Joanna Rucklidge MA (RCA)
Senior Lecturer in Illustration & Graphic Design
Summary
I am a part-time Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication, teaching on both the Illustration and Graphic Design BA programmes.
About
I live and work in Sheffield as an artist, designer and educator. I have worked in art & design education for over 20 years, consistently interested by how pedagogical experiences relate to environmental awareness and behavior change. Within my own practice, I tackle issues around the visual identity of waste materials, the value of resources, whist aiming to promote waste minimisation & re-use. I studied BA Graphic Design at Glasgow School of Art and an MA in Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art. As an educator, I have written visual communication project briefs & workshops addressing consumer habits, sustainable lifestyles, nature connection, waste as a creative resource, litter picking, wastestreams, craftivism, food waste etc. I have highlighted the process, content and outputs of some of these projects in conferences and symposiums around the UK, and am currently co-writing a chapter in a book: Design Education in the Anthropocene part of the Design Research for Change Book Series published by Routledge.
My own work draws attention to ‘rubbish’ - the resources lost and wasted through consumer habits. I work with found material and disposed of objects, using prints, drawing, collage, animation and sculpture to translate & create responses to the utilitarian and ubiquitous resources found in bins, skips and litter. I observe, explore, collect, process, disrupt and visually articulate responses to materials. I have produced work for exhibitions, installations, murals, screenings and festivals. Collaboration is a frequent part of my methodology, working with colleagues, fellow artists and students. I even see the way I respond to pre-existing materials a form of provocation & response – a visible dialogue.
Teaching
Art & Design
BA Illustration & BA Graphic Design
Publications
Book chapters
Rucklidge, J., & Freeman, E. (2024). Ego to Eco. In Design Education in the Anthropocene. (pp. 127-141). Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003110828-11
Internet Publications
Noble, L., & Wiggins, A. (2022). Blowing Our Own Trumpets. [Digitised Sketchbook]. https://sheffieldfeministarchive.co.uk/women-in-lockdown/key-work/
Briggs, C., Kovats, T., & Taylor, A. (2022). Nature as Witness. https://issuu.com/drawing_correspondence_program/docs/nature_as_witness_
Rucklidge, J., & Freeman, E. (2021). Ego to Eco Website. https://egotoeco.uk/
Artefacts
Rucklidge, J. (2023). Blinded By. [Screen printing and block printing on tracing paper].
Rucklidge, J. (2022). Seaworthy Vessels. [Monoprint on Tracing Paper]. https://se.royalacademy.org.uk/2022/artworks/joanna-rucklidge/1045
Rucklidge, J. (2022). Plastic 101. [Graphite on tracing paper]. https://issuu.com/drawing_correspondence_program/docs/nature_as_witness_
Rucklidge, J. (2019). Castaway. Heraklion, Crete.
Rucklidge, J. (2016). Screwed. [Sculpture].
Noble, E., Judge, M., Wiggins, A., Whitehead, J., Neill, G., & Rucklidge, J. (2016). Womanhood.
Rucklidge, J., & Woodcock, F. (2015). Like-Letters. [blog]. http://like-letters.tumblr.com/
Rucklidge, J. (2014). Going Round in Circles. [Mixed media]. http://www.theherbert.org/whats-on/events-exhibitions/shed-%E2%80%93-collect-%E2%80%93-shed-coventry%E2%80%99s-lost-and-found
Exhibitions
Rucklidge, J. (2014). Shed-Collect-Shed : Coventry's Lost & Found. [Mixed Media]. Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry. http://www.theherbert.org/whats-on/events-exhibitions/shed-%E2%80%93-collect-%E2%80%93-shed-coventry%E2%80%99s-lost-and-found
Rucklidge, J. (2016). Screwed. Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire.
Rucklidge, J., & Woodcock, F. (2016). Like-Letters Exhibition. Head Post Office Gallery, SIA, Sheffield. https://www4.shu.ac.uk/sia/events/event-listing.html?event=207
Rucklidge, J., & Freeman, E. (2020). Ego to Eco: we are nature. Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery. http://egotoeco.uk/
Rucklidge, J., Lee, J., & Hudson, F. (2018). Utter Rubbish: Conversations about Litter & Waste. Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery.
Rucklidge, J. (2018). Sense of Place. [Print]. White Room Gallery at Yellow Arch, Sheffield.
Rucklidge, J. (2018). Sense of Place. [Print]. White Room Gallery at Yellow Arch, Sheffield.
Presentations
Rucklidge, J. (2021). How to become a better illustrator (and citizen): spend time in imaginary worlds, talk to yourself, stay away from people, commune with nature, draw about it. Presented at: Education and Illustration: Models Methods Paradigms, 11th Illustration Research Symposium, Kingston University
Rucklidge, J. (2018). Ego to Eco/A pedagogical case study: Imagining, Experiencing & Interpreting Nature. Presented at: Expanding Communities of Sustainable Practice: Leeds Arts University Symposium 2018, Leeds Arts University
Rucklidge, J. (2018). Imagining, Experiencing & Interpreting Nature. Presented at: Achieving a Transformative Student Centred Experience, Teaching & Learning Conference, Sheffield Hallam University
Rucklidge, J. (2017). What is our connection to nature? Imagine, experience & interpret nature brief. Presented at: The Graphic Design Educators’ Network 2017 conference: Ideas of Revolt, Sheffield Hallam University
Rucklidge, J. (2017). Imagine, Experience & Interpret Nature Project. Presented at: Nature Connections 2017 3rd Interdisciplinary Conference: Beyond Contact with Nature to Connection, University of Derby
Judge, M., Wiggins, A., & Rucklidge, J. (2016). She Art of Now – ‘Womanhood’ craft workshop. Presented at: She Art of Now – ‘Womanhood’ Craft Workshop part of SheFest, 35 Chapel Walk Gallery, 2016
Rucklidge, J. (2014). Printmaking with reclaimed materials. Presented at: Printmaking with Reclaimed materials, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, 2014
Posters
Rucklidge, J., & Freeman, E. (2021). How to connect to nature & yourself: spend time in imaginary worlds, talk to yourself, stay away from people commune with nature, draw about it. Presented at: Earth(ly) Matters 2021 - Human in Context: Mind, Body, Nature & Society, Sheffield Hallam University