Approved: 16.08.2006

Simon Tipping

Artist, Community worker, Consultant, Event organiser, Project manager

Approved: 16.08.2006

Prehistoric cave paintings to modern day films, art serves as a vessel for storytelling and conveying humankind's relationship with its environment.

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Artist Statement

Prehistoric cave paintings to modern day films, art serves as a vessel for storytelling and conveying humankind's relationship with its environment.

Route Canal Arts is a new venture for community artist and entrepreneur Simon Tipping, focusing on art in education and family learning settings. Fine arts trained, Simon Tipping has over 30 years experience of working with people, young and old and has spent much of the last 15 years working in the carnival sector and on street arts events. Simon was a co-founder and Director for 12 years of Festive Road , which specialises in carnival and outdoor arts that aims to bring communities to life, and make ‘art’ relevant, participatory and accessible.

Route Canal Arts:

Our mission: To support, deliver transformative workshops and events of creative activity that develop the imagination, confidence and skills of participants and artists

Our vision: Nurture each community’s self-esteem and imagination to help them create, collaborate and celebrate

Our values: To deliver high quality educational art workshops and products, skill share, recycle, work with diverse communities, team build and encourage partnerships and collaborations

Route Canal Arts provides an outlet of expression influenced by history, culture and tradition; we help facilitate the best possible opportunities in creative and cultural experiences for educational and community settings. The art forms we can provide include visual arts – drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpting and textiles; performing arts – among them music (Samba and Indian Dhol), dance, puppeteering, and theatre. Some art forms will combine a visual element with performance e.g. carnival, film, lantern parades and festivals. 

 

CV & Education

Professional, competent, self-motivated, Creative Thinker, leadership & project management skills, methodical, conscientious, competent and punctual. Genial personality with exceptional interpersonal skills, Problem solving,  Computer Literate.

Simon has developed a diverse range of art skills and activities to create visual art not only in his personal work but also within education. In their most general form these activities include the production of works of art, the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the aesthetic dissemination of art.

Skills: Backpacks, Basket making, Batik, Carnival Costumes, Ceramics, Dhol drumming, Flags and banners, Glass slumping, Giant puppets/figures, Kiln construction, Lantern making (Glass, laminated, traditional willow and tissue paper), Large processional figures/sculptures, Live Willow, Masks, Masquerade Masks, Murals, Paper Boats, Paper Kilns, Plaster casting, Raku, Sculpture

 

Employment History

Full Time: Route Canal Arts CIC – Artist, Director, Project manager & Educational specialist

January 2017 to Present, Grand Union Canal, Peartree Bridge, Milton Keynes

 

 

Full Time: Festive Road CIC – Artist, Director, Project manager & Educational specialist

February 2005 to 2016, 28 Burners Lane, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes

 

Project manager, Creative development, Event organiser, Road Closure, stock control, sales, networking, marketing, Trainer, Teacher

 

Full Time & Part Time: Self Employed Artist, community artist and teacher

1985 to Present, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Somerset.

 

Production of art, marketing, Exhibitions (Participation, organisation and display)  

Teaching for: Adult Education, Bletchley Collage for Higher Education,  HMP Woodhill, Milton Keynes Community workshops, Creative Partnerships (The Mighty Creatives, UKCCA, Creative Junction) and Schools

 

Full Time: Galley Hill workshop manager, Milton Keynes Community Workshop

1999 - 2000

Timetable and management of courses, customer development, Skill share, stock control, Site supervisor.

 

 

Education
1982 - 1985      Bristol Polytechnic, Bristol.               BA (Hons) Degree 3D Ceramic design

1980 - 1982      Bedford College.                               Art Foundation Courses 1 & 2

Professional Qualifications
2013/2015       Arts Award advisor (Discover, Bronze and Silver)

2012                Lantra Road Traffic management

 

 

Research and Professional Development:

2014                Olinda and Rio Carnivals, Brazil

2014                Le Machine, France

2012 & 14       Lewes Bonfire Societies

2013-16           Bridgwater Carnival

2008                Dhaka, Bangladesh, International Artists workshop

2007                Bie Jing China with Kinetika Bloco

2006                Sardinia, Italy, International Artist workshop

2006                Venice Carnival

2005                Trinnidad Carnival

 

Training:

1985 to present            Ongoing self-development

2013-15           Arts Council Catalyst training

2005                Project Management Training, SameSky

2005                Health & Safety for events, Capita Symonds Ltd, Birmingham

2005                Illuminations for Festival Structures Training, SameSky

2004                Introduction to Film, filming & editing, Living Archive, Milton Keynes

2003                Carnival Costume Training Course, Kinetika & Interaction MK

2000                Glass forming, Coffee hall arts workshop, MK

2000                Experimenting with Paper Kilns, AWT. Ltd

2000                Carnival Costume Training Course, Interaction

1996                  Health & Safety at Work, woodwork Machinery

1996 – 2015    St Johns Ambulance, Emergency Aid

1996                  City & Guilds 7304, stage 1, Adult teacher training

1985                Working with young people, stage 1, Bucks County Council

Computer Skills

Microsoft office (word, power point, Access)

Adobe Photoshop

Social Media – Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Skype

 

Professional Memberships

2014 - 2015             Milton Keynes Chamber on behalf of Festive Road

2013 – Present             Creative Learning Network: Milton Keynes on behalf of Festive Road

2012 – Present             Carnival Network South, Board Member

1992 – 2008                Member of the Silbury Group of Artists

                                                (1995 to 1997 Chairman) (2000 to Jan 2003 Chairman)

2002 – 2008                Craft Potters Association

1998 - 2001                 the Hertfordshire Visual Arts Forum. Active Member.

1994 - 1998                 Milton Keynes Craft guild (1995 Full member)

Volunteering

2008 – present             Dhol Drummer and skill-share leader

 

Solo exhibitions

2002 - Earthbound Ceramics, Westbury Farm Studios, Milton Keynes

1999 - The Old Hall, Hemel Hempstead

1987 - One Person Show of Ceramics and Drawings, Queens Park, Aylesbury

1987 - One Person Show of Ceramics and Drawings, Stantonbury Gallery, Milton Keynes

1986 - One Person Show of Ceramics and Drawings, The Great Barn, Milton Keynes

 

Group exhibitions

2002 - Ars Longa Vita Brevis, The Kaunas Gallery, Lithuania

2002 - Milton Keynes Arts Festival, Middleton Hall, Central Milton Keynes

2002 - Tor Sapienza in Arte, Tor Supienza, Rome, Italy

2001 - 10 Years of the Silbury Group, MK-G, Milton Keynes

2001 - Memoirs of my Travels, The Barn Gallery, Milton Keynes; The Kaunas Gallery, Lithuania

2000 - City-a Vessel for Souls, Milton Keynes

2000 - The Millennium Dome, London

1999 - In/hibition, The Barn Gallery, Buckinghamshire

1999 - Inside, Outside, The Place, Letchworth

1998 - Burham On the Beaches, Slough, Bucks

1998 - Hertfordshire Open Studio's, Berkhamsted, Herts

1998 - V International Painting Symposium, Lithuania

1997 - Chicken Lady and The Mud Man, Onsight Gallery, The Road Mender, Northampton

1997 - My Pet And I (In Aid Of Cancer Research) Whiteleys, London

1997 - Short Life, The Old Leadworks, Bristol

1996 - Making 4 Changes, CBX, Milton Keynes

1996 - Silbury Group of Artists, Cornhill 77, London

 

Interests

Art, Theatre, Galleries, Dhol drumming, Cooking, Film, Books, Skiing, Sailing, Walking, Music, Travel

 

Full clean driving license and car owner, Valid CRB/DBS, Safe Guarding, Public Liability Insurance