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Jen Locke is a New York born artist, researcher, arts educator and curator who has worked in the UK, the US and Japan. She is currently a PhD researcher in Art Museum and Gallery Studies at the University of Newcastle, where she is investigating art interpretation and institutional culture in contemporary museums of art. Jen Locke has experience of the curation and management of exhibitions and public art projects in her previous roles as Learning Officer at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, Arts and Education coordinator at Seven Stories, administrator at the Forge Arts Education agency in Durham and as project intern at BALTIC. Jen Locke also has extensive experience in teaching art within the public education sector in the US and Japan.

Jen Locke graduated in Art Education and Art History at the State University of New York, New Paltz, USA, completed an MA in Fine Art at the College of New Rochelle, NY, USA and then completed an MA in Art Museum and Gallery Studies at Newcastle University. In 2011 she returned to studio practice after a hiatus in which she focused on developing her gallery career. This in turn led her to pursuing research and her PhD.

Jen Locke’s work seeks to combine her research interests with an interest in representational and non-representational landscape. She draws a parallel between the experiences of affect in the landscape and within the gallery, seeing both environments as a stimulus for biological and emotional response in the viewer. She has a developing interest in the intersection between creative practice and research.

Education
PhD, Art Museum and Gallery Studies, Newcastle University, 2012 – present
Topic: The political and institutional influences on production of interpretation in contemporary museums of art
MA: Art Museum and Gallery Studies, Newcastle University, 2005
Dissertation: The role of artists-in-residence in art galleries
MA: Fine Art, College of New Rochelle, NY, USA 2004
BA: Art Education/Art History, State University of New York, USA, 1997

Exhibitions
2012 Autumn Show, Holy Biscuit
2012 Open Studio Event, Biscuit Tin Studios
2012 Ouseburn Open Studios, Biscuit Tin Studios
2012 Project Space Exhibition, Biscuit Tin Studios
2011 ‘Private View’, Studio 21, The Pattern Shop @ Hoult’s Yard
2007 Friends Exhibition, Hatton Gallery
2006 Friends Exhibition, Hatton Gallery
2004 Rockland Center for the Arts, New York
2004 College of New Rochelle, New York
2003 College of New Rochelle, New York
2000 Takefu Arts Centre, Takefu, Japan
1999 Central Gallery, Takefu, Japan

Selected Commissions
2013 Drawing, Newcastle upon Tyne
2012 Painting, Glasgow, Scotland
2012 Painting, Newcastle upon Tyne
2011 Textiles, Newcastle upon Tyne
2012 Painting, Boston, Massachussetts
2008 Painting, Ilkley, Leeds
2004 Painting, Suffern, New York

Current Positions (2012 – present)

AHRC Funded PhD Researcher, Art Museum and Gallery Studies, Newcastle University
Research coordinator, Newcastle University
Casual museum and gallery assistant learning officer, Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums
Volunteer conference coordinator, Newcastle University
Visiting artist educator, Gosforth Park First School

Previous Positions

Learning Officer, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne (2008 – 2012)
Curated and planned interpretation of learning spaces
Co-curated temporary exhibitions
Co-curated redevelopment of permanent galleries
Managed gallery education programme
Facilitated arts projects and workshops
Managed partnership projects with regional and national partners including Tate Britain
Commissioned artists for installations and education projects

Arts and Education Coordinator, Seven Stories, Newcastle upon Tyne (2006 – 2008)
Curated and planned interpretation of learning spaces
Co-curated temporary exhibitions
Managed gallery education programme
Facilitated arts projects and workshops

Administrator, The Forge, Durham (Aug – Dec 2005)
Managed and supported arts education projects
Managed financial records and artist commissions

Project Intern, BALTIC (Jun – Jul 2005)
Worked within learning team, supporting education projects

Relevant Experience
Ceramics tutor: Rockland County Day Camp (2004); Rockland ARC (2000-2001); Camp Orangetown (1998)
Photography tutor, Rockland ARC (2001)
Art teacher, Tappan Zee Elementary School (2000 – 2004)
Assistant Language Teacher, Japan Exchange in Teaching Programme (1998 – 2000)