Blog

In June 2020 I will be hosting a zoom talk with my fellow  collaborative artist Cathy Faithfull.  This is a brief description of what will be discussing.

"Artists Jo Tunmer and Cathy Faithfull met whilst undertaking their MA at Cambridge School of Art. On completion of their degrees the passion they shared for the changing landscape spurred them on to work collaboratively under the name ‘eARTh’. They use recycled materials to open up new dialogues that are primarily focused on climate change issues. Their current enquiry repurposes clocks and jigsaw pieces that illustrate the need for action and how time is of the essence in this climate emergency.

So much of the resistance to mitigating climate change has come from those who insist that 'society is hard to change'. The global response to this current pandemic has shown that this is actually not true. Huge changes made on how society operates have been acted upon in a matter of weeks. It is apparent that when lives and livelihoods are at stake, individuals are prepared to make sacrifices and changes in order to have a future.  So by applying this new 2020 vision it is possible for us all to accept a ‘New Normal’ where not only caring for one another is paramount, caring for the planet also becomes second nature".

Date will be announced soon.

On Saturday 4 April 2020 I came down with Covid-19. Extremely high temperatures, cough, heavy chest and a sore throat for 7 + days and although I'm now on day 13 I am still not well. As I am susceptible to flu and chest infections I knew the differences of this virus instantly.

In early March 2020 alongside my art practice I started a new part time job at Cambridge Contemporary Art - the beloved gallery that has represented me for the past 10 years who support over 500 artists between 2 galleries.

Although I am a new recruit I have been enveloped into this remarkable family of staff who have helped keep me going these past weeks. However due to the current situation many small businesses are now facing closure. CCA are fighting hard to keep going by continuing to trade online but also by crowd funding. For every £2.50 donators can collect greeting cards once the store can reopen. Then you can send all the cards you get back to those you care about about too and make their day just that bit brighter Hopefully in a weeks time I'll be back on my feet in the meantime - go take a look here.

I am not out of the woods quite yet and taking one day at a time.

I am taking part in an exhibition with Cathy Faithfull at Anglia Ruskin University from 1-30 April 2020.

Go to our website for further information.

I have just signed up to take part in 2020 Cambridge Open Studios. I will be opening my doors during weekend 2 and 3.

For this event I will be exhibiting oil paintings, solarplate and woodcut prints and my latest collaborative contemporary artwork for eARTh with with Cathy Faithfull.

I am currently in an intense period of research and experimentation. My collaboration with Fine Artist Cathy Faithfull focuses on environmental aesthetics in relation to the changing landscape (eARTh). The work produced will be on display mid-2020.

The collaboration is for an art residency with AA2A at Cambridge School of Art. I am using a mixture of found objects and printmaking.

For more information please visit the AA2A website.

I have been awarded a place on the AA2A residency programme. The AA2A project provides placements for visual artists and designer-makers in higher and further education institutions across England.

The placement has begun my collaboration with fellow MA Visual Artist Cathy Faithfull.

The mandate of our collaboration - EartH is to investigate our human relationship with the changing landscape and respond with artwork.

On Friday 18 October, EartH will be holding a discussion meeting at Anglia Ruskin University.

More about my AA2A collaboration with Cathy Faithfull next week.

My work focuses on landscape - urban and natural environments.

I recently woke up to the protests that have been inspired by Greta Thunberg and become increasingly conscious of climate change.  I know, a little late in the day but that's the problem with many of us.

With this in mind I have begun a collaboration with fellow artist Cathy Faithfull in order to explore art ideas around this issue.

EartH has just begun - let's see where it takes us.

This weekend (20/21 July) will be our final weekend at Rock Road Library Art Space.  We had a rocking weekend last week and this weekend the library has lots of activities planned too.

Just another heads up - at the end of my Cambridge Open Studios I will be donating 10% of my total sales to  my friend's charity the YMPH Foundation.

Founded by Will's parents Anne and Peter the mandate of the YPMH is to help young people enter adulthood with greater resilience to mental health conditions, and thereby reduce the number of young people who take their own lives.

For further information about the Foundation please go to: www.ypmh.org.

I have a browser sale too - just for Open Studios, see you there!

At the end of my Cambridge Open Studios I will be donating 10% of my total sales to  my friend's charity the YMPH Foundation.

Founded by Will's parents Anne and Peter the mandate of the YPMH is to help young people enter adulthood with greater resilience to mental health conditions, and thereby reduce the number of young people who take their own lives.

For further information about the Foundation please go to: www.ypmh.org.