Residency Interview With Mia Graham

I was stunned by the natural beauty of the Loire which is unbelievably green, lush and peaceful. There is a stillness to the environment, quietly interrupted by the rivers and streams which stem from the Loire and flow through each locality. I loved visiting the river which flows behind the house where I would swim after painting for the day, being by the clear stream of water was extremely cathartic. The garden of the house is expansive, full of hidden corners, it seemed to go on forever and we spent a lot of time outside. The size of the trees, which at night were canopied by stars, each night we would chat for hours in the garden under them. A highlight for me was walking to the hills near the house, where I’d pick apples and peaches and wander for hours, there would be no-one for miles around and I’d just listen to music and read up there. There is a vastness to the whole area which was really a contrast to where I had been living in South London, and it was an amazing experience to have the time to walk and explore without boundaries or interruption.

Spending so much time outside, made me realise the fundamental grounding of my practice within nature. It made me approach my work in a more tactile and fluid way, working outside, then bringing paper and canvas inside to continue work in the attic studio.

 

 

 

It was unexpectedly important for me when we visited and spent time in the Azay Le Rideau Church, which housed a 12th century Biblical wall painting. The concept of resurrection was something which I contemplated a lot, as there was one particular part of the fresco depicting Lazarus. It was transformative to employ notions of resurrection into my ideas surrounding the cycles of life and nature. I was very touched and inspired by the traces of social history which were contained within the Church itself, the scratchings of lovers on hidden walls, and the writing of passers-by and tourists in the visitors' book. That church felt like a space which held a lot of the conversations I was having within my work, within its walls.

 

It was evident during the residency how valuable it can be, and what a privilege it is, to work without the pressure of everyday responsibilities. The change in environment brought clarity to new methods of working and thinking, and a heightened sense of freedom which was liberating. Having time to think, hours and full days of listening to your stream of consciousness uninterrupted and then being able to bring those thoughts to fruition. I learnt the importance of trying to create that space for myself mentally, and ever since have tried to continue making work without creative boundaries or limits.

 

Physically, I left behind a painting titled Disintegration, which looking back now, feels like a little encapsulation of the Remains show and series of work. Exploring these ideas I was having surrounding birth, death and resurrection within nature. Metaphorically I think I left behind a somewhat rigid approach to painting in favour of one which allowed for a deeper investigation into the potential of paint as a medium, one which holds symbolism and narrative within its materiality and approach. 

 

On a final note, I’d like to touch on the friendship which blossomed between me and my residency partner Will Maddrell, sharing the residency was at first something which we were both slightly daunted by, but ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. We joke that we are like long-lost siblings now, and had an incredible time together living in and sharing the environment, and discussing our work, it was actually very necessary to have that companionship during those few weeks. I’d like to thank GA for providing me with the invaluable experience I had on this residency and encourage anyone considering application. It’s an incredible opportunity to experiment, focus, share ideas and I think importantly, connect and respond to nature.