Helena McGregor, our Visual Arts Learning and Engagement Officer and Artist was recently invited to Kendal College as a guest judge for their End of Year Art Exhibition.
As part of her involvement, Helena presented a special ‘Brewery Arts Recognition Award’ to Darcey Beecham. Darcey is a student on the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design. Her powerful textile-based installation, Contaminated Embrace, explores the complex emotional impact of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) on relationships and everyday life.
In her artist statement, Darcey explains. “My figures are embracing—not as a comforting exercise, but to express the inner conflict between a need for connection and the psychological barriers OCD imposes. The hug is both closeness and distress, a reflection on the emotional complexity of touch for a person who endures the disorder.”
Using crochet as her medium, Darcey draws a poignant parallel between the repetitive nature of her artistic process and the compulsive cycles that define OCD. White tones symbolise themes of order and cleanliness, disrupted by bursts of colour that represent intrusive thoughts, highlighting the unseen mental conflict that those with OCD often navigate.
Contaminated Embrace will be exhibited as part of our Young Open exhibition. This will run from 25 July to 13 September at Brewery Arts.
Helena shared how inspiring it was to see the students’ creativity and depth of thought. “It is always lovely to connect with emerging artists. Darcey’s work stood out because it is honest, beautifully made, and full of emotion. It is the kind of piece that sparks conversation and makes you feel something.”
If you’re a young artist interested in exhibiting your work this summer, submissions for our Young Open exhibition are still open.
Find out more here.
