Project Ability
I was selected as artist in residence within “Project Ability" a visual arts organisation which allowed me to gain experience in a socially engaging art practice where the practice was based on the principles of collective working, diversity and inclusion. This project creates opportunities for people with disabilities and people with lived experience of mental ill health to express themselves and achieve their artistic potential. This position gave me valuable experience in planning, negotiation and delivering successful outcomes whilst also allowing me the opportunity of working in a creative environment and engaging with various community groups.
For the project I decided to create a set of plates that represented the people who had impacted me the most during my time at Project Ability. I ended up working within the reconnect group ( one of the many groups at Project Ability). I created 10 plates which were given away to the people which the plates represented. My inspiration came from watching Grayson perry's documentary 'who are you' and how Perry created work about the people he had met. Following this I had a great discussion with Tracy Gorman about my work and she really helped move it along and make my ideas come to life as I had a very short amount of time to come up with an idea.
Through doing Project Ability it made me realise that I as part of my practice I want to be collaborating or working with people. I felt that I got so much out of creating art in a space like Project Ability. It was such a wonderful opportunity I hope to return in the future. Thank you Project Ability!
Image above: As part of the project we had to give an artist talk about what we were doing and why. We also held a small exhibition within Project Ability.
Through this I met a number or amazing artist who I am still in contact with today. Mike Inglis was the artist in residency at Project Ability. We got chatting and ended up doing a spontaneous collaboration on his piece 'dream pod'. Mike created a space for the artist to sit, relax and enjoy some music as there isn't a 'chill out zone' in Project Ability.
Working with Mike and talking to him made me realise a lot about the type of artist I would like to be and what I want to do. I go so much from him and the other artist at Project Ability. I hope to collaborate with Mike in the future! Thank you Mike!
