By Lucinda Parfett
We got in touch with Cornwall based artists Lucy Apple. Lucy was one of the artists who was planned to speak at our event which unfortunately had to be cancelled because of the risks posed by the pandemic. However, she kindly shared with us a selection of her current work and a copy of what she had wanted to say at the event.
Lucy Apple's career:
I was 6 or 7 when I told parents I wanted to go to art school. My sister always had her head in books, and I had mine in drawings. I have an uncle and Aunty who are really into art and my aunt is an artist. My sister and I would be allowed to stay up late when they came for dinner, and we learned about art, music and culture from listening to the grownups around the dinner table.
I went to a special disabled boarding school who did not encourage me, they told me I’d never get anywhere and should just work in an art shop. But I want to talk about the people who did encourage me. My family encouraged me, including my Mum and Dad, and Aunty and Uncle.
I went to Penwith College to a GNVQ in Arts and design and they encouraged me so much. I ended up having a meeting with an external examiner and he encouraged me to apply to Falmouth Art College. I applied to do the foundation as I didn’t feel confidant to go straight to the BA.
Foundation was a fantastic year with lots of time to play and explore every medium.
At the end of the Foundation I did apply for different colleges to do a BA but after getting into Falmouth I decided to go her because my parents were nearby. I got an interview at Winchester but didn’t go because I was accepted at Falmouth.
One day near end of the BA I was sat in the library looking at prospectus and found a diploma in drawing at the Slade and I just applied. When I told my mum, she said ‘darling ‘You know how impossible it is to get into the Slade, don’t get your hopes up’. When I got an interview Mum couldn’t believes it.
I went to the interview with a helper to help translate. I got there and all my artwork was spread around the room – they asked me ‘why do you draw your dad so much?’ I said because he’s fat and hairy, he has interesting lines’ and made them laugh.
I got a conditional offer to do the diploma at the Slade. The conditional offer was that I had to get a 2:2. I had to get a helper to phone twice to check I’d really got in, I’d only applied for a laugh! I got a 2:1 for my degree and went to the Slade, living for a year in London. After a term at the Slade, they asked me to transfer onto the MFA in painting and I could stay for another year.
Since my year at the Slade I have exhibited at:
Falmouth Gallery
Penzance Gallery
Exeter Phoenix
London
And have a small business selling cards and prints.
Being an artist with a disability:
Cerebral Palsy is a very broad spectrum disability so it can have a very varied effect. For me it eff1ects my speech and some movement. Some people are surprised to know I can drive. I am an artist with a disability not a disabled artist – I don’t want to be put in a box. It can be the impact of my disability can be frustrating, but I don’t care about being disable[d], everyone-one has some barriers in life, I want to overcome my barriers.
Because I can’t communicate that well I put my thoughts into my art and let my pictures talk. Sometimes involuntary movements create unintended lines in my art– but I think that’s good.
Support from NGOS:
Except for one experience I don’t really have experience of being helped by independent organisations. One organisation did employ me to deliver a workshop, but I wasn’t well supported or told that the participants had learning disabilities before. If there was support, there are some things that would be good –
Encouragement – is always helpful
Connecting- I struggle with networking and talking my way into opportunities. As well as the physical side of my speech disability - I say it how it is, I don’t ‘suck up’ or use ‘art language. I have to speak, clearly, directly - and sometimes this feel it’s the opposite of the art world language, if I did speak like that, no one would understand me!
I would like an art group with people that aren’t all over 60 and with people I can chat to about art. I have a lot of musician friends but not art friends – I miss the community you get from college. My studio is at home, it would be nice to have more contact with other artists.
Knowledge and Guidance – I’d like to do more exhibitions but its hard to find the right ones and my helpers often arts from the art world, so having support from other artists/people in arts world would be good.
To find out more about Lucy Apple or to see more of her brilliant art work please go to her website!
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