Amanda Blake

EXHIBITIONS

solo
in material, Stackpole Walled Gardens, Art Out West, Pembrokeshire 2016
Surface / Depth polished frescoes, Sunflower and I, Cardiff 2014 Sometime, at New Briton, site-specific fresco and sound piece, New Briton Abbey Ruins, Cresswell Quay, Pembrokeshire 2012

group / selected
Pigments Revealed International Symposium biennale online exhibition, 2021 Withybush Hospital Artwork Donation for Staff restrooms in light of Covid pandemic, curator and contribution, with artists Kate Keckwick, Sian Lester and Sarah Poland, Haverfordwest 2020
One of ‘Six Artist Responses’ to The Building Project, Freshwest Design at Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen 2019
Rooted In Practice, curated by Laura Thomas, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 2018
40 Years of Here, Oriel Henry Thomas, Carmarthen and The Edge Gallery, Cardigan 2018
Art in the Garden as part of Art Out West, Stackpole Walled Gardens, Pembrokeshire 2018
The Welsh Drawing Book, Oriel Henry Thomas, Carmarthen 2016
Drawing Pigment, Stackpole Walled Gardens and Castlemartin Cafe, Art Out West, Pembrokeshire 2015
Summer Open, Oriel Q, Pembrokeshire 2015/16
Art Out West, Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire 2015
Rhod in Roath as part of Made in Roath, Cardiff 2014
WAR Exhibition and Conference, Yorkshire Craft Centre, in association with University of Bradford and Bradford College, Bradford, 2013
Matter Lumina at King Street Gallery, Carmarthen and the Milkwood Gallery, Cardiff 2012/13
Becoming, The Old Library, Cardiff 2012
Workers Playtime, Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford 2011
‘Displaced’ site-specific fresco, Bates Mill as part of Huddersfield Arts Weekend, Huddersfield 2010
MA Show, Creative Acts, Howard Gardens, Cardiff 2009 Very Important Products, curated by Alice Forward, Centrespace, Bristol 2007
Winter Selected Open, Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen 2005

COMMISSIONS / AWARDS

Whilst things are still reversible, rock rubbings from Adolfstrom Sweden
Longlisted for Trinity Buoy Wharf 2020

Research and Development funding for ‘Somme’, as part of WAR conference and exhibition, Yorkshire Craft Centre with University of Bradford and Bradford College 2013 - included field research and a day’s circular walk in Albert, the War Memorials and the frontline at La Boiselle, France, for development of earth circle and photographic sequences

S4C Short Shorts commission 2003 - Ar Lan y Mor / A Day at the Seaside 60sec pinhole timelapse animation of a day at the beach, its tides and the litter that gets left behind..
- Awarded 1st Prize in Animation at Urbania Short Film Festival, Italy 2005
- Screened at Environmental Film Festival Wales 2004 and SAND Animation Festival Swansea 2005

ARTIST TALKS / LECTURES

Drawing with Nature Artist’s Talk, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 2019
Nearness, Farness and Embodied Viewing Random Lecture Series, Bradford College 2011
Drawing Pigment Artist’s Talk, Cardiff School of Art & Design, 2009
Story Keynote Speaker and Q&A panel, PTS International Animation Conference, Taipei, Taiwan, 2003

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Sculpture and Form, Drawing and Sculpture with Marcus Cornish at the Royal Drawing School, 2023
Interior and Exterior Spaces, Drawing workshop at the Royal Drawing School, 2021
Roman Fresco with Carey Mortimer, Bosa Arts School, Sardegna, 2020
Mindfulness in the Workplace & MBSR with Heather Fish & University Trinity St. Davids, Wales 2012 / 2014
Lime Plastering and Restoration with Ty Mawr Lime, Brecon, 2005
Fresco & Ancient Painting for Contemporary Artists with Carey Mortimer, Dedalo Arts Centre, Italy, 2004

TEACHING

Lecturer

Carmarthen School of Art, Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen
Lecturer in Painting on the BA Hons Fine Art Painting, Drawing & Printmaking
- Fine Art Studio Practice / Investigating Materiality / Professional Skills, 2016 - ongoinG

Bradford School of Arts & Media, Bradford College
Lecturer in Painting, Drawing and Lens Based Media, BA Hons Fine Art / Art & Design
- Painting / Drawing / Digital Media / Professional Development, 2010-2011

University of Salford
Part-time Lecturer in Fine Art Practice, BA Hons Visual Art, Levels 5 and 6, 2011

Exeter College
Teaching Practice and Lecturer on Foundation Photography / part-time BA Fine Art, 1998

Visiting Lecturer

Cardiff School of Art & Design, UWIC 2009
University of Plymouth - Lead Tutor for BA Hons Fine Art Painting, 2nd year students’ Professional Practice Project with lecturer Steve Berry for a site-specific fresco at Ide Organic Farm. Lead tutor in fresco practice for research, development and completion of 20 x 8ft public art fresco in association with Organic Arts Devon, 2005

Workshops

Craft in the Bay, Cardiff
‘Painting with Nature’ - egg tempera painting on gesso for artists/makers, 2023
‘Drawing with Nature’ - traditional materials for contemporary thinking, for artists/makers, 2023‘Ancient Palette, Precious Earth’, egg tempera, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 2019 / 2020
‘Drawing with Nature’ - introduction to traditional materials in drawing 2020

West Wales School of the Arts, Carmarthen
Buon Fresco for BA Hons Fine Art Painting 2nd and 3rd year students, 2014
Egg tempera for BA Hons Fine Art Painting 2nd year students, 2013

Stroke Association, Pembrokeshire‘Painting Abstraction - Colour on Silk’, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest, 2012/13

Cardiff School of Art & Design, UWICBuon Fresco - week long course for BA Hons Fine Art Painting, 2nd years, with a focus on materiality and space in Medieval, Renaissance and Contemporary Frescoes, 2009

EDUCATION
MA Fine Art with Distinction, University of Wales, Institute Cardiff 2009
PGCE (FE), University of Cardiff 1998
BA Combined Honours Fine Art & Italian, University of Exeter 1995 with one year study in drawing at the
Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, Italy 1992/3

Foundation Art & Design, CCTA, Carmarthen, 1990-91

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Series Co-ordinator, Animated Tales of the World, Right Angle, Tenby, Wales 2001-2004
Series Producer, foreign language versioning of Animated Tales of the World for Channel 4 2004 Visual Research in Taiwan with PTS Television for Right Angle and S4C 2003, for The Mouse Bride, the Taiwanese tale by Christmas Films Moscow as part of Animated Tales of the World, Series III
Production Co-ordinator, Animated Tales of the World Series I&II, The Canterbury Tales Right Angle, Tenby, Wales 1998-2001
Artist working in time-based media - photography, film and pinhole, 1995-2003
Freelance Translator and Tutor Italian, French, Spanish 1995-2004

Carved Line, Painted Line, 2009
Raw Umber and Cobalt Blue, polished Fresco on panel