IN CONVERSATION - Valerie Potter

Textile artist Valerie Potter marks the start of my ‘In Conversation’ series to hear from artists that I support through my Gallery about what has been happening with them since lockdown began, what they’ve been working on and recent/future plans. Valerie still has her work exhibited at the Gallery of Everything in London (that is closed during lockdown) and showcased two works in my Monochromatic Minds pop-up exhibition, also in London, earlier this year. Read on to hear more from this wonderful lady …

How do you think your practice has changed because of covid-19?
I’ve used the covid-19 lockdown as a chance to try new things. I am experimenting with much larger textile pieces. They are similar to my older colour cross-stitch works that were recently shown in London, but just bigger and using wool and not cotton for the stitched lines. There are three pieces on the go that are on binca, which is cross-stitch fabric that is white. In between doing these I have been relaxing with knitting, which keeps me very calm.

What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time?
When lockdown was imminent I bought many new art and craft supplies so that I would have a choice of doing things. The newspaper said that variety was the key to keeping boredom away and in my case it was very true. I tried one drawing but I lost interest in it. I am doing black line embroideries too, which is my go-to artwork.

Can you tell me about your exhibition ‘Autobiographic’ alongside Carlo Zinelli at the Gallery of Everything earlier this year? (Installation photos above from Matthew Booth)
I felt very honoured to exhibit to exhibit alongside Carlo Zinelli. It was a wonderful chance for me. The best bit for me was the private view, which surprisingly, I really enjoyed. At the end of the show I felt sad that it was over. (The show is actually still hanging in the Gallery of Everything space and you can see the remaining pieces available for sale on their website).

I enjoyed the fact most that Jennifer was there to lean on and it wasn’t as awful as I thought it would be… oh and that I managed to get down the bloody stairs. It was nice to see work that is so old that I have not seen for years and years. And I still like it after all those years too. I hadn’t looked at it for years because I just do things until they are complete and then put them away. I don’t tend to have it hanging about at all… I am always in a rush to get on with the next thing. This is just how I work… not looking backwards but looking forwards.

How does exhibiting your work make you feel?
I feel more or less, relaxed about exhibiting my work and that is due to the wonderful support that I have from Jennifer. I am still slightly amazed that my artworks that live in the drawer under the bed are worthy of an exhibition, but I am very pleased that I was given the opportunity and in Jennifer’s recent Monochromatic Minds show in London too.  

Untitled, Valerie Potter, 2019

Last year you were filmed by the Whitworth in Manchester as one of four artists who feature in the Musgrave Kinley Outsider Art Collection – can you tell us about that experience? And what was it like to see yourself on screen? What did you feel was important that you wanted to get across?
It was a big surprise to me that I was able to talk quite coherently into a camera lens. The two people that filmed it (Holly and Huw) were very good at keeping me calm and focused. It was a very good experience. They just asked me to talk generally about my work. When this was shown in the ‘Autobiographic’ exhibition, it was quite interesting to see other people watching me on screen. There wasn’t anything in particular that I wanted to get across, I just wanted to avoid coming across as an idiot!

I have taken this question from the talkart podcast that I like listening to… have you learnt any new skills during lockdown?
I am doing the big artworks, which is extraordinary for me as I have never worked this large before!

Finally, what can we expect from you next?
Most of the same, only larger! I am not sure that I can do anything else.

Valerie’s first ever embroidery