Julia O’Connell
Artist Statement
I stitch. Whether by hand or machine, stitching is the core process of my artistic practice. Through surface, textures, line and pattern, my work explores the commonality of work and family life. Using traditional textile crafts and exploring interactive technologies, film and sound, my work is about people, place and stories shared.
Projects/Commissions
2018 Processions, Imagineer Productions/Artichoke/14-18 NOW
2017 & 2018 AiR, Heritage Hub, Gloucestershire Archives
2016 & 2017 WITNESS – Artist in residence – Imagineer Productions, Coventry
2016 – 17 ARC – Ensemble work – Theatre Absolute, Coventry
2016 All Roads to Coventry – City of Culture 2021
2016 Banner maker – Time & Food Unions – The Pod, Coventry
2015 – 17 Research project – ‘The Sleeping Place’ – London Road Cemetery
2015 – 16 ‘Small Scale City Skirt’ – Coventry Artspace – The Future
2015 ‘The Visible Maker’ – Live craft theatre performance
2014 AiR, WW1 Commemorations, War Memorial Park, Coventry
2014 ‘Memphis Sphinx’ – Random String/Ludic Rooms
2012 – 14 ‘100’ WW1 installation – Theatre Absolute/Herbert Art Gallery
2009 – 13 AiR, Faculty of Engineering & Computing, Coventry University
2009 – 12 Godiva Awakes, London Olympics 2012, Imagineer Productions
2009 AiR – Red Teapot Day, Talking Birds/Herbert Art Gallery
Awards
2015 Recipient of Pluspace Bursary for Artist spaces
2014 Resident Artist bursary – Random String, Ludic Rooms
2013 Recipient of a-n Re:View Bursary for artists
2008 Nominated for the Cecil Angel Cup, Coventry University
2007 Volvo (UK) Art & Design – ‘Liten Resa’ installation and film
Education
2003 – 08 BA (Hons) First Class, Textiles, School of Art & Design, Coventry University
1981 – 85 Distinction, Performing Arts, The Webber Douglas Academy, London
Other information
Employers and Public Liability Insured, Designated Premises Supervisor & Personal License holder. Clean driving license/car owner. Software knowledge: Isadora (basic), PowerPoint/Keynote, Photoshop, Excel, Word, WordPress.
Related information
Visiting lecturer – De Montfort University, Leicester and Coventry University. Speaker on textile practice and residency commissions with WI, Embroidery Guilds and local history groups. Workshop tutor for Slow Stitch, English Paper Piecing, quilt making, and handmade journals.
Freelance projects manager and producer for award winning Theatre Absolute, an independent theatre company. Theatre Absolute operates the UK’s first professional Shop Front Theatre in Coventry, West Midlands. Projects managed include socially engaged arts projects, events, and theatre performances. Awards include two Edinburgh Festival Fringe Firsts and a Time Out Best New Play Award.
Management skills include arts administration, funding applications, finance, budgets and monitoring, fundraising, local and national PR, social media, audience development, volunteers recruitment, and activity evaluation report writing.
Mentor of project management to individual artists and theatre arts organisations.