Making magic happen
Ana Escobar is a Spanish-born photographer, artist and witch who has tapped into her ability to mentor – to help make magic happen for LCC graduates.
“Hi there, I am an artist witch who also happens to be a commercial photographer turned ceramicist. I grew up in a small town in southern Spain in a non-artist family. I am very sociable and like deep-rooted relationships, keeping some of my friends from primary school as close friends to this very day! My dreams are the base of both my artwork and my mental sanity. I use them, or they use me, as vessels to go deep into my unconscious.”
What is a typical day for you?
“I don’t have a typical day. I take commissions as they come, and try to keep my body and mind clean, balanced, and find time to explore my creativity – otherwise I go insane! I have started a full-time course in pottery which runs from 3pm to 9.30pm Monday to Friday, so my days are now structured in different way. I decided to do something that allowed me to be in touch with real matter: mud! It allows me to use my hands and be back in contact with Mother Earth.”
How did you got involved in the LCC Postgraduate Industry Mentoring Programme and what can graduates expect from it?
“I graduated from LCC’s BA Photography course in 2010, then again in 2016 from the MA course. Luminita runs the mentoring programme and invited me to mentor after I graduated. I was unsure whether I could really add something! But I trusted her experience, went with it, and I’ve enjoyed every minute.”
What is the value of mentoring at UAL?
“Mentoring is not like teaching, the relationship is different. What I enjoy about mentoring is that it’s more about active listening and pointing out bits that the mentee may have missed. Or you know there is something there that should be explored more. There is a lot of exploring, but also down-to-earth work like supporting them to make future plans or sending that scary email to a gallery or business.”
What is the most rewarding part of your job as a mentor?
“It’s being part of someone else’s growth and developing a personal relationship with a person who will be your colleague in the field very soon.”
And what is the most challenging part?
“For me it is not to project my own fears and things that stop me onto the mentee, and instead listening to their ideas, ways, and needs. With my photography, it’s not getting stuck in my own ways; not getting bored – to keep on challenging myself!”
Tell us about the ‘Sound and Cinema: Past, Present & Future’ exhibition. How did it come about?
“This was a show put up in 2019 by the LCC Screen School as part of their Public Programme. As well as teaching, mentoring and being a photographer, I was also working as the Human Connector, or social coordinator, for all BA and MA courses in the school. I came up with ways to facilitate students across courses to connect and get to know each other.
“I wear all my many hats at the same time”
“The then Vice Dean talked to me about her idea to promote London’s Cinema Museum through the public programme events, and I thought about different ways it could be done photographically. The funny thing is she didn’t know I am a photographer! In the end I was commissioned to photograph it and got involved with the curatorial side. It was a great experience as I wore all my many hats at the same time in order to make it happen.”
What advice would you give to a graduate photographer hoping to join the mentoring programme?
“There are basic things we sometimes forget, such as being kind, generous, having good spelling and being professional… It’s knowing your business, knowing your rates, copyright, and duties. If you have to make a portfolio and are going to be paid little or nothing, don’t say you are doing it for free.
“It will support your dreams and be worth the ride”
“Be careful with words, and never put yourself down, there is a lot to take on when starting out. Join the National Union of Journalists to hear about other photographers’ issues. Photography can be very lonely profession, and sometimes it’s difficult to know if you are doing things right. Stay in touch. Stay connected. And yes, join the mentoring programme – it will support your dreams and be worth the ride.”
Finally, what’s something that other people find surprising about your photography?
“I’d say the surprising thing is when I say that I didn’t actually take pictures during my MA, but I did things to photographs… I started the course as a photographer and ended it as a performance artist!
“Check me out at www.thespacebetween.eu. Please, you all, stay in touch and say hi.”