My award was used to fund a research trip to the exhibition ‘Sheila Hicks: Off Grid’ at the Hepworth Wakefield in West Yorkshire. This took place in early August of 2022. The experience of seeing ‘in the flesh’ works by an artist I have long admired en masse and on hugely varied scale was moving and significant in a lasting way, both personally and professionally, and several months on is still returning to me in unexpected moments.

It is impossible to replicate the experience of seeing works which are as deeply physical as Hicks’ in reality and it is an opportunity I am very grateful for.

The award was used to acquire materials to model examples of kinetic sculptural forms /objects from prototype to finished pieces.

It has been hugely beneficial in bringing ideas that have long been simmering on back burners various in the recesses of my brain firstly onto paper, then to physical reality in very encouraging and inspiring ways that could not have been foreseen had the objects never materialised. To be given the impetus to problem solve through physical modelling has been a real kick-start to a new chapter of creative endeavour.

"My award was used primarily to cover the cost of the Historic Environment Scotland (HES) fee to allow me to use a drone at Brodgar, and also the cost of the drone hire itself. There were some initial discussions with HES to ask for a reduction in the charge due to the nature of my activity. Thankfully this was agreed, or I would not have been able to afford to do it."

"The VACMA has enabled me to successfully install a support system that can be use for creating suspended art works within my studio at WASPS in Stromness. This has allowed me to realised a large work that is suspended, using a variety of textiles techniques. I have been able to take my time applying, and consider different variations without being in the freezing cold, which was a major issue for me when finishing off previous works."

"I spent quite a bit of time at the beginning of the project researching and approaching galleries within Scotland. I sent work to Gallery Heinzel in Aberdeen, The Castle gallery in Inverness and The Torrance gallery in Edinburgh. I also applied to exhibit at the annual RWS Exhibition and Aberdeen Arts society annual exhibition, the latter of which I am a member. I also became a member of the Moray Arts Centre...