Jody Mulvey

11 Apr

Published 11th April 2021

INTRODUCTION

Jody Mulvey (she/her) is a creative practitioner based in Scotland and the latest addition to It’s Nice That’s team, as Project Assistant. Since graduating from Fine Art MA at Edinburgh College of Art last year, she has built a community platform (@sadgrads2020) for UK art school graduates who had their degree shows cancelled due to COVID-19.

The platform has been featured on Dazed (by The White Pube), The Elephant Mag and 10 Magazine, nominated for two Creative Edinburgh awards and collaborated with Creative Lives in Progress.

Where do you think you would be now if you’d pursued law instead of art? What sort of lawyer do you think you would be?

I went through so many different career phases. I wanted to study marketing at one point… I also wanted to be a forensic scientist too, but I was soon put off this because of my fear of blood. What really stuck with me for years, was wanting to be a lawyer, specifically a criminal lawyer - I blame watching too many TV dramas!

I actually did work experience in a law firm when I was at high school and was helping build up different cases for various people. I really had this whole life set up for me, but it suddenly dawned on me that I didn’t know whether my morals aligned with being a lawyer.

It was in fourth year that I was considering dropping art so I could pursue this career but I was fortunate that my art teacher told me I’d be really daft to not pursue art, so here I am! It’s actually really weird because in primary school I was set on being a fashion designer and wanted to go to Glasgow School of Art, so it feels like I went full circle and returned back to the dream of going to art school. Things work out in weird ways, don’t they?

Is there anything you’d like to say to your art teacher who stepped in and stopped you from abandoning your art skills at school?

Just that I’m grateful he didn’t let me make, what would have been, one of the biggest mistakes of my life!

When we spoke, it was your 1 year anniversary since the birth of SAD GRADS, on reflection, what’s been your favourite moment?

This is really difficult to choose one moment that was my favourite as starting SAD GRADS 2020 has made so many amazing things happen that I would have never have dreamed of happening a year ago! If I was to choose though, I’d definitely have to go with making the SAD GRADS 2020 charity zine in collaboration with fellow 2020 graduate, Ruben Buffery. We published two volumes of the zine and managed to showcase the work of 102 contributors from a vast across the UK. It was at this time that I also realised just how many people actually loved and were supporting the platform as I was receiving a submission a minute at one point for the open call.

“It was at this time that I realised just how many people actually loved and were supporting the platform as I was receiving a submission a minute at one point for the open call.”

SADGRADS2020 zine (designed by Ruben Buffery)

‘Digital detoxing’ was something we chatted a lot about surrounding burnout and the very online nature of your job. How do you switch off and keep burnout at bay?

It’s very hard for me to digitally detox because not only do I run SAD GRADS, but as an artist I promote my work via Instagram! Also, these digital platforms are also the main way in which we can all keep in touch with people right now as I haven’t physically seen any of my friends since September so it’s been tough to find that balance.

I’d say the main way I’ve been switching off right now, is going for really long baths and also going on walks every day - usually three - with my dog! I find getting outside can really clear my head. I’ve also really been enjoying exercising too. I think trying to keep my body healthy is what I’m hoping will keep my mind healthy.

I have also been enjoying cooking (huge fan of Masterchef) and have been trying to make various things with my mum. My favourite thing we have made so far has been gyozas and noodles; it was really rewarding to make something so technically challenging! Although doing so much to occupy my mind and take me away from the everyday stresses of life can often make me burnout more, so I just watch some mindless TV, right now my favourite is Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

You said you were pretty terrified about going live on Instagram, what was it that motivated you to step outside of your comfort zone and do it?

Yes - I was absolutely terrified to do those lives! I was honestly so unwell barely slept the night before every single one of them. I had received funding from YoungScot in partnership with Creative Scotland to facilitate these talks, so once I was awarded this I knew I had no way out!

More so, I was motivated to do them because I knew how invaluable it would be for confused graduates, similar to myself, to be able to ask questions about what it’s like to establish yourself within the arts, to people who have had this experience of finding their feet within the creative industry. Hearing from people who have first-hand experience within the arts has always helped reassure me that I too can succeed, and also that everyone is just as confused as each other, so I just wanted to be able to facilitate this experience for others.

“Hearing from people who have first-hand experience within the arts has always helped reassure me that I too can succeed, and also that everyone is just as confused as each other”

The Selfhood was such a huge help to me during this time - I think I turned into her number one fan! I kept watching the videos she had made about speaking to a camera and in an Instagram Live she was speaking about how the focus isn’t on you personally, but the valuable conversation you are creating. She made me realise that even if I did muddle my words, it wouldn’t matter too much as the important aspect is the information we were all discussing.

I also watched a YouTube video about speaking on camera and the person said you should take a big drink of cold water before jumping into speaking, so doing this really calmed my nerves. It also explains why you always see me taking a big gulp of water before saying anything in the Instagram Live series!

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A post shared by SAD GRADS (@sadgrads2020)

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you graduated?

That my final grade at university doesn’t define me and will never hold me back from what I want to achieve.

What does your dream artist-run community space look and feel like?

If I was to start my own artist-run space I’d want it to be welcoming and not cliquey. I think this can be a huge issue within artist-run initiatives (even though this is beginning to change) and I’d want anyone who wants to use or engage with the space to be able to do so without the fear of maybe not having the same conventional “arts background” as others. I even feel petrified going into some of these galleries as an art grad so I can’t even imagine how daunting it must be for someone who doesn’t have this background necessarily… If we want art to be for everyone, which it rightly should be, then how can we think this will happen when arts spaces continue to be so alienating?

“If we want art to be for everyone, which it rightly should be, then how can we think this will happen when arts spaces continue to be so alienating?”

I think I would want to centre the whole space around how to create links with a community; by reaching out to groups or residents who could utilise the space in some way. This, as well as operating as a gallery space, particularly for early-career artists.

Ultimately, I’d just want to create a space that is able to provide tangible support to others within a community whilst also creating a platform for emerging artists to engage with the broader public. Of course, this whole plan is way WAY off but I like to imagine the existence of these spaces or find others who are already doing the work!

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A post shared by Jody Mulvey (she/her) (@joddddddy)

What collaboration would you like to speak into existence for the future? Perhaps in a post-pandemic world of events and real human interaction!

I’d really love to do a big blockbuster exhibition with loads of Sad Grads in a gallery. I’d like to imagine both 2020 and 2021 graduates in one huge space with loads of people being exhibited. Of course, there would need to be a big opening night too where loads of us can meet and have a lovely time! I think something like that would be the big UK-wide degree show that we all missed out on and it would be a huge celebration of all that we have all managed to achieve.

SADGRADS t-shirt design (designed by Ruben Buffery)

You radiate this joyful energy through both your work and your personality, what’s one thing that’s always guaranteed to lift your mood?

A dance around my room to a feel-good song (my favourite right now is Dynamite - BTS hehe), some good food (a bowl of noodles preferably) and watching my favourite episodes of Bob’s Burgers or The Simpsons. This is definitely my lockdown version of what would lift my mood, usually going to the pub for a catch up with my pals would be ultimate thing to lift my mood!