Sarah Richards
Liverpool
Walk, draw, paint. Art enabler, teacher, public and private commissions, socially engaged practise, environment, health and well being
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Workshops/Art Projects: ~~A freelance artist with over twelve years experience my work includes designing, managing and facilitating workshops, art activities, events, public art projects and murals. With an emphasis on encouraging personal artistic development and a deeper awareness of the visual arts, I have worked within the educational sectors at all levels, with mental health groups and hospitals, with community groups and with prominent North West Galleries. I have a large and varied skill base, being able to tailor a workshop/classes/event to deliver great participation reviews and excellent end results. These include but are not restricted to, artist bookmaking, drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and willow lantern sculptures.
Commissions/Managing: I have recieved regular commissions to produce art for high profile designers on numerous public art ptojects throughout the UK. These include Cath Kidston, Celia Birtwell, Laura Ashley, Usbourne Books and Jools Holland. I have created murals and large artwork for schools, parks, community arts projects, festivals and events. As a Director and Studio Manager of Arena Studios and Gallery from 2005 - 2010 I was charged with the day to day running and overall direction of the studio group and gallery, writing successful funding bids, securing the gallery programme and installing charity fund raising events. In 2012 I was the Art coordinator for Stroll: Discovery trails, a high profile public art project with the Greater London Authority and London Olympic Company for the London Olympics 2012
Design: I have been commissioned to create a building facade for a public building. This included the design of locational signs and signs along the main roads approaching the building. Along with artist Sian Hughes, I have created a sculpture trail along the Sefton Coast and have developed a bespoke lightbox installation for hospitals.
Paintingings/Drawings: I draw and paint the things I see and how I feel. Urban and wild landscapes. Long walks give time for reflection, moving to my own rhythm, keeping my own pace. Stopping to observe, distance and space, focusing on detail up close. Quick gestural drawings, loose and expressive, layering them up to create new images, drawing in ink – trying to capture how I see, things in peripheral and in a rigor of looking. Delight in encounters with animals and drawing them in situ. Creating paintings from drawings, drawing every day, drawing seeds growing - time passing.
Qualification and Training
2015 Arts Award Leader, Discovery and Explore
2009 Arts Award Leader, Bronze and Silver, Manchester
2004 Bachelor Degree of Fine Art, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds
2003 Erasmus Student exchange programme, Universitat de Belles Artes, Barcelona
2002 Cyprus College of Art, Lempka, Cyprus
2002 Institutes Cervantes, Leeds
2000 BTEC Foundation, Deeside College, North Wales
1994 Yale Sixth Form College, Wrexham, North Wales
1993 Castell Alun High School
Public Liability Insurance and DBS held
Residencies
2016 Stiwdio Maelor, Corris, North Wales
Two week residency developing my practise in relation to the Welsh landscape.
2014 Artist in Residence, The Atkinson, Southport
In house artist for the Gallery and Museum in relation to their exhibtion programmes and events. Creating interactive art activities, devlivering art workshops and event, teaching adult art classes and running a kids art club. Facilicting art activities for school visits.
2012 Comma Artist Residency, Butterfly Park, New Ferry
Residency in direct relation to the natural concerns of the Butterfly Park in New Ferry. This collaborative installation incorporated wall and floor painted murals and three-dimensional works which are on permanent display the grounds of The ButterflyPark.
2009 Making it – Artist Residency, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
Exhibition and Artist Residency offering a platform for public observation and participation in artist studio practice. From conception to realization, this project focused on the creative process where I was commissioned to set up my studio in the gallery and create a body of work, documenting and evaluating creative decisions and choices and establishing a dialogue about these with the gallery audience.
Artist in Residence, Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts, Ellesmere Port
Artist in residence working as part of changing spaces project and enrichment week. Designing and creating large scale murals for different departments throughout the school. Creating workshops to realize the murals with art students.
2008 Face to Face, School Residencies, Sefton Art Council, Liverpool
Art Co-ordinator and originator for Sefton Arts Schools Portraiture Project entitled ‘Face to Face’. The project included a two-day artist residency at twenty different primary schools in Sefton. Selected works were featured in a children’s art exhibition at the Atkinson Gallery in Southport in summer 2008
Projects
2017 Traumatic Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea
Working with out patients to develop a permanent piece of art work for the hospital. Delivering a series of workshops designed to engage people living with bfrain trauma. The end artworks were built into a bespoke light box installation for the hospital.
2016 Digmoor Wishing Wings, Skelmersdale
Delivering socially engaged workshops resulting in large hand painted wings installed in the shopping parade.
2015 Coastline Traces 2015 – Sefton Coastal Path Sculpture Trail
Commissioned artist to create a series of six sculptures at key points along the 20 miles of Sefton’s Coastal Path. Each individual sculpture offers a unique creative response to a different aspect of the coastal heritage, history or landscape. A socially engaged project, each sculpture contains individual artwork developed through a programme of art workshops with the local community. www.coastlinetraces2015.wordpress.com
2014 REACH Phase 1, St Anne’s Swimming Pool, Lytham St Anne’s
Commissioned to create an artistic program involving intense community engagement. This leading to designs for new permanent visual works relating to the signage for the building including external wall spaces, the avenue entrance and the main road through Lytham St Annes. www.reachartproject2014.wordpress.com
Get Creative With Sandy Lane shopping center, Skelmersdale
Commissioned by West Lancashire Council to engaged with users of the site in creative ways to received information and ideas on site usage, ergonomics and aesthetics. I collated these ideas and aspirations and displayed them within the site. The art workshops included bunting making, flower design, talking wall and fence weaving and generated interest and awareness of the project and provided an enriching experience.
2013
Southport Flower Show Labyrinth garden; Co-ordinator of workshops working with four adult groups in crea ting a labyrinth, willow dome and ten 6ftx2ft murals for the Southport Flower Show.
2012
Artist Co-ordinator and artist for Stroll;Discovery Trails, London; Project with the Greater London Authority and London Olympic Company for the London Olympics 2012. The role entailed overall co-ordination of over seventy artist throughout the UK in design submission and successful commissioning of eighty hand painted Olympic mascots that formed six trails throughout London during the games. Alongside this was the practical research, distribution and instruction to the artists on using specific paints, glazes and decals. Responsible for advising a maintenance team during the project and in leading the restoration work prior to auction.
Cultural Olympiad Project, West Lancashire; Lead artist in co-ordination workshops with groups from West Lancashire including Mencap, Young Carers, two primary schools, a high school and a special needs school to create six large scale flags to celebrate the Olympics 2012.
2011
Convatec Flag Design, painting commission; Designing and painting an image incorporating the twelve global location sites for a corporate flag
2010
Rhino Mania Maintenance team, Chester; Part of the maintenance team during the 10 week project, painting damaged sculptures on location and interfacing with the public.
2009
Relaunching Arena Gallery 2009 Events and Exhibition Programme; A member of Arena Gallery committee juntil 2011. Working at setting up and organizing exhibitions and events for Arena Gallery
Arena Studios and Gallery - Project Manager; Project Manager for Arena Art Auction and Open Studios as part of the Liverpool Long Night.
2008
Arena Studios and Gallery – Project Manager; Relocating and Expanding Arena Studios. Managing the relocation to permanent premises for the studio group. This included building 22 new studios spaces and a gallery as well as expanding the group to include 28 visual artists. Founder and project manager of Arena Baubles Fund raising event.
2007
Arena Studios and Gallery – Project Manager; Arena Annual Auction and Open Studios
2006
Arena Studios and Gallery – Project Manager; Writing a successful bid to The Culture Company to relocate the studio group and write a business plan. Managing of the relocation of the studios and the ongoing development of Arena’s Business Plan. Managing Arena Annual Auction and Open Studios
Arena Biennial Exhibitions 2006; Writing the successful funding bid from The Arts Council England. Managing the three month exhibition which saw over 46 artists exhibiting in the four storey building. Including curation, project manager, organization, building , documenting and promoting.
Murals and Public Art
The Big Sleuth - Birmingham. Superlambanana - Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Great North Snow Dogs – Sunderland. Snow Dogs by the Sea – Brighton. Shaun the Sheep, Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal – Bristol. Stepping Hill Childrens Hospital Garden – Stockport. London City Transport – Year of the Bus. Superlambanana - Rainhill High School. Books about Town – London. Gromit Unleashed – Bristol. Dwiali Festive of Light - Manchester, Steeling Skies – Sheffield. Superlambanana – Rainhill. Manchester Day Parade. Liverpool Greats - Liverpool Discover. Rhino Mania – Chester. Lions of Bath. Go Penguins – Liverpool. Hesketh Park Mural – Southport. ROK Mural Project - North Liverpool.
Clients include
Cath Kidston, Laura Ashley, Aardman Animantion, Wild in Art. Orla Kiely, Usbourn Books, Celia Birtwell, Jools Holland, Joanna Lumley, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Convatec, Cheshire west and Cheshire Council, Liverpool City Council, Sefton Council,West Lancashire Council, London City Transport, Walk the Plank, Rednile Projects.2004
Workshops
Creative Alternative Core Artist, Sefton Arts, Merseyside and St Helens; Providing group based activities for people with mild to moderate anxiety /depression, promoting expressive play and creative skills development. Ongoing since 2011
Life Drawing Classes:
The Chapel Gallery Ormskirk; Life Drawing classes for adults. ongoing since 2012
Hope Univserity: Life Drawing tutor
Arts Award and Workshop Leader, Saturday Art Club, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk; Workshop leader for the Saturday art club held in Ormskirk providing expert advice and support in which young people aged between 8 and 16 can develop work inspired by the Galleries exhibitions. Also leader in Arts Award, providing the opportunity for 11-25 year olds to cultivate a deeper appreciation and personal development within the arts at Bronze level. On going since 2009
Go With The Flow, Southport and Bootle; Designing and facilitating an ongoing weekly workshop teaching drawing and painting skills to adults,encouraging creative skills based around an appreciation of the arts. Ongoing since 2008
Junior Rangers Art Club, West Lancashire Park Rangers, desiging and facilitating wokshops through the summer holidays exploring creativity through nature. Ongoing since 2011
Holiday Activities Programme, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk; Designing and delivering full day workshops during the school holidays for young people looking at developing new skills and encouraging creativity. Ongoing since 2007
2011
Workshop Leader, Shares, Lancashire; Working with Shares Lancashire to deliver afterschool clubs within Skelmersdale and Up Holland
School Projects, West Lancashire; Designing workshops for primary schools to develop creativity within the curriculum.
Bookmaking classes, Cambridge Children’s Center, Liverpool; Designing and facilitating a 6 week project working with young parents to make personal art books using a variety of bookmaking techniques.
2010
Introduction to Oil Painting, Oriel Wrecsam, North Wales; Introducing oil painting skills and techniques to adults
Mixed Media Painting classes, Oriel Wrecsam North Wales; Designing and facilitating a weekly class introducing adults to mixed media techniques as part of the ‘Experimenting with Colour’ projects
2009
The Big Draw, Workshop Leader, West Lancashire Open Studios event, Skelmersdale; Designing and facilitating two family friendly drop-in events in The Concourse Shopping Center based on Imaginary Landscapes.
2008
Painting and Collage Workshop, Prenton High School, Wirral, Two day painting workshop with year 9 for enrichment week creating paintings of aquatic life for display around the school.
Workshop Leader for Nugent Education, Various location; Facilitating workshops in jewellery making and air drying clay with children in community centers and youth centers throughout the North West.
Free and Active, Netherton Community Center, Liverpool; Coordinator of an eight month programme which delivered a weekly arts and craft workshop to under 14s at Netherton Arts Center.
Abstract Painting workshop, Prenton High School, Wirral; One day painting workshop with 6th form students teaching techniques which inspire my abstract paintings.
2007
Community Workshops, Sefton Arts Council, Liverpool; Art workshop coordinator for Connexion Youth Service P.A.Y.P (Positive Activities for Young People) in conjunction with Sefton Council. Designing and facilitating art workshops across Sefton Community Centers.
2006
Big Arts week, Shorefield Comprehensive, Liverpool; Designing and facilitating a week long workshop with year 9. Students developed a self portrait which was then exhibited in the school.
2005
Painting Workshop, Horsforth High School, West Yorkshire; Artist talk and portrait painting workshop with 6th form art students.
2004
Heydays Adult Activity Programme, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leed; Designing and facilitating 14 week workshop based on 17th Century Spanish painting, looking at Goya and using traditional materials such as egg tempura and pigment.
Lectures and Artist Talks
2014 -Artist Talk professional practise, Hope University, Liverpool
2013 -Judge for The West Lancashire Open, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
2011 - Visiting Lecturer, St Helen’s College, Fine Art Degree students
2010 - Visiting Lecturer, St Helen’s college, Fine Art Degree students
- Wild in Art, Dee radio Chester radio talk on Rhino Mania public art event
2009 - Wild In Art, Merseyside radio talk on being commissioned two penguins.
- Artist talk on professional practice, Arena Gallery
- Interview for Tether internet broadcast, Nottingham based artists collective regarding
studio ergonomics.
2008 - Artist Talk and critique on personal practice, Arena studios
2007 - Radio interview for City Talk, discussion based on Arts Council Funding
2006 - Radio interview for culture Corner, Radio Merseyside regarding Independents
Biennial
2005 - Artists talk on painting and studio practice, Horseforth College, Yorkshire
Exhibitions
2011 West Lancashire Open, Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
Bankley Studios, Group Show, Manchester
2010 In every dream home a heartache, Bridewell Gallery, Liverpool
Re-touched, Independent, Liverpool Biennial
2009 Open Art 2009, The Godfrey Pilkington Art Gallery, St Helens
Unique Perspectives, Selected Exhibition, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
Making it, Selected Exhibition, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
2008 Drawn Here, Independents Biennial, Liverpool
The Sefton Open, The Atkinson Gallery, Southport
West Lancashire Open, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
Wirral 4th Annual Open, The Williamson Gallery, Birkenhead
Up and Coming, Contemporary Urban Center, Liverpool
A painters Glance, Kunsthaus Rhenania, Cologne, Germany
Changing 8, The Cornerstone Gallery, Hope University, Liverpool
2007 West Lancashire Open, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
Transit, Nexus Art Gallery, Manchester
2006 Co-he-sion, Independents Biennial, Arena Gallery, Liverpool
Leeds Art Fair, The Light, Leeds
Relentless Forms, Urban Arts Lounge, Liverpool
2005 Prize Exhibition, Royal Birmingham Society of Arts, Birmingham
North Wales Open, Theater Clwyd, Mold
West Lancashire Open, The Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk
2004 Y Tabernacle, Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth, Wales
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