Simon Woolham

Simon Woolham has a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Manchester Metropolitan University and an MA from Chelsea College of Art in London (awarded 2000). Simon’s practice as an artist and curator is centred around expanded drawing research and methodology and this was the focus of his practice-led PhD from 2012 and awarded in 2016 at Manchester Metropolitan University. The PhD explored walking (in the broadest sense) and narrative in physical, virtual and psychological space, expanding on the notion of an artists’ residency of the mind. Between 2000 and 2012 Simon exhibited widely, including a residency and solo exhibition at The Lowry in Salford and Chapter Gallery in Cardiff, as well as numerous national and international group exhibitions. In 2008 he was included in the first Tatton Park Biennial and in 2006 he was Artist-in-Residence at Baltic – Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, he won the Mostyn Open 11 at Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno in 2001. Simon continues to develop his practice as an artist and researcher and since 2012 he has been curator and artistic programmer of the artist-led gallery PAPER in Manchester. He has presented papers at conferences both nationally and internationally, most recently at ‘Mapping Culture’ a conference in Coimbra, Portugal, Drawing Conversations: Body, Space and Place at Coventry University and a ‘Deep Mapping’ conference at UCL in London. Currently, Simon has recently led a project called ‘Art Work Placement’ with the innovative Arts organisation Fermynwoods Contemporary Art in Northamptonshire, whose ethos is ‘infiltrating the everyday’. The ‘Art Work Placement’ project was directly informed by Simon’s particular area of research, generating narrative, and also explored how artists’ processes and ideas can shed light on traditional institutional practices. In this instance, Simon tested virtual and digital platforms with employees of a care home, in relation to individual histories and sense of place. Simon teaches undergraduates across BA (Hons) Contemporary Art and Illustration at the University of Huddersfield, a permanent 0.5 fractional post (Wednesdays and Thursdays).