Artist Feature: Mentee Blog (Steffie Dawn Murray)
I have been a practicing artist since graduating from Grays School of Art in 2009. Painting and drawing have always been a means of communication and very cathartic for different traumas in life. I am a very strong believer that the process of making art, transferring thoughts and memories to canvas, helps us understand the world within ourselves and the obstacles surrounding us.
I am taking part in the Creative Learning Network programme primarily to hone my skills as an artist and learn how to apply my knowledge to projects other than my own studio work. My expectations for this course are that I am able to confidently organise and successfully host a workshop.
After graduating I returned to Moray and for a while found myself rather stranded and alone in my passion for creating. Since beginning this programme I have discovered Moray is actually a very vibrant and talented creative scene. The Creative Learning Network and the Moray Art Centre are providing invaluable lessons for me as an emerging artist. These lessons so far have ranged from anything like funding to hanging exhibitions. Most recently I attended a Cultural Enterprise Office workshop about applications and proposal writing. The workshop was so useful beyond my expectations, I feel like I can now write a solid creative piece from an application form. It was so inspiring I left the workshop itching to start writing and truly wanting to share my passion for the arts. The information given was so clear and concise the fear of asking for funding was taken away. Now I am almost looking forward to drawing up a proposal!
The main reason I am taking part is the opportunity to learn from a creative professional who has a greater knowledge and scope of how the art world works and how to survive as an individual artist. I am delighted to be partnered with Artist Mary Bourne. In such a short space of time I have gained so much information and perspective of the working artist’s world. Working with Mary I hope to plan and host 2 workshops. At the moment I am still deciding which angle I would like to take a workshop. I believe any type of art is an intimate and personal experience so a one to one session is looking like a promising approach. I also still remember preparing a portfolio for my Grays interview and how I would of liked more guidance and assistance in what was actually required of me; what were the art school’s looking for? In the end my portfolio was chosen by the art school to be shown at their open days and when touring the country. For a second workshop I am leaning towards an almost portfolio crash course for 5th/6th year pupils wishing to apply to art school.
I am looking forward to this year and future meetings with my mentor Mary and CLN members to just enjoy and discuss art!
