MICHELLE RHEESTON-HUMPHREYS

A practicing visual artist, researcher, art lecturer and co-founder of (h)edge kelektiv, working with katrinka Wilson (Visual Artist and Researcher). She works on a number of projects, residencies and commissions.
Research Interests: liminality or in-betweeness, non-space/place, the material and indexical handmade, paradoxical realism, illusionistic images and objects, site-specific installation and intervention, notions of magic, wonder, narrative and performativity.

Do you have a University Degree? If so what course did you study and which university?

· BA (Hons) Fine Art- Northbrook College Sussex (University of Brighton)

· MFA Fine Art – New York Academy of Art

· PGCE Art and Design (post-compulsory education) Northbrook College Sussex (University of Brighton)

· MA Fine Art - BIAD

· MPhil/PhD- Staffordshire University

Are you in the profession you aim to be in?

Yes- I lecture art at level 3. I am also a practice artist working collaboratively on residencies commissions, exhibitions and art projects regionally and nationally. I am also studying for a research degree.

What drives your inspiration?

Practice Research interests: Liminality (being in-between), illusion, virtuality, indexicality and materiality, wonder, magic and the real. Site specific inspiration.

What is your source of motivation?

Good question- need to do it- the need to create, explore, think, make, be in a dialogue find meaning problem solve – would not know how not to do it.

What stages do your go through to achieve the final outcome?

· Find an area of interest to investigate

· Do some preliminary research

· Time to play and think –experiment/test

· Reflect/ more research- plan

· Play and think some more

· Discuss-plan-come up with a realisation

· Make it- 

· Show it/test it

· Discuss it- reflect- evaluate- find new area of interest brought up by this-

· Start again....

Are you open to new processes and techniques that challenge or change you preferred practice?

Always- that is the practice to some extent- that is creativity.

Do you mainly work independently or collaborate with others? If both which one do you personally think works better for you and your outcomes?

Collaboratively- it is more effective in many ways- half the jobs, twice the production, twice the networks and constant dialogue and criticism. Less ego...

I also like to work independently alongside this to keep my skills fresh and keep my autonomy.

Does the audience’s opinion matter to you?

Yes – but not to control what their opinion is. The work has a participatory element -I am interested in their response to the work; their experience and thoughts. I use this to reflect and evaluate the work and to make plans for further responsive work. I also document audience response and interaction for my research 

What advice would you give to someone who aims to go into your line of profession?

· You have to be driven and self motivated

· You need to find interest in the world around you

· You need to be constantly observant

· You need to build strong artist networks

· You need to be aware of opportunity and apply all the time

Where do you aim to be in the future?

Some where I haven’t been before....