Cultivate 2022 – Meet the Artists

The Courtyard is pleased to announce the four emerging artists selected to work on the Cultivate 2022 visual arts project.

The four Cultivate Artists will be mentored by professional artist Dermot Clarke. They will work towards producing an exhibition at The Courtyard and Old Mayor’s Parlour Gallery in the Summer of 2022. The artist who has best met the brief will be given a £1000 grant on the day of the exhibition.

“The Cultivate Project is very important and it is a joy to see the young artists create such innovative and exciting work.”

 – David Durant, Programme Manager for The Courtyard

“This is a wonderful project that encourages young artists to be brave and ambitious with their work.”

 – Dermot Clarke, Cultivate Artist Mentor

Lola McCormack

“At the age of 17, I studied L3 Art and Design at the Hereford College of Arts. That started my journey to becoming the artist I am today, giving me the perfect environment to grow and adapt my skills at the time. Since then I’ve had the pleasure of working on a number of textile, gouache, acrylic and even tattoo commissions for a wide range of clients!

I’ve always been creative, ever since I was young. Growing up in a creative household I was constantly surrounded by creativity and art supplies. I’d love to carry this on into my future, creating a career for myself as a freelance artist along with following my passion for nature and botany when and where I can.

Some of my many artist inspirations has to be Czech director, Jan Svankmajer and the Quay Brothers. I adore their weird and wonderful expression of art. Their talents and stop motion films have that eerie feel to them that might make others uncomfortable but to me, it’s fascinating and somewhat endearing. I try and bring these aspects into my own work, in particular subject matters such as taxidermy, death, skulls, teeth, oddities, fungi, and nature. If that’s textile, 3D, film or traditional. It may be subtle but I love to make my art unsettling yet intriguing, incorporation cute creatures with creepy subject matters.”

Charles Gundy

“My work is considered outsider art , it follows themes of a subconscious and surreal nature. I am currently creating work which exercises the visual perception known as Pareidolia; the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern. The perception of pareidolia can allow each viewer to witness imagery in relation to a reflection of their own thoughts . We most commonly see faces and the figures of humans and animals. Each time a viewer sees the artwork they can perceive something different, the possibilities are endless. However, the visual perception of pareidolia can be easier for some to use than others.“

Will Greenwood

Beth Gibson

In the meantime check out our upcoming exhibition with Phil Clark running from Friday 25 March to Saturday 30 April.