2024-2025 Magnify: Artists in Residency Program

Magnify: Artists in Residency Program; Parkdale, Victoria, Australia. 21st October 2024 – 17th Janurary 2025.

I participated in the Magnify: Artists in Residence programme, hosted by Kingston Arts (Kingston City Council). My residency was held at the Shirley Burke Theatre, G3 Gallery Space, from 21 October 2024 to 2 February 2025 (Block 2, extended dates). I shared the G3 Gallery Space with fellow artist Timothée Chalazonitis.

The Magnify residency provided me with the opportunity to explore various media and engage with the community. I worked in the window space, allowing passersby to observe me working. It was an honour to meet so many members of the community, many of whom are talented artists in their own right, even if some were too shy to identify as artists.

My focus during the residency was to experiment with various art mediums, particularly 2D art forms, as my previous work concentrated on 3D sculptural pieces. During this period, I enhanced my linocutting and watercolour skills, and I also explored my ink drawings on a new scale and context. Throughout the process, I found myself immersed in research about the many incredible Australian animals and plants currently facing extinction. Many of my watercolours depicted their stories, and I am excited to continue this project beyond the residency.

Creating art and exploring my practice are wonderful aspects of undertaking residencies; another amazing aspect is the people you get to meet. I have connected with many talented artists during my time in the programme, and many of us still keep in touch, sharing exciting news and opportunities, and supporting each other's practices.

I would like to thank Kingston Arts for this incredible opportunity, the gallery space, and for the ongoing support they continue to offer, even after the residency has finished. 

If you would like to see the daily vlogs I took documenting my time in the residency, you can find them on my Instagram @amyleesdoherty or on my YouTube channel @AmyLees-Doherty