Art Trail Spotlight: Meet Jordan Harcourt-Hughes: Artist, Writer and Short Course Coordinator

From large-scale metalwork installations to painting and writing, Jordan Harcourt-Hughes has explored a range of creative practices throughout her life. Now based on the Kāpiti Coast, Jordan brings that curiosity and love of experimentation to her role as TLC’s Short Course Coordinator, connecting people with artists and workshops that offer new ways to explore their creativity.

Ahead of the Lower Hutt Art Trail, we caught up with Jordan to talk about her own creative journey, what she loves about bringing people together through art, and her upcoming Artist Talk, Journey of the Rabbit, at TLC’s LAB Gallery.


Kia ora Jordan.  Can you tell us a little about yourself and your journey as an artist?

I am an Aussie who married a Kiwi and now call the gorgeous Kapiti Coast my home. I loved writing as a kid and teenager. Then at the age of about 19, I had an early-life crisis and decided words weren’t enough. There had to be a better language to describe the experience of life. I was obsessed with the colour silver at the time so found myself exploring metalsmithing in Scotland when I lived there for a year. I went onto to complete my visual arts degree at the University of Sydney, majoring in Sculpture and Object Design, creating very large metalwork installations. Then after uni I started painting and never looked back.  Sometime after that I found my way back to words – so now my two creative hats are writing and painting.

What inspires your own creative practice? 

I’m really driven by the concept of creative agency. How do we get to a point where we feel confident enough to own our journey, and feel like we’ve got the tools to take our next step in the adventure of life? I think this is what keeps me experimenting and testing my own creative practice through writing books, podcasting, painting and running courses and workshops. I also love the world of work – so deeply interested in how creativity helps us chart an authentic career path that nurtures us, that helps us make a meaningful contribution and have a voice in the world – no matter what profession we choose.

As an artist and TLC’s Short Course Coordinator, what do you enjoy most about seeing people take part in a workshop or evening class?

I love that each person who comes to a short course brings so much interesting life experience.  And I always find that people are very generous in sharing their knowledge, insight, lessons learned and everyone contributes to creating a great energy in the room. This is what makes it safe for people to experiment, take risks, and enjoy some creative play  – everyone takes the journey together. and everyone contributes something valuable in their own way – just by being themselves.

You’ll be giving an Artist Talk in TLC’s LAB Gallery at 2pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Can you tell us a bit about your talk?

My talk is called Journey of the Rabbit. It’s about the experience of navigating a threshold moment; the experience we all have, some point in our lives, where we ask the question ‘Where do I go from here?’

You’ll also have your own artwork on display in Studio T2.27, alongside information on the Short Courses. Can you tell us about the work you’re bringing along?

I’m so excited about having the whole weekend to paint! I usually work on a large collection of paintings doing a bit here and a bit there. I never really know what’s going to happen on the day which always makes it fun!

 


Jordan is one of TLC’s artists in the Lower Hutt Art Trail, here at TLC, over the weekend of 17 – 18 October, and will be based in T2.27 (Taylor Building, 2nd Floor).  Jordan will also be giving Artist Talks on both Saturday and Sunday at 2pm in the LAB Gallery (Ground Floor of the Taylor building).


TLC will be opening our doors to visitors during the Lower Hutt Art Trail. We are at 182 Eastern Hutt Road, Taita.  Plenty of free onsite parking available.

To find out more about our Weekend Workshops and Evening Classes visit our Short Course Website.  To find out more about studying onsite at TLC, visit How to Study