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.
Procreate Project is Hiring for Mother House studio Dagenham
PROCREATE PROJECT IS HIRING Part-time Early Years Educator for the Mother House studio in Dagenham
Vacancy: Artist Educator for Integrated Childcare
Days: 3x days a week (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)
Hours: 10am to 4pm
Salary: £60 day rate
Reports to: Mother House manager
Based at: The White House, 884 Green Lane, Dagenham, RM8 1BX
The Mother House is the first artist 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. 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.
The selected candidate will be trained to implement the Mother House Educational policy, and will provide an emotionally secure, warm, stimulating and safe environment, appropriate to the needs of individual children and their mothers, within the White House. They will lead arts based educational sessions for the children at the house.
Duties
- Creative an inspiring setting for child led activities
- To set up play areas, materials and equipment.
- To plan a stimulating range of age-appropriate activities, ensuring the childcare area is well resourced and creatively set-up.
- To act as a key person for a group of children as allocated by the management team, ensuring attachment bonds are respected and enhanced.
- To build relationships with the children’s mothers or carers.
- To encourage children’s independence and self-esteem.
- To encourage fair and caring behaviour among the children through role modelling.
- To ensure your specific duties regarding Health and Safety and fire procedures are understood and respected.
- Giving out refreshments according to specific needs in collaboration with the mothers.
- Dealing with injuries and emergencies in collaboration with the mothers
- Oversee the play area at all times also during free play time frames
- Report to the Mother House management if any issues are occurring.
What you are NOT expected to do
- Change nappies
- Feed babies
- Accompany children in the artist’s studio space
Necessary experience:
- 3 years in a role that required care of children aged 1 to 5 years’ old
- Running creative activities for children
- Familiar with child protection and safeguarding procedures
Person specification:
- Friendly and caring
- Passionate about high quality arts experiences for children
- Registered as self employed
NB this role has been created in partnership between Procreate Project and The White House specifically to create more jobs for arts educators in the borough of Barking & Dagenham. So we will only be considering candidates living locally.
This selected candidate will require an advanced DBS check – organized if necessary by Mother House.
Please send a cover letter no longer than 300 words to motherhouse@procreateproject.com and a CV with recent and relevant experience by the 4th of December at 5pm. Interviews will take place on the 7th of December at The White House.