Save the date & join us for our October online artist peer group.
Established in 2015 our artist peer groups are an opportunity for artists exploring health and wellbeing in their practice to gain feedback and support on their projects, ideas or challenges that they are facing. The space is for active feedback, meaning that artists aren’t sharing finished works, but asking for specific support from others attending the session. Together we pool resources and provide feedback in a supportive environment.
Our presenting artists will be Emma Hunter and Helen Nestor. Read on for more information about their creative work.
Want to share your work at a future group? Fill out our application form.
Cost.
Free / Pay What You Can (suggested £5)
Image credit: @jesslittlewoodphotography
About Emma Hunter.
Emma Hunter MRSS is a neurodivergent sculptor and holds MA Distinction, and Grad Dip Distinction from Chelsea College of Arts in Spatial Design. Hunter has exhibited at several prestigious UK institutions since 2014 including the Royal Academy of Arts, Royal West Academy and Royal Scottish Academy, she is a recipient of the distinguished bursary award to join the Royal Society of Sculptors.
In 2016 Emma had her first solo show at the Hundred Years Gallery followed by a period of making new work as the Foundry Fellow at Chelsea College of Art 2017/18. The sculptures from this period are largely unexhibited due to a gap in practice - pregnancy/ birthing twins, one with complex medical needs and severe post-natal mental illness.
Some 7 years on and Emma has a backlog of the autobiographical to work through. She also brings a new spiritual practice and interest ignited by these lived experiences and practices of movement/breathwork. Her arts practice continues to stem from the personal yet seeks to relate through the universal going back to the ancient. Sculptural works are abstract but bodily in nature and aim to forge a visceral connection exploring psychological states/ actions. Concerns are currently matrescence, feminism, violence and coercion.
Emma would like support exploring:
Do works make sense when shown when there has been a significant time delay from conception to competition and the wider world context has changed?
How much of the lived experience narrative needs to accompany the work or does that alter its usefulness to the person experiencing the work?
How can community / participatory sound be used to expand the reach of the work and it’s impact?
Does the jumble of lived experience through work need to be untangled for the work to speak clearly?
Topics that might form part of this discussions may touch on: Post Partum Psychosis, Breast Feeding issues, Coercion and Sexual violence.
Emma’s website: www.emmahuntersculpture.com
Images: Helen Nestor
About Helen Nestor.
Helen Nestor origionally studied Art and Art History at Aberdeen University and The University of New Mexico, USA. Having gone on to train as a holistic therapist in massage and body work, she has now combined her art practice with the experience holding a safe space for others to find a sense of calm and wellbeing through creativity.
Helen facilitates workshops inspired by the Japanese technique and philosophy of Wabi Sabi, imperfection, being in the moment, simplicity, slowing down and inspired by nature.
In these workshops, she introduces the ideas and begins with a mind/ body centering excercise to bring everyone out of their heads and into their bodies. Participants then use tissue paper to make marks in a meditative repetitive rhythmic way that is regulating for the nervous system, calming and encouraging a move to opening up the mind to being playful and experimental. After painting the wabi sabi symbol and tress the final stage is individually centered experimentation. These workshops have been held in Brighton at complementary health clinic, Anahata Health and Mid St Lab Gallery, an inclusive and community led art space.
In this peer group session Helen will begin by doing a short grounding meditation for the group and sharing details about the workshop. Helen is looking for support with:
Gaining feedback and help around the pacing of the workshop;
How to bring the workshop to a close in a more effective way
How to best work towards a group show of work produced by participants;
How to work on a bigger scale.
Helen’s website: www.helennestor.net
Helen’s IG: @hcaitch