Wed, 31/08/2022 - 14:58
We are excited to announce the four winners of our new student residency award for this academic year. Our winners will have access to their own studio space enabling them to develop their creative practices and explore self-employment.
They will also have access to opportunities and support services that Banks Mill offers, enabling them to develop their skills and knowledge, and showcase their work at our Open Studios event in November.
As part of the residency the group will share their journey and experiences with current students and have a final show in the Banks Mill gallery in August 2023.
Our winners this year are Mthabisi Mlauzi, Dawn Wesselby, Zoe Taylor and Andrew Martyn Sugars.
Mthabisi Mlauzi is currently studying a BA Film and Television degree and as a teenager ran Akmi Arts with his business partner and long-time friend Adoniah Haslam. Over the years they built up a strong reputation in Derby’s creative community and internationally through directing and creating music videos and working as photographers for artists and events, including the recent Caribbean Carnival in Derby. Mthabisi’s film, The Gift, also recently got selected by two film festivals. Mthabisi is hoping to launch Wolf Street CIC soon which will be a multimedia platform for creatives to showcase their talents.
Mthabisi comments: “Under my direction, Akmi Arts had huge success with some of our projects, having grossed over two million views on YouTube and having multiple projects featured on major UK platforms. “
Zoe Taylor has just completed a BA in Illustration at Derby and is now studying a Master of Arts degree. Her work is cross-discipline, a combination of fine art, illustration, and graphic design. Zoe comments: “My style of work is extremely abstract, expressionistic and some might say grunge like; I take abstract fine art to the next level in the hopes of visually stimulating the eyes of all, as well as designing a platform (DiVERCITY) that provides the safety and security for creative people.”
Zoe hopes to use the studio to grow her practice and will be investigating the means to collate content for magazine designs and articles by interviewing creative people and setting up a podcast channel.
Dawn Wesselby is a mixed media artist working with a variety of medias including textiles, ceramics and wood and has just completed a Master of Arts degree where her work had a political focus to highlight the issues faced by women across the globe, whether it be femicide, or exploitation of women. Dawn will be using the studio to explore more community arts projects and developing her own creative practice. Dawn has been involved in a community project on the history of Grantham Town Centre which will be on display during September.
Andrew Martyn Sugars has just completed a Master of Arts degree at the University and would like to use the studio to explore the facilitation of workshops and creative sessions. Andrew also wants to use the business support services that Banks Mill offers to help promote their website and social media channels.
Andrew comments: “I'm interested in how play and curiosity can be a conceptual departure point and through co-creation, and co-production, explore and experience the creation of work together. I work in a transdisciplinary manner with a holistic ethos.”
Laura Williams, Banks Mill Manager comments: “Having this opportunity gives each of our residency winners a chance to make new networks and collaborate with other artists while developing their own artform with all the help they need on hand.”
Pictured from left to right: Mthabisi Mlauzi; Zoe Taylor; Dawn Wesselby and Andrew Martyn Sugars.