WINNER of the Devon Guild's annual President's Prize

I am delighted to share that I have been awarded the Devon Guild of Craftsmen’s annual President’s Prize by Peter Randall Page RA! The prize was awarded for my three bird marionettes (swallow, hoopoe, and bee-eater) which are on display at this year’s annual Member’s Exhibition ‘2020’, open until the 1st November (find out more about the exhibition here). Below is my experience of ‘The Pandemic Effect’, which all exhibitors have been asked to share for the exhibition.

THE PANDEMIC EFFECT

The Covid-19 pandemic has, in some ways, been a blessing in disguise for me a s a maker, though it began with a major upheaval. Just days before lockdown I lost access to my studio space due to emergency building closures. Months later, I am still in a state of limbo, working from a temporary setup at home. This has had its drawbacks, but also some unexpected benefits: while working in a confined space has been challenging at times, I have really enjoyed the new flexibility it has brought to my working hours, freeing me to create in a more spontaneous and intuitive way.

The timing of lockdown was also strangely serendipitous. Not long before the pandemic I was lucky to be awarded a ‘Develop Your Creative Practice’ grant from Arts Council England, to develop my skills as a woodcarver. Lockdown dovetailed perfectly with this opportunity, resulting in an intensely creative period, free from distractions but also immediate money concerns. Consequently I have taken huge leaps forward with my practice, resulting in a new body of puppetry work, as well as my first ever online woodcarving tu torials, launching in the autumn.