-artists in residence-
Visual Arts
Saul Cumiskey: October 21- 28, 2018
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Having graduated as a sculptor from St.Martin’s College of Art and Design in the mid 1980’s I had many opportunities to exhibit sculpture in London both in group and one man shows. This led to invitations to exhibit in Australia and I spent a happy 3 years in Melbourne both showing work and producing pieces for commissions. During this period my work shifted in focus from the three dimensional to drawing. My sculptural process had always involved drawing but now these drawings became the focus of my inquiry in themselves.
Returning to the UK I completed a Post Graduate teaching qualification and taught Secondary Art and Design for several years in Reading in Berkshire. This in turn led to a stint working in the Art and Design Education Department at the University of Reading working with students studying for PGCE and BA Ed qualifications.
A move to Kidderminster resulted in my working in a Further Education Art College teaching Btec Foundation Art, alongside GNVQ and GCSE qualifications, eventually becoming Head of Department. In the year 2000 we moved once more to Devon where I worked in a local Secondary school, and began to exhibit my own art again. Having then left teaching to pursue my own work full time I was asked to work as Senior Teacher in a local school that provides education for young people with Social, Emotional and mental Health needs.
At present I am once again leaving teaching to work full time in the studio, but as I do so I reflect on how teaching has paralleled and in some ways driven my own learning.
Music
Christopher Ward: Jan 18-19, 2019
Christopher Ward is currently in his second year of the Master of Music degree at Northwestern University where he has the privilege to study conducting with world-renowned conductor, Dr. Mallory Thompson. Prior to this degree, Christopher served as the Director of Bands at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi where he taught IB Music, grades 6-12 band, and jazz band. While in Abu Dhabi, Christopher started and conducted the Abu Dhabi Community Band, the first of its kind in the city. Additionally, Christopher taught Junior High and High School band in Shelton, Washington. Recognized for his excellence in teaching and dedication to students while at Shelton, Christopher received the Shelton School District Promising Young Educator Award.
As a performer, Christopher has performed in various ensembles across the United States and Canada. He was invited to compete in the inaugural International Saxophone Symposium and Competition at Columbus State University. He has also performed his saxophone with groups in Bahrain and New Delhi, India. As a conductor, Christopher has guest conducted groups in Abu Dhabi, New Delhi, Qatar, and Nepal. He worked as a special guest artist at the Qatar Music Academy in Doha, Qatar.
Christopher received the Master of Music degree in saxophone performance from the University of British Columbia. While there he received the Killam Graduate Teaching Award for his work as a graduate conducting assistant with the conducting classes and music ensembles. He graduated summa cum laude from Central Washington University with the Bachelor of Music degree in music education and a minor in Spanish. He received the music department’s coveted Presser Scholarship, recognizing his talents and scholarly work. Christopher also received the C. Farrell Fine Arts and Research Scholarship to conduct research on fundamental saxophone techniques thus resulting in his unpublished saxophone technique book. In his spare time, Christopher enjoys running, yoga, reading, cooking, and traveling.
Visual Arts
Veronika Szkudlarek: February17-22, 2019
Veronika Szkudlarek is an artist working on paintings and animations hybridizing digital and analogue mark making. She is interested in the interdisciplinary and innovative possibilities of paint and digital imaging. She uses traditional analogue material like oil paints, brushes canvas and airbrushing with animation software like Cinema 4D, After Effects, Dragonframe and Photoshop. She looks to areas of growth, including technology and expanded practices for inspiration most recently using VR technology to make 3D paintings.
Szkudlarek's exhibition record includes Queens Museum in NYC, Centre for Contemporary Practices in Kansas City and Galeria Skwer in Warsaw. The New York Times art-critic Ken Johnson included her in the 2010 Brooklyn Symposium. Gary Michael Dault, art critic for The Globe and Mail wrote that “artist Veronika Szkudlarek has already chalked up enough experiences to fuel a dozen careers in painting”. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Merit Award from Pratt Institute, OCADU Faculty of Art Teaching Award and has recently been shortlisted for the BLG Equity award. Szkudlarek is an active lecturer on contemporary art practices. Recognized internationally and speaking at conference, universities, schools, museums and galleries in cities like New York, Kigali, Jerusalem, Kansas City, Warsaw, Cairo and Montreal.
She also facilitates hands-on painting workshops that have been geared towards international art faculty, students particularly in secondary schools wishing to apply new skills to their portfolio and business managements hoping to include visual art practices in their business practices. She is a Professor in the Drawing & Painting department & the Digital Painting & Expanded Animation department at the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto.
Theatre
Mark Hill: April 8-11, 2019
MARK is a Performing and Visual Teaching Artist. He believes in the power of The Arts and Education to facilitate change.
He has performed with cutting edge Australian Theatre and Dance companies Zen Zen Zo, The Danger Ensemble and De Quincey Co, and with international companies Dairakudakan (Japan) and SU-EN Butoh Company (Europe). He has also applied his skills to the music industry, touring with Cabaret Punk musician, Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls.
Mark has taught around the world in settings as diverse as universities, schools, refugee camps, slums and indigenous communities. He is a teacher for NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia), ISTA (International Schools Theatre Association), is an Australian Education Foundation Ambassador and an ASIALINK Leader Alumni. He also teaches for various NGOs including Sharing Stories, Theatre versus Oppression and The Purple Community Fund.
