Creative Reactions Exhibition

Saturday 11th May
Drop in anytime between 10:30am – 1pm to have a go.
Have you ever wondered what scientists at the University of Nottingham work on. This is your chance to find out.
Scientist Aishah Nasir and creative Helen Goodman have collaborated to give you the chance to have a go at lino printing and to make science-inspired lino-prints. Your work will then be included in a community piece of art and displayed in the exhibition.

Anna has a strong connection to nature and its preservation, and this has taken root in her creative practice. She is fascinated by the mysteries presented within cosmology and Entomology. She translates her awe and wonder into ceramic pieces; each individually hand crafted and unique. Entomology and natural history collections are the starting inspiration for Anna’s work. She is drawn to the curation and order within these timeless collections: each piece frozen in a vacuum of time. Anna’s work seeks to tell stories and to bring specimens to life. She sketches and models the insects, abstracting and reimagining them into a more mythical and magical form. Her ever-evolving swarms of otherworldly ceramic insects, framed collections and standalone pieces feature majestic antlers, kaleidoscopic arrangements of wings and unfurling limbs and antennae. These insects shimmer alluringly with precious metal and lustrous layered glazes.

In swirling clouds and shimmering with their beguiling glazes, Anna’s work reflects the colours of the cosmos and whispers of the subtle movements and patterns of constellation arrangements and celestial events. Anna Collette Hunt’s first immersive exhibition in 2011 saw her unleash 10,000 ceramic insects upon Nottingham Castle. She has since exhibited her ceramic swarms and insects worldwide. Anna has also collaborated with creative companies, designing exclusive collections for both ANTHROPOLOGIE and Liberty, London. Anna advocates and champions excellence in craft. She has worked as a mentor for the Crafts Council and works as a lecturer of contemporary fine craft at Nottingham Trent University.

I am a student pursuing a PhD in Respiratory Medicine with a passion for art. Primarily I use acrylic and incorporate line work and anatomical illustrations to create surrealist art. I am interested in the interconnection between science and art and my influences include Yusuke Nakamura, Nikki McClure and James Jean.

Over the past year, I have developed my skills as a printmaker. Working mainly in lino-cuts, using a technique known as reduction printing, I have been inspired by the beautiful scenery of the Planet
Earth III series to research water lilies, how the water flows around them and how the stems curl beneath the surface to form a ball of stems, and I am creating a collection of prints. My mosaic work over the past 23 years reflects my growth as an artist and I am now working on a collection of landscapes for exhibitions this summer. I have created a unique way of working reminiscent of painting but with a variety of modern materials. I have been influenced by the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and there are references in my latest work to his style, especially cloud formations and his fondness for yellows and blues, which I love. In my current mosaic, I am attempting to replicate an old building and its reflection in the river. Materials for this piece are mainly modern and unconventional but have been
secondary to the achievement of the mood I am trying to create. In both mediums I try to depict mostly familiar images of nature and scenes that I see on my daily travels. I set myself specific challenges with every piece of work I create, sometimes experimenting with the same ideas in both mosaic and print. I am enjoying exploring different printmaking techniques to create the images I hope for in the colours and moods I imagined. Colour has been a fascination throughout my life and I never tire of new combinations, exploring new ways to mix the colours I seen around me.

Jay, a multifaceted creative, his work delves into identity, race, and social justice through an accessible, humorous lens. Whilst a writer, comedian, and maths teacher, he's also a Festival lead at The Nottingham Poetry Festival, writes for Left Lion magazine and hosts diverse creative workshops, poetry and music events under Nott Another. His artistic journey started with poetry, evolving to include music and comedy, leading him to perform nationwide and present on local BBC radio.
Tim, a seasoned spoken word artist, that channels old-school hip-hop into his rhythmic prose. His craft extends beyond words; he breathes new life into discarded materials, crafting upcycled sculptures and furniture that resonate with his artistic vision. He has a career spanning over three decades as a
carpenter, and has worked restoring grade 1 listed buildings. Tim is beginning to explore how to merge his artistic passions into future projects.

Sam Dutta FRCS is Consultant Transplant Surgeon in Nottingham University Hospitals, based in City Hospital. He specialises in adult and paediatric kidney transplant and Laparoscopic kidney donation. He also works at the BMI Park Hospital and Woodthorpe Hospital. Outside his busy work he has a passion for art. Sam has been painting since teenage days but his studies and career got in the way. At 45, he has picked up painting again. He loves working on projects that have strong light and shadows both in nature, cityscapes and portraits. Sam works mostly in oil but also enjoys watercolour. He sees his art as a respite from his hectic and stressful life and is very aware of the connection between creative art and mental health and wellbeing. In his work on display titled "Silent screams", Sam has tried to capture the people in a seemingly normal crowd who are crying out for help that no one can hear nor see.

Steve is a creative practitioner in photography, film making, and comic illustration. Originally from Scotland, he has lived in Nottingham for over 15 years, helping develop and deliver the MSc in Biological Photography & Imaging at the University of Nottingham with David McMahon. Over the years, Steve has worked on various photography and film projects for external clients and personal endeavors. During the COVID lockdowns, he was drawn to his first love - comics. He has been examining the medium as a visual language and means of communication, finding ways to integrate it into teaching and his own visual practice.
Working on autobiographical strips and stories, Steve now explores merging his photographic and comic work into one project. This aims to bring all his imaging passions together, which you can learn more about on his website. For Pint of Science - Creative Reactions, he has partnered with Genevieve Hodgins - Project Manager at the School of Engineering and Biochar Demonstrator - to create a comic that brings the story of Biochar to life.

Danny Roberts is a digital artist and painter and former tattooist from Beeston Nottingham. Danny’s work is heavily based around line and form, which interlock. Danny draws his influences from everything from graffiti to surrealism and everything in between.

Ingrid is a poet, musician and artist from Nottingham who uses creativity to process grief and come to terms with difficult states of being. She has created animated work screened at Verve Poetry Festival and selected to appear at Flatpack Festival’s BAFTA qualifying short film programme in Birmingham this May. She is published in the Art of Nottingham anthology and was featured as one of Apples and Snakes’ Midlands Future Voices.

Linda is a multi-disciplinary creative, specialising in visual arts, poetry, and craft. She enjoys using a range of materials to create art including old jeans, jars, coffee cups and home-made recycled paper. Her poetry usually explores a range of themes including culture and nature. Linda has performed poetry at the Belgrade Theatre, the Thrive Poetry Festival, the Presence Poetry Festival and has been mentored by Nine Archers Press. As a visual artist, she has worked with several organisations including delivering visual arts workshops for Warwick Arts Centre, Twin Studios CIC, Coventry Central Hall, and the Belgrade Theatre. She has also received funding from Coventry City of Culture, the University of Warwick Resonate Festival and We Don’t Settle to develop and deliver my own visual arts projects.

Louise has been creating art work from Nottingham based studios for many years, since graduating with an MA in fine art from Nottingham University in the mid 80’s. She also worked as an art lecturer for Nottingham College.
Her work consists of wall constructions, and occasionally 3D pieces made from reclaimed wood, mixed media, and deconstructed objects.
The concepts behind the work vary, but ultimately there is an engagement with the philosophical belief in the continuum of life.
Louise enjoys a challenge and the opportunity to work alongside others. Science was not her strong area at school, partly due to the teaching methods in the 70’s consisting of ‘ board and chalk’, and a lack of memory retention for formulas. However, it is an exciting privilege to be able to learn about the creative research that scientists are engaged with today, and she finds the subject area very inspiring!

I trained in medical prosthetics and more recently engineering. I have always used this practical experience in my art, which is also often influenced by it.
I’m passionate about art & music education especially at primary level, using as much recycled material as possible to inspire as well as educate.

I myself am inspired by nature and the natural form; I find wood the most naturally beautiful of materials but create & experiment in all mediums and I love to contrast these elements.
I always try to ensure that the craft and aesthetic of my work will harmonise with the environment in which it is placed.

Painting for me is a meditative experience, where I connect with the process of applying, removing and exploring colour, form and texture on a flat surface. It is wordless and physical and each piece evolves from this process of discovery.

Original imagery / ideas may come from my daily meditation practice as ethereal concepts, seeds of possibilities, which then are made whole by the act of painting itself. Mental health has been of interest to me for many years as I have had my own mental health issues. I have researched yoga and meditation practices to help balance mood and mind over many years and, as well as teaching in hospital mental health day centres and prisons, I trained yoga teachers who wished to develop their understanding of how Yoga & Meditation can be used to help bring about balance in this area. I am very pleased to be linked with research for anxiety in my painting.Each painting is a journey to bring into being that which is unknown into a solid physical experience.
I have had some health issues so some of my work has been exploring these with paint and sometimes ‘mending’ them with gold (Kintsugi). Other works have been about finding balance amidst difficulties, both personal and global. Colour always features strongly in my work and I often use gold leaf and sometimes jewels (imitation). I have exhibited in local and national exhibitions as well as several international online exhibitions since lockdown. I paint in my small studio in Nottingham UK

For many decades, David McMahon has been a skilled documentary photographer, dedicating his craft to stories that make a difference. He began his career capturing the gritty reality of life in poverty-stricken areas of London's East End. Later, he explored the entertainment industry, focusing on long-term narratives.

David then ventured into the world of football, documenting the passionate fans and their sometimes unrequited love for their clubs. However, nearly 25 years ago, he changed direction to prioritize family life and share his expertise with others. David helped establish a new MSc in Biological Photography and Imaging at the University of Nottingham's School of Life Sciences.

Although natural history and environmental issues had always piqued David's interest, over time, his focus shifted to increasingly pressing concerns. Water security was not something David initially considered, much like most people. However, a conversation with Simon Gosling, a Professor of Climate Risk & Environmental Modeling at the University of Nottingham, sparked a newfound interest in this vital subject.

Hannah Norris (she/her) is a poet from Nottingham who describes herself as an ‘obsessive diary writer’ with an interest in turning this material into poetry. Hannah has found comfort in poetry, using it as an outlet to navigate her grief after a significant loss. While still partial to a grief poem, she also loves to write about the foul-mouthed women in her family, breakups, and the more mundane parts of life, from batch cooking to soulless retail parks. Hannah’s poetry has been featured in Left Lion, JARG, Streetcake, Postscript, Moonflake Press and on BBC Radio Merseyside. She was longlisted for Black Cat Poetry Press’ 2022 competition.