Welcome to the Art of Caring 2020. Today we introduce the work of 4 artists who have contributed work to this year's exhibition.... Ally Zlatar, Aran Illingworth, Lucy Clayton and Aaron J Little. The Art of Caring is an annual inclusive international art exhibition celebrating Nurses, Midwives, Carers, and the NHS. Thank you to the School of Nursing at Kingston University for their support.
Aran Illingworth
"Before I embarked on a career in art, I was a trained nurse for 25 years. I worked in psychiatry for a large part of that time, however I left nursing in order to have and bring up my son. I eventually returned to education, and I completed a degree in Applied Arts from the University of Hertfordshire specialising in Textile. It has taken me a few years to establish myself as a textile artist, and in those years I have tried to perfect my work and the techniques that I use. I currently exhibit my work both in the UK and internationally, and alongside producing art. Portraiture in I have always been fascinated by textiles as they provide a versatile medium through which I can create realistic images, and in my own art I set out to use fabric instead of paint to create a portraits. I love the colour and the texture of textiles and the endless possibilities for manipulation which they offer."
www.aran-i.com
Ally Zlatar
"For myself and many others, we all have needed health care practitioners at some point in our lives. I am truely grateful for the tremendous amount of support and dedication from those who are maning the front lines during these really difficult times. They are truely making a difference and I am so appreciative of the hard work."
Exploring art making as a methodology that suggests the human condition is more complex then it is currently understood, Alexandria (Ally) Zlatar examines, instigates and provokes notions of the individual experience through specifically focusing on philosophical discourse, body image, embodiment, animals & ethics. Zlatar acknowledges there is power within the un-well body and believes there is tremendous value potency through examining these subjects through the contemporary art lens. Born in Mississauga, Canada. she holds a BFA in Visual Art & Art History from Queen's University & an MLitt Curatorial Practice from the Glasgow School of Art. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctorate of Creative Arts with the University of Southern Queensland. She has been involved in many exhibition creations & has had personal work shown globally. Additionally, she has worked on many curation projects with such galleries as Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Hunterian Art Gallery & Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Art. She is continuously interpreting, her desire to communicate & facilitate the theoretical concepts of art is highly valuable to her & her practice and strives to make a difference in society.
https://ally.pb.studio/
Lucy Clayton
"When I was growing up my nana had Alzheimer’s and was cared for by nurses in a care home. Her carers always chatted to her even though she couldn’t respond to them. Even though it was sad to not know the person she was, seeing that she was well looked after was comforting, and the care she received was excellent."
Through a process driven practice, I explore the instabilities that surround the term “nature.” What is nature? What does it mean for something to be natural? In a society reliant on single use products, and non-biodegradable materials, in light of this to what extent is our current “nature” natural. The once successful co-existence in the beginning of the Holocene, often referred to as the hunter-gatherer period, has seemingly become disproportionate, and humans have encroached upon nature. Unbalancing what is natural in the process. This illusion of a non-definitive line between humans and nature is questioned within my work.
During the current situation we find ourselves in nature plays a key role to our mental wellbeing. Confined to our homes, being able to leave the house and walk in the open creates some kind of normality and freeness to this strange situation.
https://lucyclayton12.wixsite.com/website
Aaron J Little
