COLLABORATION
Many of my projects or interests have come from collaborations. Either directly or via shared journeys that have later unfolded onto each other. We all collaborate all the time, we do it more than we realise.
‘The Whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’ Aristotle famously said this and it’s been used again and again, an again here, by me on my website. It’s true. Never more so than when you get a group of artists around a table together. Something magical happens. Of course it takes patience and diplomacy and perseverance to make a truly great project come to fruition, one that serves all of its participants in equal measures.
Collaborations allow for the space and time for conversations to happen. For ideas to be developed, pulled apart, screwed up, thrown away, unfolded, re-hashed. The challenges and creative confrontation that comes with collaboration, I believe changes my practice and outlook in the most sincere ways.
I am currently building an ongoing collaborative project - Just in Case Zine Library with Sally Lemsford and have worked on Pop Up Fringe, Old Vessels, New Recipes and The Things We Didn’t Do with the artist collective SEAFAIR, which I helped to co-found in 2018.
This Collaborative Wall Collage / Mind Mapping Exercise took place in September 2021 at Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth. We were kindly given use of the space to develop our Just in Case Zine Library Manifesto.
SEAFAIR LOGO
SEAFAIR - For Artists by Artists
SEAFAIR began in October 2018 with a one day workshop funded by AXIS-WEB and Social Works to bring together socially-engaged practitioners to network, share, take risks, talk and bring about new opportunities.
YOU CAN READ A BLOG ABOUT THE DAY HERE
YOU CAN SEE A MANIFESTO ZINE PRODUCED HERE
Co-founded by Megan Dunford and Sally Lemsford, we have now grown to become a strong rural network of 50 South West based artists, musicians, performers, photographers, menders, dancers and all those in many other camps! We are region wide, as are our members but to date most of our action and events currently takes place in Dorset.
Since our first event we have hosted artists' talks, events, workshops, meet-ups, away-days and festivals, all of which have been promoted through a weekly newsletter (email us to join!)
Just before and during the lockdown we met on the 7th of every month (currently via zoom) to discuss current challenges, our individual practice and our aims as a support network that acts and produces work going forward. Whilst the last year has been challenging and some members have had to focus on family life, we hope SEAFAIR continues to support people and act as a sounding board for creativity and mentoring.
We are on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - so that’s the best place to look for up to date news.
If you are reading this thinking; they sound like an interesting bunch, please join us! The network is currently free and open. We ask for a contribution in terms of your time and thoughts to monthly meets and ongoing projects.
seafair.info@gmail.com >>>> to connect, share and join up.
Below you can see images of the initial SEAFAIR - ‘Get Together’ Event taken by Dorset based photographer (and my sister!) Rachel Dunford - you can see her fantastic website here. These are smaller versions than the originals.
