Image: From the Ground Up

From the Ground Up – tackling artist statements, bios and documentation

Thursday 20 June 2024
10:30am — 12:00pm 

Location: UniSA – Jeffrey Smart Building Forum
243 Hindley Street Adelaide, SA 5000

Pricing: $5 Guildhouse Members / $45 Non-members

Guildhouse is thrilled to present “From the Ground Up”, a practical professional development workshop tackling writing artist statements, biographies and the photographic documentation of your arts practice.

Nearly every grant and funding opportunity, expression of interest, artistic program application and art prize submission will require your artist statement, biography and photographs of your work. These often provide the first impression of your practice and it’s important that they communicate your practice as intentionally and professionally as possible. These will become building blocks that can grow alongside your practice, setting a strong foundation that will be an integral part of your artistic toolkit.

Samantha Faehrmann, Artistic Programs Manager, will support participants in communicating your practice through text alongside Lana Adams, Communications and Design Coordinator, who will provide tips and guidance on how best to document your work with the equipment you have.

This workshop will be hands-on, so we encourage you to bring along any drafts or existing artist statements/bios to the session. Bring what you have in a format that works for you – printed, on your phone, etc, that you are comfortable sharing.

Guildhouse INFORM Professional Development Program is supported by our valued ongoing partnership with the University of South Australia, providing an intersectional place and space for communities to connect, gather and be inspired.  

About the Presenters

Originally from a remote community on Gayiri land, Central Queensland, Sam Faehrmann relocated to Kaurna land where she runs ‘Butter and Gravy’ studio. A mixed medium practice, including the functional series of ‘I AM SAM’ ceramics. Sam holds a Masters of Architecture from the University of South Australia, where she was also a part of the ‘Design Construct Program’ (DCP) for over 12 years. Her portfolio expanded to include contemporary art in pursuit of material language and experimentation in 2016. She continues to explore the intersections between people, spaces, places, bodies and objects, curious in how they form the phenomena of our experience and our collective contributions.

Lana Adams is a contemporary artist residing and working on Kaurna land, Adelaide. Her practice forms an ongoing personal archive concerned with themes of place, memory, and personal histories. Lana graduated from a Bachelor of Visual Arts, Honours, in 2014 from The University of South Australia and received the Atkins Award for Outstanding Photographic Work. She has exhibited throughout South Australia and works with likeminded freelance clients in the arts and culture sector documenting events, exhibitions and artworks.