Red Studio Enquiry

Red Studio Enquiry was a research and development project exploring the work of Mary Potter (1900-1981).

Hayley Field working at Red Studio

The project was a unique opportunity for the artists to work in residence at Red Studio, Mary Potter’s home and studio in Aldeburgh. Red Studio is situated in the grounds of The Red House (former home of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears), which houses a significant collection of Mary Potter’s paintings. Each artist spent a week in residence, followed by a final collaborative week. This gave time for practice-based exploration and research of Mary Potter’s work and surrounding themes of gender and place. 

Work made by Jacqueline Utley during her residency week

The residency provided time to explore the surroundings and domestic space Mary Potter often painted. They each responded to the residency through their practice, whilst also conducting collaborative research during their stay. This included access to the Britten Pears archive, spending time with Mary Potter’s work, walking the surrounding area and connecting with a local artist who had been mentored by Mary and was able to share her impasto painting technique (of marble dust mixed with beeswax).

The landscape near Red Studio

As part of the residency the artists held open studio sessions and a final installation event, along with programming a talk on Mary Potter’s paintings accompanied by an exhibition of her work in the Red House Library.

Experimenting with Mary Potter’s impasto technique

A follow-up event, Red Studio Enquiry Conversations, was held at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich.  This provided a rich and exciting context in which to examine some of the key themes that emerged from the research through diverse speakers and activities. The day included a sharing of their research and experience of the residency followed by practical activities exploring a selection of work by women artists from the Ipswich Borough Council Collection led by the Drawing Exchange and Emma Roodhouse, Collections and Learning Curator. Further speakers included art historian Dr Mandy Bentley; Deputy Director of Raven Row, Amy Budd; and artist and Deputy Director of the V&A Research Institute, Dr Martha Fleming.

Drawing Exchange activity at Red Studio Conversations

Research

We were awarded an a-n Review bursary 2015/16 to facilitate four professional critique meetings to reflect on Obscure Secure and develop our ideas towards Red Studio Enquiry.