Emma Phillips

I arrived at the Mawddach Residency with a very specific project in mind. I had a solid plan of how I would execute it, what it would look like, how I might present it in a gallery space, and pages of notes and research I had
made in made in advance, so as not to waste a single moment of my time there. Within a few days, this plan was swiftly abandoned.
After graduating in 2021, I entered full time employment and faced the reality of maintaining an art practice within spare evenings and weekends, without a studio. As a result, my approach to art making became very regimented, and the work became smaller, more meticulously planned, repetitive, and ultimately constrained. I would not start a painting without first making a detailed digital mockup, as I feared ‘wasting’ time and materials on making something that had potential to fail.
I had not realised how detrimental this had been to my practice until I was faced with the vast and beautiful emptiness of the studio, and the two whole weeks that stretched before me. The sudden realisation of this unique opportunity for creative freedom in such surroundings that I would never normally have access to, convinced me that my time could be better spent experimenting with my practice, following my intuition, and playing, rather than just working. I knew that my proposed project was something I could execute relatively easily, and I could have left with a number of polished paintings that followed my usual doctrine, but probably wouldn’t help me progress, nor make the most of this unique opportunity.

In the days that followed, I explored not only Fairborne (as I originally had planned), but also Borth, Aberystwyth, and the surrounding hills, rivers and waterfalls, photographing and documenting anything and everything that took my interest. I explored Jake and Scarlett’s extensive library, and pulled out books on local folklore, medieval Welsh art, Paula Rego, and Hockney’s drawings. I started working on several paintings at once, tested out new colour palettes, tried abstract painting, and let them all sit unfinished, to breathe, and chat to each other. I painted the sunset over the estuary, the snow on the mountains, and the white ponies of the bog. I developed an unexpected interest in illumined manuscripts and used them to adorn drawings of abandoned churches and pond dwelling sorceresses. I hunted, optimistically, for sightings of beavers and otters, and though unsuccessful, was rewarded with my first oyster catcher and great spotted woodpecker.
A particular highlight was a visit to Barmouth to hear the ‘Welsh Whisperers’ storytellers perform national folktales, which captured my imagination intensely and informed much of the work I made thereafter, particularly within my printmaking. The evening was bookended by the long walk over the estuary bridge in the pitch black, occasionally illuminated by the moon or a passing train. The sound of the waves so close and the darkness underfoot gave the impression of walking on water, as if traversing our own strange ‘thin place’ from the mythical world, back into our own.

As exciting and liberating as it was to have some creative freedom back for the first time since university, it was also challenging. Not all my experiments were successful, and I found it diƯicult not be overly self critical when I wasn’t 100% happy with my work. Reflecting on this, I believe this was an important part of the process toward creating a healthier approach to my practice, and trusting that pushing myself out of my comfort zone will help me to learn and progress far more than remaining within it.
I could never have expected how profoundly my time at the Mawddach Residency would alter my perspective on my practice. It has truly re-ignited that sense of play and joy in art-making that had perhaps been lying dormant for some time, and has given me some treasured memories with good friends that I will be forever grateful for.

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