blacksmith/artist/graphic designer/painter & printmaker/artist & studio co-ordinator
Welcome to 'Walk a mile in My Shoes'
Have you ever wondered how creative practitioners ended up where they are doing what they do? In this section of the website we have asked a few creative’s to answer some questions which will hopefully give you an insight into the their journey, we hope the answers are interesting and may help anyone who is considering entering one of the listed professions. If you'd like to be featured in this section, then answer the questions and send them into the site.
If you are thinking of a career in theatre Creative Torbay recommends you visit this excellent website: http://www.getintotheatre.org/
Blacksmith: Rex Latham
Where are you based?
Cockington Court Torquay
What do you do?
Traditional Blacksmith.
How long have you been doing it?
Approximately 15 years as a living, but 40 years plus as a hobby/living.
What was your first job after leaving school?
Having been dissuaded from being a blacksmith (‘there’s no future in it! ‘) I worked at Sheffield University Dept. of Metallurgy, as a metallurgical technician specialising in High Vacuum Technology.
What else have you done?
Service engineer for a high vacuum equipment manufacturer. Running my own business as a retailer and wholesaler in the fruit & vegetable trade.
What qualifications and from where?
Apart from school leaving qualifications, city and guilds metallurgical technicians intermediate cert.
How did you end up in your current job?
Having spent 25+ years working in ‘fruit & veg’ and realising that the supermarkets were killing off smaller independent retailers my wife supported me whilst I honed the skills needed to realise my ‘dream’ to be a blacksmith full time and for the next five years or so I attended courses run by the Wessex Guild of Blacksmiths learning the traditional skills and techniques of a blacksmith.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Rich - never happened.
What do you do all day?
Blacksmith. 7 days a week. I try to separate my week by work blacksmithing Monday to Friday and at weekends ‘playing’ i.e. developing new ideas and designs, but the two tend to overlap into each other.
What do you do when not at work?
On the rare occasions when I take a day off I like to go fishing.
Favourite book/play/TV show/film/cultural event?
I enjoy books on my craft particularly art nouveau and art deco. On a recent trip to Washington D.C. cathedral I was totally ‘Blown Away’ with wrought ironwork of Sam Yellin.
What is the best thing about your job?
I work at a job I am passionate about and am able to do it at a beautiful venue. I also teach blacksmithing to year 9 & 10 students on two afternoons a week, a most satisfying and rewarding (mentally not physically) experience.
And the worst?
That I have no one to leave my business to when I become too old and decrepit to carry on.
What’s your dream job?
To be commissioned to make an ornamental structure for a church or civic building that will stand the test of time.
Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Make sure it is really what you want to do, get trained by traditional blacksmiths. Let nothing stop you and work with a passion. You will never be rich monetarily, but you will be wealthy in spirit.
artist: Kevin Alexander
Where are you based?
Chelston in Torquay
What do you do?
Picture framing mostly, but also sell original artworks
How long have you been doing it?
6 years
What was your first job after leaving school?
Teacher of Science in secondary sector
What else have you done?
Interior decorator (about a year)
What qualifications and from where?
BSc in Food Science and a PGCE
How did you end up in your current job?
Need for a change - teaching was not proving to be the same job as it was when I started 19 years before. Found the gallery by chance, but knew immediately it was something I could enjoy getting into.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
An architect was probably the longest lasting aim when I was young.
What do you do all day?
Mainly make picture frames for a whole variety of things (including pictures, medals, sports shirts, and so on)
What do you do when not at work?
Walking (on the moor and coastal paths), kayaking, photography, painting and drawing, quizzing (attending and setting).
Favourite book/play/TV show/film/cultural event?
Fav book - Captain Corelli's Mandolin / Fav play - 'Rope' by Patrick Hamilton / Fav art piece - JMW Turner's 'The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last Berth to be broken up' / Fav TV show - recent Dr Who / Fav film - Philadelphia Story / Fav cultural event - Tutankhamun exhibition in the 70s / Fav music - Tomaso Albinoni's Concerto for Trumpet in B flat major.
What is the best thing about your job?
Variety, Creativity, Problem solving
And the worst?
The pay! Being self employed has many advantages, but earnings are unpredictable.
What’s your dream job?
Owning/running a creative centre where many people get the chance to realise some dreams
Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Think about the security that the job gives you against the satisfaction you'd get from doing it. Be willing to take advice from wherever it is offered. Have a network of friends around you that will give you opportunities for life outside of work.
Anything else to add?
The interaction with customers is a really important part of the job satisfaction thing - being able to make a difference in their lives, albeit a very small one, is highly rewarding.
>> view my profile
graphic designer: bex glover
Where are you based?
Living and working in Bristol as a freelance graphic designer / artist.
What do you do?
Graphic Design / painting & illustration.
How long have you been doing it?
Painting and drawing since I was a kid. Working as a graphic designer for 6 years.
What was your first job after leaving school?
My firsy job was working as a junior designer for a design agency in Poole, Dorset.
What else have you done?
I’ve worked for two design agencies in London.
I was awarded membership of the International Society of Typographic designers whilst at college.
Worked in a couple of pubs and as a bag packer at Tescos when I was at school! - character building!!
What qualifications and from where?
National Diploma Foundation Course (Art & Design) - Strode college, Somerset
BA (Hons) Degree Graphic Design - The Arts Institute, Bournemouth, Dorset
How did you end up in your current job?
My second job as a designer took me to London although it wasn’t particularily rewarding. I applied to Smoothe through an ad in design week, had an interview with the team and was offered the position, which I really enjoyed for 3 and a half years before brancing out on my own in early 2009.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Sounds cliched but an artist or maybe a pop star!
What do you do all day?
It’s a mixed bag - my job is primarily computer based but when I can, I still like to draft hand drawn ideas. I create concepts for and produce, all kinds of projects from printed brochures, website design and functionality ideas and animations. My job also involves liasing with clients and now as a freelancer, looking for the next project.
What do you do when not at work?
I enjoy getting out and about in the great outdoors - kite flying / cycling / visiting friends and family. I also like getting inspired by soaking up a bit of culture (galleries, music, exhibitions etc).
Favourite book/play/TV show/film/cultural event?
- I loved the book Memiors of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) and am a fan of both John Le Carre and Hunter S Thompson as authors.
- I enjoy politcal writing and documentaries particularily by the likes of John Pilger and Noam Chomsky.
- Some favourite artists: Rembrandt / Toulouse-Lautrec / Graham Dean / Banksy
- Some favourite designers / theorists / styles: Milton Glaser / Alan Fletcher / bauhaus & swiss style
- Music I like: Cinematic Orchestra / Theivery Corporation
- Favourite Film: Heat / The Godfather Series
What is the best thing about your job?
A diverse range of projects and a freedom to steer projects from concept to completion. Working for yourself is very rewarding when the work is coming in. I've also had the pleasure to work with and meet some great people / clients along the way.
And the worst?
The customer is always right.....
What’s your dream job?
Full time painter and illustrator.
Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Work hard, be disciplined and be prepared to turn your hand to a bit of everything. Try to look for things and people that inspire you every day. Learn to listen to constructive critism, be objective and ask questions. Strive for a good work / life balance.
(What qualifications - work experience - training? ANYTHING!)
I recommend the Graphic Design Degree course at the Arts Institute, Bournemouth.
Think about weather the course you study has good employment prospects. I followed Graphic Design as it was more commercially viable than say Fine Art - but saying that you should never loose sight of your passions and dreams.
Take an interest in current affairs, culture, politics and the changing world around you - it will better inform your work and ideas and help you to see things form the perspective of others.
Anything else to add?
Learn how to switch off. Don’t wish your life away.
Greatest achievement?
Graduating / being awarded an ISTD membership / Working for myself
Ambition?
To paint and draw all day for money!!
'What's the best piece of advice you have ever been given?'
“There’s more to life than work”
>> view my profile
painter & printmaker: deborah treliving
Where are you based?
Studio 5, The Stable yard, Cockington Court Craft Centre, Cockington, Torquay, Devon.
What do you do?
Painting and Printmaking
How long have you been doing it?
All my life.
As a business I was exhibiting & selling my work while teaching part-time. Now I am working full time as an artist, and have had a studio open to the public for 2 years.
What was your first job after leaving school?
After leaving school I went to Art College and then university. My first full time job was teaching art and design in a secondary school in the London Borough of Bromley.
What else have you done?
Taught drawing and printmaking at South Devon College for 18 years.
What qualifications and from where?
Diploma in Art and Design Honours in Fine Art, (painting and printmaking) from Bath Academy of Art.
Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Reading University.
How did you end up in your current job?
The solitary situation of self employed artist working in a studio at home was far removed from my previous teaching position at South Devon College. I needed more artistic communication. When a suitable studio became available at Cockington Court at the same time as I was offered a large printing press I seized both opportunities and haven’t looked back.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
At primary school I wanted to be lots of things: a bus conductor, a detective, to work in a chocolate factory, a dancer, a farmer’s wife, an explorer, a princess, an adventurer, or the most exciting character in the novel I was reading.
What do you do all day?
In brief: I make collagraph & carborundum plates, which I print on the press in my studio. I mix and experiment with colour: juxtaposing one colour with another, and explore the potential of different media and materials.
What do you do when not at work?
When I am not in my studio I am still working:
- I photograph my finished work before taking it to the framer. Collect it when framed and then take it to galleries for exhibitions.
- I visit art exhibitions and museums for inspiration, mental enrichment, and to keep abreast with contemporary practice.
- I curate exhibitions for other artists, and organize other cultural events.
- On the computer I work on marketing, updating my CV, apply for exhibiting opportunities, write personal and business correspondence.
- For relaxation I work in my garden, spend time with my family and friends, go walking and swimming.
Favourite book/play/TV show/film/cultural event?
- As a child my favourite book was Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy tales.
- Favourite sculpture garden: Barbara Hepworth’s garden at St Ives.
- Favourite art piece: the Rothko room at the Tate Modern.
- TV: I enjoy costume dramas and natural history programs.
- I enjoy live theatre, especially comedy, eg plays by Alan Ayckbourn, Tom Stoppard
What is the best thing about your job?
Discovering that people admire my work so much that they want to part with real money to own it.
And the worst?
Cleaning up at the end of the day.
What’s your dream job?
There are many jobs I think would be interesting, exciting and worth doing eg. Travel writer, curator at Tate St. Ives, property manager of the Cotehele estate, but my current one is just right for me at the moment!
Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Assess your talents and develop them. As you go through life you will discover you have talents of which you are now not aware. These too should be developed as you discover them. Learning continues throughout your life. Find out the answers to your questions. Be inquisitive.
Look at colour, and the quality of light at different times of the day. This alone will lift the spirit and inspire. Draw, paint, experiment, allow time for quiet thought and reflection.
(What qualifications - work experience - training? ANYTHING!)
For adult education classes in Printmaking: Contact the Dartington Print Workshop, run by Michael Honnor, Dartington Hall Trust.
College courses: To find out which art course would be suitable for you: visit as many college open days & degree shows as possible to find which would suit you best. Talk to the tutors, and to the students on the course.
Save as much money as you can before you start college.
Develop a good sense of self discipline for work. Learn a few life skills before you leave home to go to college eg How to cook a few basic meals, how to wash clothes, how to budget on a very limited income.
Greatest achievement?
Swimming my first width of the swimming bath without drowning.
Ambition?
To walk the length of the South West Coast path.
What's the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
From Brenda Pye, my art teacher at school, when I was looking at art college prospectuses:
“This is the place for you. Apply to Bath Academy of Art”
artist & STUDIO CO-ORDINATOR: KATYA
Where are you based?
Exeter
What do you do ?
I work for Arts Council England in their south west regional office. Our mission statement says: Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people's lives. Between 2008 and 2011 we'll invest in excess of £1.6 billion of public money from the government and the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. I work in Resource Development which means that I work with regional partners such as local authorities to both lobby and support them in helping us to deliver great art for everyone.
How long have you been doing it?
Nearly 7 years.
What was your first job after leaving school?
I was a practising textile artist for 5 years.
What else have you done?
have worked for a publishing house, FE college, health club and was millennium officer for Exeter between 1998 and 2001. In between, I spent several years travelling and became a parent.
What qualifications and from where?
I have a first class honours degree in Textile design from Central St Martins College.
How did you end up in your current job?
I joined Arts Council England, South West in 2001 when it was South West Arts to work in the education and training department. After the merger with Arts Council in 2004, I moved over to the newly created resource development team.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Could never decide - does that mean I've never been ambitious?
What do you do all day ?
Most days when I am in the office I sit at the computer. Currently I am researching suitable case studies to show how the arts can help meet local authority targets and agendas. Most people outside of the arts sector are not aware of the value of arts activity and the impact it can have on young people for example.
What do you do when not at work?
I am beginning to work on my own artistic practice again which is really exciting and am working towards an exhibition in November 2008.
Favourite book/play/TV show/film/cultural event?
Art piece has got to be Richard Wilson's room of oil (title 20:50) which I saw at the Saatchi gallery when it was in the County Hall building at Southbank. Am hoping that it will be displayed in the new Saatchi gallery in King's Road so that all those people who I have inspired to go and see it will get the chance!
Favourite books include the Kite Runner and Harry Potter. Favourite films include Jean de Florette and Kill Bill 1&2
What is the best thing about your job?
Great colleagues and flexible working conditions.
And the worst?
Too many meetings.
What’s your dream job?
Running a major garden like the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Qualifications and work experience help both you and an employer decide if you are the right person for the job. Don't be afraid to try new things if they interest you even if they appear to have no relevance to your career plans. Also ask for advice and help from people you admire.
Anything else to add?
You've only got one life so make the most of it!