Lizz Tuckerman
Profile/CV
Lizz Tuckerman is a multimedia fine artist. Lizz's art practice is sometimes influenced by her scientific career and vice versa. Interested in the definition of self as opposed to other, the role of memory, place and choice, the work is designed for multiple interpretations by the viewer.
Lizz attended a Quaker school in which there was no specialisation into the arts or sciences, although art was regarded as something that you could do in your spare time, whereas science was of serious practical benefit to society. After school she studied Zoology at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. In the sixties as now Newcastle was buzzing she enjoyed a great social life of clubs and crazy parties plus evening access to classes in the department of Fine Art. After graduating she turned down the offer to study for a PhD, the first of many refusals. Instead she decided to stay in Newcastle and accepted an offer from Dr John Gray to work as a research assistant in the Anatomy Department, Newcastle Medical School. Cytogenetics, the analysis of human chromosomes using the light microscope was a new technique. She loved it, the technique, the analysis, meeting the patients, and while there published her first paper.
After Newcastle Lizz moved to Cambridge to work in the university department of Haematological Medicine. She set up a cytogenetics service for the hospitals in the region and investigated the relationship between chromosomes and leukaemia. Publishing with Abraham Karpas and John Cawley, Lizz researched the effect of viral infection on chromosome structure. Lizz also analysed the chromosomes of Cesar Milstein’s first hybridoma proving that the fused cell was composed of both rat and mouse material. Cambridge College of Arts provided the opportunity to attended classes in life drawing, painting and ceramics, although it was in the lab and thanks to the head technician Roger Flemans that she learnt how to use and run a dark room.
After the birth of her second child, Lizz returned to cytogenetics in a part-time capacity at the Department of Child Health, Birmingham University. With Dr Tessa Webb she worked on the effect of X chromosome inactivation in the Fragile X Syndrome, and obtained an MSc as part of her research. She was one of the first to show that the pattern of X inactivation can result in a different physical appearance between genetically identical female twins. Cytogenticists have to able to detect very small differences at the limit of the resolution of the light microscope, Lizz developed an eye disease and the progressive damage ended her career in cytogenetics. Instead she installed a ceramics kiln in the basement of her house and attended Lichfield College of Arts specialising in sculpture, ceramics, painting, and life drawing.
When she moved to Sheffield Lizz combined a PGCE with life drawing at the Mappin and ceramics at home. The aim being that teaching would enable her to combine her art and science; however shortly after qualifying she spotted an advert for a tissue culture technician in the Biomedical Research Unit in The Jessop Hospital For Women. Run by Professor TC Li the Biomedical Research Unit specialises in investigating the causes of infertility, especially recurrent miscarriage and implantation failure after IVF. Lizz worked in the unit from 1992-2008, and left many papers later as a senior research associate. From 1995-2000 Lizz attended the school of Fine Art, Sheffield Hallam University as a part-time student. After graduating with a first and an award she obtained subsided studio space on the Starter Studio Programme at Persistence Works, the first custom built artist’s studio complex in Britain. Lizz has taken part in exhibitions, commissions, residencies and workshops. Following a request from the Arts Council to research the extent of art and science collaboration in Yorkshire Lizz was asked by the artist Paul Digby to co-found Hybrid Art and Science Network www.hybrid-art.co.uk In February 2010 Lizz and Paul supported by Arts Council England organised Hybrid exhibitions in Persistence Works, Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery and Butcher Works Gallery and a Hybrid symposium at the Thackray Museum in Leeds. At present Lizz is taking time out to develop her art practice, her studio will be open on the 18th and 19th June 2010 as part of Open Up Sheffield.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
o ‘Why I Am Me and You Are You’ Performance lecture, in the Hybrid Dialogue series, Arts Council Offices, Dewsbury (2009)
o ‘Fallopian’ D floor gallery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (2007).
o 'fourth most common' Persistence Works Sheffield (2006)
o ‘The Marriage of Art and Science’ Access Space, Brown Street, Sheffield (2003).
o ‘Lido’ Scarborough Art Gallery (2002).
o ‘Capability’ Saffron Walden library art space (2000).
o ‘f = degrees of freedom’ Sheffield Hallam University (2000).
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
o ‘Switch Off When You Leave’ to accompany The Science and Arts of Memory in the Sheffield University Arts and Science Encounters series of public lectures 2010.
o Hybrid Art and Science Exhibition, Sheffield, various venues, (2010) curated and exhibited
o ‘Crunchtime’ art and climate change, New School House Gallery, York (2010)
o Primodise sub-surface printing on aluminium, The Old Courthouse,Thirsk (2009)
o ‘On Your Wall’ - Leeds Met Gallery (2009)
o ‘Flying Cells’ ArtWash Take-Out, Oxford (2009)
o Coach House Gallery, Wakefield (2008)
o ‘Memories? Dreams?’ Lescar Project, Sheffield (2004)
o ‘Cells to music’ collaborative work with Nick Jenkins (stem cell technician), Persistence Works, Sheffield (2004).
o ‘Suspended’ Workstation, Sheffield, curated and exhibited (2003).
o ‘Open Up’ Persistence Works, Sheffield (2003)
o ‘Be my Valentine’ Persistence Works, Sheffield curated and exhibited (2001).
o ‘A Weekend in Scarborough’ photomontage, selected for ‘Up North’ Leeds City Art Gallery (2000)
COMMISSIONS
o Hybrid Networking Association, Exhibition and Symposium (2010)
o Art and Science Collaboration in Yorkshire a report - title Hybrid (2009)
o ‘Flying Pink Wall’ site specific private commission digital images directly onto a wall; private flat Eagle Wharf, Pimlico, London (2008)
o ‘Butcher Works’ site specific private commission for flat in renovated Butcher Works, Sheffield (2007)
o ‘Number 30’ site specific commission for private house, Sheffield (2006)
o ‘The Restoration of Hope’ physiotherapy department Broomfield Hospital, Essex (2004)
o ‘Reflect on This’ Department of Clinical Chemistry, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield (2001).
RESIDENCIES
o Documentation (video, stills and booklet) of 6 artists presenting ‘Take One Picture’ a Creative Partnerships project at Balby Central Primary School, Doncaster (2007)
o ‘Playing with pictures’ introduction of creative digital photography into the core curriculum (KS1 and KS2), with teachers and children over a nine month period at Balby Central Primary School, Doncaster funded by Creative Partnerships, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (2006).
o ‘Fourth most common’ work produced as artist in residence for arts and science conference ‘Terms of Engagement’, York University 5-7 September (2005).
o Birley Spa Community Primary School, ‘Growing Plants’ working with Y1 children to construct large wall collages (2006).
o Oakwood Technical College, Rotherham. Working with gifted and talented pupils to create permanent artworks for new science block (2002).
WORKSHOPS
o ‘Painting Chromosomes’ (2008) Creative art/science workshop for Science Week, Barnsley Academy.
o Leonardo Da Vinci ‘The man who wanted to know everything’ Creative workshops for schools linked to the Leonardo exhibition. Leeds City Art Gallery (2006)
AWARDS
o Arts Council managed funds for developing Hybrid Arts and Science Association networking, exhibition and symposium
o Arts Council, researching collaborative arts and science practice in Yorkshire (2008-9)
o Arts Council, providing mentoring for Artists Insights programme.(2007-8)
o Arts Council, artist in residence Terms of Engagement conference (2005)
o Arts Council exhibiting (2003)
o Arts Council research and development (2002)
o Arts Council attendance at international conference (2001)
o Starter Studio Programme, Persistence Works, Sheffield (2001-3)
o Diane Wilcox Award (2000)
Website www.lizztuckerman.co.uk
