Mentoring: Artist Statement, Positioning and Networks
Not all development happens in the studio. Alongside the material research for this project, bursary funding supported a period of mentoring with Rosalind Davis. This work ran parallel to the studio activity rather than feeding directly into the technical development of the joining mechanisms. Its purpose was to address articulation, positioning and professional context. This distinction matters.
Why Mentoring at This Stage
At the outset of the project, it was clear that while the material direction of the work was becoming increasingly rigorous, the language used to describe it needed sharpening. Research and making can progress independently, but without clear articulation they risk remaining insular. The mentoring sessions were therefore focused on:
refining my artist statement
clarifying the conceptual framework of my practice
identifying gaps and opportunities within my professional network
This work was about communication and positioning rather than problem-solving in the studio.
Clarity Through Challenge
The mentoring was direct and challenging. Assumptions embedded in my existing artist statement were questioned, and imprecise language was identified and stripped back. This process was not about embellishing the work, but about aligning what I do materially with how it is presented publicly. Through this process, it became clear where my practice is strongest: in its relationship to architecture, material behaviour and structure. Other elements that had previously been allowed to remain vague were either clarified or removed. This resulted in a more focused and defensible articulation of the work.
Widening the Frame
Beyond language, the mentoring also addressed professional context. Discussions around audience, networks and visibility encouraged a broader view of how the work might circulate beyond the studio. This did not produce immediate outcomes in terms of exhibitions or opportunities, nor was that the intention. Instead, it established a clearer sense of where the work sits and how conversations around it might be initiated more effectively. This widening of perspective runs alongside the studio research, ensuring that as the project develops materially, it is also positioned more confidently within the wider field.
Why This Matters to the Project
Although the mentoring did not directly influence the design or making of the joining mechanisms, it played an important supporting role. It strengthened the language used to describe the project, clarified its conceptual grounding, and ensured that the research could be communicated without over-explaining or dilution. This separation of roles — studio research on one hand, professional articulation on the other — has been important. It allows each to develop with integrity, without forcing a false connection between them.
Carrying This Forward
The outcomes of this mentoring continue to inform how the project is written about, shared and contextualised. As the material work moves toward larger scale and more public presentation, this clarity of language will be increasingly important. The mentoring did not change the work. It changed how the work stands.