Overview

I am a visual artist specialising in printmaking. I have been running art projects with vulnerable groups and in particular women affected by abuse, over the past 10 years, in addition to undertaking commissions and exhibiting.

Recent commissions include the National Memorial Arboretum (2018) for their Armistice commemorations and the University of Exeter (2019) #Urgency commission on facial recognition technologies.

Exhibitions include, New York’s International Print Center (New Prints 2018) and Bury Art Museum (Prints: A Catalyst for Change 2019). For more information see my website www.catherinecartwright.co.uk

Through my practice I seek to understand what role art and artists can play in positive social action. I am concerned with how artists can work with people for their well-being, doing this in a way that is actively beneficial and risks no harm.

I am a director with Double Elephant Print Workshop (since 2009) where we work with over 3000 people both in and outside of the studio each year spreading our love of printmaking.

Since 2010 I have been involved with the global artists-poets-writers coalition ‘Al Mutanabbi Street Starts Here’ standing in solidarity with the Iraqi people in response to the suppression of arts & culture through ongoing unrest.

I am a PGR representative on Geography’s Ethics Committee.

Broad research specialisms: 

The draft title of my PhD research is “The Sitter Becomes Assertive: Examining Portraiture and its impacts on the artist, the sitter and the viewer through trauma-informed practice”.

I am interested in creative research methodologies and the ethics of both research and arts practice.

I am funded by the AHRC SWW Doctoral Training Partnership (2019).

My supervisors are Prof. Jo Little and Dr Sarah Bodman (University of the West of England)

Qualifications

BA History of Art, University of Warwick 2.1
MA Museums & Galleries in Education, Institute of Education (London)
MA Multidisciplinary Printmaking, University of the West of England. Distinction.

Back to top

Publications

Back to top