Larne artist supports young people during lockdown

Kim Montgomery received £1,200 as part of part of the Arts Council’s Individuals Emergency Resilience Programme (IERP).

Kim established Art of this World fine art workshops service in 2014. The service caters for all ages and abilities, specialising in drawing, painting, collage and sculpture.

Kim’s clients include schools and community groups. She established the service to offer the kinds of creative opportunities and experiences she would have liked as a child who loved art. The service exists to promote creativity and wellbeing for community groups and schools through fine art activities.

Speaking to the Times, Kim, who has wanted to be an artist since childhood, said: “I was delighted to receive the £1,200 I had requested.

“I have used this towards learning new technical skills towards building Art of this World’s online presence, covering essential business running costs and materials, offering opportunities for young artists including, running a children’s art competition and online workshop.

“I have had to learn how to adapt and exist as a workshop service in a virtual way as Covid-19 has impacted on the physical existence of what I do.

“Making art never stops for me anyway, it is something I do for fun so to be able to carry out art-based work is a privilege.”

Detailing her passion for art, Kim added: “As a pupil at Larne Grammar School, Mr Stuart Nelson, my brilliant Art and Design teacher inspired me to become a visual artist.

“He encouraged me, cared about my work and introduced me to the exciting world of artists and their work in books. I sold my first painting at A Level to CCEA and exhibited this in the first ‘True Colours’ exhibition in 2000 run by CCEA.

“I studied BA Honours at Ulster University and Postgraduate Fine Art Drawing at Wimbledon College of Art (University of the Arts London). My work is published and exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the UK and Ireland.

“I qualified as an Art and Design and Special Educational Needs teacher in 2005 at Ulster University, Coleraine and have since taught across mainstream primary and post-primary schools and schools for children with severe learning difficulties, and as a further education lecturer.”

Ahead of the relaxation of Government Covid restrictions, Kim is looking forward to working with her clients face-to-face.

She explained: “Pre-Covid I travelled to clients’ premises, however, physical art facilitation became an impossibility with Covid-19 restrictions in place with building closures imposed.

“Although it’s been interesting developing new virtual ways of navigating my workshop service, I look forward to a time when art can be made in the same room as my clients again.

“I would like to thank the Arts Council NI and Department for Communities for their generous support.”

Noirin McKinney, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented: “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support visual artist, Kim Montgomery, through our Individuals Emergency Resilience Programme. 

“This programme offers much-needed financial support and employment to individuals working within the wider Creative Economy, at a time when essential elements of the arts sector have been decimated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

For further information about Kim’s workshops and exhibitions, check out www.kimmontgomery.co.uk

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Four Newtownabbey artists have been awarded £2,000 each to create new work as part of the d/Deaf and Disabled Artists Support Fund 2020/21.

For more on this story, read here

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