Learning - a-n The Artists Information Company

Busy, busy busy prepping adult and children’s workshops. I have to confess to being more excited about the children’s workshops. I’ve already delivered one ‘Animal Magic’ workshop at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery last month. That was a success with […]

I have history with drawing What exactly is going on when I decide to make a drawing I wonder, what is so complex about this apparently simple decision to make my mark? Drawing has waxed and waned as a significant […]

I have a commission to work on which is to make some drawings for a book but definitely not illustrations so I am really pleased I signed up for 2 online courses with the Royal Drawing School, both of which […]

It’s been an enjoyable and productive week at the studio. I had a day-in lieu and that in combination with Easter Monday meant that I was only in the office for a half day on Wednesday morning. If only every […]

This week I had my first meeting at The Orchards specialist school in Flixton, Trafford to talk about how to introduce and adapt Statue performance/workshop for the school setting. I specifically wanted to work with this school as it believes […]

Audiologist recommended googling “communication tactics” and here is one result: Communication strategies when talking to individuals with hearing loss https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/51744-Communication-strategies-when-talking-to-individuals-with-hearing-loss Choose your environment Some environments are much easier for communication for people with hearing loss. Here are some things you […]

I’ve been thinking about absence or opposite of dialogue. Antonyms are: quiet; silence; monologue; soliloquy (talking to yourself). A dialogue that isn’t a dialogue is talking to someone who isn’t listening or present in the conversation. That dialogue would be […]

I was asked by my previous University to write a short blurb about my time there studying for my Masters and send some photos for their Alumni feature. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on my time there and the […]

I took the kids to a lasercutting workshop at Bridge Rectifier in Hebden Bridge. They designed their own door plaque and learned about the lasercutting process. They had lots of questions and learned out lasercutting hands on through the making. […]

I had another doctors appointment today for an ongoing but undiagnosed issue. Doctors deal with the patient’s medical ailments and biology but they must do so primarily through dialogue with the patient. Their dialogue skills are highly trained. Listening to […]

I took the kids on a Pirate Day at Shibden Hall today which was part treasure hunt and part crafting activity. The facilitators were in costume and in pirate character for the treasure hunt. They took us for a short […]

We had a Dwell Time meeting today and discussed our plans for our September-December workshop programme. This idea development stage building ideas up through dialogue is one of the most rewarding and exciting parts of collaborations when anything is possible […]

“Is it a sculpture?” “No it’s not got a door.” “Is there a door on top?” “I can’t see!” “It might be a sculpture still”

Oh. A small word but can be a heavily loaded word. When you receive bad news. When you receive surprising information. When you receive information and want to ackwnowledge receipt of said information. When you don’t know what else to […]

We had a big family meet up today at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. There were cousins there I haven’t seen in 30 years and swapping memories of our childhood was great. We each have slightly different memories of the same occasions […]

Some everyday conversations today: In the shop buying bits of school uniform and new trainers for the youngest. The pleasantries of other shoppers and of shop assistants making small talk. Small talk Chitchat Pleasantries Talking rubbish Niceties These social niceties […]

I spent a lot of the day talking about how we talk to children and nurturing in general. nurture [nur-cher] verb (used with object), nur·tured, nur·tur·ing. to feed and protect: to nurture one’s offspring. to support and encourage, as during […]

This evening we launched the collaborative publication Resilience is Futile which I have been Writer in Residence for YVAN and Corridor 8. I had some fantastic conversations with many people there: Some people I’ve known a while, some I’ve met […]

Dwell Time met with Northern and British Transport Police to discuss our plans for Issue 2 and to see where we could possibly link up. Northern were very impressed with Issue 1 and the response from staff especially. They said […]