Andrea Hadley-Johnson

Stone steps with a reflection of an arched window stretching across them

A shadow of a window on a brick wall that's been painted white

Special 'nearly windows', prepared by the afternoon sunlight.

#Studio #shadows #windows #stone #brick #Sunday

Behind the windscreen as the sun dipped. A moment to reflect before driving home. Participants offered generous thoughts on creativity and wellbeing behind the cell door. These conversations contain a tangle of emotions. I appreciate the trust people afford me.

#PhDJourney #BehindTheClosedCellDoor

Thanks so much for inviting me to be part of this joyful and important project

A book on a wooden surface. The cover title in black is 'Toolbox: sprung minds'. The ground image is a rudimentary yellow boat with a blue feather sail on a sea of doodles

Privileged to contribute to this. A vital creative legacy from 2024 'Sprung Minds' festival. 13 creative practitioners working with men living at HMP Leicester. Curated by brilliant @AlistairFruish + Louise Dowell.

Thanks for inviting me 💛
#prison #creativity
#PhDJourney #BehindTheClosedCellDoor

Journey to my loves

#tree #tree #tree #tree

Crackly sky fractures.
Inky rivulets.
Looking up
Under the trees, my favourite place to be.
Hearing the last of the stray leaves fall. The birds call. The breeze.

#NoticeNatureFeelJoy #trees #life #breathe #nature #balm #ForestBathing #woods

Yep. We had visits from the insurance man. The coal men. The pools man. The Avon lady. And green grocer man.

A brown dog with grey chin looking down on the camera. White ceiling and white ceiling shade above.

The incessant stare before play. Sunday morning dog on the bed.
#Woody #WildWoodyJohnson #RescueDog

The process may have evolved. The artists submit some info about the work I'd they're able to / want to 💛 I'm the opposite to you. I enjoy the work initially without context, then layer up with background. It interests me how we all engage differently.

I'd recommend a visit. So many jaw droppingly amazing pieces

A pair of shoes made with tea leaves and PVA glue

Great to see shoes made from tea leaves from HMP Humber, inspired by my last coproduced exhibition

#NoComment #Exhibition #Art #creativity #prison #PrisonArts #ArtInPrison #SouthBankCentre #PhDJourney #BehindTheClosedCellDoor

Love and appreciation to all the artists who entered.
💛 Fiona Curren for the thoughtful exchange.
💛 John Costi for sharing nourishing curatorial detail. Image depicts pigment layers 'grown' in his prison issue cup, displayed with emphatic text about the vital role of creativity in prison settings

Multi coloured paint pigment lines gathered around the inside of a plastic mug

Holding tight to thoughts and feelings I experienced at totally brilliant 'No Comment' Koestler Arts exhibition. Art was affecting and outstanding, curation insightful and impactful. A whirl of tenacity, skill, trauma, exploration, intrigue, mischief, healing, hope, constraint and repair 🧵

A wooden chair on a wooden floor in front of a wooden wall

Immersed in wood.
Sunday morning studio time.
This little chair is my perch for planning.
A £2 carboot sale purchase, the seller had salvedged it from a skip. Now settled into a place of care and creativity.

#PhDJourney #BehindTheClosedCellDoor #working #SundayMorning #studio

Thank you especially to the people with lived experience who generously shared creative talent, reflecting on experiences of trauma with courage and candour.

An empty pink tote bag, slightly crumpled, on a white surface. With the words CAPTIVE Arts printed on the front.

A bag on my kitchen table.
The morning after.
Pinkly symbolic.

Yesterday, #CaptiveArts gathering was convivial, creative, infused with care and compassion. Sharing thoughts on art and creativity as moments of healing, strength, self, hope in a prison system in crisis /1

#BehindTheClosedCellDoor

Thank YOU 💛 for enabling me to share in this way.

Hands making a sculptural object from simple white and yellow materials

Hands crafted a ring from cork and card

And love to everyone who I encountered with my interventional activity. A serious project shared in a playful way. I appreciated your feedback, time, energy wonderful contraptions!

#BehindTheClosedCellDoor

A tiny manicure set carved from bone by someone living in prison. It looks like an arm with a grid patterned sleeve and a solidarity clenched power fist

The back of a postcard with text describing an activity.

A moment of reflection and gratitude for #Museums2024 Thoughtful presentations that needle and resonate, shaping a sector, albeit slowly and under pressure. People dismantling barriers to embed anti racist values and action, inclusivity, compassion, coproduction and activism to influence change /1

Thanks Tony. This is a super list to be part of 💥

I've a lot of love for #PennedUp Brilliant project

Thanks Laura. Our time together was ace! 😊

A blanket of white cloud in an evening sky with spindly bare branches creeping in from the top of the image

Beautiful crackles fracturing the softness of the cloud.
A gentle meandering walk. Settling the dusk into evening. Admiring the very ends of the branches and reflecting on a busy week.

#walking #thinking #feeling #reflecting #dusk #cloud #fractures #NoticeNatureFeelJoy

Ah Rosie. Hello 💛 I wish I'd spotted you. I understand your reticence and the messages full of love for your Dad. Do what feels right for you, with both 'stick it to the man' AND love for your Dad in your heart x

A tiny moment of time together. Loved seeing you too 🥰 Another time/place we'll have longer to pause and share 💛

Me too 💛

A yellow hard covered notebook with words and phrases sliced from magazines placed on top.

Hello BlueSky. My first post is yellow. Hand sliced words and phrases have emerged as a core element in my PhD. Making sense and exploring as I go #BehindTheClosedCellDoor #PhDJourney