Who we are…

Karen Allerton (Word of Mouth)

Karen Allerton Community and Public artist was associated with Hetty Chapman in a long and rewarding collaboration “Word of Mouth”. The association was formed whilst on Interactive Arts Honours degree which they both completed in 1996. Students on this course were encouraged to use creativity in a broad range of areas. Karen and Hetty focused on Community and Public Art, forming a working process which actively encouraged audience participation and involvement and aimed to create site specific community-led art.

Ten years' experience of running successful community art project’s that have culminated in temporary and permanent artworks, has enabled Karen to fine tune skills in project management.

Karen has enjoyed working alongside a multitude of different people from members of the community of all ages and abilities, to professionals within the design and construction industry and council officials. Commissioners have included The Irwell Sculpture Trail, local Authorities, Groundwork Trust, Health Authorities, schools and community groups.

Karen believes that the creative process plays a vital role in our lives. The process of creativity involves a sense of discovery of untapped resourcefulness and inspiration. It transforms its participants, empowering them to visualize their ideas and beliefs.

 

Tracey Cartledge (Insight Public Art)

Tracey Cartledge has worked in public art since graduating from the Fine Art sculpture degree course at Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1989 with first class honours.

Upon graduation, Tracey was employed by Manchester based environmental art practice, Partnership Art Limited (now EatonWaygood Associates). Here, Tracey gained invaluable experience assisting many well-established artists on numerous public art projects around the North West and beyond.

In 1991, Tracey set up her own business, now known as Insight Public Art. The commissions, residencies and projects that she has successfully completed since then have been quite varied, although Tracey has a particularly strong reputation for pavement mosaics and architectural metalwork.

Tracey’s client list includes NORWEB plc; The Groundwork Trust – St. Helens, Wrexham, Wirral, Manchester; CTAC (Community Technical Aid Centre); Marbury Country Park, Cheshire; Norton Priory Museum Trust; more schools than she can count; libraries and museums; arts centres and other independent organisations; a great many local authorities.

Tracey is committed to developing personal work in her studio and increasing her range of skills, especially in cast sculpture. In 2004 Tracey received a place on the acclaimed David Reid bronze-casting course at the Royal Academy and has recently been working with Castle Fine Art Foundry in Oswestry to continue her work with bronze.

 

Ann Gilligan (Green Monster Arts)

Ann Gilligan trained as a sculptor at Bretton Hall College graduating in 1989 with a first class honours degree.

She has been a self-employed artist since leaving college and has worked on many different projects including public art, community celebrations and festivals, playschemes and residencies with schools and groups. She has worked with all ages and abilities including special needs from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds.

Ann set up Green Monster Arts in 1995, which allowed her to take on much bigger projects and to subcontract other artists to broaden the range of skills on offer.

This also meant developing administrative skills such as project management, contracting other workers, accounting and budgeting. She has gained a wealth of experience in marketing and publicity, evaluation and report writing, liasing with council departments and other professional and voluntary organisations and developing funding applications.