Anne Marie is very inspiring to work with. Enthusiasm and ideas overflow from her – but she can also see and express the best way to bring ideas to real, practical outcomes. Talking to Anne Marie opened my eyes to numerous potential audiences and collaborations which I otherwise would not have entertained. She has a way of making things understandable whilst also expanding the artist’s vision. Anne Marie put me at ease and made me feel valued as an artist as well as a member of a team. I always look forward to a meeting with her – it is like a shot in the arm for my creative energy! I think one of the most useful and rewarding things about working with Anne Marie is the sense of positivity and possibility that she engenders. She recognises challenges and comes up with creative ways to overcome them. Anne Marie understands the importance of accessibility and inclusion in all arts projects and has suggested manageable ways for me to address this in my work. I would definitely jump at the chance to work with her again in the future – and would whole-heatedly recommend her to anyone in the arts.
Sal Tonge- Storyteller, Musician & so much more :
Anne Marie is warm and friendly and knows the value of a good cup of tea and blether to feel a way into idea and a seam of thought. She continually gives permission for you to trust you hunches and instincts and go with the flirtations of interest which are so often cut short in a creator’s life. Her gentle and consistent permission is something to grow with. As I look back on the time working with Anne Marie, I realise I have been encouraged to take risks, to speak from my heart and try new things. This has certainly impacted and fuelled my approach for the future – I have a confident curiosity to respond to opportunities and invitations in these post Covid 19 times.
Anne Marie encouraged me to seek Arts Council Emergency Funding which has been a huge practical help and without her nudge I may not have though I was valuable enough to even apply.
I have loved working with Anne Marie and also the potent, positive people who are part of her networks. Her can-do attitude and resourceful funding finding makes me feel positive that there is afuture for us artists. When working with Anne Marie instructions are clear and she is always contactable. What more can we ask from our mentors?…
Sue Brisco – Visual and Sound Artist:
If anyone was thinking about applying for ACE funding, I would wholeheartedly recommend AML as a support mentor. I was successful with my application and she made it all possible and I can’t thank her enough for this experience.Making an ACE application requires a great deal of intensive effort and AML gave me a stronger chance of being successful than if I tried to muddle through on my own. During our meetings AML was an excellent communicator and had a clear plan of how we should proceed, and I felt confident in her expertise. She knew the Arts Council requirements and with that in mind she was always gently steering and shaping my project to fit these requirements. I always felt supported by AML even with trivial queries. Nothing was too much trouble and she reassured me at every turn, gently encouraging and pushing. The portal was like a foreign language initially with each section requiring special considerations and important information. She translated the whole process into bite-size manageable chunks, steadily working towards a finished, well-shaped and engaging proposal that ACE would appreciate. My funding was awarded and when I began the year long project AML also became my project support mentor which made me feel safe in the knowledge that she was always there in the background, helping to monitor and reassure and offer help where needed. This was all achieved with a brilliant balance of support and freedom to perform as an artist.She helped me to believe in myself as an artist by subtly and gently stretching my abilities. I have a low self-esteem (which isn’t good for an artist – I know) but somehow, I became confident. Overall, I found AML to be friendly, enthusiastic about me and my project and our working relationship became a pleasant, fun experience.
Carole Thorpe-Gunner- Sculptor:
Ann Marie is always full of inspirational ideas, delivering them with kindness & clarity. Experience, wisdom & sensitivity to individual & group needs is a rare gift; She has it!
Regarding my recent Arts Council project, I ve found that discussions have been very much a “two way “ thing, where dialogue is open & flowing, enabling creative thought processes to flourish.Ann Marie is receptive, taking on board relevant, often difficult issues, & making them more accessible to the individual with whom she is working. By exploring intricate concepts, listening & being genuinely interested in the personal, as well as the work itself, she is able to follow through project plans in a much more rounded way.By gently guiding & suggesting, the perilous route of certain projects becomes less frightening.At each stage Ann Marie informs, inspires & leads one forward with a light & cheerful hand. She is instrumental in making possibilities reach fruition.A personable approach at meetings & on the phone have supported me & led my own ideas forward in a way which could have been problematic on my own.I would certainly have been unable to dissect & understand the intricacies of funding applications; an alien world to me!
Ann Marie’s ability to recognise the “Big Picture” & steer an individual through the rich possibilities of collaborative work has been an inspiration to me. I would certainly recommend Ann Marie’s mentoring skills to others & I would definitely seek further advice in the future.
Moya Lloyd- creative producer/facilitator at Boundary Way project
Over the past couple of years I have commissioned Anne Marie to deliver a series of creative workshops as part of the Boundary Way project. This included craft sessions exploring seasonal folklore, women’s role and the landscape and most recently fungi, all developed in response to the community garden and using found materials. The workshops were well attended, enjoyed by participants and added a wonderful new dimension to our heritage research. Anne Marie combined her art expertise with a knowledge of folklore and an engaging presentation style. It’s been exciting to experience her cross disciplinary practice that incorporates storytelling, art and craft techniques and knowledge of folklore and history.
Anne Marie carried out thorough research to explore relevant folklore and bring in many local references too. Her knowledge has brought a new rich resource to our project. Since her first session we have closely collaborated to explore ideas and ways of working. As a result I was delighted to be able to programme a banner-making session at our site in 2018 and then link in with Artichoke’s Processions 100 project marking the centenary of women gaining the right to vote.
As part of this session Anne Marie uncovered a wealth of information about women’s role on the land during the First World War and it was fascinating to learn and share local stories during 2 public sessions. She demonstrated a variety of textile techniques with participants of all abilities, producing a final banner which we are proud to display and honoured that it was included as part of the national project in the Cardiff procession. She runs inclusive workshops and engages with her audience with a great warmth and sense of fun.
July 2020
AML 