Ceri talks with artist Hannah Perry as she shares her journey from a working-class background to becoming a renowned contemporary artist. Hannah discusses her major solo exhibition at Baltic Gallery, navigating the art world, and balancing creativity with motherhood. Her insights on resilience, collaboration, and staying true to oneself offer invaluable lessons for artists at any stage of their career.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Hannah's working-class background and dyslexia diagnosis led her to pursue art, finding her voice through identity-based work at Goldsmiths University.
• Collaborating with diverse creatives in DIY spaces and warehouse living fostered Hannah's interdisciplinary approach and artistic growth.
• The Royal Academy provided Hannah with practical skills, nurturing support, and valuable connections in the art world.
• Hannah emphasises the importance of maintaining long-term relationships with supporters and collaborators throughout one's artistic career.
• Balancing commercial work with experimental projects can help sustain an artist's practice financially while allowing creative freedom.
• Hannah's process for developing major exhibitions involves extensive research, collaboration with curators, and adapting to unexpected life changes.
• Self-care strategies, such as exercise and maintaining personal relationships, are crucial for managing the emotional highs and lows of an artistic career.
• Hannah advises artists to take action and seize opportunities, rather than becoming paralysed by overthinking or fear of failure.

BEST MOMENTS 

"I ended up going to like a vocational college to do a-levels alongside, like potentially a vocational subject, but I couldn't really find my space, there I found out I was dyslexic"

"I think what Goldsmiths gave me was like a thinker's degree, if that makes sense."

"I try and counteract is that I always try and like, get up and do like, a training program, go for a run, cycle into the studio, just do anything to just get up and get moving"

"I think from my perspective, I've always found it useful to just go for every opportunity that is possible, rather than kind of thinking too much about, like, you know, potential risks or potential problems."

"When you sort of find something that you really excel in when you sort of struggled in a lot of areas, you know it's the right place for you to be."

"You ignored the advice, you applied and you got in."

"It's always probably going to be a thing of like figuring out how to best, how to make something work, essentially, with what you've got, and that takes a lot of time."

PODCAST HOST BIO

Meet Ceri Hand, the driving force behind countless creative success stories. A creative coach, entrepreneur, and dynamic speaker, she's committed to empowering creatives to realise their dreams and make a meaningful impact through her creative coaching, mentoring and training company. With three decades in the arts under her belt, Ceri has ridden the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Now, she's here to help you achieve your goals, your way.

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Artist Links

https://www.hannahperry.com/

Currently on show at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

https://baltic.art/