Memory Makers Project for Holocaust Memorial Day 2015

In the Autumn I was very kindly invited to be involved with the Memory Makers project as part of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust's 2015 celebrations; commemorating survivors of the Holocaust and other subsequent genocides through the platform of creative responses showcasing the survivors' personal stories. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkeneau.

Six other British writers and artists, including Stephen Fry, also took part in the project producing specially created works in various formats, such as; illustration, poetry, ceramics, sculpture, animation and film to portray the experiences of the genocide survivors that they met in person.

Meeting with Sabina

I met with 92 year old Sabina Miller, a survivor of the Holocaust, during early October in Central London.

She told me her powerful story of a loving childhood in Poland and a family unit torn apart simply because they were Jewish. They were sent to the Warsaw Ghetto and contracted Typhus, resulting in Sabina losing her family to illness and mystery. She fled to the Polish countryside hiding in the ground, saw the constant flow of trucks transporting Jewish people away, and adopted the identities of non-Jewish girls to escape capture. Her only possession left from the war to remember her family by is a checkered cardigan that she wore the day her family were sent to the Warsaw Ghetto. Everything else was lost.

Meeting with Sabina inspired me both personally and creatively. This was someone who had everything taken away from her simply because of who she was, but through fierce courage and determination overcame adversity and hardship. I admire Sabina greatly and it was a true honour to have met her.

Illustrated Response

'Sabina' by Kimberley Burrows, 2014

When I first met Sabina and she told me her incredible story, a few elements immediately grabbed me and stayed in my mind; the powerfully haunting image of two young girls (one of whom was a young Sabina) huddling together in a hole in the ground, against a snowy backdrop, with just a blanket between them, the harrowing sight of trucks continuously visiting the farm where Sabina worked, taking and transporting any Jewish people they could find, and the Sabina today and how incredibly strong and positive she is now that she has a large, loving family and no longer has to hide her identity.

She left the war without a family so I wanted to illustrate the family she has now, with Sabina surrounded by her grandchildren, the youngest of which is enveloped in her only possession left from the War – a patterned cardigan – which will be passed down through the generations.

I knew that I wanted to capture all of this powerful imagery in my response that I have called, simply, ‘Sabina’. My gift to her. Meeting her was such an honour and a wonderful experience where, in those few short hours we spent talking to each other, she influenced me beyond my imagining. Through her powerful storytelling, kind nature and wise words I have learned first-hand how strong people can be even after enduring the loss of family, identity and hope and that love, kindness and positivity can truly conquer all.

Keep the Memory Alive

My page on the HMDT website can he accessed here with a full overview of why I wanted to take part in the project, meeting Sabina for the first time, her full story of surviving the Holocaust, and the creative process behind my illustration.

Holocaust Memorial Day is held annually on January 27th. Find out how you can get involved with the Memory Makers project by clicking here. You can also follow the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust on Facebook and Twitter.

RNIB Thank You Card Designs

Earlier this Spring, I was kindly asked to produce some new Thank You cards for the RNIB, to be sent out to donors who have recently donated to the charity.

The theme was based on repeated geometric patterns, so I came up with a few pages of ideas which I then shared in person when I visited Judd Street back in April. My designs were held onto and shared in a meeting with other staff members - and it was decided that the below design would be perfect for their cards. I used many different colours as an idea to showcase this design, and the red / orange and blue / green were favoured the most.

With this research, I was then able to come up with four different card designs using the popular blue / green geometric design and red / orange design - as well as mixing them both together! I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

Mock designs are being produced very soon, providing information about myself and my eye condition on the reverse - as well listing my association with the RNIB, as their Young Illustrator of the Year and Envision co-chair and campaigner.

I will be sure to post the cards when they have been printed in the near future!

Professional Photos at John Lewis in the Trafford Centre

I posted recently that I had completed my composition to celebrate the 150th birthday year of John Lewis, to be displayed on the community art wall at the Trafford Centre.

I was kindly invited by Henshaws Society for Blind People to have professional photos taken of myself and my composition last Friday morning, as well as group photos with the lovely ladies of the Arts & Crafts group, which I'm a member of at the Manchester resource centre, that also submitted an art piece in celebration.

I received the photos yesterday and wanted
to share them with you!

A huge thank you to Helen Jenkins for organising the photo session, to Gwen Riley Jones for the wonderful photographs and to John Lewis for being so hospitable to us during the session - and for the yummy hot chocolate drink after a hard morning of modelling!

Christmas Card Design for Henshaws

I have now completed my christmas card entry for Henshaws based on the theme A Christmas Wish, titled Christmas Girl.

The competition was recently posted on the Henshaws Facebook page, though I had started my entry beforehand as I remember reading something being posted about it through social media and the official website back in March or April. After being reminded through Facebook, as well as kindly e-mailed by a member of staff at Henshaws, I thought I would continue with my card and enter the competition!

It was created using fine liner and coloured pencils and digitally altered using the photo-editing program, Adobe Photoshop CS5, using nebula and fairy dust brushes. This is the first time I have used Photoshop to edit one of my illustrations and I'm rather pleased with how it turned out!

The design took roughly 2 and a half weeks to complete in all and will be sent off very soon! Good luck to anyone else entering the Christmas Card competition!

John Lewis Composition Displayed at the Trafford Centre!

After my Skillstep session today, my mum and I decided to pop into the John Lewis restaurant, at the Trafford Centre, to see if their birthday exhibition was on display on the community art wall - and much to our excitement, it was!

I've previously posted about the fantastic opportunity that Henshaws had, to create and display 6 pieces of artwork to celebrate John Lewis' 150th birthday, by service users across all of the centres in the North of England - from Newcastle, Manchester and Knaresborough.

I quickly took some photos on my iPad (though my inverted colours function was activated, so these photos are not the best quality!) to share with you all. Professional photos will be taken later this month of myself and Pat from the Arts & Crafts group, sitting in front of the exhibition, and I will make sure to post them here when I have them!

Happy 150th birthday to John Lewis and I hope you all enjoy the birthday exhibition at the Trafford Centre!

The display will be up on the community art wall, in the restaurant, from June 1st to late-July.

Interview with Fashioneyesta

I was recently e-mailed by Emily Davison, of Fashioneyesta, to do an interview for her website regarding my illustrations as the RNIB's Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014.

We discuss how I developed an interest in drawing, the things that inspire me, my aspirations for the future and my fashion style - among other things. I had a great time doing the interview and I'd like to say a big thank you to Emily for featuring me on her fantastic website!

You can view my interview by clicking here or on the screenshot above.

John Lewis Birthday Composition

I have now completed my John Lewis composition which will soon be displayed in their Trafford Centre store, on the community art wall, to celebrate their 150th birthday year.

In February, Henshaws Society for Blind People was chosen by John Lewis to produce artwork to celebrate the 150th year of the retail store. I was kindly asked by Louisa Walmsley, of the fundraising team, to produce a piece on my own. Other pieces will be produced from the Arts & Crafts group and Parent & Toddler group in Manchester, Henshaws resource centre in Newcastle, and Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough.

As John Lewis is a British institution, with their first store opening in Oxford Street, in London, I thought I would incorporate British iconography and celebrate Britain alongside John Lewis' birthday. I also portrayed the famous Trafford Centre dome, with it being a British landmark as well as the place where my composition will be displayed. As I primarily shop at John Lewis for gifts and toys, I wanted to include some of my favourite items from the online store - particularly a beautiful deluxe rocking horse.

The composition was created using coloured pencils, fineliner and metallic relief paints. It took over two and a half months to complete.

I'm incredibly grateful to Louisa for such an amazing opportunity, and I can't wait to see the full birthday display when it's unveiled in the Trafford Centre. I will be sure to post photos here when it's exhibited!

Artwork at the RNIB Pears Centre

I recently donated a piece of my artwork to the RNIB Pears Centre in Coventry, after they got in touch with me via e-mail in late February. I restored the piece and sent it off, and the team have kindly sourced a frame to display it in and have also displayed it alongside my biography and short paragraph about the carousel piece produced during my GCSE art course in 2005.

I've now been sent a photo of the display to share with you all! I'm so thrilled with how it looks, and hope everyone at the RNIB Pears Centre enjoys it too. A big thank you to Liz Thomson and Sophie Edge for organising the photo to be taken and for displaying the piece. I'm very appreciative indeed!

The official RNIB Twitter account also tweeted about my donation!

Kimberley Burrows, our Young Illustrator 2014, has kindly donated a painting to RNIB Pears Centre – thanks so much! http://t.co/DSCUy8bBE5
— RNIB (@RNIB) May 16, 2014

Blog Post for Living Paintings

I was kindly asked to write a blog post for Living Paintings recently, a charity that produces touch-to-see books for visually impaired and blind people, explaining how I developed an interest in creating artwork and how I manage to do so as a severely visually impaired person.

I go into detail about what inspires my illustrations, how I organise my mediums, how I plan a piece before getting started, and also provide a few helpful tips on how to identify shades before using them and how to colour inside an image without going over the edges!

You read my blog entry by clicking here or on the above image.
A big thank you to Living Paintings for asking me to contribute to their fantastic blog!

Artwork Donation to the RNIB Pears Centre

The RNIB Pears Centre got in touch with me through Insight Magazine, after reading my article on Daily Mail Online and seeing my interview with Granada Reports, asking for me to donate a piece of work to their specialist learning centre in Coventry.

I thought I would donate my GCSE carousel composition from 2005, which has previously been displayed in my high school for a number of years as well as in Sale Town Hall, so it can be displayed once again.

It needed a bit of restoring though after being displayed quite a lot throughout the years! When I received it back from my high school a year and a half ago, the metal decorations and sequins were hanging off or weren't there at all, the paintwork was chipped, the glitter was dull, and so on - so I've spent the past week returning it to the condition it originally in.

It's now completely restored and packaged up to be collected by a courier tomorrow, to then be sent to the centre in Coventry. It will be displayed in a frame alongside a small biography of me as well as some information about the piece which I was asked to write. You can read them both below:

Biography

Kimberley Burrows was born with congenital cataracts and has been severely visually impaired all of her life, now with only 10% vision in one eye. Kimberley visited Great Ormond Street Hospital in London throughout her childhood, and would draw with the colouring pencils or crayons that were on display in the waiting rooms, or use the various paints and crafts in the playroom before having her operations. Her favourite subject was always art during primary school and high school, and she took it for her GCSE's - receiving an A*.

Kimberley began illustrating in 2011, and produced some drawings of Paddington Bear which she shared online with a fan page. This eventually led to her meeting the creator, Michael Bond OBE, at his home in London in 2012 and gifted him some of her Paddington drawings, which he now displays in his study.

She is now the RNIB's Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014, and will be producing a piece of artwork for each monthly issue. Kimberley recently received press attention for winning the award, and featured in her local newspapers - the Salford Advertiser and the Manchester Evening News, on the Daily Mail Online website, as well as appearing on ITV News and Granada Reports.

Henshaws Society for Blind People have asked Kimberley to produce a composition to be displayed in John Lewis at the Trafford Centre, to celebrate their 150th birthday in 2014, which she is now working on.

The Project

This composition was one of four that Kimberley produced for her GCSE coursework, from 2004 - 2005, at Flixton Girls' High School in Urmston, Manchester. It is based on a traveller art theme and features painted flowers seen on narrowboats, along with a carousel from a traveling circus and details all of its intricacies.

The composition uses a variety of mediums including watercolours, acrylic paints, coloured pencils, stained glass paints and pastels. After the piece was completed, it was displayed in Sale Town Hall before being displayed in her high school for many years. Kimberley has now donated it to the RNIB Pears centre to be displayed once again. Kimberley was awarded an A* in her GCSE's.

I've asked for a photo to be taken of the displayed artwork when it's framed alongside my biography, so I'll be able to share it here when it's up.

Edit: You can now see a photo of my artwork displayed at the RNIB Pears Centre here!

Interview with ITV Granada Reports

I was recently contacted by ITV to do an interview for their website and appear on Granada Reports. I did the filming yesterday morning with journalist Tim Scott and it aired in the evening on ITV at 6pm.

I've never been on television before, so I was extremely nervous to start with! Tim was really friendly though and quickly put my mind at ease. We discussed my eye condition, how I got into drawing, my illustrations for RNIB's Insight Magazine and my future plans for training for a guide dog and eventually wanting to do an art course at the Royal National College for the Blind.

You can view the video by clicking here or on the image below.

Transcript

Born virtually blind, much of Kimberley Burrows' childhood was spent on the operating table at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London. Now, age 25, she can only see out of 10% of one eye but that hasn't stopped her from doing what she loves.

Kimberley: When I was little I just always loved drawing. When I was in the waiting rooms at Great Ormond Street they had pencils and paper, so I always did some doodling. At school, art was my favourite subject - I took it for my GCSE's and I got an A*. So it's just always something that I've loved.

Tim Scott: How much harder is it for you being partially sighted and doing these lovely illustrations? Is it really difficult? How does it work?

Kimberley: I can spend about 20 minutes at a time and I probably do about an hour every day. Each piece will take about a month to complete.

And now Kimberley's hard work is being repaid. She's been named as the Royal Institute for the Blind's Young Illustrator of the Year for their Insight Magazine.

Kimberley: I spent a month doing this piece (pictured) which was based on my next steps. I sent it by e-mail and it didn't take too long to get a response back and they said that I'd won.

Tim Scott: How did you feel when you won the competition?

Kimberley: I was just so happy I could have run around the house! I just couldn't believe that after spending a month on it, it paid off.

Tim Scott: What would your advice be to somebody who's blind or partially sighted who thinks "I can't possibly do this or that"?

Kimberley: You can do anything that you put your mind to. Just because you've got a disability doesn't mean you don't have the ability to do something. Any barrier can be overcome and your dreams definitely can come true!

Kimberley's dream is to study art at college and become a professional illustrator. With talent like hers, she'll probably succeed. Tim Scott, ITV News, Irlam.

Blind Woman from Irlam Wins Prestigious Art Award

Kimberley Burrows has not let her disability get in the way of her dreams - by Tim Scott, ITV Granada

Kimberley Burrows was born partially blind and she can only see a little out of one eye, but this has not stopped her pursuing her dream of being a full-time artist. She has now come one step further to her dream after being awarded the prestigious title of 'Young Illustrator of the Year' by RNIB's insight Magazine.

As a result, she will be producing artwork for the magazine throughout the year. Her winning illustration represented the next steps she intends to take in her life. This included training to have a guide dog, completing a braille course and a mobility course with a cane.

She took a month to complete this work as her condition means she can only draw for very short periods of time. She draws using pencil crayons and fine liners, and uses a Daylight lamp to help her with her sight.

"You can do anything you put your mind to. Just because you have a disability doesn't mean you don't have the ability to do something" - Kimberley Burrows, Artist

You can view my interview by clicking on the thumbnail above
or on the ITV News website here.

Interview with Daily Mail Online

I did an interview with the national press on Friday morning and had photographs taken the next day, which was picked up by the Daily Mail Online this afternoon. I cannot believe that such a huge newspaper wanted my story on their website! I'm really pleased with how it all turned out, just like with the Salford Advertiser / MEN article! Both articles have really reassured me, and the response has been so positive!

Below are the photographs that were taken over the weekend, and I have copied the article below for you to read.

Photographs © Mercury Press & Media Ltd.

Blind Student Named 'Young Illustrator of the Year' by RNIB: Refuses To Let Disability Stand in Way of Art Career

• Kimberley Burrows has virtually no sight
yet creates amazing illustrations

• The 25-year-old is blind in one eye and can only
focus for a few minutes at a time with the other

• Her pieces take a month to finish as she
can only work for 20 minutes at a time

• She has been awarded Illustrator of the
Year by RNIB's Insight Magazine

These stunning pieces of art will never be seen by their creator properly, as she is unable to see in one eye. Kimberley Burrows, 25, from Salford, Greater Manchester is completely blind in one eye and can only focus for a few minutes at a time in her other. In spite of her disability she is establishing herself in the art world, with the RNIB's Insight Magazine recently naming her Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014.

The 25-year-old has refused to let her sight problems stand in the way of a possible career in illustration. While her disability poses difficulties in a job that demands such attention to detail, Kimberley insists that it has only made her more determined to succeed. Kimberley said: 'I have loved art for as long as I can remember. I might struggle to do a still life, but I draw from what I see in my mind.'

Kimberley even said that she hopes her passion for drawing could lead to a possible job. 'I know it's not the obvious career choice for someone who is blind, but I've got the willpower to tackle in any obstacles. It is my ultimate dream to become an illustrator for children's books. When I was younger I always enjoyed the large print illustrations by Quentin Blake in the Roald Dahl books, although Paddington Bear was probably my favourite - and still is.'

Kimberley dreams of one day being a children's book illustrator; her Paddington drawing, left, and another piece featuring herself, right.

Due to the strain that drawing places on her eyes she can only work on her pieces for around 20 minutes at a time, which means her illustrations can take up to one month to finish. She says: 'I don't find it too frustrating as it's what I'm used to and I know at the end of the month it will be done. If I set myself a goal I know I'm going to achieve it and that keeps me going.'

Kimberley is also studying Braille and hopes to get her own guide dog, as depicted in this drawing.

Kimberley's dream of turning her passion into a career may soon be realised - she has already been commissioned to create a special drawing of Paddington Bear for creator, Michael Bond. Despite her illustrations taking up the bulk of her day, Kimberley also finds time to study Braille alongside arts and crafts at Henshaws Society for Blind People, as well as cane training with the Salford Sensory Team and is working towards getting her own guide dog. Kimberley said: 'Once I finish my training, what I'd really like to do is study fine art at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford.'

Kimberley can only work on a piece for 20 minutes at a time due to the strain it places on her eyes.

'I also want to continue campaigning with the RNIB to make things better for young blind people. I've been to the Houses of Parliament with them and we also set up a young person's campaigning network called Envision.' 

Kimberley added that she is impressed with what technology has allowed people with sight problems to do but believes more work is still needed. 'When I was at school we didn't have computers, so one of my friends would have to read what was on the blackboard to me. Things are much better now with the technology we have but there's still more than can be done. Even with the obstacles I faced, art was always something I loved at school. I know illustrating is not the obvious choice for someone with sight problems and I will need to work hard. But I am very determined and I refuse to let anything be a barrier to achieving my goals.'

A spokesman for the RNIB said: 'Kimberley is an inspiration and her work has rightly earned her a top award. We wish her all the best in her very promising career as an artist.'

The article can be seen on the Daily Mail Online website by clicking on the thumbnail above.