Jennifer McLeaskintosh: Workshop Bursary
Over the next few weeks we will be sharing blog posts written by 20/21 Workshop Bursary recipients. Today Jennifer McLeaskintosh shares their creative process and thoughts about their time in the Gaada workshop.
What processes did you explore during your bursary?
Risograph literature, active looking, drawing, tracing out new ideas onto old marks and textures, printing, reflection, connecting the proverbial dots from old artwork and journal entries. Focusing on a concept, recording audio files as notes to keep me on track, these also brought clarity to the themes I was exploring. Tral and error. Making prints from the risograph refuse, decision making, scanning sketchbooks, selection and editing through Photoshop, reworking recurring themes and imagery. Finalising print designs, realising the title - it was based on the concept and the print design that became the flag. I was working through a lot along side the artistic process and the title felt right when I wrote it down and said it aloud. Layering through the copy machine… Risograph, the reminder that millimetres can totally change an image! The excitement of selecting the image for the flag. Curating my images for an exhibition in Display and finally connecting to an audience.
How did your Workshop Bursary support your ideas and work development?
The bursary supported my work by being able to get art supplies to explore mark making and subject matter at home and in the studio. The studio of dreams, as I have come to know Gaada, gave me access to tools to carry forward ideas to fruition; the supportive space, the room to explore alternative outcomes… The Risograph machine.
Were your outcomes different than you expected?
Yes. Throughout the project I had to really pay attention to what I needed and what was not serving me or the work at each stage. As an autistic artist that lives with chronic pain; I had to listen to my body and mind very carefully as life is a challenging balancing act, that requires regular readjustments. I’ve battled with perfectionism over the years and did not allow that to trip me up as it has in the past. I have been unsatisfied with previous projects because I’ve made compromises instead of choices. Empowered by the people around me, and my stubborn spirit, by actively choosing what was best for me and in turn best for the project gave me soundness of mind and joy at the final outcomes.
Did the Bursary make you feel more creatively support?
Very much so. I personally feel this is a turning point for me. I’m engaging with new thought processes and artistic processes. As well as being an appreciative participant of the Gaada bursary, I signed up for the Peer Group project that Gaada ran over this past year. This coincided with my funded art project, so, I doubled up my Gaada time and support in a way, which for me was much needed. I benefited from having many sound boards, as in people that helped me assess where I was at and where I was going with the art. Throughout, the folk at Gaada emboldened me. I felt productive and valued which undoubtably facilitated the success of the project. For me the success was measured in connecting to people; through my art, the process and by encouraging creativity in others.
Thank you Jennifer for sharing your words and work! You can see Jennifers work for 1 more week in Gaada’s outside exhibition space Display! We are welcoming applications for the next round of workshop bursaries in the next week.
Gaada Workshop Bursaries are made possible by the kind support of the Shetland Charitable Trust.
Jennifer at their opening for their exhibition “Git Ootside, Inner Bairn”
