publications —
Risky Objects: Illustrating Situated Body Image Experience (Nov 23)
Working Titles: Journal for Practice Based Research, no. 2 | Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
symposia —
That I cannot tell you either: an autoethnographic illustration practice.
2023 International Symposium on Autoethnography and Narrative| International Association of Autoethnography and Narrative Inquiry, USA (online), Jan 3-5 23.
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Transgenerational Body Image: using illustration methodology to generate critical dialogue.
Transitus: illustration as crossing ground. International Illustration Research symposium 12 | Falmouth University, UK (online), 15-16 July 22
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Illustration, Clay and the Museum: two case studies exploring women’s body image.
Festival of PhD Research | Ulster University, Belfast, 11-13 May 22
interviews —
Vital Arts: skills for our future with Professor Anna Hickey-Moody (2020)
Interfaith Childhoods | RMIT University, Melbourne
awards —
Top 50 Influential Neurodivergent Women (2023)
Women Beyond The Box | UK
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Mary Ann McCracken Scholarship (2021)
Mary Ann McCracken Foundation | Belfast
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Outstanding Contribution to Academic Communities: Faculty of Arts and Humanities (2018)
Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University
exhibitions —
I , object (2023)
I , object | Glass Cube, Belfast School of Art | Belfast
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BeU Project: Storied Objects (Participant work) (2023)
The MAC | Belfast
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trick or treat (2023)
My Body in My Hands | SVA Gallery | Stroud
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the sting (2022)
Reflexo | Echo’s Studio | São Paulo
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that I cannot tell you either (2022)
Between Matter and Words | Paragon Studios | Belfast
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with love x (2019)
Reveries | Espacio Gallery | London
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hung by wires (2019)
Synergic: ArtNumber23 | The Old Biscuit Factory | London
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Where is Theresa May? What has happened to her? (2018)
Taller (2018)
Cavern Men (2017)
Maternity (2017)
Microgynon (2017)
Manchester Art Fair 18 | Manchester
editorial illustration —
ADHD girls: dopamine - reward -dysregulation - reward.
Neurodiversity Times Magazine | online
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International Womens’ Day 19 (Girls like stories, boys like facts; Identity; Microgynon; Maternity; Cavern Men)
Brexit Shambles (Theresa May’s historic Brexit defeat; Where is she? Where is Theresa May?)
School Climate protests (Priorities; Do something!; Blinkers; Toasty, Cosy, Comfy; make the adults stop)
Going solo
Fresher Sounds (under alias Meddies)
The National Student | Online
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positions —
Casual Lecturer in Art Therapy - dissertations (current)
Belfast School of Art | Ulster University, Belfast
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Peer Reviewer (June-July 2023)
International Association of Illustration Academics | South Australia
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Arts Emergency Network Volunteer & Mentor (2023-current)
Arts Emergency | Merseyside
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Casual lecturer in Illustration (2023)
Belfast School of Art | Ulster University, Belfast
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BeU project: Storied Objects - Workshop series designer & facilitator (2023)
The Rainbow Project | Belfast City Council, Belfast
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Mindful Museums - Programme 6 facilitator (online pilot) (2021)
Prescribe Culture | The University of Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
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Research Assistant (2018-2019)
Interfaith Childhoods | Professor Anna Hickey-Moody | RMIT University, Melbourne
connect —
Twitter
Instagram
orchid —
qualifications —
PhD researcher (2020-current) Fine Art Theory, History and Practice: Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Working title: The Common Touch: Developing a methodology though object illustration to generate critical dialogue on Western women’s body image.
Belfast School of Art | Ulster University
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Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2022-2023)
Ulster University | Advance HE
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MA Illustration (2016-2018) distinction
Manchester School of Art | Manchester Metropolitan University
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BA (Hons) Illustration (2012-2015) 2:1
Cardiff School of Art and Design | Cardiff Metropolitan University
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Foundation Diploma Art & Design (2012) distinction
The Arts Centre | The City of Liverpool College
My PhD research concerns developing an autoethnographic practice unpacking my own experience of poor body image and eating disorders in the childhood home. Iterations of object illustrations will be presented to groups of women during Conversation Café inspired engagements to generate critical dialogue amongst the group. As illustration is a discipline concerned with reach, and is usually mediated through print or online, this research involves exploring the effects of having close engagement with a unique object illustration rather than the page or screen. These engagements are provisionally called The Common Touch sessions. I aim to publish the methodology and workshop framework for others working with arts-based practices and methodologies to adapt to suit their own contexts.
The research scope is wide to show how ‘things’ (Hodder, 2014) do not exist in isolation; cultural discourse and lived experience, time-space, the travellers (colonialism-racism-capitalism-heteropatriarchy) (Vergès, 2021), the materials and anti-aesthetic approach I use (Black, 2014; Ross, 2020).
I have had an affinity for clay since my MA. I was researching gender stereotypes and their effects on mental health. The page did not communicate the lived, physical space of the body, or the collective space when thinking about how many people are effected by gendered pressures to conform. The shift to clay opened up a whole new engagement I had never felt before. It has been the only material that has fully captured my time, attention and imagination. I think through clay, narratives appear as we work together. I do not try or want to fully control it and, at times, mistakes have added to the narrative. Between the head, the hands and the clay, this ‘correspondence’ (Ingold, 2013) works alongside my illustrative intention and has given me a whole new way of working.