"The Things We Leave Behind" (detail ) 2008I have recently accepted an artist residency, which takes place in Highgreen in Northumberland from an organisation called VARC. This stands for 'Visual artists in Rural Communities' and is a yearlong residency starting in October 2009. This is an incredible opportunity for me to spend a whole year devoted to my practice in a beautiful remote location with my own studio and remote converted Dovecote apartment, without the pressures of my usual city life in Bristol. In October my nearest shop will be ten miles away in a village called Bellingham and part of the Pennine Way is my front garden. The scenery is rolling moorland that stretches for miles and miles around me. It is a very exciting opportunity to see what remoteness and isolation does for my creative practice and to myself, I am both excited and slightly scarred by the prospect.
I will be taking my kiln to Northumberland and intend to do some experimental enamel work whilst I am there. Part of my residency contract is to initiate activities that include the local community and schools for a seven-week period; therefore I intend to hold enamel workshops regularly for both adults and children. The rest of the time I get to spend solely on my own practice and at the end of the year I have a solo exhibition and a catalogue printed.
My residency includes a very small income, enough to survive on dhal and rice for a year but I will need extra money to help fund materials and other needs. As it is so isolated I will also have to buy a car for the duration of the residency (I usually bicycle around Bristol). Therefore the money that you have awarded me will go towards my experience of my residency, it will either be spent on materials during the year or go towards buying a car that will help me explore my environment. I was reluctant at first to get a car but have been informed it is essential in such an isolated area. I cannot stress what a wonderful opportunity this is for me to spend such time exploring my art, I currently work part-time as a receptionist to help fund me being an artist and this takes so much time away from doing what I really want to do, that of being a fully-fledged artist.
I am currently conducting some research for some large enamel pieces, which I would like to make. As a child I had major heart surgery and as a 'memory' of the major event I am interested in researching into the development of heart surgery. It all sounds rather gory, yet there are fascinating details and incredible old engravings of anatomy that I may use. It all is at a very early stage at the moment. I am also waiting to here from an interview from a new gallery that has opened in Bristol called 'View' in hope that they will want to exhibit my work. I am also facilitating some enamelling workshops at UWE for children aged 14 - 15 and have recently sent some enamel work to Studio Fusion in London.
Once again many thanks for the award. Jilly
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REPORT / letter from Kimberly Scott
Kimberly Scott - Ubran Diary ( detail )
photo from Rhyl Arts center Exhibition
I am delighted to have won the Emerging Maker prize for my piece "An Urban Diary" in the Playing with Fire exhibition.
I plan to put the prize money towards buying a kiln. Unfortunately my financial situation is not ideal for buying one at the moment and, as I work full time, I am not eligible for most of the funding/grants available. However the prize money is in my savings account (hopefully earning interest!) so once I save up the rest I will purchase one.
I sold my piece from Playing with Fire to a private collector in Devon, to be displayed in his home so when I receive the money late 2009/early 2010 this will go towards it. I am noting my new ideas for when I do get a kiln! I was in particular pleased to see the exhibition review in Crafts Magazine.
I really do want to continue developing and improving my enamelling work and to pursue my passion for enamelling. I always feel so at ease when working next to the kiln and I am missing it very much. I am keeping up to date with all the enamelling news (as much as I can!) with what is happening in the enamelling world and checking the BSOE blog regularly.
Kimberly Scott