creative conversations Archives

Creative Chat ‘n Blog – Marian Savill

Posted on June 2021June 2021 by Alice Cramer

Listen to Marian’s podcast episode here.

As we entered lockdown in March 2020, I watched my personal plans for the year fade away with the loss of workshops, events and my first foray into participating in Cambridge Open Studios. I soon realised though that this was an opportunity to reflect on and develop my practice, and to try new ways of creating and delivering.

Lockdown offered me opportunities to explore delivering via video tutorials when Creative People and Places: MarketPlace offered me the chance to make a series of films on art journaling. I have always used recycled materials in my work and sharing ways to create with limited or no specific art materials was an enjoyable experience albeit on a steep learning curve with the video skills element!

Screenshot from Marian Savill's Art Journalling video workshops. Pictured is Marian experimenting on her desk with paint, pens, pencils and collaging in colourful handmade books. — Marian talking about using words in one of her art journaling videos.

Over the summer of 2020, I started to experiment with new techniques, things I’d wanted to try but never found the time for. Some of the many techniques I tried included eco dyeing, making charcoal, natural weaving, anthotypes, and making natural glues and inks. A lot of these techniques have helped me in my ongoing process of greening my arts practice, making it more eco-friendly, and reducing the carbon footprint of my work, materials and processes.

Eco dyeing — Marian experimenting with beetroot ink.

Another joy of lockdown was being able to attend online workshops from across the world which would not have been possible in real life. I learned about different artists, watched lectures on art history and created art in lots of different media including drawing, collage, painting, stitching, and paper folding. I have also had more time to collaborate with artists both in the UK and the USA, working on round robin altered books and collage projects.

Part of a collaborative project with a US based artist.

Lockdown has been difficult in a lot of ways, of course, and I knew making art and being creative would help me through it but I never anticipated that it would offer me so much time and space for creative exploration and learning, open new trains of thought for projects and artwork and allow me to extend my understanding of my practice and processes. Covid-19 has changed many things for me and now the world is inching towards a new normal, I find myself grateful for what the last eighteen months has taught me and given me.

Written by artist, Marian Savill.

Links:

www.mariansavill.co.uk
Instagram: @maz42
Twitter: @mariansavill
Facebook: Marian Savill Mixed Media Artist

Listen to Marian’s podcast episode here.

Read about Marian’s Art Journaling project here.

Creative Chat ‘n’ Blog – Genevieve Rudd

Posted on June 2021June 2021 by Alice Cramer

Listen to Genevieve’s podcast episode here.

On the day I spoke to David, with Marian Savill, it was the one year anniversary of the first Lockdown. Whilst it wasn’t timed to be the start of the blog series, as far as I’m aware (!), it did shape the drift of our conversation. But then again, has anyone been talking or thinking about anything other than COVID-19 for the past year? It has felt completely all encompassing, but the conversation with the three of us reminded me that taking the time for social connection can help put things into perspective.

A photo of artist Genevieve Rudd smiling with a Waveney & Blyth art trail leaflet.

As an artist, I have lots of ways to keep my mind occupied, but Lockdown has been universally energy sapping. Despite this, the lack of usual habits or access to resources gave way to inventiveness. This is something that chimed with Marian too. Both of us thrifty at the best of times, it was inspiring to hear how she also found new life for unwanted stuff, and how this connected with her wider lifestyle values around veganism and reducing waste.

Lockdown has encouraged more ‘localised’ thinking on the whole – such as doorstep clapping, mutual aid groups and window rainbows – we’ve all been forced to re-consider our relationships to our immediate environment. For many, this has been a suffocating experience, and for others, it has given a sense of freedom from their daily slog. Whatever the situation, it’s brought us all face-to-face with our own domestic reality in very close detail. For me, that detail has shown me the value in simplicity.

Marian was inspiring to talk to; I’d never heard of ‘doodads’, but she has been doing #A100DaysOfDoodads. These mini sculptural pieces are made from tomato puree tubes, scrap fabric, threads, leaves, wire, stones and all sorts of things she found around her home over the past few months! I love this ethos and in my own practice, I have been exploring approaches with foraged, edible and recycled materials, and in turn, making my practice more sustainable. This explorations have predominantly been using Cyanotype and Anthotype photography, using plants and compost from my garden.

‘Soil Circles’ 1 of 6. Cyanotype photographic print made using collected rainwater, home-made compost, recycled paper and sunlight, 5th-6th March 2021. Copyright Genevieve Rudd.

This year has been many things, but one silver lining has been the time spent exploring and treasuring the small overlooked details of life, particularly in relation to the natural world. This year, I’m running an Arts Council England funded project, Yarmouth Springs Eternal, in partnership with original projects; in Great Yarmouth. We’re nurturing relationships with the natural world found in overlooked places through walking and art-making. If there is one thing I’ll keep from this last year, it’s to embrace simplicity, and from Marian, it’s the ‘use what you already have’ mentality!

Written by artist, Genevieve Rudd.

Links:

www.genevieverudd.com
Instagram: @genevieverudd
Twitter: @gruddphoto
Facebook: Genevieve Rudd artist

Listen to Genevieve’s podcast episode here.

Read about Genevieve’s project Lets Take a Walk here.

Art of #CovidChat

Posted on June 2021April 2022 by Colin Stevens

A new MarketPlace/ DMJ Imagery Ltd podcast series

For many creative practitioners, the Lockdown period during 2020 and 2021 was both a stressful challenge and a opportunity for experimentation and learning. Inevitably, this has raised questions about what we do, how we do it and most importantly, why we do what we do.

In the Art of #CovidChat, Chatteris based filmmaker and podcast producer, David Johnson (DMJ Imagery) had the idea of hosting ‘creative conversations’ with artists from our Inkling and Connect micro-commissions.

_{Pictured is a photo of David Johnson (DMJ Imagery) with his camera.}

David wanted to explore how artists have coped with transferring their skills and practice to online workshops, digital technology and downloadable resources. He also wanted to discuss how they managed to continue the creative sharing process despite not being able to be in the same physical space as workshop participants.

The podcasts include a great line-up of artists discussing music, writing, digital technology, fine art and performance.

The creative conversations launched on podcast platforms early this summer. Listen to them below.

Listen to the podcast series below:

Episode 1

Read the transcript of Episode 1 here.

_{This episode David Johnson interviews artists Genevieve Rudd and Marian Savill. The topic for this episode is Mixed Media Arts. They discuss:-}

_{Permission to be an artist}
_{Cyanotype & anthotype}
_{The changing of art materials and the impact of recycling}

Read Genevieve’s blog post here.

Read Marian’s blog post here.

Episode 2

Read the transcript for Episode 2 here.

_{David Johnson interviews poet and writer Leanne Moden and writer Belona Greenwood}. _{The topic for this episode is Poetry and Written Word.} _{They discuss:-}

_{Initial process to start writing}
_{The effects of lockdown}
_{Learning new skills during the last year}

_{The challenge:}

_{To write a short poem}
_{Short story about a stone}

Read Leanne’s blog post here.

Read Bel’s blog post here.

Episode 3

Read the transcript for Episode 3 here.

_{This episode, David Johnson interviews environmental artist Kaitlin Ferguson and publisher and illustrator Ric Savage. The topic for this episode is Use of Video in Art Projects. They discuss: –}

_{How they learned to create videos}
_{Their experiences of using videos in their work}
_{Missing the audience engagement}

_{The challenge:}

_{Record the changes of nature using video}
_{Capture something about you}
_{Additional challenge – Film a one-minute elevator pitch}

Read Kaitlin’s blog post here.

Read Ric’s blog post here.

Episode 4

Read the transcript for Episode 4 here.

_{This episode, David Johnson interviews singer/ music leader Sally Rose and artist Michelle Brace.} _{The topic for this episode is Music and Technology.} _{They discuss:-}

_{What is VJ-ing?}
_{Music and Mental Health}
_{Folk music in the Fenland area}

_{The challenge:}

_{Go for a walk and listen to the rhythm of your feet as you move}
_{Get two images – patterns/textures and digitally blend them or collage them.}

Read Sally’s blog post here.

Read Michelle’s blog post here.

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Evaluation Case Study: Writing the Landscape

Posted on April 2021 by Alice Cramer

This case study is part of our project evaluation for 2019/2020

Writer Bel Greenwood was commissioned as part of our Creative Conversations in Isolation programme to bring together a group who were interested in creative writing with a landscape and environmental theme. Everyone had to get used to being on Zoom rather than meeting in person, but the group enjoyed getting to know each other and experimenting with their writing guided by Bel. People were finding new connections to their local environment and nature through lockdown, this group were no different, giving them lots to write about. They produced a blog to share their work and have continued to meet and write.

Read the Writing Inspired by the Landscape blog here.

Download the full Writing the Landscape case study here.

Read the full 2019/20 evaluation report here.

An excerpt from the case study:

Recognising an increase in people’s connections to their local environment, this commission was a way to develop interest and community audiences connected to this theme.

Images reads "It's about generating a sense of imaginative connection with the landscape - they have a very strong relationship with the landscape and I want them to generate a successful collection of work. I hope I'm building confidence in people in their own stories and starting them off on an adventure." - Bel Greenwood, writer. — _{Images reads “It’s about generating a sense of imaginative connection with the landscape – they have a very strong relationship with the landscape and I want them to generate a successful collection of work. I hope I’m building confidence in people in their own stories and starting them off on an adventure.” – Bel Greenwood, writer.}

The group had mixed previous writing experience from academic papers and books to one creative writer. Their passion for the natural environment unified the group.

Each workshop consisted of a combination of surprising writing challenges and the opportunity to collaborate and share. As well as the experience of having a professional writer critique and support edits in work produced.

Key outcomes for the group were to improve their skills in writing creatively through their connection to the landscape. Also to support them to increase their confidence in sharing their work publicly.

Graphic showing participation and audience numbers. Facebook: 1191, Participants: 9, Twitter: 4417 — Graphic showing participation and audience numbers. **Facebook:** 1191, **Participants:** 9, **Twitter:** 4417

Pictured: A photo of a robin singing. Text on the image reads: "Dear Robin. If I'd only sat up and taken the time to smell the damp earth and appreciated the beauty of my garden instead of considering my work a trial to endure, things could have been different. By Jaqui Fairfax". — **_Picture**_{d: A photo of a robin singing. Text on the image reads: “Dear Robin. If I’d only sat up and taken the time to smell the damp earth and appreciated the beauty of my garden instead of considering my work a trial to endure, things could have been different. By Jaqui Fairfax”.}

Download the full Writing the Landscape case study here.

Read more about the Writing the Landscape project with Bel Greenwood here.

Written by artist, Marian Savill.

Written by artist, Genevieve Rudd.

A new MarketPlace/ DMJ Imagery Ltd podcast series

Listen to the podcast series below:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

An excerpt from the case study:

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