Sarah Ruttle
Sarah Ruttle
Blossoming Beyond the Darkness. (working title)
September 24 to November 24
Studio Open to the Public on Thursday and Friday
Beyond the Darkness Part One was a conversation with Arts for Health participants which explored the creative possibilities and approaches for working with participants with visual impairments. Building on the current methods of creative and inclusive engagement within the Arts for Health Partnership Programme, West Cork. In Part Two of this learning and research visual artist Sarah Ruttle will look at how the sensory experience can enhance creative engagement for both the participant during the process of project growth and the potential audience in an artistic outcome/legacy piece.
The aim of this learning is to have the participant voice and experience impact the development of creative projects. For every person we meet within an Arts and Health context to be able to choose to engage with the programme no matter their ability.
A group of Arts for Health participants will be invited to join in this learning conversation. Part One was inspiring and productive because a group of invited participants experiencing a variety of impairment in their vision were open to meeting and sharing in a creative conversation. Part Two will continue in this approach of creative conversation building on learning. In parallel to this Sarah will research creative projects which have had the senses considered from the start and at its centre at each stage of development.
This learning will sit well within Sarah’s approach to her participatory practice. Working with a series of elements, she has developed an interest in how the use of poetry, soundscapes and storytelling support the growth of making with our hands.
‘I love working alongside participants and collaboratively making. I think each person we meet has something in them to create and working as an artist encouraging this part of them, I feel is a privilege. I want to learn more, so I can grow in my approaches to working in Arts and Health, benefiting the participants who are open taking a creative journey.’
Sarah Ruttle is a visual artist based in West Cork, with both a solo and participatory arts practice. Individually, she specialises in drawing, paper-cut art and textiles. Making art to capture unique moments of humanity, emotion, courage and hope, her figurative works often feature portraiture. Collaboration is central to Sarah’s work with groups, developing playful, considered and inclusive projects with participants and other artists within health and social care settings. She hopes that people can identify with the work she creates, both on her own and in collaboration. Sarah has worked as part of the Arts for Health Partnership Programme since 2008.
Arts for Health Partnership Programme Development
Sarah Ruttle
Arts and Early Childhood
26 August to 12 October 2019
In this research and development residency for Uillinn's Arts and Early Childhood programme, Sarah Ruttle will explore her practice in relation to developing work with young children as audience and participants. The residency will support the development of larger scale interactive work. Sarah intends to experiment by making and exploring materials, textures and form and taking time to build on and maintain arts practice through exploring new concepts while making.
In parallel, time will be scheduled to reflect on the Discovery Box and Early Childhood programming at Uillinn with Justine Foster, Programme Manger: Education & Community, and together they will research other work taking place internationally and reflect on current practices in relation to the programmes created here at Uillinn.
'Being one of the commissioned artists to develop Uillinn’s Discovery Box programme for the gallery has led me to consider how the investment in making quality work as an artist for public engagement and participatory practice is intertwined.’
Sarah Ruttle, a graduate of Textiles from DJCAD Dundee, Scotland, works across disciplines using textiles, paper-cutting, print and illustration, developing both small intricate, and large-scale, installations. Since 2009 Sarah has worked on the Arts for Health Partnership Programme, where she is a mentor for new artists entering the programme. As a gallery educator, Sarah works with primary and second level schools at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, where she also leads the In the Picture Uillinn’s dementia friendly gallery programme. Sarah co-facilitates a programme with West Cork Mental Health Services’ Centre for Mental Health Care and Recovery. Sarah’s participatory practice includes work with early years and families and commissioned artist for a number of West Cork Arts Centre’s Discovery Box gallery resources for families. She has received awards from CREATE, Cork County Council, Creative Ireland and the Arts Council.
WCAC acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Cork County Council in making these residencies possible.
