ARTIST TALKS
On this page, I will profile the live talks that have taken place with disabled and neurodivergent artists.
TALK ONE: On Wednesday 28 July 2021, I was in conversation with the disabled sculptor James Lake, who is based in Exeter. James makes sculptures out of cardboard for its immediacy, ease of availability and low environmental impact. His disability and dyslexia influence his choice of material and how he works. You can find out more about James through visiting his website HERE. There is BSL (British Sign Language) embedded into the talk. It is one hour long. (NOTE: If you click on the 4 arrows next to the word vimeo it will make it full screen)
Read the transcript in PDF format is here and Word format is here.
TALKS TWO: In 2020, I carried out research into what disabled artists felt was currently missing and what they would like to see happen to help them along the way. One of the things that came out of the research was a desire to hear from disabled artists who have become more established and accepted into the mainstream contemporary art world. Therefore I organised two talks about how two disabled artists have achieved recognition in the mainstream art world.
The first talk was on Tuesday 8 December 2020 for one hour on zoom, with acclaimed artist Lucy Jones, who is represented by Flowers Gallery. You can find the video of the talk below. The talk had BSL interpretation live, but unfortunately that did not record onto the video - my apologies. A transcript in PDF format is here and Word format is here. On the video link below, at the bottom, if you click on the four arrows pointing outwards it will make the video full screen, which may make it easier for you to watch.
A little about Lucy: “I am a painter working on the borders of Wales. My work has been a journey through my life. Looking out at the world, originally London and now the landscape. Self-portraiture has been the other side of my practice reflecting on how the world sees me, with my tongue in cheek and with humour. Recently I have picked up again on portrait work, with a searing honesty, mainly of people who I know extremely well. My dyslexia and cerebral palsy have been my advantage as whether a landscape, self-portrait or portrait painting, I am after the nub, essence and truth, I strip things bare.”
The second talk was on Thursday 17 December 2020 at 6pm for one hour on zoom, with disabled artist Tony Heaton OBE. You can find the video of the talk below with BSL interpretation. (I forgot to record the first couple of minutes!) A transcript in PDF format is here and Word format is here. On the video link below, at the bottom, if you click on the four arrows pointing outwards it will make the video full screen, which may make it easier for you to watch.
A little about Tony Heaton OBE: “Tony is a practising Sculptor, Chair of Shape Arts and Consultant/Advisor to many major cultural organisations, including: The British Council, Tate and the Research Centre for Museums and Galleries. He is the initiator of NDACA – the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive. His sculpture, Gold Lamé, recently occupied The Liverpool Plinth and is currently installed at the Riverside Museum, Glasgow. His ‘Monument to the Unintended Performer’ was installed on the Big 4 at the entrance to Channel 4 TV Centre in celebration of the 2012 Paralympics. His sculpture ‘Squarinthecircle?’ is situated outside the school of architecture, Portsmouth University. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 2013, for services to the arts and the disability arts movement and has an Alumni Award from Lancaster University and honorary Doctorates from both the University of Leicester and the new University Bucks.”