Francesca Hutchinson

I knew just finishing secondary school that I could be an artist, this was because my art teacher Mrs. Claffey gave me the confidence and encouragement I needed to pursue art as a career. She encouraged me to do a PLC (postleavingcert course), and to go to Limerick School of Art and Design. It was from going to these colleges then that I realized I wanted to be an artist. My art teacher created a supportive and welcoming environment and gave me the confidence I needed to believe in myself. I have always dreamed of being a teacher like her, she is one of my biggest role models and is someone I still look up to, to this day!

Yes, I attended two art colleges. The first college was a PLC a post leaving certificate course, it was here that I learned the basic principles of art for example drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture etc. In this college we had briefs to follow, like in school where you have a title to follow. I am now in my final year of art college, this is a Level 8 course a BA. This course is more intense than the PLC, it’s like a four-year long CBA you have in art class in secondary school. Here we learn skills we will need after college, like how to be a professional artist. Art college is great because you can make work about whatever you want, using whatever materials you want. So, you really are a practicing artist! In college we are always asking ourselves, why I am making this? what does my work mean? and what will the audience feel from looking at my work? So, we are thinking, making, researching, and reflecting all the time. It is tough and stressful at times, but so worth it!

Art is my way of life, it ismy view's and opinion's about the world and things in it, expressed in whatever way I want. It is how I see the world in its many forms. It is a type of language, that is universal.

Art is important because there is no right or wrong way to make art, there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ art. Art is the way a person sees the world and this should be respected by everyone that views art. Art means different things to different people there is no one meaning, or one way of looking.

Not particularly, I appreciate all types of art and all materials and mediums. But more recently I do love sculpture, I love the freedom it brings. I don't like being restricted to a white canvas and brushes, I love making work that expands over floors and walls and that doesn't restrict me. I love ephemeral art, and this is what most of the work I am making now is about, ephemeral means that the work will change and decay with time, it never stays the same. Like leaves, they are bright and green on trees, and then when they fall onto the ground they turn yellow and start to crisp and turn brown. I love work that is always changing, so the work is different as each day passes.

I love latex! I love that the material is so delicate and light but yet so strong. Plus, it changes with time like the leaves I mentioned above! It turns yellow and brown and decays over time!

My family is my main inspiration, I come from the Travelling Community, so we have a rich culture full of crafts for example, beady pockets, tin smithing, wagon making, poetry, storytelling, writing, paperflowers the list goes on. For example, I take inspiration from stories my grandmother tells me, photographs of my family, and crafts that are in my family. My inspiration differs depending on what I want to make work about. But I need to make art that is enriched with profound meaning and inspiration, my creativity feeds off this. I am so thankful for my family allowing me the space within my art practice to allow me to share parts of our life, without them my art wouldn’t be as meaningful or possible!

Beady pockets were a traditional craft made and worn by women from the Travelling Community years ago. They were used to hold treasured items belonging to the woman, such as a baby’s bottle or money. Each pocket was detailed with embroidery stitches, buttons, badges, and holy medals. When Travelling around the women would exchange buttons, medals, and badges as an act of friendship.

Thinking, making, researching, reflecting. This is my cycle of working and my philosophy to making art.

Fail, a million times. Failure means that you are learning and that you are not in your comfort zone. Don’t get disheartened if something doesn’t work out, take the time to reflect and observe other ways to approach this challenge. Embrace that you will always be learning, this never stops.

Have the confidence in yourself and believe that you can do ANYTHING if you put your mind to it. Most importantly remember, there will be obstacles along the way, but you need to take the bad with the good to get where you want to be.