1. What methods or practices have helped you most effectively refine your artistic voice?
One of the most important parts of my practice that has helped me to refine my artistic voice
is finding a sense of awe in the everyday. Although I am only at the start of my artistic career
– having just finished my undergraduate degree in Fine Art – my practice still feels one
hundred times more refined than at the start of my degree just four years ago. Making notes
of the small moments and thoughts often lead me down the road to big ideas. Practicing
nurturing underdeveloped ideas takes patience but often helps build strong foundations for
my practice. Consistency and patience has been key in helping me refine my artistic voice.
Collaborating and discussing my work with other artists has also been extremely helpful. My
brother, Erik Rees, is a skilled Light and Sound designer, and can often help me when it
comes to navigating the intersection between art and technology, or helping the
digital/technological side of an idea come to fruition. Similarly, my good friend and talented
ceramicist Holly Reed fosters insightful and enthusiastic conversations about my work, often
sparking new directions or untangling creative blocks. It is exchanges with other artists like
these, alongside many others, that help to refine my artistic voice, clarify my ideas, and find
the tenacity to do so throughout creative ruts.
2. Can you share a moment when expressing your artistic identity led to a significant opportunity or connection?
Being selected as a Breakthrough Artist for the Artist’s Futures Fund was a huge opportunity
I was able to undertake after finding my artistic identity during my undergraduate degree
show. I developed my application for the AFF Fellowship as my degree show came to a
close. The application gave me an opportunity to expand my practice beyond my degree and
into new territory. Being selected allowed me to dedicate this year of my life to my practice.
My work no longer depends on coursework deadlines or lectures, but revolves completely
around my own wishes, and the funding by the AFF allows me to spend extended time in the
studio.
3. How has overcoming personal challenges shaped the way you approach and communicate your art?
Navigating personal challenges and the regular ups and downs will always be a part of an
artist’s practice. An artist’s work is so profoundly interlinked with who they are, personal
challenges will always have some kind of impact, whether that be visible, tangible, or hidden
behind the work in its process. My practice has often been what keeps my head above
water. But I have learned that not every day, week, or even month, can be a productive one.
Especially since creative productivity takes so much brain power, physical energy, and
artistic agency. Coming to terms with ebbs and flows in productivity has helped me lessen
the pressure on myself, which in turn creates a better mental environment for creativity. Time
set aside for rest and recalibration will always benefit my practice.
