Artist Charmaine Teams Up with Students for Stunning New Sculpture Project

Charmaine Watkiss, a talented artist known for her research-based drawings, will be working with students and staff at Coventry University to create a new sculpture. This exciting project will involve Fine Art students and will result in a sculptural installation that will be part of Charmaine’s solo exhibition, The Things We Hold Sacred. The exhibition is set to open at The New Art Gallery Walsall on October 2. Charmaine’s art often focuses on plant knowledge and traditions passed down through Caribbean families. She is especially interested in healing traditions and uses her own image in her artwork to tell what she calls ‘memory stories’. The university shared that Charmaine’s work is already in famous places like the British Museum in London. She will be a resident artist at Coventry University, which means she will spend time working there and using the university’s facilities. The project has received a grant of seventy-one thousand two hundred and twenty-six pounds, which will help cover the costs of materials and other needs. Charmaine said she is very excited and grateful for this opportunity. She looks forward to experimenting with new materials and learning from the university’s experts in areas like ceramics, clay, fashion, 3D printing, and photography. Dr Sam Vale, who leads the creative practice curriculum at the university, said this is a special chance for both students and staff. By working with Charmaine and the Walsall gallery, students will get to see how art is made from the very beginning to the final exhibition. This experience will give them valuable knowledge and help them prepare for their future careers in the arts. The exhibition at The New Art Gallery Walsall will include both new and existing works by Charmaine. The sculpture created with the students will become part of Walsall’s permanent art collection and will be shared with visitors for many years. The New Art Gallery thanked the Jerwood Foundation and the Art Fund for supporting the project and making it possible for Charmaine’s important work to join their collection. The Things We Hold Sacred will be on display until April 11, 2027. The university and the gallery hope that this project will inspire students, visitors, and the local community. If you have ideas for stories in Warwickshire, you can contact BBC Coventry & Warwickshire. You can also follow them on social media to stay updated on news and events in your area.