The SCAF Emerging Artist Award has been created to acknowledge up and coming artists of all ages who are living in the Yorkshire region. The intent of the award is to bring recognition and awareness to outstanding visual artists in the region who are at the early stages of their career and who have not yet established a reputation as an artist amongst art curators, buyers and critics.
/ This years subject:
Art is the story of perception. Perception in art is deeply complex including the subjective response of the viewer, the intention of the artist and external influences such as social pressure that seeks to persuade us to interpret something in a certain way.
Perception in art is also deeply intwined with psychology. Our brains are hard wired to see structure, logic and patterns to help us to make sense of the world we live in. Survival often requires rapid interpretation of our surroundings and to that end our brains have evolved to continually make shortcuts to speed up the process of visual perception. These shortcuts are often exploited in art and design.
/ Exhibition now on:
The Exhibition runs from Tuesday 2nd July to Thursday 15th August 2024, weekdays from 8am to 7pm.
Venue:
The Hatstand Gallery
School of Creative Arts
(Quarry Hill Campus)
Leeds City College
Playhouse Square
Leeds
LS2 7BS
/ The Finalists
/ Exhibition Catalogue
/ Exhibition Price List
/ Judging Panel
Dr Sue Armstrong
MA VetMB VetMFHom CertIAVH MRCVS RsHom
Artistic Director & Trustee of SCAF
Sue Armstrong is the Founder of the Scott Creative Arts Foundation and the current Artistic Director. Sue was a close friend of Michael and Eileen Scott and is dedicated to realising their wishes through the work of the Foundation. Providing support and encouragement to emerging artists was a major priority for the Scott’s and to be holding the fifth SCAF emerging artist award is a testament to her commitment to SCAF. Sue, like the Scotts is a passionate believer in the value of the synergistic relationship between arts and science.
Photo by Damian Bramley - DJB Photography
Robbie Fife
Robbie Fife (b.1988 Harrogate, UK) lives and works in North Yorkshire. Fife completed an MFA in Painting at The Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, London (2014) and has twice been an artist-in-residence at The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation – Connecticut, USA (Nov/Dec 2015) and Carraig-na-gcat, Ireland (Sept 2019).
Selected recent exhibitions include Native, Willoughby Gerrish, Thirsk Hall Sculpture Garden, Thirsk (solo) (2023); Locals, Willoughby Gerrish, Jermyn Street, London (solo) (2022); Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London (2022); Kist, Oliver Projects at 155a Gallery, London (solo) (2021); Without You My Life Would Be Boring, Staffordshire Street Studios, London (2020); Used For Glue, Studio 2, Staffordshire Street Studios, London (2019); Odds, The Other MA (TOMA) at Royals Shopping Centre, Southend (2019); Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London (2019); 9 Artists: Thin House, London (2018); Nightswimming, LLE at Mission Gallery, Swansea, Wales (2018); Sightseers, g39, Cardiff, Wales (2018); ODDS, Studio 7, Assembly Point, London (2017); Outhouse, May Project, London (solo) (2016); Robbie Fife, Paulina Michnowska, Jacopo Natoli, News of the World, Deptford, London (2015).
Jess Kidd
Multidisciplinary Artist and SCAF EAA 2023 Winner
Jess Kidd is a Yorkshire Based multidisciplinary artist, with a current focus on mixedmedia painting. She graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2008, however, her practice has re-emerged recently, after serious illness in her mid-20s. Jess is inspired by art that provokes people to reconsider the familiar. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informs both her creative process and her subject matter. She aims to challenge people's thoughts towards where we live, encouraging celebration and appreciation. She loves to experiment, play with and manipulate materials, and is driven by a passionate intention to convey her interpretations of reality. Alongside winning the SCAF Emerging Artist Award 2023, Jess was also awarded the Joan Day Bursary by South Square Centre, Thornton, resulting in her first solo exhibition. She has exhibited both individually and in group shows and runs occasional workshops.
Eloise Ross
Art & Design Project Officer at York & Scarborough Teaching Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust and Freelance Photographer
Elly enjoys working on collaborative and community-based arts events/social projects and regularly sees how the power of art can enhance people's experiences. Her role within the hospitals involves engaging patients, visitors, and staff in a creative way to help improve their stay, visit and place of work through exhibitions, music, participation and enhancements of the hospital environment. The aim of these varied artistic practices is to provide opportunities for people to feel included, connected and inspired via an ongoing programme of artistic exhibitions and events at the different Hospitals. In her freelance work Elly has worked for many different organisations in the Yorkshire region and she has acted as a judge for several photography groups and curated Arts projects. What she loves about the arts is how it engages interest; provides a positive experience; breaks down barriers and preconceptions; stimulate memories; promotes collaborations and provides respite or space for reflection. She is excited to see what artistic talents can be discovered and shared to a wider audience in 2024 by the SCAF Emerging Artist Award.