C-Art at Prism Arts 2016

Main Studio, C-Art at Prism Arts 2016

Rather unusually I had a relatively quiet summer, I took some time out to focus on my work and really enjoyed being in my studio and getting into my own work. I took part in Carlisle Art Fair which was a great experience for me. I met lots of interesting people, sold some work and enjoyed the whole process. Although I was tired after the show I also felt quite inspired and keen to carry on developing my practice, making it more of a priority.

Nature Climb, 2016
Katie Lock and Maddie Mould

Nature Climb, 2016
Katie Lock and Maddie Mould

Nature Climb, 2016
Katie Lock and Maddie Mould

It therefore came as a bit of a shock to the system when I came to start putting together our Prism Arts exhibition at our Paternoster Row spaces for C-Art 2016! It was one of those times when the phrase 'anything that can go wrong will go wrong' kept popping into my head. However, after a stressful week, a small amount of cursing and a lot of hard work we got the exhibition up and ready for the preview.

Drawings, John Lake, Emerging Artist (Prism Arts Studio Theatre West and Studio Arts)

Triptych, Prism Arts Creative Conversations Group

Triptych (detail,)  Prism Arts Creative Conversations Group

Prism Arts rents our studios and office space from the University of Cumbria in their Business Interaction Centre and because we're in the university's spaces we've been working with them and some of their students to provide exhibition opportunities, including a bursary which went to Katie Lock and Maddie Mould for their beautiful piece 'Nature Climb' which is hung in the stairwell of the building and we also gave our small studio to student Emeli Hartness who has created an intriguing installation based around nursery rhymes and their dark origins.

Prism Arts Studio Arts group 

Prism Arts Studio Arts group 

Prism Arts Studio Arts group 

Prism Arts Studio Arts group 

Several of the groups I work with for Prism Arts have work on show for the exhibition, including my Studio Arts group and the Wednesday Art Group at Carleton Day Centre. I find it both exciting and nerve racking installing work for exhibition, especially other people's work. I know in my head how I want to display things and how I think things should look but of course as in most aspects of real life this rarely happens and I spend a lot of time assessing alternatives.

Carleton Day Centre, Wednesday Art Group

Carleton Day Centre, Wednesday Art Group

Carleton Day Centre, Wednesday Art Group

Carleton Day Centre, Wednesday Art Group

How work is displayed is so important because it has a big impact on how viewers respond to it. I believe the work produced by our participants at Prism Arts is of a very high quality and I want to be able to show how talented these people are and that they can achieve so much more than some people expect. Giving people the opportunity to develop their creative skills allows them to find their own voice and tell their own story, rather than always having others speak for them.

Prism Arts/Tullie House: Picturing Places response work

Prism arts/St. Bede's/ Carlisle Library: Seven Stories project

Last year for C-Art several of Prism Arts artists, including myself, showed work and we had the opportunity to again this year. Earlier in the year we'd chosen the theme 'Flow' as it was nice and vague but would hopefully give a cohesiveness to the show. Not many of us exhibited this year but similarly to last year I was surprised by how well our pieces, all produced independently and without consultation with each other, fitted together beautifully. I love everything about Jan Hick's piece which embodies the theme perfectly.  I chose to show my small textile banner 'Flow: Connect' which is made from hand dyed indigo, beads and feathers and took forever to stitch!

Prism Arts artist: L-R Amanda Mudge, Amanda Mudge, Jan Hicks, Helen Walsh

Jan Hicks: Flow, Helen Walsh Flow: Connect

Flow: Connect

C-Art is on across Cumbria until 25th September with an impressive array of artists exhibiting so if you can I recommend you get out there and follow the yellow signs!

C-Art 2015 Wrapped: Response work

Wrapped, 2015

September in Cumbria means it's time for C-Art, when artists and art organisations across Cumbria open their studios to the public. At Prism Arts we've been busy putting together a display of work by the groups we work with and this year we also have a new strand to our displays. All of the Prism Artists were invited to produce some work in response to the work of our participants and this work is on show in our small studio (which is just across the corridor from our big studio.) We have also got 'Skyground' on display in the small studio and it's interesting how differently it works inside (previously it was on display in Tullie House gardens.)

Skyground, 2015

Work by No Borders

I chose to respond to work by one of the members of the No Borders group that I regularly work with and I created a series of branches wrapped with different threads, yarns and fibres which I then dyed using indigo. So, as well as responding to the work of another artist I also used this as an opportunity to explore a technique I'd been wanting to try for some time; indigo dyeing. I had already done a bit of work inspired by this person so this was a good opportunity to develop it a bit further.

Exhibition view, small studio

Earth Spirits (detail) by Leah Cameron

Jan Hicks

Celia Burbush

When we (Prism Artists) all came to install our work it was interesting to see how well our pieces worked together. Leah's beautiful 'Earth Spirits' were already in place and as soon as I saw them I knew I wanted to display my branches above them, which was lucky as that was the space I'd been allocated! Further along we hung Jan Hick's beautiful bird piece, all of our pieces referencing the natural world. Opposite the indigo blues of my branches are matched by the vibrant blue skies and beautiful seascapes of Celia Burbush. None of us had spoken to each other about our response pieces so it was really lovely how all the work came together so well.

Wrapped, 2015

Wrapped (detail)  2015

Wrapped (detail)  2015

This is my statement, accompanying my work:

Delivering projects for Prism Arts gives me the opportunity to work with a wide range of people in a variety of settings. Often my own art practice is greatly influenced by these projects. I am often inspired by the ideas, approaches and sheer joy of making that I see in many of the participants I work with. The projects also give me an opportunity to play and experiment with materials and techniques as I often produce sample pieces to take to workshops.

Magic Tree by Jackie, 2014

When all the Prism Arts artists were invited to make a piece of work in response to the work of our participants I knew immediately that I wanted to respond to the work of Jackie from the No Borders Art Group at Carlton Day Service. During one of the projects I'd been working on with this group I had introduced them to thread wrapping as a way of exploring colour and texture. Jackie took this idea and developed it, creating a beautiful thread wrapped branch. Her intuitive use of colour and texture and her focus on her work really inspired me and led to this series of indigo dyed thread wrapped branches.

This piece of work ties in with previous pieces of mine exploring restraint and containment but would not have come about without Jackie.

Wrapped (detail)  2015

Wrapped (detail)  2015

Wrapped (detail)  2015

As I mentioned in my statement this work explores the dichotomy of wrapping; it can be both protective and restrictive, a restraint or a comfort. I like these two conflicting interpretations and have tried to emphasise this element of the work further by my use of materials, both delicate and strong, natural and fabricated.

Wrapped (detail)  2015

Wrapped (detail)  2015

Wrapped (detail)  2015

I have really enjoyed working on these branches, it is a very therapeutic process and I like the finished result too. Working with natural materials and experimenting with natural dyeing is also a very satisfying process, creating a feeling of connection with the natural world. It is quite a time consuming process, allowing time for contemplation and consideration.