The Mother House is opening at the White House in Dagenham
Procreate Project is partnering with Create London for the opening of The Mother House at the White House, Dagenham
The Mother House is the first artists studio with integrated childcare, where children are welcomed into the workspace. The Mother House is now opening at The White House in Dagenham three days per week from 15th January 2018.
Stories from the Mother House:
“Not only did the kids absolutely love being there, I felt I gained not only a little space and time for myself and my own thoughts about my work, but I made really valuable connections with others“ – Michele Grant – Visual artist
“Mother House is something that has been screaming to be born ever since the Womenhouse at the CalArts in ‘72’” -Deirdre Donoghue
Procreate Project in partnership with Create London are opening the doors of the White House to local artist mothers and their children.
The aim is to support female artists, cultural development, create a network for women with children and create employment opportunities in Dagenham and Barking areas.
The Mother House is INTERGENERATIONAL, POLITICAL AND CREATIVELY NURTURING.
The Mother House started on 5th September 2016 in London Waterloo and aims to be established in different areas of London and UK in order to support women’s artistic development through motherhood.
The model promotes attachment and inclusion, bringing the child’s development closer to the mother’s art practice. Children learn about women’s roles outside the domestic environment.
Mother House pioneers a unique solution to issues we identified in relation to current childcare provision in the UK including findings that: childcare is under-funded and scarce; childcare schemes are largely based on separating child and mother; childcare is costly and rarely suited to families with low incomes and freelancers.
As well as a space for the artists to work, childcare will be creative and educational. All within the comfortable, open environment of the White House.
When
Mother House will then open on 15th January 2018, every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9am until 5pm.
Where:
The White House, 884 Green Lane, Becontree Estate, Dagenham, RM8 1BX
Procreate Project is a place of knowledge, artistic production and experimentation. The social enterprise produces interdisciplinary initiatives and artistic outcomes in collaboration with artists across the globe and in partnership with universities and establishes organizations in UK and internationally.
Create exists to explore the ways artists can contribute to the lives of people in cities. Their work is primarily focused in east London, home to more artists and art organisations than anywhere in Europe, and one of the most economically deprived parts of the UK. They help artists to connect more closely with communities through an ambitious programme of projects.
The White House is a public space for art and social activity on the Becontree Estate in Dagenham. Opened by Create in 2016, The White House has been home to resident artists and hosted a range of workshops, talks, dinners and events – with artist engaging meaningfully with the community. The White House is supported by Create, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, City Bridge Trust, Genesis Foundation, Helen Hamlyn Trust and Investec.
Mothernist II: Representation and Maintenance of Mothers' Art by Dyana Gravina
Procreate Project’s founder and creative director Dyana Gravina participated (accompanied by her 3yo son) in the ‘The Mothernist II: Who Cares For The 21 st Century?’ –conference, held in Copenhagen between the 12 -15 th of October, 2017
” I can offer my practice.
PRACTICE as making
PRACTICE as mothering
Practice as STRUCTURES
PRACTICE as FINANCIALS
PRACTICE as PRACTICAL
PRACTICE AS solutions
PRACTICE AS CHOICE
PRACTICE AS SPACE
PRACTICE as physical representation of WHAT is being discussed.”
Here is the transcription of part of her presentation.
” I am here not just as a mother. I am here today as an art practitioner producer and the founder of a social enterprise called Procreate Project. Although being a mother is integrated, most of the time, with whole the rest, by choice and due to personal circumstances.
I am not an academic, and as much as I love listening and learning just for the seek of debating and sharing ideas, I am not the right person to talk about theories or history. But, as an activist, I can offer my practice.
PRACTICE as making
PRACTICE as mothering
Practice as STRUCTURES
PRACTICE as FINANCIALS
PRACTICE as PRACTICAL
PRACTICE AS solutions
PRACTICE AS CHOICE
PRACTICE AS SPACE
PRACTICE as physical representation of WHAT is being discussed.
4 years ago I had the vision to build from scratch an institution which would support artists developing and maintaining their roles as artists within the creative industries alongside their new maternal experience, without having necessarily to compromise either of their practices.
It seems still that the only option considered, to make the ‘Making’ possible, is separation, to leave the children in someone else care and so come the struggles to find solutions around what it seems the only acceptable setting.
In response to that, and in response to urge to actually claim my rights to mother, it is a priority then for me and who works behind PCP to research and find new structures and models that can offer solutions and opportunities to choose, time time what works best for everyone personal circumstances, the flexibility and the welcoming environment to choose the absence or the presence of the children, when debating about mothering, when making art, when being part of an audience, when being women, mothers in this society.
Up until today, with PCP, we have produced several interdisciplinary initiatives, commissioned works, offered representation and opportunities for artists across all art forms, and it all has been done independently and self-funded.
After a lot of listening and a very interesting cultural exchange with international artists, Space, seemed to be what they where craving the most so the Mother House, a new model of art studio with integrated childcare, was born. How it works in practice …
Is not about giving one only answer to all the questions, but is about creating some options together with some recognition. “
M.A.M.A. Issue n.25: Anna Hughes and Elise Gregory
The ProCreate Project, the Museum of Motherhood and the Mom Egg Review are pleased to announce the 25th edition of this scholarly discourse intersects with the artistic to explore the wonder and the challenges of motherhood. Using words and art to connect new pathways between the academic, the para-academic, the digital, and the real, as well as the everyday: wherever you live, work, and play, the Art of Motherhood is made manifest. #JoinMAMA
December, 2017 Art by Anna Hughes words by Elise Gregory
Art by Anna Hughes
The Riddle (2017)
This stop-motion animation, made from collaged monoprints
The work focusses on the loss of self-identity in early motherhood. What is left of a person’s personality once the numerous responsibilities and anxieties are taken on.
Anna Fennel Hughes is a freelance artist creating monoprints that are often used to form illustrations, animations and textiles. She works from her small printmaking studio in northern Italy, but studied and graduated with first class honours from Duncan of Jordanstone, Scotland.
The Riddle was one of the selected work part of Left Overs 2017.
Words by:
naps, or best “quiet time.”
or fought into bed.
a long-term vacation.
for a month.
and two-cent words have gone.
my misbegotten learning.
with roots and misplaced anger.
an internal bear hunt.