Glimmmer | Nicole Quinton
Artist statement
A glimmer is a psychological term I discovered during Covid lockdowns.
It’s a moment of joy, a small pleasure that helps regulate and reset our nervous system, giving a sense of calm.
Glimmers are the opposite of triggers, they remind us we’re ok.
A rainbow after a storm. Drinking tea from your favourite mug. Being inspired by a particular piece art on your wall.
Being neurodivergent, having an invisible disability and living in a society that doesn’t cater for your needs, is really, really hard.
We face multitudes of triggers, every day.
We are constantly trying to reset and calm our nervous system, teetering on the edge of overwhelm and meltdown.
Glimmers help us, they are an act of self-care for neurodivergents.
A part of ‘unmasking’ my neurodivergence has been experimenting to find my glimmers. Acknowledging my sensory seeking behaviours has led to me working with a new medium, paper clay. The texture of the clay and the sensation of sculpting has been grounding for me.
This practice produces artworks which are organic, playful, full of quirks, and humanness. They hold the marks of the maker. Each one is unique, made up of fragile shapes that come together in a way that creates joy.
My purpose is to create bold, socially responsible pieces that aim to be the small dose of pleasure, a glimmer of something special in everyday life.
Because everyone deserves a little daily spark of happiness in a kind, supportive world.
I hope you find your glimmmer.
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I live, work, and play on beautiful Dja Dja Wurrung land with my family, our kelpies and cat. I’m grateful to live here, work in my studio, and be connected to nature.
Before moving here I’d always been a city dweller, living on the canals in Milan, in London’s East End, and Sydney’s inner west. Over the last 20 years I’ve worked as a Creative Director for some of the world’s biggest brands and my work has seen by audiences numbering in the millions.
Working in the creative industry was fantastic and soul destroying at the same time. I knew I needed to explore and express my own ideas which meant applying my conceptual thinking to new mediums.
I enrolled at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London to study Fine Art. It was here that I started to explore the themes of belonging and identity in my art practice.
When I returned to Australia, I continued exploring at Sydney Tafe with a Diploma of Textile Design and Development.
My work has been included in an installation in the Pompidou Centre, Paris and displayed in the MoMA in New York and I’ve had exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, London and closer to home in Castlemaine and Ballarat.
And then, the world stopped for Covid.
I unravelled during the global pandemic. I was diagnosed as neurodivergent, an Autistic ADHD inattentive female.
I was told I belonged to the lost generation of women, the females unnoticed, unsupported, unaccommodated, and all late diagnosed.
And suddenly everything made sense.
Now, with a new understanding of myself, looking through my neurodivergent lens, I’m discovering new meanings for the themes of identity and belonging. My work feels deeper. It has purpose. And most importantly, it’s about advocating for me and my neurokin.
The exhibition open Saturday 29th July at 2pm and will run until Saturday August 26th.
