Jen Whiskerd

John Stadnicki Student Photography Award

On 24th August 2023 it will be a year since my husband, the photographer John Stadnicki died. His untimely and unexpected sudden death has had a great impact on every person who knew John over the years: family, friends, colleagues, students, ex-students, and the art community in Stroud, Gloucestershire, where he lived and worked.

John Stadnicki (1961 – 2022)

John worked at the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College for over thirty years and has been an integral part of the Arts Departments, especially the photography specialism. He was generous and supportive, and his life was about inspiring young people to believe in themselves and be the best version of themselves.

In recognition of John’s legacy and dedication to photography and to his students, SGS College has initiated the John Stadnicki Student Photography Award. The first edition took place at the end of the academic year 22-23. The prize was awarded to the first set of students,  based on the votes from former and current tutors, local photographers (both amateur and professional) and a public vote.

On 24th September 2023, I will be walking 21 miles in support of this initiative, together with Andrew Morrison, Jen Whiskerd, Adelaide Morris, Chris Morris and Amanda Bonney Lowery, as we would like for this award and legacy to continue in the years to come, and to support other talented students.

If you could like to join and / or support the award, please do. Access the link below:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/creative-department-ssoa

My gratitude goes to the Art Department at SGS, and especially to Kayleigh Reynolds for co-ordinating this initiative and for working so hard to make it happen! My gratitude also goes to the friends joining the walk and supporting this initiative.

Here are the winners of the 1st edition of the John Stadnicki Student Photography Award 2022.

First place (winning £250): Bethan Seymour – Lady Lying.
Second Place (winning £100): Lottie Jones – Man Resting.
Third Place (winning £50): Martha Haslam – Fungi Close Up.

Thank you very much.

Maria Stadnicka

‘Domestication’ for Printed Poetry Symposium, Centre for Print Research UWE Bristol, 14 Oct 2021

‘Domestication’ Maria Stadnicka and Andrew Morrison, October 2021

For Printed Poetry Symposium Andrew Morrison and Maria Stadnicka have documented the process of making a collaborative print – a dialogue between poet (who also draws) and letterpress artist (who also writes). The poem reaches towards appropriate visual form as letterpress variations are passed between the two. Maria and Andrew have worked together on a number of projects involving written/spoken word and visual arts; most recently Andrew’s letterpress collages made in response to Maria’s poems from Buried Gods Metal Prophets (Guillemot Press, 2021).

Printed Poetry Symposium is organised by Angie Butler for the Centre for Print Research, UWE, Bristol. and takes place on Thursday, 14th October 2021, 2pm at Arnolfini, Bristol.

The event includes talks by: Nancy Campbell, Johanna Darque (Small Press), Antony Dunn (the People Powered Press), Leonard McDermid, Andrew Morrison, Maria Stadnicka, Ndukwe Onuoha, Pat Randle, and Barrie Tullett. Tickets are available here.

© Maria Stadnicka, October 2021.

Domestication. Fragment

Short clip from the video ‘Domestication’ © Andrew Morrison and Maria Stadnicka, 2021

This is a fragment from ‘Domestication’ created by Andrew Morrison and Maria Stadnicka. The video follows the poem ‘Domestication’ (© Stadnicka, 2021) and it is a reflection on how the notions of work, writing and collaboration have changed during the lockdown in the UK, following the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

‘Domestication’ was produced for the Printed Poetry Project, organised by Angie Butler for the Centre for Print Research, UWE, Bristol.

The video and discussion will feature on Thursday, 14th October 2021, 2pm at the Printed Poetry Symposium, Arnolfini, Bristol.

The symposium will include talks by: Nancy Campbell, Johanna Darque (Small Press), Antony Dunn (the People Powered Press), Leonard McDermid, Andrew Morrison, Maria Stadnicka, Ndukwe Onuoha, Pat Randle, and Barrie Tullett. Tickets are available here.

© Maria Stadnicka, September 2021.

A home, a home. I give my kingdom for a home.

‘Migration – Stories / A Cultural Exchange / Workshop’, Stroud, Gloucestershire, Museum in the Park

Drawing: Maria Stadnicka, November, MMXVII

Migration Stories – Cultural Exchange Project initiated by Univ. of Gloucestershire at Museum in the Park

A week to go! 12th November 2017 from 10.30 am!

So happy to be part of this and to support an excellent project!

Migration Stories / A Cultural Exchange which celebrates the diversity and the powerful cultural impact of our migrants’ stories and experiences.

‘Spoken languages can both unite and separate human kind. Through education we can learn to speak other languages and this entitles us to appreciate cultures around us. However, linguistics alone are just one conduit of understanding – our sense of what is to be human in the world is also built on non-linguistic cultural experiences – we learn through stories, legends, music, food, dance, festivals, artefacts and images.‘ (Excerpt from Daniel Barenboim, on the 16th July 2017, in an impromptu speech at the Proms Albert Hall.)

Photograph: ©John Stadnicki

12th November 2017 at Museum in the Park, Stroud, Gloucestershire is the first part of a beautiful cultural project which will continue and will develop over the next three months.

The workshop will start at 10.30am at Museum in the Park and will bring together narrators, MA illustrators, poets, writers and photographers.

At 11am we will invite illustrators, photographers, writers, students to listen and to be inspired by the unique stories and memories of those who have experienced the joy, the pain, the comic, the humane journey of those, amongst us, arrived from somewhere else.

The narrators Anita Roy, Dolores Phelps, Maria Stadnicka, Fumio Obata, Ro Saul, John Stadnicki will tell us their memories.

Lunch time – bring and share food from our own heritage

Photograph: © John Stadnicki ‘Portrait – Mr. Sova’

The afternoon will create opportunities for smaller groups to discuss in detail elements of the stories and will begin to consolidate ideas for creative responses.

The creative responses will be completed by  6th December 2017 and a small dedicated team will produce a beautiful new Riso book, ready for the launch on the 22nd of January 2018.

Partners involved: University of Gloucestershire, University of Winchester, SGS Stroud College, Museum in the Park, Stroud, Gloucestershire.

We are looking forward to your participation and contribution!

 

 

The next event will on the 22nd November 2017 at Museum in the Park, Stroud, Gloucestershire: 

Chaired by Dolores Phelps, MPhil/PhD Researcher, Illustration

9.30 Coffee and introductions

10am start

Introduction by Dolores Phelps and Jen Whiskerd

10.15 Presentation by Andrew Melrose

10.45 Presentation by Adelaide Morris

11.15 Presentation by Olivier Kugler

12.00 Lunch

1.00 Presentation by Fumio Obata

1.30 Presentation by Dolores Phelps

2.00 Presentation by TBA OR Panel discussion

2.30 Panel discussion/Q&A – Olivier, Adelaide, Andrew

3pm Closing remarks.

3.30 Close

Come along and get involved!