residency

This week (the week beginning the 7th June 2021) I'm back at the place where it all really began for me ten years ago...Cove Park. I'm currently on a three day self-funded micro-residency to get a bit of headspace to work on some things. 

It's nearly the end of the first part of my design residency here in Helsinki with the British Council and HIAP... 

I'm delighted to share the news that I've been selected as The British Council's Helsinki Design Resident for 2018...

Tampere is the nearest large town to Arteles and also home to Muumilaakso - Moomin Valley, a museum dedicated to the works of Tove Jansson. Although small in size, it didn't disappoint as her drawings are incredible and my personal highlight of the exhibition. No photos are allowed in the museum, so there was only opportunity to snap my souvenirs and happy face outside the entrance...



Week three of my Finnish adventure actually began in the beautiful capital of Estonia, Tallinn. It seemed like too good an opportunity to miss as it's so near to Helsinki by boat, so I took the short ferry ride over and wasn't disappointed. I have never seen so many incredible doors...

Although technically part of my month at Arteles, I thought my visit to Marimekko's factory and headquarters in Helsinki deserved it's very own blog post as it was such an inspiring trip.

As a lover of collecting things for inspiration, I decided to take time out the studio this week and take in the local delights of Hämeenkyrö, the nearest town to Arteles with a selection of secondhand shops and flea markets. I wasn't disappointed and managed to find a selection of blue objects (I'm aways drawn to blues) that included these amazing patterned Arabia cups...

I'm really lucky to be spending August here at the Arteles Centre (pictured above) in rural Finland on a residency alongside seven other artists from all over the world. The last few months have been particularly hectic, so I feel very privileged to be able to take time out from my regular studio activity and think about new work and process recent things.