I’m an artist, writer, and arts educator with a widely multi-disciplinary studio practice that ranges from “traditional” mediums (drawing, painting) to new media such as digital, video, and installation. While drawing with just about any medium is usually my favourite thing, I also love teaching art and learning new creative things!
In my other “day job”, I teach creative digital skills and support learning technology at University of the Arts London, to help students (as well as my colleagues) use available technology to aid their teaching and learning as well as foster a skill set they can use beyond university.
Alongside my studio practice, I regularly keep an online arts journal “Kelise Soixante-Douze” (kelise72.com) where I review arty stuff from exhibitions/events to art classes, books, and sometimes, artist tools and techniques. I also enjoy volunteering for Tate where I lead guided arty tours and talks for visitors.
As for exhibiting, most recently, you’ll see work from my #365LoveNotesToSelf project in “Love and Loss”, Tate’s Staff Biennale 2022 (16-23 March 2022) at Tate Modern.Ā Previous to the pandemic years, in August 2019, for “Inside Job – Tate Staff Biennale 2019” in conjunction with Tate Exchange at Tate Modern, I collaborated with fellow artist, Olga Suchanova, to share “Object Self“, a project in which we create portraits using avant-garde digital technology as a fine art medium. Other recent exhibitions include: “2018 Passion for Freedom Festival” (October 2018) in London,Ā “Inside Job” at Tate ModernĀ (April 2018) andĀ “Stations of Water” (October 2017) a group exhibition and education programme at St Paul’s Cathedral in which nine artists were commissioned to present work in conjunction with theirĀ Just Water 2017 campaign.
Previously, I’ve been a part of an ambitious international project called “Connect:Katowice and London“, a year-long venture 2016-2107 in which 30 or so UK and Polish artists collaborated across borders, language, and culture to make artwork. Our first exhibition and workshop took place 1-16 December 2016 at Hornsey Town Hall in London followed by the culmination of “Connect:” in a large collaborative exhibition at Rondo Gallery in Katowice, Poland, in June 2017.
I hold a PgCert in Academic Practice in Art, Design, and Communication from UAL (for which I was awarded a Distinction and Fellowship with Advance HE, “a member-led, sector-owned charity that works with institutions and higher education across the world to improve higher education for staff, students and society”. ) I earned the MA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts (2015), and the BA Fine Art (Painting) from Wimbledon College of Arts (2013).
Before my life as an artist, I trained in computer science/maths and enjoyed a 20-year career in IT – but, I’m happy to admit, I have more to say and share as an artist than I ever did making software for banks and insurance companies.
I live and work in London.
Check out my Instagram for daily updates on my studio activities: @kelisefranclemont
For more detail about my projects and exhibitions, click the link to my bio.
To read about other arty things I get up to in London, check out:
http://www.kelise72.com – stories about art, the unusual, and out-of-the-way places.
[…] was a thingā is collaborative effort between British-American artist Kelise Franclemont and Gazan poet Mosab Abu […]