City of Bath College   2008/2009

Tom Goddard

I heard about the AA2A scheme through friends who found it both liberating and supportive, given its institutional environment. I originally proposed two series of etchings and dry points based on a large sketchbook of drawings as well as a series of character-inspired Earthenware Toby Jugs. Due to growing economic and time limitations, unfortunately I was unable to spend as much time at Bath as I would have liked. Consequently, I decided to concentrate fully on the series of etchings and drypoints and postpone production of the Toby Jugs until a later date.

The etchings were made with specific constraints, relating to form and composition. It was important to curate pieces that could be read individually as well as within a series. To create each composition, I juxtaposed unrelated elements to create subtle and socially conscious narratives. In printmaking, my portrait work has evolved and multiplied, by employing characters from earlier pieces to populate scenes.

Through Bath College and the AA2A scheme, I gained access to printmaking facilities and excellent technical support. Unfortunately, as Bath had recently been introduced to the scheme, I was unable to begin the course until early December. This was due to a delay in the administration department regarding CRB forms. The other major difficulty was my commute from Cardiff to Bath. Initially this was not a problem but after the recession began, I had to take all the paid work on offer.

In hindsight, this made the delays all the more frustrating. However, the staff (especially technicians Nola & Kelly) were excellent and very helpful and I was able to concentrate on a new body of practical work without distractions. Students were interested in my practice and we both enjoyed the interaction throughout the contact time. I would recommend the scheme to others who were not aware of it. I hope colleges in Wales will become involved in the scheme.

The material grant has enabled the completion of two series of work, which will be included in two exhibitions in Nos da and Tactile Bosch, Cardiff. I am currently entering the works for a number of printmaking prizes while featuring them in a collection of new self-published books.