Sarabande Foundation

Research and material development residency

From 2023 to 2024, I took part in a residency at the Sarabande Foundation, with studio access, mentorship, and peer exchange.

During this period, I worked across painting, drawing, and testing materials, while also stepping outside the context of tattooing to reflect more closely on the body as a surface. I began experimenting with dyeing canvases using plants that I foraged and gathered, giving the surface a sense of identity that felt, in some ways, closer to skin.

These dyed surfaces became the ground for a series of paintings, while parallel works on paper explored form, structure, and colour, extending the work beyond skin.

Alongside ongoing dialogue and mentorship, I led botanical drawing workshops within Sarabande and partner member spaces, took part in artist critique sessions, and produced a commissioned painting for one of the foundation’s partners.

My relationship with Sarabande has continued beyond the residency through exhibitions, events, and ongoing exchange with fellow artists and the wider Sarabande community.