Blog 4 – Lorna Watkins, Visual Artist and TAP+ Tutor
Oibríonn agus cónaíonn Lorna Watkins i Sligeach Thuaidh, agus bhain sí céim amach i nDearadh Teicstílí i gColáiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha tar éis staidéar a dhéanamh i Scoil Cheardaíochta Grennan Mill agus i gColáiste Ealaíon Dhún Éideann. Cuimsítear lena cleachtas; péintéireacht, líníocht, priontaíocht, teicstílí agus comhoibrithe le pobail agus le healaíontóirí eile.
Roghnaíodh í don 188ú, 191ú, 192ú agus 193ú Taispeántas Bliantúil ag an RHA (an tAcadamh Ibeirneach Ríoga), Baile Átha Cliath agus don 197ú Taispeántas Bliantúil RSA (an tAcadamh Albanach Ríoga), Dún Éideann i mbliana. Cuireadh a pictiúir agus a líníochtaí ar taispeáint i dtaispeántais ghrúpa i Londain, Beirlín, Nua‑Eabhrac, Chicago agus Béising.
Bhronn Fondúireacht Ealaíne Bhaile an Ghleanna (Ballinglen Arts Foundation) Comhaltacht uirthi in 2019 agus bronnadh cónaitheachtaí uirthi in Ionad Ealaíon Chill Rialaig agus in JOYA:AiR in Almería na Spáinne. Fuair sí an Dámhachtain Aclaíochta ón gComhairle Ealaíon mar aon le Sparánacht Taistil Thomas Damann.
Tá Lorna ag obair le TAP+ i Sligeach ó bhí 2022 ann agus d’oibrigh sí mar theagascóir sa chúrsa Samhraidh in 2023.
It’s all in the planning.
We are all starting to wind down for Christmas so it’s a good time to start thinking about any future TAP+ or Blast projects that may be on the horizon in the New Year. Maybe reach out to any partners that you may be working with in January or February, have a coffee or arrange a Zoom meeting for an initial meet and greet. It’ll just be great to have touched base before signing off this term.
How do you do your actual planning? Do you record on an app? Do you take notes old school in a diary? I do a combo of both. I use the Goodnotes app on my iPad and a bullet journal. For the bullet journal, I like to use a Leuchtturm 1917 notebook. I divide every double spread into a week and keep a double spread spare for listing monthly activities. I love how it’s flexible, I can draw or use pages at the back for longer notes. For detailed notes, I use my Goodnotes app. I highly recommend it if you have an iPad. You can hand write notes or type, record audio from lectures and you can insert images. When I’m working in a school, I would take photos then insert them into the notes to remind me of what happened that day. I use the 2 systems to keep me on track.
Maybe ask Santy for some new notebooks? Or an iPad if he’s very generous!
I recently worked in a secondary school, Colaiste Mhuire in Ballymote on a BLAST Residency. Both Oona McGrath and I spent a lot of time planning to maximise my time with the students and it really paid off. We decided to do a two day intensive session with the students. We had a coffee in August and then had a studio visit. Oona discussed what she wanted to get out of the residency, she really thought about what her students needed so that was brilliant. Once we figured out what we were going to do, we were able to make a detailed materials list. I recorded this in my bullet journal and then screen shot it into my Goodnotes app to have a permanent record of it. Everything from what print paper to how we were going to protect the tables in the art room. It was very specific and it really worked. We checked in with each other coming closer to November and then it was smooth sailing when I turned up into the class as everything was perfect. I had visited the room beforehand and we had planned how the room needed to be rearranged before we started. It just made everything so much easier to work on the day, everything was in place and the focus was on the students as it should be.
Have a peaceful, restful time on your break and a Happy New Year.
