Abby is a mixed media artist creating works focussed on connection. The works are inspired by dreams and how they are influenced by waking life.

Hi Abby! How did you arrive at the theme of your work?
We were given a choice of words to work from: express, inform, and engorge. I chose ‘inform’, and I linked this to the concept of dreams being informed by our waking life. This idea was formed because I keep a diary of my dreams and had always wanted to use this diary for a project. I thought this brief was very fitting for the idea!

How has your practice changed over time?
I have become a lot more confident in who I am as a creative in the last couple of years. Using art as a way of finding my voice has helped me push my boundaries a bit more, play with different mediums, and not limit myself.

How do you overcome creative blocks?
It helps me to look back at the brief and my initial working to remind myself what the aim is and what I am working towards. Often it’s easy for me to go off on a tangent when creating, so doing these steps helps to remind me of the aim of the project, and re-inspires me.

What do you do to keep motivated and interested in your work?
I always choose a theme or brief that I feel a connection with, otherwise there will be no drive to create. And if I find myself becoming unmotivated in a project, I will use a new medium or technique to keep things interesting.

Will your next project be a continuation of your current style or are you experimenting with something different?
With this project, my focus was experimenting with new mediums and concepts, which I think has opened me up to continuing to push myself with future projects, especially in terms of colour as I primarily work monochromatically.

See Abby’s work as part of our HND Showcase, Saturate Your Mind, running at Six Foot Gallery until Thursday 9th May 2024. You can also her on Instagram @artsrgnt