With the year drawing to a close, the ActionSpace Artist Facilitators share their highlights of 2023. From artistic breakthroughs in the studios to major exhibitions across the country we hear more about some of the big successes our artists have achieved.
Lisa Muten
Lisa is the Artist Facilitator of our Monday Cockpit Bloomsbury studio group. Lisa has been working with ActionSpace for fifteen years.
“This year the Monday Cockpit Bloomsbury group was full of new developments including two artists, Matthew and Seamus, joining the group.
There were many incredible artistic accomplishments including Thomas Owen amplifying his signature checkered pattern in his drawing. These carefully drawn squares change size and shape across the image creating the illusion of depth and movement.
Abu consolidated his energetic layered pastel drawings and Patrick explored scale in his text compositions.”
Rebekah Cameron
Rebekah is the Artist Facilitator of our Tuesday Cockpit Bloomsbury studio groups. Rebekah joined ActionSpace in 2008 as a volunteer, working at our Studio Voltaire studio and then became an Artist Facilitator in 2013.
“A highlight from this year was Matthew Berry’s collaborative drawing project with artist Freya Gabie. The collaboration, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, enabled Matthew to work alongside an artist to develop his drawing and ink work and culminated in a sharing event and workshop. I particularly like this photo of Matthew basking in the limelight and discussing his work with artist Adrian Lee!
This year Declan Leslie has been working as co-workshop leader on Camden Art Centre’s SEN schools programme. It’s been a big achievement for Declan and he has taken his ink making skills, which he has refined in the ActionSpace studio, and taught the students how to create their own inks.”
Charlotte Hollinshead
Charlotte is ActionSpace’s Artist Development Manager and runs our Studio Voltaire Tuesday and Friday groups, as well as our participatory art programme, Make It Live. Charlotte has been at ActionSpace for over 20 years!
“Trickster Figures at MK Gallery was a highlight for Nnena Kalu in 2023. Beautifully curated by Jes Fernie, Nnena’s drawing work was presented sculpturally, sensitively responding to how Nnena hangs her 2D work in her studio in deep sculptural layers. It was a bold approach to hang multiple artworks on top of each other, many of which couldn’t be seen, but it perfectly echoed Nnena’s studio process and brought Nnena’s work to new audiences.
Kwaga Sillingi has had a wonderful year developing her beautiful looped collage paintings, lovingly applying paint in rich layers to build her signature motifs. For the Studio Voltaire Open House Kwaga presented for the first time a new series of paintings as a major wall installation. Kwaga is definitely an artist to watch!
Finally, what an incredible year for Babajide Brian. As a recipient of the LOEWE FOUNDATION / Studio Voltaire Award, he now has his own studio free for two years at Studio Voltaire. Now three months in, Babajide is already an important member of the studio community. The studio award is a phenomenal achievement and so well deserved. ActionSpace is immensely proud of Jide, his hard work and ambition and we are very excited to see what the future holds!”
Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown is the Artist Facilitator of our Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Cockpit Bloomsbury studio groups. Lisa joined ActionSpace in 2006 as a volunteer and then became an Artist Facilitator in 2013.
“A highlight of the year for me was seeing Sharon Adokorach grow in confidence and determination this year. Sharon started the year running a workshop based on her designs, for artist makers at East London Printmakers which was funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Sharon entered each stage with an open mind and creative adaptability. She took on each challenge, developing a wide range of new skills and being able to talk and explain her ideas and process.
Coming back into the studio Sharon has show strength and commitment to forwarding her practice. Her growing use of words shows her confidence and voice getting louder. These prints have been acquired by a major commercial design team who are at present installing large scale reproductions of Sharon’s designs.
The ActionSpace Cockpit Bloomsbury Wednesday afternoon studio group visited Making Together, featuring ActionSpace artist Thompson Hall, at the Royal Society of Sculptors in collaboration with Art et al. The group were intrigued and impressed with the show, especially with Thompson’s move into sculptural paintings, asking interesting questions and observations. They later partook in a workshop based on the ideas of the work ‘Shelter’, creating origami tents out of their own artworks.
The Cockpit Thursday studio group visited Camden Art Centre in June to view the Martin Wong exhibition. Camden Art Centre invited us to use their drawing studio on our visit to create art in response to the exhibition. The group were fascinated by Martin Wongs large scale paintings, his use of hands and sign language and the different coloured rooms to evoke different feelings throughout the exhibition. We decided to create artwork in the studio and outside inspired by both the exhibition and the garden space. Some wonderful pieces were created as well as the usual party atmosphere we have each session. The trip was a resounding success and brought in some new ideas for the whole group.
The Friday group are going from strength to strength with so many great events throughout the year but for me a highlight and affirming moment was Ian Wornast’s commission The Flags of Boscombe, to make designs for flags to be hung throughout the main streets of Boscombe for the annual Arts festival (BEAF). Ian and I had a whirlwind day trip to Boscombe to meet Carol and the team at BEAF. We were shown around and given a detailed insight into the history and local culture. Ian took this information back to the studio and developed four colourful designs based on his view of the town.
Ian’s designs were then made into large scale flags which hung throughout the festival. Once installed, we had a great day trip to see the flags and the BEAF team. Ian was overwhelmed and really delighted with the results. This was a turning point in this latest design process, where interesting shapes are being created for his designs.”
Emily Rees-Haynes
Emily is our Artist Facilitator for our Brent Monday and Thursday studio groups. Emily joined ActionSpace initially as a volunteer in 2015 before becoming the Artist Facilitator of our Brent studio in 2018.
“A big highlight for the Brent studio was moving into a new studio at ASC Ealing Road and presenting the exhibition ‘Behold’ in the gallery space at the studios. Seeing Abubakar develop as a sculptor this year, as he expands his use of materials and scale, has been wonderful to see.
This year we saw the formation of the new Brent Monday studio group. It’s been brilliant to see each artist grow into their practices and see their own unique artistic style.”
It’s been another fantastic year for ActionSpace and our artists. We look forward to seeing what 2024 brings!
