John is an award winning Artist and educator and with a Masters Degree in Fine Art Practice and Education. He is Artist in Residence at The Dronfield Hall Barn in NE Derbyshire where he runs adult ed art classes and taught art in secondary schools for many years. His areas of practice come under the broad themes of Art, Light and Education.

Contact email: johnsutcliffeart@gmail.com

Artist Statement

ART and LIGHT

I have quite a varied portfolio
I work with light technologies – projection mapping, film and animation, creating immersive and interactive events.

My sculpture and installations question the nature of memory and the present.

I paint with forms of abstraction of landscape, portraiture, write poetic screenplays and animate them, create liminal photographic installations, I curate spaces.

I also work in hand printmaking and illustration. I hand craft the canvases, surfaces and frames I work on and often gild my paintings and grind my paint from pigments. My painting questions the presence of myth and histories through abstract landscape and figurative painting using gold leaf and oils.

I have 34 years experience of teaching art and technology in schools and run children’s and adult workshops in a variety of media. I have given presentations in the form of illustrated poetic discourse for the International Journal of Art and Design Education at the Tate Liverpool and for Birmingham school of art. I have exhibited at the New Art Gallery Walsall and my work is represented at the Treeline Gallery Bakewell and the Dronfield Hall Barn.

I now work as a full time artist, and recently was selected as a winner at Sheffield Art in the Gardens Open Arts Exhibition.

In 2014 I gained a Masters in Fine Arts Practice and Education (with distinction) at the Birmingham School of Art, where I developed my philosophy of media arts practice under Prof Johnny Golding RCA, producing abstract photographic installations questioning perception of the photograph as a sculptural object. I received a commendation for my final show.

My practice is not a fluffy thing, but it does sparkle in the shadows.

I encompass all of this through my company
Hanging Boots Creative
ART. LIGHT. EDUCATION.

My fine art is currently represented by The Treeline Gallery, Bakewell, Derbyshire UK

EDUCATION

Having taught art for half a lifetime in secondary schools, I now teach community art classes, More recently through live online classes and Hello Art you tube channel Art tutorials https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxBtZkYpVGE74nAlNNMOzIw?mc_cid=22600409c5&mc_eid=cf851e135c

Testimonial
“Hanging Boots Creative have been a pleasure to work with. They created some excellent work for us. They more than delivered on the brief, showing real creative flair and understanding for what we were trying to achieve. And they also delivered practically, managing the installation, operation and deinstallation of the projections on this project really smoothly and with no fuss. Total delivery.”
Dr. Stephen M Hornby,
Inkbrew Productions: Playwright in Residence LGBT+ History Month, GM Fringe Award Winner – Best Drama ILGCN Wings Award Winner – Outstanding Contribution to LGBT+ Culture

Exhibition and performance

2022 March

Publication of “I’m Just Me” by Kenzi Jupp . Full spread Digital Illustrations 28 page softcover Published by Kenzi:D ISBN 978-1-3999-1689-9

2022 February

“The Day the World Came to Huddersfield” Animation and Projection Mapping Installation at 8 New St Huddersfield for LGBT+History Month – and Inkbrew Productions to celebrate the first national Pride march outside London.

2021 November

Solo Exhibition at Dronfield Hall Barn

2021 February

Collaboration with Sara Beavan-Widdowson and Ignite Imaginations to produce video mapping installation at Parsons Cross Library, Sheffield.

2020 December – March 2021

Collaboration with Laura Page Photography and Ignite Imaginations to produce video wall installation for Reimagine project ‘All things are connected’ with Beighton Residential Home

2020 September

Art Beyond Normal – New Tutorial Project and Resources For Chesterfield Cultural Education Partnership. Production of video tutorial and resources https://www.communitygrowthcic.co.uk/lockdown-online-workshops/

2019 September

Art in the Gardens Sheffield . 4 abstract landscape oil paintings. Category award winner.

2019 May

“Ocean World”. Immersive interactive installation using AR projection mapping and interactive technologies recreating an interior space into the undersea world.

Dronfield Arts Festival Lantern parade lead artist working with community groups to produce lanterns

Dronfield Open Arts Exhibition 4 Abstract Landscape Oil Paintings

2018 May

“Primavera Calling” 16 minute projection mapped animated poetic film on the Dronfield Hall Barn building about children growing up, the lost words, the environment and how creativity can help the world find a way.

Dronfield Arts Festival lantern parade Lead Artist, working with community groups to produce Lanterns

2016 November:

‘Elementa’ Solo Exhibition : Photographs and Installation, Exterior Projection Mapped  Film based on Material, Image and Memory (Heritage Lottery Funding)

2016 April:  

‘Elemental’ Projection Mapped Installation, Dronfield Hall Barn, Derbyshire (Heritage Lottery Funding)

2015  September:  

Birmingham and Midlands Institute : Performance “P(Art) Life”     NSEAD Conference

2014   June:    

Tate Liverpool:   Performance “Thickening the Shadows” at , International Journal for Art and Design Education / National Society for Education in Art and Design Conference. “Collaborative Practices in Art Education”

2014   September:

Birmingham School of  Art: Arts Based Masters Final Show “Set Your Chatters to Hum” Abstract Photographic Installation with poetry and LED lighting

2014  May:

Speaker “The Thickness of Shadows” at Centre for Fine Art Research, BCU conference : “Twice Upon a Time; Magic, Alchemy and the Transubstantiation of the Senses”

2013  September:  

Birmingham School of Art,  Arts Based Masters Interim Show “Who Punched the Unicorn?”

2012  July/August:    

The New Art Gallery Walsall.  Exhibition “Why time spinning earth?”

2011 August:

Exhibition Sindelfingen Germany : Paintings from Derbyshire.

2005 – 2011

Local Exhibitions of Painting in Derbyshire.

Educational Qualifications

2014

Master of Arts (with distinction) Arts Practice and Education Birmingham School of Art, Birmingham City University

Media Arts Philosophy and Fine Art Practice – Contemporary Philosophy and Aesthetics ; Histories of Art Education

1984

Bachelor of Education Craft Design & Technology: Leeds Polytechnic                          Ceramics, Cabinet Making, Silver-smithing, History of Art & Design

Dronfield Heritage trust Roles & Responsibilities

2014 – Present            Artist in Residence  involving

Research and Commissioned Art Projects

Poor Old Horse : a sculptural costume puppet for a local folk tale in collaboration with First Art NE Derbyshire 2015/16

Elementa : Film and projection mapping 2016

Curation of Exhibitions

Adult Education classes in Drawing, painting and photography

Collaboration with local schools developing narratives, artwork and performances.

Liaison with local community arts groups

Teaching experience

I am a teaching professional with 30+ years experience in practical studio and workshop management with strong communication and interpersonal skills.

1990 – Current:           Teacher of Art: (part time since 2007))

Hasland Hall Community School, Chesterfield.

11-16 Mixed Comprehensive All Ability Learning

(2003-2007 Learning Coordinator – pastoral support and team leader)

2015 – 2016                 Adult Education:  teaching drawing and painting and photography Dronfield Heritage Trust.

2014 – 15                     Artist Speaker and workshop leader Birmingham City University MA Course and Artist Teacher Scheme (5 days total)

1984 – 1990                Teacher of Design & Technology and Head of 3D Art and Design, William Rhodes Secondary School, Chesterfield.

Professional Assosciation

1990 – present                     NSEAD. The National Society for Educators in Art and Design