Aimee Labourne

Where are you based?

I’ve been based in Bressay, an island in Shetland, since 2016. I’ve always lived in rural places (I was brought up in Lincolnshire and studied BA Fine Art at Falmouth University, Cornwall) but Shetland is a very different and inspiring environment.

What were you doing before joining the Online Drawing Development Year (ODDY)?

Since moving to Shetland, I’d been balancing my time between developing my art practice and various jobs to support myself, most recently working for a local community development company. My art-making focused on drawing to consider location, space and peripherality in Shetland’s remote environment. I was exhibiting locally, and had shown some work in Scotland and Switzerland, encouraged by support for projects through A-N, Creative Scotland, and Look Again Aberdeen. I had also started to lead drawing workshops, both independently and in collaboration with art organisations such as The Big Draw, Shetland Arts, and Gaada. These experiences had led me to start Aert (meaning ‘earth’ in Shetland dialect), a creative enterprise to bring together drawing, environment and aspects of social practice in workshops. However, I came to a point where I felt I really needed some time to expand my drawing practice and develop new skills and approaches.

What appealed to you about the course?

The opportunity to learn remotely was what first caught my attention. Living in Shetland really inspires me and sustains my creative interests, and though I really wished to study further, I couldn’t imagine moving away! There are lots of creative opportunities in Shetland, but the Royal Drawing School’s emphasis on process-specific learning through such a breadth of drawing disciplines was really appealing, and something I couldn’t access locally. Being able to structure your own timetable as an ODDY student was also exciting, allowing you to challenge yourself as well as follow your interests. I was also really interested in meeting and learning with other artists who use drawing in varied ways. I found the tutors’ work really inspiring too and thought learning from people who had such strong ongoing professional practices was a brilliant opportunity.

Which courses did you most enjoy or learn most from?

They have all been so enlightening! Transforming Observation: Memory and Imagination really took me out of my comfort zone, but I felt so enriched by the emphasis on setting aside your self-critical brain to push the drawing further. Drawing Space: Interior and Exterior really challenged my habitual ways of thinking about space when drawing. As I’m really interested in drawing out in the landscape, this has thrown open my approach when taking my sketchbook out. Abstraction Qualities in Landscapes, Gardens and Natural Forms has led to so many new and exciting approaches to ways of really connecting with nature through drawing, and Mapping: Drawing Internal Landscapes gave such rich historical insight into how image makers have imaginatively inhabited and explored landscapes.

Is there anything that surprised you about the course?

At first, I think I was surprised at how intensive ODDY weeks can be! I was really looking for an in-depth learning experience though and was excited about having access to the various elements of online courses, tutorials, mentoring and core sessions, so this felt really enriching. Although you’re learning from home, you certainly feel like you’ve had an intense drawing work-out at the end of the day, and of course you then have lots of ideas whirring around in your brain between sessions! But the learning I think gradually percolates through as you keep going – you can be quite tired by the end of the week, but you’re never tired of drawing!

What are the benefits of learning online?

Online learning has allowed me to access a broad range of skills development and shared experiences that I would not have been able to where I currently live. Although I was interested in living in an artistic centre like London after I left art school, I’ve really found ties here in Shetland that I wouldn’t wish to put on-pause whilst studying away. I can learn whilst having the environment I love to explore close-to-hand. Online learning also gives you the flexibility to structure your learning along with other commitments, and I’m lucky to have a flexible part-time job which I really enjoy. So, I can continue to develop my practice, earn, and continue freelance work which I feel is all really helping me build a sustainable art practice for the future.

How has the School supported you (financially / educationally / artistically etc.)

The tutors are really supportive in the attention and consideration they give to everyone’s work and give insightful thoughts and comments which are really grounded in skills and looking, which is so constructive. The way sessions are structured has been great, with a good balance between led exercises and time to explore and find things out for yourself. I think it’s really supportive how the School has thoughtfully structured the ODDY year to give so much extra in-addition to the courses. Having on-going conversations with mentors and also a pair fresh eyes for your work in tutorials is a good balance, and it’s great to be able to share learning with others through Padlet, group crits and core sessions. Feeling part of a wider network of artists associated with the Drawing School is also really exciting, and supportive for the future.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about applying to the ODDY?

Go for it! Speaking from my own experience, I was really interested in broadening my skills, though my practice was already focused on drawing. The sessions touch on such a broad range of creative skills though, that I think you will get so much from the year even if you don’t currently think of yourself as someone who primarily draws. Before applying, I was worried about just how practical it was going to be for work and the course to fit around each other, and some weeks are very busy. So I would definitely advise planning for time to rest too! Sometimes working on your drawings in-between sessions can be restful, but I think it’s important to also be kind to yourself and also simply go out and experience things - you soon find yourself looking and seeing in new ways out-and-about, which all feeds into the drawings! 

Do you have any plans for after you've completed the course?

I hope to also continue locally facilitating creative sessions through ‘Aert’, further exploring ways of seeing and engaging with nature, with drawing as a form of interaction and communication. It would be brilliant also to keep in contact with ODDY peers - and hopefully travel south to say hello in person! After the course, I plan to build on the structure of ODDY and continue prioritising drawing - time with a self-led structure. This I hope will allow me to keep growing as an artist, to keep responding to the environment here in Shetland while it continues to preoccupy me, and also find new subjects. 

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Follow: @a.labourne

Find out more about the Online Drawing Development Year