Six Foot Gallery is delighted to present its annual spring show, Awakenings, featuring twenty-seven artists working in a diverse range of mediums and disciplines including sculpture, soundscapes, textiles, collage, video, woodturning, jewellery, photography, screenprinting, performance, and painting.

Angela runs her practice from a small studio room in her home where she works daily, mostly at night into the small hours. She returned to art after a 15-year hiatus by enrolling in a college course as a mature student. She’ never forgotten the impact the course had on her and remains grateful for the experience. She was inspired by her fellow students and believes it was one of the biggest privileges of her life. Studying alongside the predominantly young, working-class cohort gave her an insight into how there is a huge component missing in art – the voice of the working class was not represented in a meaningful way in art and believes it could be a useful addition.

Hi Angela! How did your artistic journey start?
My grand adventure in art began when I was a kid. I didn’t have any materials to draw with as we were quite poor financially. I drew on pavements with stones (particularly good if you managed to find a chalky rock), cut little lines with my nails into picked leaves to make pictures, drew on old newspapers and phone books or used sharp stones on dirty wood to reveal the clean bright lines of the inner. I was very attuned to the world around me as a child. 

Which artists inspire you?
I am very inspired by the artist Joan Eardley; it was love at first sight. My work doesn’t mirror Joan Eardley’s work in any way, but I loved her use of placement and that is a feature in my practice. I didn’t want to pick an artist I loved more than anyone else as I find favourites can be a bit limiting. However, when you fall head over heels what can you do? Love is love. Music is another huge part of my practice. I suppose, like many artists, I would be completely lost without it.

How do you know when a piece is completed?
Over the years I’ve learnt to go with my gut as far as realising when a piece is complete. It differs from project to project as well as piece to piece. I definitely know when something is not finished- it’s an unshakeable feeling.

What do you do to keep motivated or interested in your work?
I am hugely inspired by other artists, so I’m always looking at work as part of my day-to-day existence with art. I work every day without fail, making sure I’m always in it to some greater or lesser degree. I think I’m always in it in one way or another, whether I’m physically practicing or percolating. Art just seems to have become a huge part of who I am. I can’t imagine myself outside of it.

What challenges did you experience during the creation of the work and how did you overcome them?
These three pieces arc over a time when I was mentally breaking and I was too stubborn to give up my practice, so I just kept working through it. I had never done that before and I felt, as a result, the work always suffered. Some days I was just managing a couple of lines on pieces, but it was good for me to know that the work continued even if it was just in meagre lines or marks.

How did your practice change over time?
My practice used to be very fragmented, I think in part because I was often awaiting inspiration. I learnt that to be inspired I needed to be working all the time, thinking or reading. I like to throw my brain a curve ball to see if I can spark creativity. For instance; I might use my left hand all day to see what my mind will throw back at me and see whether it has an impact on the work.

You can find out more about Angela and her work on their Instagram @art_muppit

Awakenings runs at Six Foot Gallery until Friday 24th May.