Gemma Garwood is a multidisciplinary artist based in Colchester, Essex.
A collaborative cultural magpie; begging, borrowing and building in order to create beguiling and locally significant works.
"My work is grounded in the fields of mythology, heritage, performance and theatre but I often venture into other territories as necessary. I am especially concerned with site-specific and socially engaged practices; how we relate to, understand and construct our environment and our relationships with each other.
As a child I would sing songs to the fields around my village home and as I grew, local stories of rising water and wild women calcified into the core of my being. I lived away and gathered more mythological nourishment in Wales, and then Cornwall, but Essex kept haunting my dreams and I returned home in 2017 determined to work loud and proud with her places and stories in my ongoing creative practice.
Alongside my solo practice I have spent much of my creative life bringing people together in the places that belong to them; organising group shows for local and emerging artists in Wales, town crying and conscious street cleaning in Cornwall and developing artist collective and platform the UNFAMILIARS in Colchester."
RECENT PROJECTS, EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
Ongoing
MEZZOTINT - Since 2020
Singer//Lyricist
Ambitious Essex based Goth Band founded under Lockdown.
UNFAMILIARS - Since 2017
Artistic Director//Editor
Multidisciplinary Zine, Small Press and Event Platform founded in 2017. 13 themed editions to date including our council funded colouring zine 'On the Street'.
2022
Explore Essex Arts and Cultural Fund Recipient. "The Deepenings Project" Cudmore Grove, Mersea Island.
DYCP Grant, Arts Council England
The Folklore Network Witchcraft Conference, Performed Lecture (Online)
Zine Commission, Snapping the Stilletto "Revisiting the Essex Witch Trials " Trail, Manningtree, Essex.
Workshops Commission, Snapping the Stilletto, Basildon, Essex.
2021
Firstsite Collectors Award
Exhibiting Artist, Born With It Group Exhibition, WE ARE THE MINORIES, Colchester, Essex.
Creative Practitioner, How to Cry in Public Workshops and Interactive Zine, Norwich Theatres (Outreach), Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk.
[SPACE] studios at 37 Queen St Online Collaborative Residency.
Resulting in OTHERLAND. With Lucy Gayler
Magical Women Imbolc Commission (online)
Sudbury Walking Arts Walkshop Commission, Sudbury, Suffolk.
2020
Colchester County Council Creative Colchester Grant, UNFAMILIARS Colouring Zine, Colchester, Essex.
Magical Women, Creative Facilitator & Workshop Support (Online)
Curator, Taking Stock Group Exhibition, The Minories Galleries, Colchester, Essex.
RUSALKA, Film. Dedham, Essex.
TROJAN WOMEN, Performance Proposal, Gosbecks Archaeological Park, Colchester, Essex.
BROKEN HOMECOMINGS, Personal Project. Poetry Anthology.
2019
Curator, Legend Pop-up Poster Exhibition, The Minories Galleries, Colchester, Essex.
Curator and Contributor (Installation and Performance), Tales from the Greenwood//Lost in Wonderland Group Exhibition, The Minories Galleries, Colchester, Essex.
Assistant Curator and Contributor (Verssinage performance), New Magical Realism Group Exhibition, The Minories Galleries, Colchester, Essex.
Cur. Micha Eden Erdez
2018
Performer, Way to the Pretty, Melu Bel Productions at the "Calm Down Dear" festival, Camden Peoples Theatre.
2017
Performer and Project Manger, Town Crying Project, Falmouth, Cornwall.
Performer, Art Crier for the Mayor-in-Residence project (DOO and Odin Teatret), Holstebro, Denmark
2016
Performer and Project Manger, Town Crying Project, Falmouth, Cornwall.
Performer, Art Crier for NTW City of the Unexpected, Cardiff, Wales.
TEACHING
Colchester Institute (HE) - 2018/19
Movement for Actors
Falmouth University (FE) - 2015/17
Acting Practice
Site-Specific
Devised
History and Context of Theatre