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Thoughts and Reflections on Studio Residencies

EMILY BALL AT SEAWHITE‍

CONTEMPORARY DRAWING AND PAINTING COURSES‍

Reflections on Residencies

Reviewing Emily's November Studio Residency and looking forward to future residencies in 2024

“Thank you for a very helpful week…Painting can sometimes be lonely and having a shared space to work and exchange ideas was very creative. I learnt through the five days to dig deep, push on harder, keep going when things get tough and not give up!”

~ Kate Falcon, Studio Residency with Emily Ball, November 2023

Image: Emily Ball's Work station, Studio Residency November 2023

Dear ‍ ‍

Following Emily’s Studio Residency in late November we wanted to share her – and her fellow artists’ - reflections and thoughts on the week and celebrate what made it such a positive experience. As well as time and space to paint, the residency also offered opportunities to discuss with one another the process of painting. By sharing the observations made by Emily and the group we hope to give you an insight into the residency experience (and persuade you of its value to your practice), as well as offer some food-for-thought.

The most recent residency was slightly different because it was the first that included an online tutorial in advance to help artists feel ‘Paint Fit’ and ready to make the most of the experience. In this newsletter, Emily reflects on how this additional component impacted on their residency experience.

Finally, if we have succeeded in (further) convincing you of the many benefits of joining us for studio residency, we have details of future residencies coming up in 2024. We hope you’ll sign up for one of these enjoyable and productive weeks!

‍Emily’s Reflections on her Studio Residency, November 2023

Image: Carolyn Macleod's work station, Studio Residency November 2023

The studio residency was an intensive week of painting. By the end of it, I was physically tired but also mentally energised after working hard on my paintings and sharing conversations with 6 wonderful artists who had shared the studio space with me.

For me, one of the valuable benefits of the residency is the undiluted time and space to paint. The escape from outside demands on our time - daily family and domestic necessities that take us away from our painting - should not be underestimated Working in silence alongside others, feeling focused and absorbed was a powerful shared experience. Five consecutive days working, 8am – 4.30pm: turning up, getting into a rhythm of daily painting, finding a pace and space to let the work grow as it needed to. The residency created a working atmosphere that enabled us to push forward with our work in a way that perhaps we would not have done alone in our studios.

Image: Emily Stevens' work station, Studio Residency November 2023

During the week we talked about our successes and frustrations, discussed our processes and made observations and suggestions about each other’s work. Over lunch on the final day, we reflected on what we had discovered and noticed as we had worked together. Often these could be summarised by a memorable phrase or punchy statement. I wanted to share them in this newsletter as I feel they not only provide a glimpse into the conversations that typified the residency just passed, but are pertinent to painting generally.‍‍

“Stay with it”‍

When something is not working or is difficult it is tempting to walk away, find a diversion or start something else. The residency encouraged and created the space and time to stay with it, work it out, push a piece further even at the risk of mucking it up.

Image: Jane Duff's work station, Studio Residency November 2023

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“Push into the feeling” “Explore what toughness feels and looks like”‍

It’s vital to fully embrace what needs to be done in order to find out what your paintings need to look like. This means no holding back! It’s important to be direct and physical with the way you make marks and put the paint on. Practice being steady and calm, but uncompromising too.

Image: work-in-progress produced during residency week, Emily Ball‍

"Ask the right questions”‍

Sometimes it is easy to skim the surface and focus on rather generalised qualities of a subject. However, if we ask questions that really get to the heart of what we find most important to us and the subject, then new language and motifs become available to us to develop the work. Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary and animating the inanimate is what we are often doing often when we focus on something and make paintings about it.

Image: Emily Stevens and Veronica Van Eijk's work stations, Studio Residency November 2023‍

“Celebrate, be inquisitive, curious. Allow yourself to play.”‍

When we let go of immediate outcomes and allow ourselves to be immersed in the process extraordinary things happen. Unexpected and often very helpful marks and motifs become available that were not on our radar before. Be open to serendipity and use the results to expand your knowledge and dictionary of possibilities.

Image: Carolyn Macleod's work station, Studio Residency November 2023‍

““Don’t panic!”

“Nothing is a mistake”.

Staying open minded and resourceful is very important. Just because the work is not turning out the way you expected does not make it ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’. Use and adapt areas that feel uncomfortable, messy or ugly. They could become the best bit of the work : reframe the negative and let go of expectations.

Image: Sally Barnard's work station, Studio Residency November 2023‍

Getting the most out of your Studio Residency Experience:

Introductory Online Tutorials‍

"[The online tutorial was] very helpful. Emily helped me to focus on ways of preparing for the week and taking the opportunity and myself more seriously. " ~ Sally Barnard

Image: Jane Duff's work station, Studio Residency November 2023

Emily’s recent Studio Residency was the first that incorporated an online tutorial in advance of the residency. She has introduced this added feature for a number of important reasons:

The tutorials ensure that each artist is ready and prepared and that no time is wasted while on the Residency.
The act of speaking aloud your hopes and intentions for the residency is helpful in terms of headspace. Attempting to articulate feelings and ideas starts to give them form and helps you to focus on what is important to enable you to make the work.
Through discussion certain key pieces of preparation will come to light. The tutorial is a month before the residency so this gives valuable time to prepare by making studies, ordering materials, writing and gathering any of the other resources that you might need to make the paintings.
It reinforces the commitment and importance of setting five days aside for uninterrupted work. It is great for the artist leading the residency too. Conversations have been started and can immediately be picked up again from day one.

Studio Residencies in 2024‍

“To spend five consecutive days painting was a joy. The regime was important to me as I have too many distractions at home. The discussions with Julian were extremely helpful, another door has been opened! As someone said the best untaught taught course that I have been on !”

~ Gail Robbins, Residency week with Julian Brown,

October 2023

We truly believe we’re onto something with our Studio Residency offer. Each residency that we’ve run has been fully booked and received positive feedback. And more of our artist-tutors want in on the action as they recognise that working alongside other artists is such an enjoyable, energising and rewarding experience.

We have plenty of opportunities for you to join us for a Studio Residency in 2024. To ensure that you get the most out of a residency and that each residency group is comprised of artists who are working at the same level with similar ambitions, we now invite artists to apply for their residency place. This is a simple process that involves submitting 9 images of your work and two pieces of writing (each no more than 300 words) about your work. If your application is successful, the next step will be the hour-long online tutorial with the artist leading the residency. This will take place a month prior to the start of the residency.

To find out more about our Studio Residencies in 2024 click on the images below to visit our website.

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“I enjoyed having so much space and uninterrupted time to concentrate on my painting. I found both our group overviews of what everyone was working on, as well as Emily's individual advice, very instructive and useful. Wonderful to have her there when you feel a bit stuck and to learn that she too experiences difficulties and finds ways to defy them.”

~ Carinthia Gibbins, Studio Residency with Emily Ball,

May 2023

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