Grant helps Barbara Ash exhibit new sculptural works
Image credit: Barbara Ash Barbara Ash is a sculptor and freelance Art educator who lives in Keynsham.
The Creative Freelancer Grant allowed Barbara the research period to create a dynamic body of work exploring themes of female experience, power and freedom, and to investigate new creative approaches with the aim to develop a new range of affordable items alongside larger scale sculptures.
Barbara was invited to work with an international professional network of textile-based artists “Prism textile artists” to participate in their annual show in London in April 2025 in the Art Pavilion in Mile End Park.
This enabled a higher profile for her work and gave the opportunity to reach a wider audience with a great selling platform.
How did the Creative Freelancer Grant help?
Through the funding provided, Barbara developed ideas for a sideline of mini fabric sculptures and open edition lino prints/cards for the exhibition shop, alongside the sculptures in the main gallery, making the work more accessible to the general public rather than just collectors.
I feel the research time awarded by the grant was very successful for me; I am very confident that I have found a viable, commercial angle to my artworks; an accessible route for a wider reach of people to own my artworks, meaning more people can be introduced to my practice and have my work in their homes.