About

KILN  |  kl. i. lab. nphsh.  |  all of my heart and soul 

A way of life in which we breath creative hospitality.

I was born in Chippenham, graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Dundee University and currently live and work in Newcastle. 

My artistic activities explore embodied hospitality. I create spaces and host events that enable conversations about hospitality. Currently this occurs in a twelve person hand printed tent where different groups converse over an interactive and performative meal. I am inspired by my years of research into hospitality and the hospitable nature of print. 

I am also Programme Manager at SAW, Newcastle, working with diverse groups both local and outside, questioning accessibility and working on the frontline of hospitality at SAW.

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Hospitality 

Hospitality means breathing artistic generosity through every aspect of life. The different communities that I have lived in have embodied and extended different forms of hospitality, shaping and developing my thinking on this. Our culture often thinks of hospitality as inviting friends for dinner or the hospitality industry. But what of our conversations, our art institutes, our daily lives; how do hospitality and creativity fit into these areas? This is where I often box their meanings and this is what I want to explore and question through my art. What if art could be an act of generosity? And generosity an act of art? What if people could interact with and delight in it? I would like my artistic communication to be just this: a model of hospitality. I want to re-centre my motives and enjoy living artistic hospitality. 

Creativity

I am a printmaker because printing is hospitable in its very nature. I think that art should touch every area of society and printmaking’s diverse processes allow me to take art into these different areas of life. From the framed print on a gallery wall, to the intimate reading corner of a home, to the controversial politics on the streets, to the cat walk, fish and chip shop or dinner table. Print has made its home in all of these spaces because it is willing to go to and befriend the people who mix there. Print is personable and cares about people. I think this marries so well with the unpretentious nature of the meal, which has a welcoming effect on those who are intimidated by contemporary art. So I intermarry both print and food and endevour to carry the aroma of creative hospitality along with me.

If you would like to commission me for a work of creative hospitality please do get in touch.