I make sculptures using natural and recycled materials woven together with basketry techniques learnt from countries all over the world ~ integrating diverse materials and techniques.
I tell stories and facilitate other people to tell and record their stories and produce them as a short videos ~ especially for advocacy within the health service.
I facilitate workshops, mentor other artists, manage arts in health projects and have a lot of fun doing it all!
My inspiration comes from my belief in God as creator and a constant awareness of His presence. I am also inspired by the people I meet and I love the diversity there is in the world.
Prue Thimbleby SRN, SCM, BA, MA Key Skills Sculptural Baskets Storytelling & Digital Storytelling Arts in Health Project Management Group Facilitation & Mentoring
Selected Education 2006 MA (distinction) Arts in the Community, University of South Wales 2004 City & Guilds Diploma in constructed textiles/basketry 1997 BA (1st class honours) Art Practice and the Community, Middlesex University Qualified SCM (1979) SRN (1977)
Selected Employment 2020- now Council Member Arts Council Wales 2012 – now Story Lead Swansea Bay Health Board 1994 – now Freelance Artist 2012 – 2021 Arts co-ordinator Swansea Bay Health Board 2006 – 2015 Swansea Digital Storytelling partnership 2005 – 2008 Senior Community Development Officer, Clase & Caemawr, Swansea 2001 – 2005 Outreach co-ordinator Courtyard Arts Centre, Hertford 1998 – 2001 Lecturing, Fine Art Department, Middlesex University
Selected Exhibitions 2017 Voices from the edge - murmurations Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 2016 Weave Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 2014 Ariel Installation Neville Hall Hospital, Abergavenny 2012 Guest maker Craft in the Bay, Cardiff 2010 Keepsakes, Oriel 1 St Fagans, Cardiff 2005 Hertfordshire Open, Margaret Harvey Gallery, St Albans 2004 Creative Basketry, City Lit, Bolt Court, London 2003 Bundles and Ropes, Two large installations with Tim Johnson at UH Galleries, Hatfield 2002 Strands, Xchange Gallery, Oxford 2000 Dynamic Times, Solo Exhibition, The Courtyard Gallery, Hertford
Selected freelance Projects — management and delivery 2018 Stories around the Act Digital stories across Wales for Social Care Wales 2016 Story Weavers A storytelling commission for Gwanwyn Festival 10th anniversary 2014 Richard Glynn Vivian’s travels and refugee stories A digital story project with the Glynn Vivian Art gallery and refugees 2012 Cauldrons and Furnaces Artistic Director for a cultural Olympiad project at Laugharne Castle 2011 Asylum Voices A two year digital story project with the African community Centre and Asylum Seekers 2010 Keepsakes Workshops and exhibition with Women’s Art Association and St Fagans museum 2009 Five panel mosaic at Hazel Court Housing complex for elderly 2007 Primary Democracy Project A multi school artist in residency with Becky Adams making books 2006 Swansea Digital Storytelling Funded by Communities@One making digital stories with residents in Swansea 2004 Tree of Life An Arts Council funded residency for the launch of the Green Hearts Project 2003 Build Event 3 A large community play celebrating the history of a housing estate in Hertford 2002 Giant Puppets A partnership project with Snap Theatre Co. developing carnival work in East Herts 2001 Meltdown Lottery funded work with early years groups developing good practice in arts and play 2000 Portraits A schools project for Herts Education Service combining large murals and group identity 1999 Mentoring Project Training undergraduates in project work including three supervised placements 1998 The Home Project A multi-partner project about homelessness including an exhibition and event 1997 Midsummer Festival Banner Procession Banners made with 12 community groups 1996 Christmas Past A cross-generational project with five schools and older people culminating in an exhibition 1996 Brickwall House Reminiscence Project A cross arts project celebrating the founding of Welwyn Garden City and residents lives at Brickwall House Nursing Home
Curating 2022-now Curator of West Wall Gallery at Urban Crofters, Cardiff 2015 Reconstructing Ourselves Morriston Hospital plus Symposium 2013 Coming of Age Arts Trail OPAN, Swansea University 2003 Bundles & Ropes by Tim Johnson at UH Galleries 2002 New Basketry The Courtyard Arts Centre 1998 The Art of Recycling The Courtyard Arts Centre including coverage by Blue Peter BBC
Teaching/Mentoring 2018 - now Digital Storytelling MA module University of South Wales 2015 – 2017 Mentoring visual artists in care homes for cARTrefu project, Age Cymru 2002 – 2005 Arts training for Hertfordshire Education Service for preschool teachers 1998 – 2001 Lecturing part time, Fine Art Department, Middlesex University
Publications Case Study Storytelling by Michael Wilson, Emerald publishing 2022 pp108-112 New Faces National Basketry Organization USA Quarterly Review, pp5–6, fall 2011 What’s your story? Guide to Narrative and Story-based Methods to Community Building, pp19–21, published by St Ethelburga’s, London, March 2011. Changing Lives through Telling Stories Conference proceedings FACE 2006 Loss of someone special a teachers Art pack, published by cre8.ed 2004 Working with an artist in residence Practical Preschool, loose-leaf p15-16, Step Forward Publishing July 2003 Brickwall Hose Reminiscence Project Reminiscence p9-10, Help the Aged, August 1996