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What is integral to the work of an artist?
Being open to experiencing the things that scare me as much as the things that bring me comfort.
What is you work ethic?
I am quite instinctive and intuitive, I have lots of ideas that tend to swirl around my head and I do a lot of thinking, so an awful lot happens in my head before anything even gets noted down or committed to paper. If I had to boil my work ethic down to one word it would be flexibility. It’s about building a relationship between an idea and a material or materials.
What role does the artist have in society?
I don't think there is one particular role an artist has or should have but if I had to pick one that I thought was important to me I would say it’s to encourage people to ask questions. We should never stop asking questions.
What obstacles do you face in making and exhibiting your work?
Space, money, time and more money, time and space! There never seems to be enough! But, seriously, I’m still learning there are many skills I have yet to acquire and master. Knowledge and education are incredibly important and I still have plenty I need to learn at the Art Academy.
What are you working on right now?
I’m creating an umbrella made from vellum and I have developed a new obsession with zips.
Amongst all your works which is your favourite and why?
I think it is INSULAR - a mix of ceramic and mirrored pieces that I was working on as potentially separate works but as I was finishing them I realised that they actually belonged together, and arriving at that realisation was quite exciting.
INSULAR (left) was installed at the London Art Academy Foundation Grad Show. Gerard says:
"I was surprised and delighted to be given so much space... it felt really decadent and egostistical which terrifies me because those kind of feelings can be so seductive."
One of the INSULAR elements (right): All the spheres contain ears inside them, this one especially so. Gerard explains: "I think we can be very selective about what we hear and see, especially in this age of social media."