I am a socially engaged visual artist fascinated by the alchemy of collaboration. I envision a series of workshops and public interventions that invite people to explore ordinary materials in unexpected ways. By giving a found object a new purpose or mixing paint with natural dyes collected from the neighbourhood, I aim to spark a sense of wonder and transformation in participants. The everyday becomes experimental murals that grow like gardens, sculptures that evolve with community touch, and participatory installations that emerge from intuitive play.
In this way, my practice dissolves the boundary between art and everyday life, allowing creative magic to unfold unpredictably and collectively.
The £10,000 bursary would bring this vision to life. I would rent a flexible studio/community space where people can gather over several months to co-create. I would spend the funds on a wide range of mixed-media supplies—traditional paints, reclaimed wood, clay, found objects, fabrics, and playful unconventional materials. Crucially, the award would free up my time: I could temporarily reduce other work and immerse myself fully in experimentation. This kind of breathing room is exactly what The Dover Prize offers, giving me the gift of time to research, reflect, and play with new ideas.
This prize would transform my practice by enabling deeper experimentation at a larger scale. It would allow me to build trust and momentum in community relationships, documenting the evolution of ideas rather than rushing to an outcome. I hope to achieve a series of community-created artworks that chart a journey of curiosity and co-discovery. The value of this project is not a polished final product but the alchemical process itself. Through this experience, I expect to learn new skills and uncover unexpected pathways for my work. Ultimately, I want to nurture a living network of creative exchange—people whose perspectives are shifted because we took a chance on making art together. The Dover Prize’s support would help this experiment flourish, propelling my practice into exciting new directions.
Stepping into Darlington—where the Dover Prize Fund has its roots—I feel inspired to connect with the town’s creative spirit. As a socially engaged visual artist, I thrive on collaboration, experimentation, and playfulness. Although I’m new here, I’m eager to engage with the area’s people and places. By listening and responding to local stories through mixed-media art, I hope to shine a light on Darlington’s creative energy.
My process-led, intuitive approach means that ideas will emerge through group workshops, spontaneous art sessions, and open conversations. I imagine using found materials and local inspiration to create artworks that spark curiosity, joy and dialogue. Through this journey, I hope to build unexpected friendships and creative partnerships, helping people discover new possibilities within themselves.
By working collaboratively with residents, community groups, and fellow artists, I aim to gently raise awareness, excitement, and visibility of the creative arts in Darlington—without a fixed agenda. My goal is to nurture a sense of openness and surprise by celebrating small creative moments that can transform a community. I’m keen to learn from Darlington’s community and share my playful approach to creativity.
As a seasoned socially engaged artist, project manager, educator and facilitator, my practice centres on bringing art to communities often overlooked. I specialise in participatory projects across education, healthcare, and public and voluntary sectors. Drawing on a background in fine art and therapeutic art coaching, I founded Mona Lisa Arts & Media CIC to fuse creativity with real-world impact. My work spans many media—from photography and film to sculpture and installation—embracing intuitive creation and collaboration. Process and play are at the core of how I work. I often facilitate open-ended workshops and creative labs, using improvisation and experimentation to spark transformation and connection. Whether painting murals with young people, guiding community storytelling through collage, or leading movement-and-meditation sessions, I create spaces where creativity bridges social gaps. I’m especially drawn to themes of healing, science and spirituality, inviting participants to explore these ideas in gentle, playful ways. Recent projects have taken my work from local studios to national platforms. My Sensitive Skin project—responding to personal and collective experiences of chronic skin conditions—was exhibited at a showcase in the Houses of Parliament. I made a short film, Atomic Dancer, which was shortlisted for the Passion for Freedom Arts Prize in London, blending political themes with improvisational movement. My photography has been recognised with the Peter Straughan Photography Prize. Other highlights include commissions such as Scenes from the River Wear for Helene Biosciences and public sculptures for the 2012 London Olympics. Major community initiatives include Cyber Eyes Wide Open (Creative Fuse North East), The Skin Project with young offenders, and the climate-art initiative Cry of the Earth. I’ve also recently created short films for Janssen Global and the Institute of Digital Innovation at Teesside, exploring creativity and wellness. Through all this, I remain curious and open. My goal is to amplify voices and foster creativity where it’s needed most. I see art as a catalyst for dialogue and healing—an invitation to reimagine ourselves and our world. In every project I bring a blend of experience and wonder, always seeking new collaborative pathways to inspire connection and change.
BA (Hons) Fine Art, MA in Art in a Social Context, both degrees gained from the University of Sunderland.
Awards
2013 – to present
Area Action Partnership County Durham
Arts Council England
Awards For All
Buckinghamshire County Council
Burnham Beeches Rotary Club
Burnham Community Association
Burnham Foundation
Burnham Health Promotion Trust
Burnham Parish Council
Comic Relief
D2025 County Culture Initiative
Durham City Freemen’s Guild
Durham Community Arts Group
Diocese of Oxford
Durham County Council
Heathrow Community Fund
Kimblesworth and Plawsworth Parish Council
Rothschild Foundation
South Bucks District Council
Slough Social Fund
St Christopher Education Trust
St Peter’s Church PCC Burnham
The Buckinghamshire Community Foundation
The Jerusalem Trust (Sainsburys Family Charitable Trusts)
Youth Opportunities Fund
2012 Project Funding Arts Council England, South East, Buckinghamshire County Council
2010 Finding the Funds – Chairman’s Community & Volunteering Award, South Bucks District Council
2008 Arts Council England, South East – towards the costs of the Heads ‘N’ Tales Visual Arts Project
2007 Finalist, Arts in Business, CDC Enterprise Agency, Durham
2006 Exemplary Community Champion (National Award) for the work of Skin Project and Film, Scarman Trust & DFES
2005 Winner, The Peter Straughan photography prize, People Show, University of Northumbria
Short-listed for the Art Prize, Inside Out Competition, Imaginations Gallery, London
Arts Council England, North East, towards costs for the Skin Project
Yes, I’m actively involved in organising self-created professional opportunities through Mona Lisa Arts & Media CIC, which I founded and continue to lead. The organisation was established to create inclusive, participatory arts projects that support community well-being, education, and social change. Over the years, we’ve delivered a wide range of initiatives—from large-scale exhibitions and public art to intimate workshops and short films—often working in collaboration with schools, community groups, and healthcare providers.
My role involves everything from developing ideas and securing funding to managing partnerships and delivering the creative work. I thrive on creating space for others to express themselves and be part of something meaningful. Recently, I’ve been exploring new ways of working that connect art with well-being, science, and the environment, and I’m currently developing projects that bring together creative practice and mental health support for women in deprived areas.
Running Mona Lisa Arts & Media has been part of how I’ve sustained and grown my practice. It allows me to respond to social issues through art while also building opportunities for others. I see this kind of artist-led initiative as essential—not just for my work, but for keeping creativity relevant, accessible, and rooted in real-life experience.
Commissioned by Creative Fuse for Cyber Eyes Wide Open, Universities of Sunderland and Newcastle
World of Interiors, Conde Nast, Newcastle Evening Chronicle, Sunderland Echo, Durham Community Action, Friends of The Hatton Newsletter
Commissions & Residencies
• 2022 , acrylic paintings x 5, 213 x 122cm, 50 x 50cm, 30 x 30cm, 60 x 45cm, for Creative Fuse,
• 2016 Scenes from the River Wear, acrylic painting. 182 x 121cm, for Helene Biosciences Sunderland
• 2012 Olympic Angels: 6 sculptures of different materials for the 2012 Olympics sited in 6 locations in Buckinghamshire
Residencies 2001 –present
• My Sanctuary in Art (short film) commissioned by Janssen Global a Johnson &
Johnson Company
• Eats Pearls and Swims (short film), institute of Digital Innovation University of
Teesside
Email: rhondalfenwick@gmail.com
Address: 10 Woodland Terrace,, Nettleworth, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH2 3PW, GB
Local Authority: County Durham
