Beth Huttly - Art Portfolio
I have over ten years of extensive experience teaching art to those who are more vulnerable in society, with a primary focus on mental health, wellbeing and offender learning. Having previously taught art to prisoners within HMP Durham, as well as teaching in a variety of schools, PRU’s and running Ceramic workshops within the community.
I am very passionate about the combination of education and art, the positive impact this can have within society and for the individual. Art is a universal language, one in which we can all understand and relate to. I believe Art is a tremendously powerful tool and has the true ability to reach out on a personal level to everyone by allowing self-expression and self-reflection through creative learning.
HER MAJESTY'S PLAYGROUND & OVERSPILL
Her Majesty’s Playground - This piece of work aims to demonstrate a true insight into a place of intrigue and segregation to the outside world. Prison is consumed with self-preservation, testosterone, transparency and institutionalisation.
A life of incarceration is consumed by time and routine dictating each day, drama is created to give a more meaningful purpose to a prisoner’s daily routine and violence and graffiti are an essential part of this. Prisoners connect through insults, slang phrases, explicitly and crudeness, there is a clear divide between the “con” and the “screw” and a continuous battle of “us” vs “them”. Once in confinement a sense of community is formed and the only separation being which uniform you wear.
Overspill - The general public views prisoners as the lowest members of society. They are disregarded and stacked on-top of each other like dirty dishes; subsequently becoming avoided and overlooked, while more and more get added to the already growing pile. The porcelain stacks of bowls and cups represent this continuous rise of overcrowding and instability, with cuts, tears and gold lustre to highlight the ever growing issue of self-harm within the British prison system.