In The Studio

In this episode we are joined by three artist/makers, Ismini Samanidou, a weaver from Eastborne Jessie Higginson a printmaker from Cornwall and Katie Bunnell a ceramicist, also from Cornwall. In May 2021, they spent a short residency with us here at Clayhill, after securing some Arts Council funding for a collaborative project called ‘Mesh, Loop and Line’ We talk about the residency and the importance of this as part of creative practice, as well as how the pandemic has changed their way of working over this past year. During the conversation we also explore 'teaching' and how the meaning of this has changed for them over the years, alongside their strong sense of materiality and making that is at the very heart of their respective practice. It is clearly evident that coming together again after a long year on screen has been really valueable for them. The work that the residency helped to foster will be on show at Grays Wharf in Penryn, Cornwall in October, 2021, where they will also be delivering workshops with The Sensory Trust for people living with dementia. Follow #meshloopline on instagram for updates.Update since the recording: The dates of the exhibition have been put back a week. It is now Thursday 14th October - Sun 7th Nov. Grays Wharf is open 10-4, wed-sun each week

In this episode we are joined by Andrew Kozlowski, a print maker, comic book artist and lecturer from Jacksonville, Florida. Andrew took part in our recent online exhibition Restriction with the Correspondence Collective and is looking to deliver some online comic book workshops with us later in the year. Sharing his journey into comics and how they have always been a part of his life, Andrew discusses how keeping daily journals helps inform the stories he writes and shares some of the advice that he passes on to his students to help them create their own. This episode is full of advice on keeping your creative momentum and reminding you that, “the sketchbook doesn’t care what you put in it, it just wants to be full!” You can follow Andrew on instagram @andrew.kozlowski where he posts a new comic book entry every Sunday. If you are interested in buying a copy of the mini comic Restricted head to our website here. Further ReadingUndersatanding Comics Scott McCloudJournalling Practice Lynda BerryTriggering Town Richard Hugo

In this episode we are joined by Claudia Kennaugh of Art & People; a new kind of art advisory, based in Bristol, which doesn’t just help the people who collect works of art, but also those who create it. Claudia talks about working in London with her mother at Catherine Miller Gallery, which is where she honed her craft and understood the importance of connecting artists with collectors. Since then she has moved to Bristol and explains why she set up Art & People and what's been happening with her and the artists that she works with through the pandemic. Sharing details of her upcoming online course for artists, as well as the other services she offers, we learn about the community that surrounds Art & People and why this is vital for an artist, especially now as we have been lacking connection with one another.You can follow Claudia on instagram @artandppl or visit her website artandpeople.co

In this episode we are joined by Ruth Broadway, an artist and print-maker based in Bristol.The commercial side of her practice is Ruby and the Paper Parade and through time on an MA she has been exploring a more conceptual and multidisciplinary approach in her work. She explains how Instagram has been a useful documentary tool for her practice, as well as a meeting space for creative conversation online, and how taking part in Press Play, a course which was part way through as the pandemic hit, has helped form a new network and challenge her working practice.Ruth has been creating a new body of work recently for her upcoming solo show Moonlit, due to show at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen in May 2021. We talk about how the work has been inspired by the buried moon folk story and how the pandemic has forced this show to move and pause. Talking openly about the optimism found in the quiet act of ritual daily making, Ruth shares how important making is for her mental health. We also talk about her experiences in getting involved with the Artist Support Pledge and how she feels this has opened up the culture and dialogue for artists to talk about making a living from their work. Believing strongly that making time for artwork is part of the whole person not just the job, this couldn't be more fitting to the work that she is creating at the moment. You find out more about her latest work on instagram @ruth.broadway and @rubypaperparade

In this episode we are joined by artist Amanda Lynch to discuss a new artist network The Correspondence Collective and how her recent work has been exploring the act of restriction. We discuss accessibility within the arts and how this has become a passion for her, as well as the impact that shielding has had on her access to materials and stimulus. She shares how her own work has changed from object based to paper during this period and why she has been inspired to set up the new network.In collaboration with Clayhill Arts, and with funding by Arts Council England, the Correspondence Collective have launched an Open Call for works around the theme of restriction, using the form of mail art to inspire and send the work.Artists are invited to create small works for the drawers’ compartments which range in size from 3cm x 3cm to 6cm x 13.5cm. Four compartments will be allocated to each artist with the tiny space designed to provide a reflective stimulus. The work should be inspired by the theme of Restriction, and what that means for you in the context of covid-19 and lockdown. Each exhibiting artist will be allocated four different sized compartments in the drawers.The exhibition will be shown online via a live-stream from 23rd March -  6th April, 2021. There are a number of networking events, artist talks and workshops running in parallel, all of which are free to attend.You can find out more about the Open Call and the Correspondence Collective via their website: www.correspondencecollective.com Follow them on instagram, twitter and facebook to hear the latest developments of the project and network.

In this episode we are joined by Dr Constance Fleuriot, an artist and writer developing personal and commercial games projects at her company Pretty Digital. Constance has been cited as one of the top 100 females in tech industry and is currently developing her own game Kissy Kissy.Joining us next year for the three day course CREATING STORIES: GAME DESIGN FOR COMPLETE BEGINNERS, we talk about what will be covered, what a games design document is and find out how attending a Games Jam and the first Female Only Games Jam allowed her to develop new work.We also explore what she has been doing with Bristol Games Hub to develop peer networks such as Grrl Games, and what Pervasive Media Studio at the Watershed have been doing for their community online during lockdown.

In this episode we are joined by Mark Devereux and Liz West of Mark Devereux Projects. Since 2013, Mark Devereux Projects have been helping artists and arts organisations by providing tailored information, support and guidance through one-to-one mentoring, group workshops and professional development programmes. They also produce and curate exhibitions, workshops, public talks and participatory events that challenge artists and audiences. Liz West is co-director of MDP and also a celebrated artist [as well as avid collector of a certain 90s pop group…] Together with freelance arts producer, researcher and writer Jack Welsh, they have been delivering fantastic support to the sector as MDP and hope to continue that through their ongoing programmes and [now] online events.We speak to Liz about setting up her solo exhibition Colour Ways which was due to open the day we went into lock down. Mark talks about the challenges of looking after a young family during this time and we discuss what Mark Devereux Projects have been doing to translate some of their physical work online, the upcoming opportunities via StudioBook {Online} and the recent online course Which Way Now? 

In this episode we are joined by Rob Jones, a shibori textiles designer, natural dyer and founder of Romor Designs.Rob is joining us this September to deliver the three day course Exploring the Art of Japanese Embroidery where you can learn about Sashiko stitching and Boro mending, as well as Kogin-counted thread embroidery – a practice which Rob is currently the only the only teacher of in the UK.We talk to Rob about finding his ikigai, the meditative nature of stitching, what’s being covered in Exploring The Art of Japanese Embroidery and how learning from indigo guru Bryan Whitehead in Japan led to shifting careers from a corporate world to a making one. We also discuss how online teaching (with help from The Design Trust) has been working for Rob during lockdown and the mental health benefits of communal making.

In our latest episode, we are joined by Dr. Penny Hay, who is an artist, educator, research fellow and Senior Lecturer at Bath Spa University. Working extensively within arts education, Dr. Penny Hay has undertaken a number of research projects into the importance of creativity in education and community building. She runs the charity House of Imagination, spoke at TEDx Bath about the Power of Children's Imagination and has been delivering a virtual version of Forest of Imagination during the pandemic [May - July 2020.]In this episode we talk about the role of creative thinking within mainstream education, what impact space has on learning and how continuing professional development (or CPD as it is more commonly know) in the creative sector has changed in recent years.To find out more visit: https://clayhillarts.co.uk/

In this episode, we speak with artists, collaborators, curators, teachers and writers Rosalind Davis and Justin Hibbs. They are delivering an Online Summer School with us this June: Thriving and Surviving as an Artist. In the recording they share insights into how they have been coping during Lockdown, the focus they’ve gained through this time and what is really important about their practice. We also hear how Rosalind has adapted her role as curator at Collyer Bristow Gallery and offering virtual tours of the latest exhibition whilst the gallery is closed.

Creative Consultant Melody Vaughan joined us for a Sustainability Workshop earlier this year. Whilst she was here we recorded a podcast and had discussions around what sustainability means and how we should be mindful of the processes we use when creating objects.We also talk about her Sustainability Audit, which offers you some suggestions for thinking holistically about your creative practice, reflecting on how it has been going, and discovering where you would like to take it as you move ahead. It’s a valuable tool to be using at the moment, especially whilst we’ve got a bit of time to stop and reflect. If you’d like to know more about this and the other resources that Melody has created, please visit https://www.melodyvaughan.com/Melody is offering hour long 1:1 coaching sessions for FREE during April/May/June. If this sounds something you’d be interested in, you can find out more here.* It should be noted that this recording was made in February 2020, when the world was a very different place! *

During Somerset Art Weeks Festival we recorded a podcast with Tone Talk Audio. This took place half way through the festival and was a conversation between resident artists Emma Housley and Megan Wakelam. They talk about their experiences taking part in art weeks, the impact of their bursary and how the landscape of Clayhill has influenced their work.This is the first in a series of podcasts which explore the ways in which artists work and the journeys they take during their artistic career. Make sure to sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about them.