Blog posts

Sketchbook Work
This week was spent doing a lot of research, sketching and waiting for the work guys to finish the lights in my studio so I knew I wouldn't be kicked out of my studio in the middle of the painting. My plan for the coming week is to get started with painting. It was nice to be able to spend...  show more
Video
https://daisyjohnston20.wixsite.com/fine-art-in-society/exhibition?pgid=kd73oldp-1bbd3950-2eac-4185-b89e-ac6d97712395  show more
Video
https://daisyjohnston20.wixsite.com/fine-art-in-society/exhibition?pgid=kd73oldp-e0934da5-0d30-4b72-b675-890c6a81b673  show more
Video
https://daisyjohnston20.wixsite.com/fine-art-in-society/exhibition?pgid=kd73oldp-00eccf0e-08e0-4925-b5a8-5a6ae07e24d4  show more
Illustration for industry
Lecture today from Jane Dodds re working as an illustrator in industry. She worked previously as a lecturer in graphics at Blackpool School of Arts. Good explanation of entry into the commercial sphere , role of commissions, relationships with agents,etc. advice re use of appropriate colours especially for an international audience. She showed us examples of her work and the...  show more
AA2A Show Install Help
As a student rep (and a bonus of a module placement), a classmate and I helped our univeristies AA2A artists install a show yesterday. It was a thrilling experience seeing artists coming together and working together to plan where work would go best, helping make decisions on how things look on the walls, floors, etc.  We helped in different ways,...  show more
Gallery Visit and Tree Drawing
This week, I finished the Tree of Life piece with purple and gold ink and added glow-in-the-dark details. I found a dark space to test how the glow-in-the-dark looked and if it worked. I love how this piece turned out. I've started a small personal sketchbook, hoping to get more comfortable with freehand and observational drawing. Visiting the Baltic, the...  show more
AOB exhibition
I have just curated an exhibition for AOB (Artists of Blackpool) at the Solaris Centre in Blackpool. AOB is a collaborative of artists from the Blackpool School of Arts whose aim is to foster an appreciation of art in diverse forms in the general public.  The exhibition ran for the month of February and entry was free of charge for...  show more
Upscaled Drawings and Paintings
This week was a productive one for work and experimenting. I got the gold layers of the figures and the pastel outline, which I think looks terrific. It stands out but blends in and doesn't jump out, so the rest of the painting can be enjoyed.       For the second canvas, I added a watered-down layer of acrylic...  show more
Glow in the Dark Paint
The week started well; I was able to get some more embroidery done. I experimented with how well it would go through a painted surface and planned to do stuff on top of the paint as I added the design to the bottom corners. The rainbow thread to gold is a great idea to get the meaning of the works...  show more
Expiermenting and Research
Last week was productive, and I got a lot of research done. I also was able to get a good start on another canvas as well as experimentation. I added some gold leaf to the canvas I spray-painted last week. This symbolises the LGBT+ by elevating and celebrating them, emphasising their value and significance. The shimmering gold represents resilience, strength...  show more
Starting a New Project
For my new university module, I've decided to explore Queer Theory and relationships. This is a personal project to me as I experience things a non-queer relationship doesn't. I plan to use my own relationship with my partner as a focal point for the artwork. I'm excited to start the research and the work I have planned.  I've already started...  show more
Exhibition
As part of AA2A the five Artists in Residence at the University of Chester, joined by some existing artists from the University are holding an exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Space Chester starting   Later in January. I am exhibiting four sculptural pieces together called 'What Lies Beneath'. needless to say it has been a very busy Christmas Holiday getting...  show more
Working in the department
I work in wood and am starting to get to know the staff In the department. I have done a little carving and tool sharpening as demos and had some great chats about approaches to scaling work up. Creating large sculptures out of laminated layers of ply is very exciting using the departments CAD facilities has potential, as does creating...  show more
Introduction to the department
A couple of weeks into AA2A we (the five artists taking part at the University of Chester) put up a display of our work so that staff and students could start to get to know us and the art we make. We had a few minced pies and some mulled wine and chatted to the students about our practice and...  show more
Getting to know you...
What a lovely afternoon we had last week meeting our artists. They're not only massively talented, but approachable and friendly too and I can't wait to see them in action sharing the studio space with us.  Our group includes artists who usually work with photography, print, ceramics, mixed media and glass, but after a getting-to-know-you lunch, we invited them to...  show more
Fay Sheppard Fine Art| Artist Statement
The natural world is abundant with inspiration for artists, and I often find myself returning to landscape and the environment for my own work. Nature is a place for me to not only find direct visual inspiration, but is a place to derive natural resources, flora and fauna. Like our ancestors have done for centuries, with the right knowledge these...  show more
Opportunity
The lovely people in the Art department at YSJU invited me to use the central space in the studios, called The Vessel. Initially just presenting a video as it developed but then painting from the video sketching in paint a long still image that reflected the passing nightscape of the video. Really enjoyed returning to paint and the chance to...  show more
introductions all round...
Hello there! I've just joined AA2A as a student rep and I'm eagerly waiting to be introduced to our artists. We're hosting a lunch at Uni to get to know each other next week, so I should have more photo's to share after the event.  I'll have to take care not to touch any of the artists work in progress...  show more
Initial display of work
To start our residency off the five artists who are taking part in AA2A at the University of Chester are displaying some of their existing work in the Department of Art and Design so help students and staff to get to know a little about us and our work.  show more
Just getting started
AA2A 2023. There are 6 artists who have been selected to have a residency at The University of Chester. We have met and agreed to have an initial exhibition within the department as a means of introducing ourselves. In the meantime I am starting to research some ideas around the idea of 'The Rebirth of Human Kindness'. In the face of...  show more
New inspiration
Took a late night train back from London the other day. It stopped at several stations. For most of the. Journey i was staring out at emptiness with a few objects lit up here and there and the odd flashing past of something close. But as we arrived at a station more and more of the scene was visible. The...  show more
Inspiring
Really enjoyed Mark Leckey's straightforward unpretentious talk yesterday at Aesthetica Short Film Festival.  show more
Back for more
So delighted to have the chance of a second year. Very pleased to be sharing this placement with 5 other very talented Artist.  show more
Brick and clay
This is a piece of work by Aneta Regel. What I'm interested in here is how the clay pulls away from the brick..  I'm going to do some test experiments next week. I think I will grind up the found brick and mix it with the clay body (I'll use red earthenware). I will also try a batch with paper...  show more
Introduction to the ceramics department
I met Ben on Wednesday, he introduced me to the ceramics department. It's a fantastic space with some incredible equipment. I shared some of my intentions for the coming year - my desire to experiment with found material and to create my own glaze mixtures. We chatted about various artists who also work with found materials, such as Daniol Williams...  show more
What's Happening at AA2A this month
New AA2A National Director - we're thrilled to introduce Daniel Hawley-Lingham as our new National Director. Daniel comes with extensive experience in the realms of higher education, artistic collaboration, and the corporate sector. His tenure will commence from the 1st September. We also extend our sincerest well-wishes to Wendy Mason, our departing National Director, as she enters what we believe...  show more
Working BIGGER
The whole reason to work with Uclan Ceramics and AA2A was about investigating scale and playful building. The resulting work looks to answer these questions - scale isn't about making things bigger - it's about rescale, compromise, change and re-evaluating working practice. Which of course changes shapes, form, impact and surface.  show more
Contributing to AA2A's Environment Summer...
As an eco-artist I aim to work with and for nature, often incorporating natural materials into the work itself and setting out to illustrate and raise awareness of the sience behind invisible natural processes in an interesting and/or aesthetically pleasing way. And all artists have the privilage and the duty to Remember Nature. Model for my Practice.  My practice as...  show more
What's happening at AA2A this month...
Hosts for 2023-24 - we are very pleased to have 8 host institutions confirmed so far, see colleges page for details, and expect to have at least one new host uni. Do get in touch if you know of a potential host college or university - it’s not too late to sign up and there's an early bird until the...  show more
Thanks
Can I say a massive big thank-you to for the opportunity of the AA2A placement at York St John's University this year. I was able to develop new work that I would not have been able to produce using the facilities I have in my home studio. I discovered much and acquired new knowledge and skills. It was a very...  show more
Summary of being an aa2a Artist
I have absolutely loved my time as an AA2A artist at Sunderland University. Most of it has been spent in the print room which felt like a trip back in time thirty years ago to when I was a student at Maidstone College of Art. However I was aware that I came to it now with added skills and a...  show more
Collograph - The Pink Drawing Room
I loved working on this collagraph cutting and scoring the individual pieces of cut out card at home and bringing in to the studio to print. I think this is my favourite piece of work from the time here at Sunderland. Without the AA2a opportunity I would never have had an opportunity to produce such a large print. It also...  show more
Drypoint on tetrapak type card - Aunty Julie’s home as a pupil in the 1940s
It’s based on a house my aunt lodged at when sent away to school in Aberdeen in the late 1940s. She’d written a piece about it in the 1990s for a school magazine and my cousins shared it with our family when she died last year. We learnt so much about how she was shaped by the experience. Visually the...  show more
Screenprint - Red Tabac
This started as a painting in 1990. I returned to it as a screenprint on my AA2A placement. I’d also love at some point to make a 3d construction of it. I got such good help and advice from Hannah who runs the print room at Sunderland. She showed me how to deal with when the ink bleeds through the...  show more
Risograph - Triptych - Hotel for Travelling SalesDogs
I have produced three risographs before but on those occasions I created the artwork on my iPad and sent the artwork to a person who printed them out for me - so I felt quite removed from the process. I wanted the opportunity to experience the printing process and also have more randomness in the preparation of the artwork. I did...  show more