Having been here now for over a month the work is really starting to progress nicely, and have settled in well, such a beautiful town. The studio, apartment, staff and my fellow artists in residence are wonderful.
This residency for me has been along time in coming, originally being accepted in early 2011.
The main reason for applying recently was to help to expand my professional development gain more experience with working alongside other institutions but also it was a great opportunity to advance my visual research into the flexibility of abstract digital video.
Based in Essex, England
Graduated in 2003 from Colchester School of Art and Design, BA.Hons, Fine Art.
Exhibited both Nationally and Internationally.
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| Tim Skinner © 2013 |
The notion that video could hold textural properties dawned on me whilst on Re:place a 2011 residency in the Peak District. This spawned many questions, both visual and circumstantial. Firstly, having embraced Impressionism at an early age, and spent many happy hours in front of a canvas; absorbing, understanding, learning paints ability to illustrate textural expressionism. The question, has my past passions for paint started to filter into my video work? formed. This initial question was soon super-seeded by what are digital video's textural properties? Followed by many other questions surrounding videos abstract expressionism properties.
So for this residency I will be continuing my research, exploring two ying-yang textures.
I have strong family connections to this great country, my mother grew up in picturesque Langland/Mumbles (nr Swansea), the Welsh blood continues back through her mother and so on. This residency has given me the chance to delve into my Welsh heritage, and I knew the exact part I wanted to look at. My great grandfather Morgan Shearman work as a miner at the Waunlwyd Pit in Ebbw Vale, an occupation synonymous with Wales. This lead to the idea of examining, exploring the texture of coal, visually trying to echo dark, dusty, cramped conditions.
Almost simultaneously I saw this residency to do work surrounding wind farms, I have always found them to be pensive, mesmeric (word most commonly associated with my work) places. On first viewing the OS map for Aber I was pleased to see a wind farm near by.
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| Tim Skinner © 2013 |
Both offer me the chance to seriously research texture, as well as offering a light dark contrast.
So far the work is progressing well, I'm all over the wind and today just started with the coal. Throughout my stay here in Aber I want work with projection. A couple of weeks into my residency a made a canvas to project onto so it can help me to really understand it's textural qualities.
Yesterday the Arts Centre laid on a really nice trip to see the Oriel Davies Gallery in Newtown and the Mostyn Gallery in Llandudno. Myself and my fellow artist in residence, poet Rhian Edwards had a great time, the scenery was spectacular. So would like to say big thank-you firstly to Tim for driving us, Carol for accompanying us, to Alex at O.D. Gallery, to Nia and the staff at the Mostyn.
Also really great visiting Cardiff last week to see and hear Catrin, Lewis, Matthew and Ingrid's work, well done!!!!
