The following text is from Jill’s Kickstarter page, you can watch the video online here.
I am an Environmental Artist and I am looking for match funding for a project called ‘Nesting, a sense of home.’ I want to work with people who are living in temporary accommodation or impermanent or movable dwellings to explore our human desire to nest. We will work together to create an installation for the ONCA gallery in Brighton.
This will take the form of a forest environment in which I will suspend fragile ceramic nests made by participants. As they work, participants will be invited to share their stories around nesting.These will be recorded as a sound track, different voices overlapping, telling their stories and sharing their ideas.
I want to facilitate a conversation between these groups and the wider community around the subject – What does ‘home’ mean and how do we ‘nest?’ I also want to empower participants through telling their stories, having their voices heard and through collaborating to create something beautiful together.
This is a subject that is very close to my heart. I have had nine homes in the last ten years interspersed with periods of sofa surfing. There is very little security for those renting, or living on the edge – especially if you have a low income.
This project was inspired by the loss of my last home, a caravan which burnt down one cold February night. Despite this loss, as soon as I managed to get another caravan, I started to rebuild my home tenaciously recreating that small place of sanctuary I could call my own.
Just as birds will weave their nests with great care despite their vulnerability and the short use they will get, we humans have a need and a desire to nest, even when we have no security or longevity to a home.
In ‘Nesting’ I will work with those in B&Bs, shelters and refuges, as well as with van dwellers and those living in temporary or impermanent spaces to explore this need for home.
I have the support of the Arts Council and the ONCA centre for Arts and Ecology. I also have some fantastic partners including Justlife, Emmaus and the Brighton Unemployed Centre. I just need support funding of £2,000 to make this happen! Please help me to realise this project and to bring together these stories! Thank you so much for reading!
Risks and challenges
I am aware that some participants may be vulnerable or need discretion around their story and I want to ensure that they feel that they are treated with sensitivity and compassion. I also want all those participating to have a sense of ownership of the project. This is about all of us telling our stories and I want that to come across from the start. I am working with Brighton Charities who already support those in insecure accommodation to build trust and to get constant advice and feedback from experienced staff.
Support Jill’s Project on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1359912208/nesting-a-sense-of-home?ref=video
