DAWN HANDY
My earliest memories of drawing and developing a passion for art, stem from my childhood and teen years in South Africa. I found inspiration and felt inspired everywhere I went. Memories of standing, aged 2, in front of profuse blooms of bougainvillea, bursting with Cape chameleons delight my imagination to this day.
I am about to embark on a Fine Art degree, focusing on sculpture and printmaking, followed by a Masters in Art Therapy. After completing a Foundation in Graphic Art in 1994 and subsequently a Journalism Diploma, I set out to discover the world as a backpacker. 18 months later, I unintentionally fell in love and Britain has been my home ever since.
I’m a self-taught mosaic artist, with a formal background in drawing, printmaking and graphic art with a primary focus on linocuts, woodcuts, etchings and mixed media.
Whilst my degree is still on the horizon, I’ve picked up a handful of diplomas along the way as a healthcare and youth worker – the wonderful people I’ve worked with over the years have all inspired me to become an art therapist.
The current focus of my art practice is primarily on mosaic art and sculpture using recycled materials, mixed media paintings and sculptures, as well as printmaking.
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Using recycled materials in my work has always been a passion – growing up in South Africa with limited resources, as art materials were expensive and imported – I learned to adapt, adjust and incorporate recycled materials into my work. The use of recycled materials is endemic in South Africa, leading to wondrous creations by extremely talented artisans, artists and crafts folk.
Necessity quite literally smashes preconceived notions of materials
Having been adopted, my art practice definitely currently centres around ‘identity’. It reflects my journey after undertaking DNA tests and a lot of research to discover the very mixed heritage of my biological ancestry. The outcome is reflected in my work, which reflects my processing of the documented stories, histories, ancestral art and cultures of my ancestors, whose origins span the globe.
I’m a member of the Yeovil Creatives and South-West Mosaic Artists. My work is available in multiple locations, including the Yeovil Art Space, where I also run art workshops.” (more info about workshop soon).
Dawn Handy is going to take part in Somerset Open Studio 18 Sep-2 Oct 2021 with 4 other Yeovil Creatives’ members at Yeovil Art Space.
Pictures (from the top, clock wise) :
‘Contemplation of the ancestral‘ copyright 2021 Dawn Handy for the South West Mosaic Artists’ ‘Picking up the Pieces’ exhibition at the Sou’ Sou’ West gallery, Symondsbury.
‘Headdress of my foremothers‘ copyright Dawn Handy 2021. 30cm contemporary mosaic. Sou’ Sou’ West gallery, Symondsbury with the South West Mosaic Artists.
‘Flowering Hope‘ copyright 2021 Dawn Handy for the South West Mosaic Artists’ ‘Picking up the Pieces’ exhibition at the Sou’ Sou’ West gallery, Symondsbury.
‘Hold on to your dreams‘ copyright 2021 Dawn Handy for the South West Mosaic Artists’ ‘Picking up the Pieces’ exhibition at the Sou’ Sou’ West gallery, Symondsbury.
“The Woods‘ copyright 2021 Dawn Handy for the South West Mosaic Artists’ ‘Picking up the Pieces’ exhibition at the Sou’ Sou’ West gallery, Symondsbury.
‘Rising Phoenix‘ copyright 2021 Dawn Handy for the Together We Are Stronger community project, in conjunction with the Yeovil Creatives, led by Natasha Rand.
‘We honour you’ copyright Dawn Handy 2021. 30cm contemporary mosaic skull. Tesserae handcut from vitreous tiles, vintage and modern china and crockery, displayed alongside beads and found objects. Showing in the Picking up the pieces 2021 exhibition, st the Sou’ Sou’ West gallery, Symondsbury.
Yeovil Creatives 