Perfect. Oh, so unless obviously, I am currently doing a master's project, which is based on the city of culture bed, but like post bedwin obviously know that we're in like the key times at the moment. But like the post bed when and how if we were to win the bid, how Southampton can kind of like push creativity to the forefront of the city. So I'm looking to collaborate with artists and designers across the city to kind of create cultural, our interests or kind of say like cultural landmarks that would basically allow the community of Southampton to realise that there is like a creative community and that the like, I don't know, it's like, at the forefront. But then from this, I want to kind of create an identity that would be recognisable to like all this around that we are like a creative cultural space. Yeah, I basically just wanted to interview you because I know that you want one of the bursaries for your bed. So I just wanted to talk about like, how you found the process. Like what you do what's basically been your journey so far?
Yeah. Yeah, I mean, so with the bursary thing, I actually when I was still at uni, and so then I saw one of like, the tutors post about it. And no one in my class responded to it. I was like, Hey, that sounds like great, like a way to earn a bit money through my art. And it's obviously like, really important to fund what I do. So I had actually been on a trip to France to visit family and I was isolating so I did, I made a sculpture for the bursary or the time when I was isolating. And yeah, and then I heard back pretty quickly, but I had kind of a good feeling about it, because I made like a sculptures up from scratch for the whole thing. I did like a Southampton sea monster kind of inspired thing. Even though there is no like existing folklore around it, I thought it was quite a fun concept. And so yeah, I did that. And I went to like a photoshoot press days, I think for it. Yeah. Once we got the bursary and I met loads of other artists through that. And one of them I'm actually working on a collaboration with at the moment. I sculpture ceramics project. So I've already kind of made great connections through doing the bed. Yeah.
And so you've just finished uni, or?
Yeah, I graduated
last year. Last year. Okay, so
like graduation this year, but I graduated
last year. Yeah. So fresh graduate. And have you stayed in Southampton, Southampton, where you're from, or
I moved here for uni. And then I just sort of stayed I kind of just made routes. And it kind of clicked. I moved away briefly for a little bit for a few months for a job with Merlin theme parks. Yeah. But I ended up moving back crazy because it was only a short contract. And yeah, I just kind of really like what the city offers. I felt like it gets often that over. But I've met so many great artists and I felt like it was really the place that I kind of became an artist in a lot of ways. I could always loved art and made art. But it was here that I started to learn to sculpt and I have like a sculptor and it was very much like it fostered that in me and it very much made me the artist I am wouldn't have happened. I don't think in any other place. It was just kind of a perfect storm in that way.
Yeah. And so you found it so the bursary is kind of like allowed us to like make connections and connect with the city. So was it is it connections that from other people that won the bursary or was it just yeah,
there was a ceramicist that also won the bursary. La and, yeah, I was brought on to a project and I've brought her on to it as well, because I knew she'd be grateful.
And if you weren't a part of the bathroom, do you think it's like easy to like, make connections and like collaborate with people in Southampton? Or do you think it would have been pretty difficult?
I mean, it was a really amazing way to meet a bunch of young other artists at once, but I've still met plenty of other artists in that area even without it even just through doing uni here. And having like someone who mentors me in sculpting as well, like, it's just always sort of been ever since I lived here just being surrounded by other artists and other creatives.
Yeah, that's really interesting. Yeah, I never really thought about the university's like journey into like Southampton because I know a lot of people kind of just come here for uni and then kind of move back away to I mean, mainly London. Hello, everyone goes to like, Yeah, that's really interesting. So are you a part of like any other organisations like artists organisations? Or is it just you being like I said, artists,
I freelance in general. And then I do some work for the TA, which is a thing and entertainment associate Association. Yeah. And I help out with some of their initiatives. But for the most part, it's just me to see on your own fly thing. And yeah, I've worked back from Ireland. And yeah, I've done some freelance, like social media work for different companies.
That's really cool, though, do you think you would be like, more obligated to be a part of an organisation like a, like, for example, at a space or don't if you've heard of some of them are like, there's a company called, like, zest, which is like, specialises in graduates? Do you think you would ever be a part of that? Or would you just kind of keep being freelance?
I mean, it's hard to say it depends what they could sort of offer. But, you know, as I stand now, like, you know, it hasn't ever been a need for that as much as like, other than just meeting other people. But I feel like I've got that from other spaces. But yeah, if the opportunity came up, and it was sort of like the right fit at the right time. But I also, you know, often kind of, you know, applying for other things in the arts and applying for like, jobs in the theme park field in the design field. So it's hard to be able to, like commit to something like that. Outside of that. Always shifting.
Yeah. So just just talking about my project for a little bit. So the bed? What do you want to see, like as the city like post bed? Like, is there anything that you would, in particular want to see if like we wanted to city?
I mean, just in the fact that it's already brought in, like bursaries for young people, that sort of thing, continuing and being able to really dedicate the time and the money to getting more people funded, and more projects, like, given sort of centre stage. And like, I mean, I feel like that shift has already started, like, I think it used to be that I would tell people, I'm an artist, and Southampton, it'd be sort of like, okay, that's a bit different. But now, I think it's even just through the bid process, it's become a lot more like, oh, yeah, I've heard about, there's more of an art scene there now. And just having that recognition continue. And building upon that, I think it's going to just really help other people like me, because I was encouraged people to stay here post uni. Because it's also cheaper deliver than it isn't London and trying to be a young, creative, and trying to sort of earn a living off of what you do. It's so much more beneficial to still be in a city but be in a city that costs a lot less.
Yeah, completely. Yeah. And so then, like the collaboration wise, obviously, you just said that you're like collaborating at the moment. But is there like been any anyone else that you're like, wanting to collaborate with or like, have the opportunity?
I mean, it's always evolving, and like, I'm always meeting new people. But I know I'm going to meet a lot of people in the next few days at the some of the events that are upcoming. But yeah, it's one of the things where, I guess what I do is so specific that it can be kind of be hard to find collaborations, because not everyone needs a sculptor for their project. Yeah. And it can be hard to find ways to tie other people's stuff into it. There are people that like, yeah, at least the ceramicist and as the mentors me, Tom, we've sort of talked about doing collaborative projects about different things like puppets and moulded sculptures and doing classes and stuff like that.
So you haven't found like, I mean, obviously, you've just said that collaboration is hard for your area. But do you think that like, collaboration will be hard if you want, like a part of the bed or it will still would be hard because of your expertise?
I mean, I think it definitely helps being part of the bed in general because it's a bit more of its give me more of a platform within the city to go to the different events and stuff for the for the campaign. So it's definitely helped me make more connections because a lot of them it's just big networking events. And I wouldn't have had those opportunities otherwise I went to uni with won't have those opportunities, because they didn't sort of apply for the bursary and I did. Yeah. And, you know, that's given me so much more of a platform but I feel like a lot of them The other collaborations in my artistic life would still happen, because I see people I sort of knew since I moved here. But it's also subjective when it comes to my area of the arts.
Yeah, it's very niche. I think it's really interesting, though. I think it's definitely something that I mean, it'd be great to see it plastered all over. So I'll answer that. Because I think a lot of people just, yeah, like I said before, I think a lot of people don't know that there's like a whole creative community that's kind of like hidden away, or sometimes feels like it's like hidden in the shadows, which is why I think suitor culture bed would be really great for the city. Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so I'm basically hoping this is just like an initial interview. I'm basically hoping from, I'm doing a lot of like artist interviews at the moment. And then I'm hoping that the back end of this, I can kind of put together a workshop, that we can then kind of bring all of our like niche and specialties together to basically collaborate on creating these like cultural interest points. Yeah, so that's going to be hopefully coming in like the next upcoming months. And I will keep you in the loop via email. Yeah, really exciting. And I think it's just another great way to just bring together a range of different artists, designers, and just basically just meet loads of different people that are very different stages in their lives. I just had an interview the other day with a guy called Joss who's a part of like the arches studios with a space. And yeah, he just has amazing art. But like he does something called like the sketch walks or something or like sketches where they're like, walk arounds for Hampton drawers or Hampton. Yeah, he also is like, really interesting and has a very particular like, nation. Yeah, I think it'd be really nice to bring some of the voices that to the front, which I'm quite excited about. But yeah, was there any questions or anything that you kind of have for me? Or?
Not? Really, I mean, it's just really excited to be involved. It just sounds really great. I can't wait to meet other people as well. It's always good to see what other people are up to what other people are making?
Yeah, really? Yeah. Oh, yeah. It'd be nice to have like a conversation. Because yeah, I mean, I found it, obviously, knowing your position. And I found it very difficult to connect with other artists and designers. And when I'm, I was a graduate two years ago. And I was like, fresh in the COVID environment. And I just came, obviously, I've lived it's so hard to my whole life. But I came back from uni. And I was like, wow, I just can't put anyone that's like, not from the university that I can, like, have a conversation with about what I want to do. So yeah, it's really it's really interesting that you decided to stay here. That's great. Because a lot of the people I've spoken to here just decided to move to London, but yeah,
just kind of clicked. Like when I moved away for a couple months to do that contract. I realised how much I had put roots down here and how much I appreciated that the community I had and was already around here and it was a lot harder leaving that than I ever thought it would be. And I came back with a lot more appreciation for the city.
So do you feel like you're more a part of like the artists community in Southampton like because of the university? Yeah, completely. Perfect. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to me and
