bold colours. The pattern in the right-hand corner really interested me when I first saw this painting and in my opinion, it represents the sun although it could just be there for decoration. The frames selected for these pieces are really appropriate and work well with the paintings to create a sense of unity and a flow of colour.
Untitled – Jamini Roy
This painting reminds me of a mother animal carrying her cub in her mouth. I love the use of pattern in this painting along with the colours used as they are very eye-catching. The cub being a different colour to the mother figure works well in differentiating the two and again the framing works well. I’m not sure what the symbols around the subject mean but they make me very curious. I would like to explore doing a painting for my project with this colour scheme as it works well and has a lot of contrast.
Untitled – Jamini Roy, gouache
This painting is of a sheep and so I feel that it is very relevant to my project, although explored in a vastly different style from mine. It is simple yet still effective through contrast and mark making. The side profile is unique and not something I am exploring in my own work but it is still good for me to see other people’s takes on animals.
My opinions about this exhibition:
I really enjoyed going to see this exhibition to see the range of different works created throughout history, particularly Indian art as I have never really had exposure to this style of art before. I loved the range of different works involving still life, animals and humans. I decided to photograph a lot of the animal art as this is the part that was the most relevant to my work at the moment and so I felt it could be useful for developing my own practice. Mostly, I was really fascinated by the colour palettes used and the way these were combined down to the last detail – even the framing! The patterns and simplicity of the works are really interesting and it would be really interesting to see a large mural of art in this style.
Information about the “Found” tree of life
Collaged birds created by a range of Leicester residents
Inspired by museum collections and the residents of Leicester
The tree itself is used to represent the tree at the front of the museum
Leaves and Bark created with rubbings/prints from trees around the museum
The collages include newspaper cuttings through the years involving the past of Leicester and the Coronavirus pandemic
Each bird has snippets of poems, photos, recipes, letters and songs which were chosen by the participants to demonstrate their personal stories of Leicester
Whole view of the tree of life exhibit
I particularly like the use of the light shining onto the work as it demonstrates that through all the experiences of people there is light at the end of the tunnel and demonstrates the hope that people have. I feel that this could also relate to the sun or moonlight shining on trees throughout the day. Birds are a beautiful part of nature and I feel that this work shows the unity of Leicester residents and how we can overcome things together.
I like the colours used on this bird and the way the lines on the tail create the illusion of feathers
I particularly like the mark making on the wing of this bird and how the eyes are three dimensional as it really stands out
I love that the birds are all in different poses and facing in different directions as it shows that a lot has happened over the years in Leicester and how much people have had to overcome.
I found these mixed media collaged birds very captivating as they involved a lot of textures and mark-making in a playful way. The use of contrast is interesting and ensures people take time looking at all the details, it is certainly not boring.
My opinion of this exhibit:
I was very drawn to this piece when I first saw it and I found the backstory about it really interesting and a lovely way for the community to come together after such tough times involving COVID. I have always liked collage which is why I think I liked this piece so much and the fact that people all around Leicester came together to get the materials for it, most likely more impactful to me as I have lived in Leicester my whole life so feel a connection to this piece. I also feel that the bright colours work well and portray birds nicely. The work overall is greatly patterned and textured which attracts viewers and I found it interesting trying to work out what some of the snippets of newspaper/text were.
Art History section:
While I was at the New Walk Museum, I decided to visit the art history section to give me some inspiration and to give insight into the different ways that scenes were painted throughout history. A lot of these paintings I have seen before as I have been to the New Walk museum a lot but this was the first time I had been in a while and so it seemed different.
‘St Paul’s’ – Henry Dawson (1860), oil on canvas
’Castle in a Landscape’ – Thomas Sydney Cooper (1832), oil on canvas
‘The Good Samaritan’ – William Small (1899), oil on canvas
‘Italian Landscape’ – Alfred de Bylandt (1856), oil on canvas
‘The Railway Station’ – William Powell Frith (1863), oil on canvas
‘Perseus on Pegasus, Hastening to the Rescue of Andromeda’ – Frederick, Lord Leighton (1896), oil on canvas
My opinion of this exhibition:
This Art History section has been at the New Walk museum for a long time. However, I only go to this area around once or twice a year so it is always a nice experience to look at the paintings. I feel that art historical paintings are so realistic and detailed – so different from my own work but I still enjoy seeing the ways people throughout history explored their love for art and developed their ideas. The art world has changed a lot since these paintings were made which always fascinates me. The artworld is always changing, we never know what will happen in the next 10 years.
Rebecca Haines is a Fine Artist who has had a strong passion for art throughout her life. She began her artistic career by focusing on a portraiture subject – predominantly faces, in which she built up a skill in creating photorealistic pieces. In her thirties, she began to engage in artwork with an animal-based subject which was a lot more abstract through her uses of mark makings and colour. This interest in animals came from her friend lending her a book about the spiritual side of animals and how they connect to humans. This was an eye-opener for Haines and she continued to do lots of research into animals and people’s opinions about their purpose.
During her degree, she worked at a gallery and after graduating became the director of that gallery which gave her the chance to exhibit and sell her own work. She works on board rather than paper or canvas as she prefers the feel and firmness. I feel that I can relate to that as I am using small scale boards for my paintings. She uses oil paints and grease pencils to create her works which I find interesting and I may consider the combinations of media as my own project develops.
The use of mark-making and solid colour in Rebecca Haines’s work is what captures my attention the most as it creates a lot of contrast. She also includes a lot of abstract colours with dark colours which is interesting as often the bright colours used don’t reflect upon the animal itself but more so with the animal’s spiritual feeling, which requires a lot more thought. I like that her works include drawings as well as paintings, with the drawing showing through transparent layers of paint as combinations of mediums are something I am fond of in both my own work and other people’s work. In this piece, in particular, I feel the red circles on the cheeks are very playful and doodle-like which contrasts with the serious face and stance of the bear.
In this painting, I particularly feel that the colours used are successful and the uses of similar shades in the bear and the background allow the viewers’ eyes to look around the painting rather than focusing on one area. The different areas of mark-making, both simple and complex work well and contrast at the same time. The use of the complementary colours blue and orange is a focus of this painting and as I use a lot of complementary colours in my own work, I feel that I can relate to the colours used.
In this painting, I find the colours used are really simple yet effective, with the orange bringing out the richness of the brown. The way that the owl fits perfectly into the shape is something I feel works well and shows how deer and owls may be connected spiritually. Using more than one species of animal in her work is something Rebecca Haines does a lot and they aren’t always animals you would associate with each other. The mark-making in each of Rebecca Haines’s works varies from painting to painting yet is effective in different ways. Although I know the works are created with oil paints and oil sticks, certain areas through the way they look or the texture created reminds me of soft pastels which are interesting.
During the initial stages of a painting, she has a computer with lots of images of animals in different poses and then starts scribbling down her preferred one. This is different from her early paintings as she used to plan them out a lot more which resulted in her losing a lot of the successful mark makings and so she is much happier with her current process
The decision of what animal to do is very practical, sometimes from dreams or areas she visits such as Buffalo dams, however, she also looks at individual galleries to see what animals they are in need of or which will fit each venue the best
She markets her work primarily through galleries as she respects the time and effort they make to display and represent her work
Oil sticks are used a lot in her work, Sheba branded, it’s not a pastel but is oil paint in a stick form. She likes to use oil sticks as she enjoys drawing in her work and this is the easiest way to add this drawing aspect. The sticks allow her to scribble and add marks and then smear or smudge them after. The oil sticks are permanent oil paints and have skins form over them like the paint in the tubes
The only painterly aspect is the gesso to prime the backgrounds
She uses china markers to add the fine-lined areas like a grease pencil would achieve
She does commissions and is willing to replenish paintings that have been damaged over the years. When it comes to commissions, she doesn’t mind doing work that is a lot different to her usual work as long as she is still able to incorporate mark-making
She has experience being a gallery director and she finds knowing both sides of the operation helpful in being understanding of what gallery owners go through
She is a successful full-time artist
The artist influences in her work are Leonardo Da Vinci as she likes drawing and Rick Bartow as she feels that their work comes from a similar place in terms of drawing and mark-making
How Rebecca Haines’s work is influencing mine:
I am particularly fond of the way Rebecca Haines combines colour and mark-making to build up interesting depictions of the spirituality of animals. She focuses a lot more on wild animals and animals with big spiritual beings/auras including but not limited to bears, owls and deer. Although my project focuses on farm animals in captivity, I am more interested in the applications of media and the build-up of intricate details which all say something about the complex spirituality of animals. My work at the moment involves a lot of block colours and so I feel that adding mark-making to some degree could make my work a lot more effective and allow the viewer to understand how the animal feels more or to understand the deeper meaning of the animals. In terms of colour, researching the colours associated with the farm animals I have been focusing on in my project could help as this is the method that Rebecca Haines applies to her own work effectively. Since I am working on a much smaller scale than Rebecca Haines, I feel that I should try to be selective with the amounts of mark-making and so this is something I would need to experiment with – trial and error to see what works best.
Robert Phelps started his artistic career by being a decorative painter at Disney, mainly painting interesting scenes and doing caricature work. He progressed onto becoming a Fine Artist, doing exhibitions since 1996. His subject matter is of vibrant and uniquely coloured figures, both portraits of humans and animals.
I have decided to research Robert Phelps as I felt his focus on animals and colour relates to my ideas for my project nicely and I could benefit from trying out his methods of applying paint onto a surface. His works have an Expressionist or Fauvist style which I find interesting as I have researched these terms throughout art history and I could benefit by researching these further.
I like the fact that Robert Phelps doesn’t limit himself to one type/group of animals and I feel that I should try to do studies of a range of animals rather than just farm animals although this will involve going to places like zoos to gain primary evidence which I will have to arrange in my free time. If I don’t have the time to do this, however, I can still learn from his techniques and unique style, particularly his interesting use of colour to benefit my work and push it further than just being a painting of a cute farm animal.
I couldn’t gain access to good quality pictures of Robert Phelps’s work due to security on the website so I took a screenshot. Although the image isn’t of great quality, this painting relates to my project through the use of the goat and a sense of being in an enclosure. I particularly feel that the combinations of bright and dark colours create a great balance and makes the image very captivating. The painting is simple and yet built up in areas such as the goat’s face of different tones of the same colour which add depth and detail and makes it look like real fur despite the painting being abstract.
Although this painting has a lot more realistic colours, it still has small strokes of colour which add depth and make the audience want to spend more time looking at the painting. An interesting quality of Robert Phelps’s work is the range of backgrounds and environments in which the animals are, making me wonder if he has a lot of access to different animal attractions or whether he works from photographs. I find the use of green in the goat’s fur works well with the brown colour and I feel I could apply this to my own work as I tend to stick to quite simple colour schemes and the additions of small areas of colour could make my work a lot more effective.
In a lot of his goat paintings, they are gazing directly at the viewer which is something I have been exploring within my own work to see the different emotions this can evoke from the viewer as well as creating a connection or making the viewer feel uncomfortable. There are some paintings looking to the side, but I have decided to only include the paintings that are relevant to my own practice as that is something that I, as well as other people, feel works well from feedback during my crit. Robert Phelps adds a lot of texture to his paintings which is relevant to his subject matter.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EaFovmt0JUs – a short video of Robert Phelps working on some paintings. I decided to include this video as it shows that he likes to use his fingers to apply paint as well as brushes which I think is a really interesting method as it can add texture and make the artist literally a part of their work. I also found out through the description of the video that he likes to experiment with ‘alla prima painting’ which is a wet on wet paint technique that allows you to produce work in a spontaneous style without too much perfectionism.
Screenshot of Robert Phelps’s youtube
Robert Phelps also has an art Etsy account – https://www.etsy.com/shop/RobertPhelpsArt – in which he sells his artworks in a range of forms, including the original paintings as well as prints of his paintings in the form of good quality prints, t-shirts, stickers, mugs, phone cases and tote bags. This is interesting as it could be something I can explore in the future provided enough people are interested in my work and I make myself present in the art world.
Image of Robert Phelps’s Etsy website
In the above image, I find the image on the far right quite interesting with a real cat being behind the painting. Although a different cat entirely from the one in the painting, I find this playful photo has a good composition and brings the painting into the real world. Although I doubt I would be able to take photos like this with my own paintings due to farm animals tending to nibble on whatever they can get access to, I still found this particularly interesting and is something I could explore if I were to focus on more chilled animals.
Item selection and pricing on Robert Phelps’s Etsy account
Since I don’t have a lot of experience selling any of my work or items with my designs printed onto them in my professional practice, looking at the ways artists such as Robert Phelps is informative and educative and gives me an idea of how I could price my own work, although this does differ artist to artist.
For this sort of business to work, I feel that you need to have a lot of social media presence and have a good following of your work to know that people would actually buy them. As well as this, I would have to factor in being able to afford materials or getting another company to do the different prints for me so I feel that if I ever explore having a small business, this will be a venture in the future when I have enough money to feel stable to keep it afloat and enough time to dedicate myself to it.
How Robert Phelps’s work is influencing my work:
I am fascinated by Robert Phelps’s use of colour as colour is a vital aspect of my project and finding artists to influence me helps a lot in deciding colour palettes
The subject matter of Robert Phelp’s work is also relevant, particularly his paintings of farm animals – in particular goats. The additions of fences and enclosures are very interesting in the context of my work as it seems as though Robert Phelps likes to explore animals’ emotions in enclosures similarly to what I am hoping to achieve in my work
The gaze of the goats is effective as they are looking directly at the viewer/staring which is a concept that I am interested in as it evokes a lot of emotion in the viewer and creates a connection between the subject animal and the viewer. I am intrigued by the different ways people can be affected by paintings and how an image can drastically affect or not affect the viewer at all
There are a range of different residencies with some artists moving from one to another throughout their life, also known as altering modernity or nomads. The different types of artist residencies are aimed at different stages of artistic careers, some for established artists and others for emerging artists.
Types of residencies:
Non-funded residencies – for a mix of affluent amateurs and people who have a lot of experience. Res Artis website offers lots of opportunities.
Res Artis website offers residencies all over the world
Part-funded – free accommodation/studio space but no travel (although the travel costs can be funded by art organisations so research is vital.)
Fully funded – very competitive. high standard and high application numbers.
During COVID there were online artists’ residencies but they were incredibly hard to control and translate, in-person residencies give a sense of time and place.
Most artist residencies keep in touch after and follow your artistic career afterward – a very rewarding process. Some residencies even allow your family to come which is great for single parents or parents struggling with child care – even though children can be distracting. Some residencies are project-based, some offer technical support, residencies respond to a theme. There are a lot of exhibition opportunities after you take part in an artist residency.
Artist collectives are a good idea as they offer conversation opportunities and discourse, artist talks, lectures, crits. It is much easier to get funding for collectives vs as individuals. Collective studio spaces give you support, both physical and psychological support, motivation. Collective exhibitions are more likely than individual exhibitions.
Location is very important within the art world with different places offering different opportunities with different places suiting people for a range of reasons.
After university, a key problem is accessing facilities, so an artist studio is a good idea. Budget is also key as materials can be expensive.
Artist residency advice/experiences:
Art residency video
Although I learned a lot about artist residencies in my lecture, I wanted to find more information so came across this video on YouTube for more information. It is about an artist residency in Beijing and the experiences of artists within that residency.
In the video, the creator had a friend who had been running an artist residency and was going to be running an exhibition from this residency. An interesting part of this residency was that it was in a fairly remote location and it was a small residency with a maximum of 20 artists. The video showed clips of the artists in the residency at work with large-scale paintings which I found very captivating, even if I don’t ever get the chance to take part in an artist residency I would like the chance to attend a residency exhibition.
Screenshot of an image of the residency space from video
The exhibition involves connecting the artists with some collectors to give them the chance to sell their work which is a good idea, especially with large-scale works as transporting them back to the artist’s home would be rather difficult. The artists were very busy creating work which highlighted to me how you have to be prepared and have high motivation. This video showed how a range of people from different backgrounds, at different ages and stages of life are brought together in residencies.
First resident experience – Tom travelled a lot and moved into different industries, didn’t have a physical space to create work. The residency gave him the time and space to concentrate and be really productive. He tried to avoid social media and his phone so he could completely focus and take advantage of the space to just do art in order to relaunch his art career after a long period of not doing art at all. He struggled to make a living in art and so was making a living in other sectors which is a sad reality for a lot of creative people.
Screenshot from video of Tom and his paintings in the residency space
Second resident’s experience, Karen – she was from America and had graduated from art school a long time ago. She had a lot of opportunities arise in her life and got caught up with them including being involved in an art magazine which she did for around nine years. The residency is her opportunity to relaunch her art career after over 20 years of not painting. She wanted to put herself first for once and focus on her passion for art.
Screenshot from video of Karen working in the residency space
Third resident’s experience, Max – originally from London but works in the US worked as an artist for a long time, quite successful. Over five galleries over the world represent him. He’s a curator, museum manager and had been involved in a range of projects over the world. Teaching art. Took this opportunity to relax and discover China’s local art scene to give him inspiration.
Screenshot from video of Max in residency space
Hearing people’s different reasonings for doing the residency was really interesting for me as it showed that even the most successful people in the art world sometimes need a break and people who don’t have much success are resilient in their passion for art and want to push their artistic career. A key observation is that they all wanted the time and space to just focus on art without any outside distractions which they couldn’t do without the residency.
An alternative of artist residencies is renting an artist studio near your home town but sometimes moving away from the place you live works wonders for inspiration. When asked what makes his residency stand out, Steven said they offer a unique experience for the artists to network with local galleries, collectors, and museums so that they could build up connections and contacts which can be referred back to even after the residency is over. A networking opportunity. However, it is not guaranteed that the artists will sell their work but it is a good possibility.
Some people do an artist residency every year in the summer
An artist residency is an opportunity for artists to work outside of their studio in a new environment where they can focus on creating art, reflecting and researching.
It is an escape from your reality
Lots of different artist residencies out there – some are collaborative and others are independent. ‘
Some collaborative residencies involve doing art and mailing it to a person from another country and vice versa until a whole project is built up and then the different members of the collaborations meet in a designated place for residency for one month in the summer each year in which they can focus on the body of work they created and develop it even further together.
Residencies differ in length – sometimes a month or two, sometimes six months or even a year.
Studio residencies are located in many cities and countries meaning you don’t always have to travel a huge distance – you can sometimes commute
You are able to meet a range of new people including mentors, art collectors, curators
You get a lot of crit opportunities during residencies
Online residencies have started to become more popular due to covid and they have had good reception so will be sticking around
Applying for a residency – think about what you are looking for – travel/local, alone/with family, collaboration/working individually, funding/able to pay. The things you need to apply for a residency are typically a letter of motivation (kind of a cover letter saying what project you want to work on), project proposal in which you break down all elements of your project (the residency will know if you have any specific needs from this and will know what to expect), artist CV, artist biography, artist statement and portfolio (possibly letters of recommendation)
expenses of residencies vary depending on the type of residency. Sometimes you can get grants or funding which you apply to from different places – have to give a detailed list of materials, travel expenses. In most studio based residencies you have to pay to use the studios and be a part of the program.
some artists look for residencies that give them access to specific equipment including but not limited to ceramics, print and glass
Some residencies give you a brief or require you to make art about a heritage site or the place the residency is in so it is good to take that into account and read the fine print
Benefits of a residency – you have time to focus on you and your passion. Time is valuable as an artist. It is a good CV builder. You make a lot of connections. Press opportunities, exhibition opportunities. Artist talk opportunities
When looking up Residencies that I could apply to for when I’ve finished my degree, I came across the Residencies Opportunities Page on Arts Hub which includes a range of Residencies in the UK and other countries with the chance to win residencies in some cases through competitions or exhibitions which I felt was interesting. I came across a lot of interesting opportunities but some of them had fees and this is something I need to take into account when applying.
I found more details about the opportunity on Curator Space, finding out that it is an opportunity for women artists based in the East Midlands with two residency spaces up for grabs which is based in Derby – not too far from where I live at the moment. The deadline for submissions is the 31st May which gives me a lot of time to apply once my work is submitted for marking.
Residency fee for a one month residency is 270 euros (£227) and two months is 450 euros (£378.35).
What you get from the residency – regular meetings/activities, usually 3 sessions per week. Weekly live meetings with artists for crits and reflections of progress. Advice about social media presence and artist websites. Discussions with previous residency members. Online exhibition at the end of residency. Being presented on their blog. Become a permanent member of their international artist network.
Unfortunately I don’t have the money right now to join this residency but I found researching into an online residency was interesting and a good option if I don’t have the time to travel or dedicate myself to a residency full time. I feel that an online residency would be limiting in terms of space as you would have to find your own studio space or work from home but you will have access to people who can give you advice, crit your work and even influence your work with their own, an option which you most likely wouldn’t have without the residency.
When I was looking for opportunities and exhibitions, I came across Art Quest which had some interesting science based projects and some different artist residencies which was insightful and something to consider for when I’m finished with University.
I came across this residency which is available for an arts practitioner or a collaborative group for a 6 month residency in South East London. I find the project quite interesting as you get to work with families and children to create a narrative about their life and as I am interested in working with communities I feel that this would be a great opportunity for me.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the right specifications for this residency as I haven’t co produced any cultural projects, delivered workshops or released any publications. However, I still feel that researching into this residency has been beneficial in the sense of allowing me to know just how different artist residencies can be and the different options out there. I am hoping there will be a residency like this again in the future as it really interests me.
An interesting part of the Res Artis website is that it includes residencies in all parts of the world which makes it a great source for if you decide to travel for a residency. This is something I would be interested in but I need to consider my finances – even if funding is available, I’d still like to make sure that I am comfortable financially just in case. I also think that I would find going to a different country on my own quite scary but it would be an amazing opportunity so I’d have to work over the fear. I feel that residencies in other countries would open me up to a lot more valuable connections and I will have the experience of living in a brand new area and learning about cultures which I would find very exciting.
The website takes into account a lot of factors including:
Location – region, country and city
Disciplines – ceramics, glass, printmaking, sculpture, visual art
Artistic Facilities – library, metal work tools, exhibition space, woodworking tools
Practical Facilities – car, cleaning, internet, kitchen, private areas, shared spaces, places for family
Studio type and size – private, shared, live studio
Duration of residency – 1-3 weeks, 1-12+ months, 1-1+ years
Organisation type – artist run, foundation, government, hotel/guest house, museum, gallery, not for profit
Residency fees – yes or no
Setting – rural or urban
Accommodation type – private or shared, apartment or house or cabin or room
Working languages
Companions allowed – children, partners
Wheelchair accessibility – yes or no
I decided to do a search for residencies in the UK as I don’t want to travel out of the UK just yet. There are 13 available in the UK which is a fair amount but they are spread out quite far which surprised me.
I selected Newcastle and London on the list and no residency fees to see what results I would get so I looked into the residencies to see if I would like them.
Artist talks and networking events are arranged for residents
They offer funded residencies throughout the year
Promoting role of artists in the sustainable development of towns/cities
1 month residency
1 private artist studio
No accommodation offered
Networking artistic facilities
Open call
Out of all three residencies, I feel that the first one would be suited towards me more than the other two. However, commuting to London everyday would be very expensive, even getting accommodation in London would be too expensive and so costs are definitely something which I’ll have to take into account before applying for residencies.
My plan:
As soon as I’ve finished with University, I am going to find some residencies taking place at the end of this year or the start of next year which I can apply to in order to develop my CV and gain experience, as well as making connections in the art world. I feel that waiting until the end of this year/the start of next year will give me some time to get a part time job and make sure that I am financially able to do a residency as even the ones with no fees have other costs that need to be taken into account such as materials, living costs and travel. It is my ambition to do at least one artist residency in my life, hopefully more if I get the chance as it is an incredible opportunity.
At this moment in time, I am unsure of what I want to do after my University degree. I know that I want to go straight into a job and then consider doing a master’s course in a year or two if I decide it is something I want to pursue but I am currently in no rush. I feel that doing a Masters straight away would just be a waste of time and money as I have had enough of education for a while and would like to gain experience for my CV as my experience is quite limited at the moment. I also feel that I am unsure of what subject I would want to specialise in and so I feel that this is important to consider in depth.
At the moment, I don’t feel that a Masters would be suitable for me as I don’t have the drive for it yet but this is something to consider in a year or two when I feel more up to continuing my education and pushing myself further. At the moment however, my main focus is to get a job and gain experience for my CV.
Things to consider about a Masters
Another factor that puts me off doing a Masters straight away is the cost as I would like to experience doing a Masters in a place outside of Leicester where I have lived my whole life and so as well as course fees, I would need to factor in living costs which isn’t financially possible for me at the moment and so I would be in a much better position to do so in a couple of years when I have some savings.
Things to consider about a Masters
Another thing to consider is what grade I am going to get in my degree which could affect my chances of being accepted onto a Masters degree. I am currently unsure of what grade I will get as I find University grading can differ a lot from tutor to tutor and can be harsh and so I wouldn’t want to make the effort doing the application just to be rejected if I end up with a lower grade than I want.
Things to consider about a Masters
I don’t feel that I am ready for a Masters straightaway as I feel that I have burnt myself out during my degree and lost my passion for art as I have felt that my work is never good enough and so I would like to build my confidence and ensure I am at a time in my life where I will get the most out of my Masters rather than wasting the good opportunity and not doing the best of my ability.
Although these websites gave me a lot of information, I felt it would be good to watch a YouTube video or two to hear people’s own experiences and how they navigated life after University in terms of doing a Masters. This reassured me also as I have no idea what to do and I can be too critical about that sometimes but it is completely normal.
Although I already know that I don’t want to do a Masters straight away, I felt it would be beneficial to see whether a Masters would be beneficial to me anyway and who Masters are mostly suited to. I found this YouTube video which went into a lot of detail and I found it useful to hear all the points.
Information learned from video:
A masters is a postgraduate qualification done after a Bachelors degree which allows you to go more in depth in a specific subject
Masters are good for people who know what direction they want to go in, they know the industry and sometimes which specific roles they want
You need a different mindset going into a Masters compared to your undergraduate degree – they are typically only one year so you have to have more focus, not a lot of time for fun or a social life. A Masters is viewed as an investment
Cost of Masters – typically £8,500 but it varies depending on the course and location. Living costs aren’t covered so it is quite expensive and you miss out on a year of wages which you would have earned if you went straight into a job rather than doing a Masters
A Masters does give you a chance to earn more than just having an undergraduate degree but this isn’t always guaranteed. More of a chance of employment too but again this isn’t guaranteed
A Masters isn’t vital in getting the best roles, you can still be successful without a Masters – its not a necessity
Who should highly consider doing a masters? – someone who has done research and found out that doing a Masters is essential in getting a job – in some sectors having a Masters is much more beneficial such as Law and Engineering so you can niche down in the subject and make yourself more suited to your dream role. If you want to maximise your potential. Someone who got a 2-2 in their degree might feel that they didn’t do too well and a Masters could help hide that qualification as that could hinder your chances with some companies. Someone who wants to pivot their subject and move to a different specialism
Why you shouldn’t do a Masters? – If you’re unsure about what you want to do as a Masters is an investment, not a way for you to avoid adult responsibilities or keep in the university lifestyle life. If you can’t afford it right now it would be a good idea to wait until you’re in a better financial position. Some universities prefer masters applicants who have experience in industry and so depending on where you want to do a Masters this is something to take into account
Information learned from video:
1) Gap Year – go travelling or get a part time job so you still have a lot of free time. Last year of freedom before going into the working world full time. Going to different countries for the experience. The part time job ends up funding these opportunities.
2) Getting a job – Lots of different jobs out there and the jobs don’t always have to link directly to your degree. Some degree subjects offer graduate schemes after uni which are helpful and train you in the role that you want to pursue. Some graduate schemes allow you to gain different qualifications.
3) Building your CV – people often realise after uni that they don’t have a lot of experience and so focus on building it up before applying for graduate schemes or applying for their dream jobs. Getting an internship, either paid or unpaid depending on what is on offer. Internships last different amounts of time and so will be suitable to some but not to others. Volunteering is another good option (either in the UK or abroad). If you don’t know what you want to do, you can dabble in different things throughout the year and try different careers to see what best suits you. It might make you feel disorganised and out of place but it will help in the long run.
4) Masters – so many different types of post grad courses in different areas with different specialties. Have to consider how much you pay for the course vs how much you’ll get back from it, is the investment really worth it?
1) Gap Year – go travelling or get a part time job so you still have a lot of free time. Last year of freedom before going into the working world full time. Going to different countries for the experience. The part time job ends up funding these opportunities.
2) Getting a job – Lots of different jobs out there and the jobs don’t always have to link directly to your degree. Some degree subjects offer graduate schemes after uni which are helpful and train you in the role that you want to pursue. Some graduate schemes allow you to gain different qualifications.
3) Building your CV – people often realise after uni that they don’t have a lot of experience and so focus on building it up before applying for graduate schemes or applying for their dream jobs. Getting an internship, either paid or unpaid depending on what is on offer. Internships last different amounts of time and so will be suitable to some but not to others. Volunteering is another good option (either in the UK or abroad). If you don’t know what you want to do, you can dabble in different things throughout the year and try different careers to see what best suits you. It might make you feel disorganised and out of place but it will help in the long run.
4) Masters – so many different types of post grad courses in different areas with different specialties. Have to consider how much you pay for the course vs how much you’ll get back from it, is the investment really worth it?
Although looking into ideas as to what to do after university is helpful, I decided to look into people’s experiences of graduating from art school and the challenges they faced with getting an arts based job as I felt this would be more relevant to my own experience and build my confidence if I see other people’s successes.
Things I learned from the video:
Art school does not adequately prepare you for the financial realities of being an artist
A lot of art graduates are confronted with the realities of working alone for full time hours
Some artists get normal jobs to fund their passion and make savings before taking the leap to making art their main source of income and work on art full time which allows them to focus on art opportunities more such as exhibitions
Some people create and sell work but don’t manage to see any profits building up – it is bound to happen when you take the risk to focus on art full time
You have to consider how to become financially efficient – consider working from home and converting garage into art studio, means there aren’t any extra expenses. Make sure living expenses are reasonable
Figure out how to keep material expenses low as it is sometimes the only way to maintain being an artist full time. Framing one of the biggest expenses. Building your own frames would cut those costs down massively. Working on panels is quite inexpensive. Working with other shades of yellow than cadmium which is the most expensive will cut down costs.
Be creative with materials and experiment. Find a job with freedom which pays well, flexible schedule or even part time so then you have a stable income yet can still pursue your art. Then you don’t have the financial pressures
Teaching could be a good route but it’s not guaranteed that you will have the time or energy to do your own art alongside teaching
Interesting comments about peoples experiences on the above video:
This comment was interesting as it showed the harsh reality of wanting to pursue art and how difficult it can be to make a living and even get accepted into shows which is something I myself have experienced this year and it makes it really difficult to keep motivated.
I really relate to this comment in terms of feeling nervous that you won’t get a career doing what you love. I just have to see what happens and keep pushing myself to get a job that makes me happy. I hope I get there some day
Finding a job/ job sectors suitable for me:
The job I get maybe a normal retail job for me to get experience but I am hoping to discover an artistic job so my degree hasn’t been a waste of time. To assist me with finding jobs that are relevant, I started to do some assessments on the ‘National Career Service’ which uses your interests and skills to recommend relevant job opportunities. If I do end up in a normal job then I will still work on my practice in my own time and build up a strong portfolio to make me look good to potential employers in my preferred industry.
National Careers Service home page information
National Careers Service home page information
The assessments are used to identify skills you already have, your interests, your work ethic, and good things about you that make you suitable for certain jobs. Each assessment takes around 15 minutes to 30 minutes and there are 10 in total. I am working my way through them all so that a report can be generated for me which will give me jobs that would be suitable for me individually as well as suggest areas of improvement which could greatly benefit me.
Personal Skill Assessments
Work-based Skills assessment
I finished my assessments and downloaded my report:
My Completed Assessments
My report:
Here is a copy of my Skills Health Check that you can download and view. I have also attached a range of screenshots in case any technical problems occur.
Working with numbers tips and written information results
Written information results
I am really glad that the report gives me thorough information about my strengths and areas for improvement with tips as I now know what I should work on to build my employability and make a good impression on employers.
I am going to speak to a careers advisor when I have the chance so that they could recommend some more detailed information and specific jobs rather than ‘job families’ as I feel this could be an eye-opener and could allow me to find a career I feel gives me a purpose and allows me to make the most of my degree doing something I love. However, I have learned that the University careers advisors are more tailored towards academic careers rather than creative and so I feel I would need to find a careers advisor more tailored towards creative subjects.
In my search, I selected ‘Creative arts and design’ for the job sector and ‘East Midlands’ for the location as I can’t see myself moving too far away any time soon due to finances and family. Unfortunately there aren’t any art graduate jobs nearby and so I need to consider finding general entry level arts jobs rather than graduate jobs.
“Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don’t restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.” – This gives me hope as sometimes I worry that I will be limited to certain jobs and I sometimes worry that I will never be successful but I need to stop worrying and have faith in the process.
In November last year, it was recommended by our lens-based lecturer Anna Lucas to go to an exhibition which she put together in a collaboration with the Arts Council Collection. It was based at the WQE sciences building and was a fairly short/small exhibition. The exhibition was mostly lens-based in the form of photos and videos. It had Anna Lucas’s work as well as work by Wolfgang Tillmans – a popular artist in the Lens artist community and another artist Yve Lomax.
There were some drawings presented in clear display cases which worked alongside the themes explored in this exhibition such as nature and our interaction with environments. I wish I would have taken some closer up pictures of these drawings to show the detail combined with the simplicity which is something I found captivating at the time.
Catalogues of the exhibition were also presented in clear display cases with one opened to a collage of photographs. At the small scale of these pieces, there wasn’t much to look at but I like the way that the text in the background is at a large scale and creates an interesting composition.
There were several exhibition catalogues shown in the small exhibition which was interesting, especially since each one was presented in different ways with inclusions of different objects or materials. For instance, in this piece, there were again two exhibition catalogues with information about the work but the opened book was displaying a different page to the image above and there was a metal sheet that was accordion folded and had different shapes such as circles and squares cut out of it which reminded me of keyhole lenses.
In this display cabinet, there was some photography accordion-folded which I felt was interesting, as each compartment that was displayed in the clear cabinets were different and yet related to each other in some form, showing the development of things and how things are always changing to some degree.
Anna Lucas’s part of the exhibition:
As Anna Lucas had been one of the main people involved in the set up of the exhibition, she had multiple of her works in the exhibition, a lot of these looking like a monochrome mash-up of photographs that were created in the darkroom. They were quite abstract which I think is interesting in photography.
Anna Lucas ‘Babadag Tree’ (2020)
My thoughts about the exhibition:
Overall, I really enjoyed this exhibition and found it interesting that one of my lecturers was in it as often when I go to exhibitions, I don’t know anyone in them. I have always enjoyed experiencing the different ways that artists work on different subjects. Although I have dabbled in lens-based work through my art explorations, I am in no way an expert and so seeing the different ways people have used lenses to get their ideas across is always interesting to me and it makes me wonder about the individual process for prints or experiments in the dark rooms. This exhibition, in particular, wasn’t very long but sometimes I prefer that – short and sweet, especially since there was a couple of videos involved which required your attention. I found the location of the exhibition fascinating as it shows with the right permissions you can exhibit almost anywhere.
I wish I would have taken more photographs when I went to the exhibition so that I had more to write about but I was enjoying the work too much. Upon reflection, I should have gone to the exhibition more than once, the first time to experience it and a second time to make sure I gather enough photos of the experience. However, I can’t change things now so I will take this on board the next time I go to an exhibition.
