What is an ‘artist residency’? mmm! Not sure – but the blurb sounds interesting. Creative producer Paige Ockendon will lead a hands-on workshop which is a blend of prompt-led art -making with a behind-the-scenes look at artist residencies. . .a light-hearted curiosity led session shaped by our ideas. . .Mmm! This is what I enjoy about Contemporary Elders: the unexpected and the challenge.
Paige introduced herself, explained her role as a project manager cum stuff sorter cum artist cheerleader cum admin eater. She particularly emphasised her love for Excel Spreadsheets. She likes to think of the spreadsheets as “admin through a creative lens”. Certainly a different point of view.
Now came our challenge which followed the ‘role of rule’. Three instructions: (1) subject matter (2) material suggestion (3)rule.We each had to select our instructions at random from three baskets. So my choices turned out to be (1) furniture (2) shiny and see through things (3) Your artwork must have no corners at all. We were allowed to select our materials from any of the art cupboards so I explored every one of them. Yes! An ample supply of shiny/see through papers plus a container of brightly-coloured ‘gems’. Now:furniture? Would a round door knob qualify as ‘furniture? After all, it is ‘door rfurniture’. Then my dolls house popped into mind. I could make miniature furniture. I know: a round table on a pedestal. That won’t have any corners.
The table top was the easy bit. I cut two from cardboard. The first I covered with foil and the second I used sticky-backed plastic. Now for the pedestal. Should I roll thinner cardboard to creat a tube? I rooted around in the cupboard once more. Ahah! A cotton reel. Perfect! And better still, a red sort-of shaped spool which not only was the right size, it was just the right shape. I didn’t have time to finish embellishing the tiny tables with gems before our feed-back session, but finished them later.
Now came the challenge of planning a dream artist residency for Contemporary Elders.
We worked in small groups to generate ideas. Venue: Greece – no, Cornwall? or Scotland? Transport: it must be sustainable. Train? Coach? Meals: self-catering? – vegetarian? Pescatarian? Duration: a week? A long weekend? Longer? Activities:Yoga? Tai Chi? Media: Painting – sketching – stitching . . . and so it went on.
BUT me? Moi -myself. What would the perfect residency mean to ME? A place where I could challenge and develop my art with guidance and none of the constraints of domesticity and everyday chores.
ESSENTIAL; Accessibility. Step free access to all spaces; my own en suite; chairs with firm seats and arms. The chairs must be easy to get up out of and with high , (not too low), seats.
MEALS: simple, serve-yourself breakfast; soup and salad lunch plus a one course evening meal. All to be provided by caterers . No need to break concentration on art to go to the kitchen.
DURATION: FIVE days. One day for arrival and settling in; three whole days for art then one more day for feedback, packing up and leaving.
VENUE: scenic place easily accessible by coach with gentle walks for the less mobile and more challenging walks for others.
ART: A mix of improv/ sketching/ painting/ stitching/ Lino printing et al influenced by the surroundings and the session leader/s
COST: This would all have to be paid for and I would pay towards such an event.
Now my mind is on a roll, more ideas keep flooding in. Am still uncertain what exactly I should like to tackle. Time to give serious consideration to possibilities AND making it happen.

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