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When I first received the email letting me know I’d been selected as one of the 2024 Graduate Award Winners, I had no idea what to expect. I’d never been on a residency before and was understandably nervous; new place, new people, and meeting Scarlett and Jake for the first time. But those nerves quickly melted away when I stepped off the platform to find them waving enthusiastically, all smiles, and greeting me with hugs.
From the start, it felt like stepping into a fairytale, or more fittingly, a scene from Welsh folklore. That first evening, I found myself sitting by the open studio window, breathing in the sea air and watching jellyfish drift through the estuary below. It was the perfect place to get wonderfully lost, both in the landscape and in the stories and creatures it stirred within my imagination. Each morning began with a coffee outside, and often I'd find myself deep in conversation about my practice and my ambitions. All the things that feel intimidating to talk about sometimes, especially as a recent graduate trying to forge a creative path. But somehow, with that breathtaking landscape around me, those big dreams didn’t feel so out of reach. They felt quieter, gentler and a little bit more possible. Exploring the area became a key part of the work I was making. The natural palette of the surroundings began to influence the colours in my own practice, softening and grounding them. And while I’m usually a painter of canine confidants, I even found myself inspired to try something new, thanks to Toby, the residency cat. With his habitual studio naps, he made the perfect life model and a surprisingly patient muse. I left the residency with a body of oil paintings and watercolours, a renewed sense of creative confidence, a head full of inspiration, new friends and a heart full of happy memories. Ellie Davies website
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