Bio

Amy Kingsmill is a radical, queer performance artist producing minimalist pain- based ritualistic performance. Her inherently feminist work focuses on transformation & transcendence, combining beauty with arrestingly visceral actions. Amy Kingsmill is one of the leading female performance artists in London working with ‘extreme’ performance, She has 12+ years’ experience as a professional performance artist in live art & cabaret. Since graduating from Central Saint Martin’s (2013)

She has performed internationally including Karachi Biennale 2017, Fallen, LAST Projects Los Angeles [Feb 2023] Light Source performance, Colchester Arts Center [Sept 2022], Light Source Night School monthly talk series,The Horse Hospital + Friends House, London [June 2021-June 2022] Bleeding Skirt, Tempting Failure International Biennale of Performance Art & Noise 2018 Journey, Spill Festival of Performance 2014, Corpus Sonos at LAST Projects Los Angeles 2019, Trance Dance at Franko B’s Untouchables 2015, Growth with Rhiannon Aarons in Los Angeles 2019 and Tender Blood with Sheree Rose 2015.

Reviews

“Welcome to the new esoteric theatre. Its not minimalist and its not maximal. Meaning a costume drama without sets. The iconography – yes archetypal – is pumped to cartoon colours and graphics. But the speed, the intention, is pure luxury. Amy Kingsmill straddles cabaret/trance/spectacle and infuses the space with exuberance.” – Ron Athey 

Why MW is important:

“Magical women’s work is very important to me as a neurodiverse artist with on going mental health conditions working with queer ritual and having spent the last few years working on a radical memorial project for those accused at Witches, framing the work of other queer Neurodiverse artists and global majoirity artists/speakers. Solidarity is the only way we move forward to support each other and make spaces for radical change and support.”

Bio

Intuitive maker and writer based on the Scottish West Coast, always inspired by nature.

Artist Statement 

I mindfully improvise luxury heirloom throws and shawls using pure Scottish wool from small high-welfare producers who prioritise regenerative practices. Every creation is absolutely unique and site-specific: my designs are inspired by the topography, landscape and atmosphere of the place that grew the wool used for each piece. My soothing writing specialises in mindfulness, wellbeing, creativity, slow living and reconnecting to nature.

Why MW is important:

“Magical Women offers me a safe and inspiring community where being neurodivergent is a strength that fosters creativity, connection and authenticity”

Bio

My background is in gymnastics, as a teenager I competed nationally and internationally, however the culture of the sport and coaching methods had a devastating impact on my mental health and self esteem. I struggled with stress related anxiety from a young age and have experienced ongoing mental health issues.
I studied BA(hons) Art: Practice and Theory at Lancaster University and settled in the area to
raise my children. At the age of 39 I was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. This became
the catalyst for me to reconnect with my art practice.
Over the last four years I’ve been proactive in seeking opportunities and support; joining local arts organisation Kings Street Arts, gaining mentoring from Shropshire based disability arts organisation DASH, and gaining Arts Council England funding for my DYCP project ‘ProPriOception’, which brought my experience in gymnastics into my art practice for the first Time. Dealing with increasing media coverage of malpractices within the gymnastics world at the time of my DYCP provoked me to address my own negative experiences and after researching therapy options I sought EMDR treatment, where I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD. The treatment process was emotionally and mentally challenging, however the processing of past traumas has been transformative.

Artist Statement 

I am a neurodivergent visual artist based in Lancaster. My art practice explores themes of proprioception, embodied experiences, neurodivergence and mental health. I work across multiple disciplines including drawing, painting, collage and video.
In 2022-23 I completed an ACE funded DYCP project titled ProPriOception. This project explored my lived experience within the world of elite gymnastics, drawing upon my understanding of acrobatic movement, and looking at the juxtaposition between the beauty of performance and the realities of the gymnastics culture.
Building on the work I produced during my DYCP I’m now making preparations for new body of work that explores trauma and healing, looking more deeply at my personal experiences; the repercussions of negative events within gymnastics, my struggles with long term mental health issues, and the journey that my late diagnosis of neurodivergence has initiated.

Why MW is important:

For me, MW serves a vastly underrepresented group of artists who’s talent and voices are not currently being seen or heard in the wider art community. My own experiences demonstrate to me that as an individual artist I’m unlikely to find success in opportunities that are tailored primarily towards neurotypical/non-disabled people – the MW artists directory is an opportunity to be part of a supportive network.

Bio

Artist Statement 

I am a professional vocalist, songwriter, performer and practitioner. 

Why MW is important:

As a Neurodivergent woman I have experienced the lack of education and understanding towards the needs of those who are Neurodivergent within the music industry and other work and creative environments. I have had to continue to mask because of this yet am learning to advocate for myself. We need communities like Magical Women to help with this advocacy and provide a louder platform for our access needs to be heard and actioned.