RESORT STUDIOS…………….. |

Who Are You? Mr & Mrs Plant / BLOCK COLOUR. Dan Chilcott. Jo Willis – The Curio. Kim Conway, photographer & printer. Kate Harrison – illustrator. Steve Ibbitson & Francesca Flowers. Tamsin Landells – founding partner of R/L studio, Architect. Helder clara. Leise Wilson. Nick Morley. Rachel Taylor. Simon Medhurst & Dawn Weller. Angeli Yara. Teresa Limbrick.

What does RESORT mean to you? Blockcolour – living the dream….Our studio is a part of our brain that inspires work on amazing things.

Dan – At the moment it means hard work & utter delight. I’m hoping the former will diminish & the later multiply.

Kim – Resort is my artistic nirvana, a place where I can work, gain inspiration from, in the company of friendly talented people.

Steve – Resort for me although in its infancy is destined to become a creative hot shop where people will come for interdisciplinary solutions to problems. There is a wealth of knowledge in that building. Stored within a fine solid & slightly (but not overly) ornate building resides a great group people who are capable of solving problems in a lateral way. We are concerned with doing things properly; whilst realistic, we are creative within a limited budget & the results show for themselves. Without a great concept, throwing money into an idea is not going to be a success. The idea is always king.

Tamsin - A place to collaborate, listen, unwind and enjoy. It has an impressive volume too which I totally love. You can’t get this kind of space in London without remortgaging your house. I feel pretty lucky. It helps that everyone at Resort are the friendliest bunch you can get.

Jo – It means the possibilities are endless, we are a strong team & a great support network for one another. nothing is set in stone, we can achieve anything!

Kate – Resort for me is a family – a place where I am encouraged & inspired & where I can hopefully inspire others.

Thoughts on Cliftonville? Blockcolour – A cornucopia of wild rights and wrongs just outside the door, we once encountered a man on a lead and on all fours barking at our dog.

Dan – Most people inside Cliftonville talk about what they love about it, most Thanet people talk about how awful Cliftonville is & most people from outside the area say what an amazing opportunity it is. It all depends on perception – it’s not as bad as people think & it has more potential than most areas. That’s really exciting.

Kim – I absolutely love Cliftonville. The coast line is awe inspiring, Northdown Rd shopping center is the place to find almost anything (& then some). At Dane Valley there is the community woodland & allotments & then there is the magnificent Dane Park with all that green tree space.

Steve – Cliftonville needs to develop at its own pace & be thoughtfully refurbished in keeping with the stock of fine architecture it already has. On the whole providing there is no violence I quite like it as it is. Get all folk out there in the streets busy. It’s their place. A great place to take pride in.

Tamsin – A rough diamond that needs a bit of polish. The Victorians have already done all the hard work, now we just have to retain, refurbish & look after it all. And I love Northdown road – it works because there are hardly any chains & plenty of independents, which is why it is still going strong.

Jo – I live & work in Cliftonville – I love it, its diverse, a mix of culture & nationalities which makes for a more interesting environment. Its not without its problems but in general a vibrant place, with so much going on. The best place for RESORT to be.

Kate – Cliftonville is a rich hot bed of creativity with a colourfully diverse community that I see amazing things in every day.

Best thing about the Studios? Blockcolour – It’s the start of something big.

Dan – A collective enthusiasm for the same vision & the elasticity to accommodate different approaches to it.

Kim – It’s relaxed, informal & welcoming.

Steve – The studios are a wonderfully vibrant space. Everyone is welcoming & we are all interested in each other’s work & the support structure that the space provides. Conversations are always far reaching & will inevitably spark another idea or unusual way to solve a problem.

Tamsin – The evening sun making the whole floor awash with a warm glow – magic place to be.

Jo – I feel like I’m back at uni, surrounded by creative people, talking through ideas with friends & general laughter, its like family (My studio is the best bit with my very comfy chair).

Kate – The best thing about Resort is the people, who have inspired & encouraged me, the talent from those within its walls is amazing, the magical light that streams in as the sun goes down & the way it has made me feel about what I do & what I am capable of.

What would you change about the studio / building if you could? Blockcolour – Annoying when the door bell rings it distracts from work, but happily its always someone interesting at the door….Also would love a garden with some bees….oh and people being here more night and day.

Dan – I’d make it warmer.

Kim – I would bring Andy Warhol back to life & set him up as a Artist in Residence.

Steve – The building for us at the moment is fine. It will naturally change. Careful consideration of people’s needs should keep everyone happy. Financing as always will be a problem but good-will and well thought out ideas will help. Would love to see the front of the building returned to its former glory. Refurbished wood & brick work & the stained glass recreated & re-installed as it would have been.

Tamsin – Haha that’s easy – insulation and then some heating.

Jo – The doors on my studio – they’re rubbish! And I’d magic up a hefty sum of money to build external fire escapes, which would solve many future plans.

Kate – The floor… The concrete floor has no warmth- even in the high summer!

Future Plans? Blockcolour – Make big work, make good work, stay warm.

Dan – To use the studio as a place to experiment with my practice… More knitting, games & some other things I’ve never done before.

Kim – To start large format fine art reproduction printing & helping build a community darkroom within resort.

Tamsin – Grow with Resort & be a part of something which will change & adapt over the years. Have our own pod & collaborate with our new friends on something fun – I want to work for them all!

Jo – Developing a Community Darkroom with Kim. Exciting collaborations with Rachel, working on more personal photographic projects. The Curio book, a break & a new chapter!

Kate – I am pushing myself to have an exhibition before the year is out – (hoping that year is this year)

ROUND-UP: Resort Studios is a great achievement resulting from a collision of kindred spirits & shared goals. Although the studios are still in their infancy the successes have been great & there are many things to look forward to. The building itself is a perfect home & reflection of the collective – a vast space of potential & possibilities. The interior has been created with a shared philosophy of Reuse & recycle, with a small budget, imagination & vision individual studios & communal areas have been created. The diverse environment found in Cliftonville is the perfect fit for the building & the collective found inside.

VISIT RESORT STUDIOS: Visit RESORT as part of the Canterbury Festival, Artists Open Houses – 19/20th, 26/27th October 2nd/3rd November 2013 at Pettman’s Depository, 50 Athleston Road, Cliftonville, CT9 2BH.

www.canterburyfestival.co.uk

www.resortcic.com, www.blockcolour.com, www.helderclara.com, www.thecurioinmargate.com, www.linocutboy.com, www.heidiplant.com