Sorrell & Freddie Kerrison

I feel like I should explain why we applied for this residency first before telling you about our time there together. 

Freddie is 6 years old and Autistic with limited verbal capabilities and delayed global learning development. He uses echolalia, which is a form of mimicking linguistic scripts from things he loves (namely the TV show Hey Duggee) to communicate his needs and feelings. He began going to mainstream school in 2024 and since then we have been in a daily battle with the local authorities and educational government to get him the assistance he needs. He was often ostracised from the classroom and deemed ‘incapable’ of joining in.  I waded through multiple frustrating meetings , phonecalls and a mountain of red tape paperwork to keep fighting for Freddie to be seen for his strengths and not his weaknesses. 

Freddie was sent home from school more often than not, so I involved him in my work and art practice on a daily basis.  We used art as a way to regulate, communicate and express ourselves. I noticed that Freddie was suddenly making a lot more progress with his communication and having a lot less meltdowns the more I involved him into my art practice. Through our art sessions we were able to evolve his language in ways that the school language therapist had deemed unfavourable. He learned his colours and shapes. He learned his numbers and how to write them. He loves the sensory aspect of creating art together. 

As time went on I thought I was going to end up having to fully home-school Freddie (and we were just about to take the local authority to court to have the right to do so). 
Therefore I applied for this residency, (it is such a rarity to find a residency that is parent and child friendly) in hopes that we could have some time away together to connect, build some core memories exploring the natural surroundings and having dedicated time to work on art work together.

That brings us to the residency itself!
We arrived in the evening of January 9th (the day before my 43rd Birthday) with my husband Stephen also in tow to help us settle in. It was too dark to see much of the estuary but the sky was blistered with stars as we turned the path and parked outside of the residency building which was festooned with lights. 
We were kindly greeted by Scarlet and Jake, then helped to settle into the accommodation on the 3rd floor. We had a wonderful time sharing stories and eating a home prepared welcome meal with them that evening. 

On my birthday we awoke to the sheer majesty of the estuary. Incredible pillowy clouds filled the sky reflected in the water below. We could hear the sheep baaing as they chewed grass on the hill behind the house and we were visited by blue tits, jays and robins on the windowsill of the kitchen bird feeder. It truly felt like we had stepped into a Studio Ghibli film. 
We took the day to explore the area a little and get some birthday treats. I absolutely love bridges and had to drive across the rickety wooden pallet bridge from Penmaenpool over the estuary to Barmouth. We finished off the day with fish and chips whilst watching the sunset over the sea.
On the third day we said “Goodbye!” to  my husband and decided to settle into a rhythm as a twosome. 
We quickly found that getting up around 5:30am in the pitch black dead of winter and shuffling into the living room with a cup of coffee to read under a blanket was a great way to start the day. 
By 7am we were in the studio beginning to set out some materials and ideas for our art practice while the sun arose. 
At 10am we would pack some snacks and pick somewhere to go for a big hike. Once we walked over the railway bridge to Barmouth. Most of the time we enjoyed going to Coed-Y-Brenin in the Snowdonia National Forest and picked one of the pre-designated hiking routes from the map to try. I became a little obsessed with the moss in those woods. The smell and the spongy texture of the moss was so delightful. We also loved to throw pinecones into the mini waterfalls laced around the river pathways and race them to the bottom. 

After each hike Freddie said “Time for cake!” As he got used to the fact that we would be famished and ready to find a bakery to raid. We often ended up in Dolgellau on the way back to the residency for pasties and sausage rolls. After our hike we would head back to the studio full of fresh air and pasties and ready to sit down and have some quiet time with our art materials. 
Freddie had his own desk in the studio and worked away on his artwork. Sometimes making models out of play doh, sometimes using paints and water colour pencils. 

On one of the first nights that we were there we heard an owl out in the trees. Then I found a book of Owl photographs and it instantly became the subject theme for us. I had brought some willow sticks with us and some lantern building papers, so I set to work drawing owls and creating an owl pattern to make a giant lantern from. Freddie drew the most incredible Owl which I had to get tattooed on my arm as soon as we returned home.

As the residency progressed and I was able to concentrate on just exploring and creating artwork with Freddie, his communication and language started to show signs of improving. He has so much capability yet struggles to get the correct words to the surface and with creative intervention, we’ve proved that he is able to express himself given the space and time to do so. 

In the second week of the residency we were joined by my writer friend Ali for 2 days and later my sister Sophie for 2 days. This was not only great to explore and share the experience with an additional person but this sometimes gave me a little respite as Freddie needs 24/7 supervision as he is unaware of dangers and difficulties. 

Halfway through the residency I was invited to sit for the Draw online portrait drawing session as a model. Jake kindly asked me a few questions about my artistic practice and how I approach my work. Then I had to do one of the hardest things ever, which is to SIT STILL! Luckily, I was able to sew in the first session and the incredibly talented artists who tuned in to draw me created some phenomenal works, so unique and expressive with each of their approaches, I was really honoured to have been able to sit for them as a subject. 

Towards the last few days of the residency I became a little emotional about leaving. I felt like I had wholeheartedly found a rhythm and space that accepted myself and my kid in a way that I hadn’t before. The accommodation was beautiful and I was truly going to miss watching  the sunlight rise and dim each day over the estuary, mountains and sea giving way to vast night skies. 

Myself and Freddie have learned so much from this concerted time to concentrate on creativity and communication together in a way that we had not had the space or time to do so before. I’m taking so much of the rhythm and pace that I felt at the residency back to our daily life with us. We can’t thank Scarlett and Jake enough for being such great hosts (and incredible artists in their own right too). 

We will always have a little piece of Mawddach in our hearts. 

Sorrell Kerrison
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