Riding the Reindeer
Day four: Printmaking at Takahuhti I wish I could lie in. I wish I could rest as Naoise does, heavy, deep, relaxed. Perhaps al parents sleep lightly, especially when staying somewhere strange and unfamiliar. I feel very safe here, its quiet. Still silence can be unnerving. I lock the doors. I lock out the brown …read more
Visit to Moomin Mama’s house
Day three: Studio / Tampere Art Museum The yellow buttermilk house cuddles me with wooden warmth. Upstairs the children’s feet dance on the floorboards. Its getting later and later and Naoise has got a second wind and is playing with the wooden train set in the studio. He slept in until 11am this morning and …read more
We Really Are Resident
Day Two- Helsinki to Takahuhti 8pm (Naoise watching “Puss In Boots”) Coffee was very much needed this morning. Coffee as thick as tar, twice. Naoise wasn’t impressed with the Finnish cuisine and turned his nose up at the cheese, rice and pastry fancy thingy. I wasn’t impressed by the middle aged english man who seemed …read more
Arrive in Moominland
Day One: Manchester- Helsinki Waiting for the plane we met a kind older Finnish woman, she saved my seat for me in the waiting area whilst we went to the loo. The flight was easy. Blue blue sky scrapes. We both read our books. It was peaceful. A family next to us. A two year …read more
Overcoming feelings of anxiety in relation to this residency.
For the last seven years since my second son was born, life has been very localised and I have lost a lot of my confidence. I make art work at home and at the studio whilst the children are at school. I have managed to find occasional paid work as a freelance artist, but money …read more
Sufing I did
Wen I was looking in my room I found. And I made a pitcher of me and mumy
Experiments with collaborative drawing at home
In preparation for Finland me and Naoise have been developing our collaborative drawing practice. We have been working at home on the table in our front room using cheap A4 office paper and felt tip pens . We begin by making none representational marks and then copy and mimic what each other is doing. We …read more
A Pillow Case for Tampere
When Nicola met up with us at our home for a planning meeting in June, she suggested that Naoise might want her to take something of his to Finland with her in July. A thing that Naoise could find when he arrived at the Takahunti Artcenter in September. This was a really thoughtful and …read more










