Inga Hamilton
PhD Researcher & Maker
Art Jewellery & Inhabitable Sculptures Blending the Spaces Between Species
**Recipient of a Northern Bridge Consortium Full Doctoral Studentship Award**
**Association of Contemporary Jewellers' 2020 Graduate Award Winner**Recipient of Multiple Arts Council NI SIAP Awards**
"It's the easiest thing in the World to create art that shocks, but I want to touch your heart - for
you to become lost in my work’s intricacy; seized with a childlike desire to be enveloped by it."
Bio
Inga is currently a PhD researcher at the University of Sunderland, working to create
a lexicon of making language applicable to 'The Things That Nonhuman Animals Make."
Her research is a continuation of her artistic work, aimed at
Blending The Spaces Between Species.
She is the recipient of a Northern Bridge Consortium full doctoral studentship award.
Driven by a life-long craft obsession, oft embracing low-fi equipment that she builds herself, Inga also embraces cutting-edge technologies. She is all about the process, the detail and the rich backstory of materials used by human animals and nonhuman animals alike.
Whilst her large installations show in galleries, her transient, momentary performances are only ever captured through photography or film.
Her site-specific installation for Belfast's Queen’s University Computer Science Building, and the Naughton Gallery, is on permanent display, open to the public.
Inga's exhibitions and residencies boast prestigious international venues and galleries, such as Queen’s University, Belfast; VISUAL Carlow; The Chicago Cultural Centre; The Hayward, London; New York’s American Irish Historical Society; and Dublin’s Ark.
Her US residencies include Pyramid Atlantic MD, St Lawrence University, NY, and Flux studios, MD. Inga is a member of Red Dirt Studios, MD, USA.
Outside of her own sculptural practice, Hamilton has judged international fibre grant awards, sat on ethics committee panels at Trinity College, Dublin, as well as creating bespoke yarns and blends for the late Alexander McQueen at Gucci.
She is the recipient of multiple Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP awards, as well as the 2020 Association of Contemporary Jewellers' Graduate Award.
In 2014, Hamilton was chosen as one of Ireland’s leading textile artists.
Artistic Statement
It is my desire as a maker to explore blending the boundaries between species.
Through my body of jewellery work, I spotlight the inherent critical thinking and understanding of materials utilised when makers of all species make. By using readily-dismissed, low-value natural materials, such as seaweed and salt, I endeavour to produce desirable, high-value, wearable adornment. By instigating comparative discussion around my work with that of non-human-animal makers employing the same materials and techniques, such as decorator crabs or dolphins, I hope to challenge the viewer’s concepts of value and adornment within the natural world.
Striving to enchant, my wearable work blends species, aiming to spark debate and bring about a wider consideration of thought process in all making by all species. My hope is to pursue this route with those working across all scientific, cultural and artistic platforms and in future help to synthesise this knowledge into a non-speciest framework of understanding in making.
I travels the world learning traditional craft techniques from those that have mastered them. My central interests lie in textiles, ceramics and cutting edge technologies when applied to the body. I take these techniques and bend them – applying them to my own sculptural vision.
"My concentration is the beauty in the detail. In my studio, I will spend up to a year working on an installation. If I require a crochet hook, I will carve it; yarn, I will spin and dye it; a pot, I will dig the clay and throw it.
Concepts are one thing, but for me, the real craft is in the very process of quality making and the story it embodies."
CV
Workshops offered
Acid Dyeing (beginner)
Wild Carding
Freeform Crochet (beginner)
Building a Woodland Loom
Creature Making
Sculpting Smoked Ceramic Birds
Please see the Workshops page in the pull down menu above and then use the Contact Me page if you would like to host one of my workshops for your
group or university.
2010 - present
2010 - present
Education
2017 - 2020 BA Hons Ceramics, Jewellery and Silversmithing, 1st Class Honours Ulster University
2016 - 2017 Pearson BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (QCF)
Qualifications
DISTINCTION Pearson BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (QCF)
PASS City and Guilds ICT Level 2
Awards
2020 Association of Contemporary Jewellery Graduate Award
2020 Executive Dean’s List Award Winner
2019 Subway Ireland Scholarship Winner
2019 Broadening Horizons Travel Bursary Winner
2016 University of Atypical, IDA Award
2013 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2013 The Art and Craft of Beer, MD, USA. Judges Award
2012 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2011 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2009 Arts Council of Northern Ireland Travel Award
Commissions
2018 Queen’s University Belfast, Naughton Collection.
Permanent Art Installation, EEECS Building.
2014 VISUAL, Carlow, Ireland.
Exhibited As 1 of 5 Leading Textile Artists of Ireland.
2012 Private Commission, FL, USA.
Ceramic Art Installation for Client’s Domestic Setting.
2008 Alexander McQueen, Gucci.
Spinning Bespoke Yarn Blends for Collections.
2007 Lush, UK.
Christmas Window Installations for Top 12 Stores.
Residencies & Professorships
2012 Flux Studios & Red Dirt Studios, MD, USA.
Ceramics Artist in Residence.
2009 & 2011 St Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA.
Visiting Professor.
2009 & 2011 Pyramid Atlantic. Silver Spring, MD. USA.
Papermaking and Print Visiting Artist Residency.
2009 & 2010 Shiplake College. Henley-On-Thames, UK.
Artist in Residence.
2010 Oak Hammock Farm, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA.
Textile Artist in Residence.
Professional Activities
2001-Present Elephant Shoes Ink Ltd. Children’s Publishing Company NI.
Owner Director, Editor & Writer with Andrew Hamilton, Illustrator.
2012- Present Red Dirt Studio, MD, USA.
Lifetime Member.
2019 WorldSkills Day Participant.
2019 Eddie J. Doherty Silversmithing Workshops.
2012 Science Gallery, Trinity College, Dublin, IRE
Ethics Committee Panellist.
2011 Trinity College. Dublin, IRE.
Using Textiles in Research with Physicist Dr Stefan Hutzler.
2009 & 2010 International Fibre Collaborative
Annual Grant Judge.
2008 Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, London, UK.
The Art and Craft of Saving the World Symposium Speaker.
2000 – 2001 Self-Employed
Writer & Content Creator of Children’s Books and Magazines
1996 – 2000 Act-Two Publishing, London, UK
Researcher, Writer and Editor of Children’s Animal, Art and
Reference Books and Magazines.
Memberships Held
A-N -The Artists Information Company
ACJ - Association for Contemporary Jewellery
CBS - Contemporary British Silversmiths
DACS – Design and Artists Copyright Service
DCCOI – Design and Crafts Council of Ireland
KLIMT02
UGSWD – Ulster Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers
We Are Jewellers & Silversmiths NI
Exhibitions
2019 The Duncairn Centre, Belfast, NI
2018-Present Computer Science Building, QUB Naughton Gallery, NI.
2017 Red Dirt, Mount Rainier, MD USA.
2015 Angie Newman Gallery, EHS, Alexandria, USA.
2015 Foster Art Gallery, Westminster College, Pennsylvania. USA.
2014 VISUAL Carlow, Carlow, IRE.
2013 Gateway Arts, Mount Rainier, MD, USA
2013 Handmade in America, Asheville, NC, USA.
2012 The Ark, Dublin, IRE.
2012 R Space, Lisburn. NI.
2012 Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, IRE.
2011 American Irish Historical Society, NYC. USA
2011 Cornerhouse, Manchester. UK & Waterfront Hall, Belfast. NI.
2011 Turnpike Gallery. Leigh. UK
2011 The Ark, Dublin, IRE.
2011 FE McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge. NI.
2010 Ulster Festival of Art And Design. University of Ulster, NI
2010 Mathematics ‘Textures’ Conference, Riga, Latvia.
2009 Alternative Village Fete, Southbank, London, UK
2009 Royal Ulster Hall, Belfast, NI
2009 Crack! Festival, Rome, Italy.
2009 Marine Conservation Society, Birmingham, UK
2009 Turnpike Gallery, Leigh, UK
2008 Clarence House, London, UK
2008 ICHF, Touring, UK
2008 Hayward Gallery, Southbank, London, UK
2008 Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, London, UK
2008 Memorial Art Gallery, Yale College, Wrexham, UK.
2008 World Financial Centre, New York, NY, USA.
2007 Chicago Cultural Centre, Chicago, IL. USA
Charitable Work
2012-Present Womens’ Aid
2010 Prince’s Trust
Sponsors
3M, Bridgedale Socks, Richard Hare Kilts, Culls Upholsterers