Carolyn Lefley is a photographer, artist, writer and educator. Her work uses photography and moving image to explore belonging, folklore, deep time and the natural world. She makes work in the rural landscape and in the studio using playful dioramas. Carolyn works with digital photography to create manipulated realities as well as using traditional techniques such as cyanotypes and liquid emulsion. Her meditative short films explore elemental themes. Carolyn writes about photography and expanded media, and is co-author of the photography textbook ‘Rethinking Photography’ (Routledge, 2015). She has taught as a Lecturer in Photography at the University of Hertfordshire, Coventry University, Anglia Ruskin University, and the University of the Arts London. Carolyn is currently Programme Leader in Photography at Exeter College and a Trustee at Yeovil Art Space.
CV
Qualifications
2008 - PG Cert. in Learning and Teaching for Higher Education, University of West London
2008 - Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
2006 - MA Photography (Distinction), University of West London
2000 - BA (Hons) Fine Art (Photography), Coventry University
Solo exhibitions
2022 - Ancient Sea, Somerset Arts Works Micro Commission, Venue 4, Somerset Art Weeks ‘Sanctuary’ Festival. St. Mary’s Church, Somerset.
2014 - Odyssey, Old Lookout Gallery, Obsolete Studios, Kent
2013 - Realm, Timespan Museum and Art Centre, Scotland
2009 - Fictional Space, Shed and a half Gallery, London. Part of London Photomonth
2008 - Belonging, House Gallery, London
2008 - Belonging, Drukarnia, Krakow, Poland. Program Off, Photomonth in Krakow 2008
Selected group exhibitions
2024 - Found and Ground, Musgrove Gallery, Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset.
2023 - Slow Time, East Quay, Somerset.
2022 - Slow Time, Black Swan Arts, Somerset.
2021 - Past-oral: Art, Place, Farming. Lower Hewood Farm, Dorset. Part of Dorset Art Weeks.
2021 - Pursuit of Spring, Black Swan Arts with Little Toller Books, Somerset.
2021 - Materiality, ACE Arts, Somerton, Somerset.
2021 - Restriction, Correspondence Collective and Clay Hill Arts, online exhibition.
2020 - Somerset Reacquainted, Somerset Rural Life Museum, Somerset.
2020 - Apart Together, Yeovil Art Space, Somerset.
2019 - Hamdon Community Arts Project, for Somerset Art Weeks, Somerset.
2018 - Time and Place, A2 Gallery, Wells, Somerset.
2016-2017 - Imagined Worlds, touring: Taunton, Bath and Nether Stowey (Coleridge Cottage)
2016 - Luminous Nature, Bruton School for Girls
2014 - Five Contemporary Photography Collectives, Brighton Photo Biennial 2014
2013 - Interior / Exterior: Archisle #2 Open 2013, The Berni Gallery, Jersey Arts Centre
2012 - Detours: AA2A Residency, Wimbledon Space, University of the Arts London
2012 - Salon Art Prize, Matt Roberts Arts, London
2012 - AA2A Residency Interim Show, Camberwell College of Arts Library
2011 - Home, Core Gallery, London
2011 - In the current climate, Core Gallery, London
2010 - The Floor to Ceiling Show, The Front Room Gallery, Trioka Editions London
2009 - Salon 2009, Viewfinder Photography Gallery, London
2009 - Mobile, Norwich Arts Centre
2007 - Dorm, Viewfinder Photography Gallery, London
2006 - Chapter One, Dray Walk Gallery, London. Curated by Erin Kornfeld
2006 - Ealing Open 2006, PM Gallery and House, London
2006 - ICI and Sunday Independent Photography Awards Exhibition, ICI HQ, London
2005 - Teachers, Watermans Arts Centre, London. Curated by Esther Winsor
Awards, bursaries and commissions
2023-2024 - a-n Artists Information Co. Artist Bursary.
2022 - Ancient Sea, Somerset Arts Works Micro Commission
2021 - East Quay project development bursary (SAW match funding)
2020 - Somerset Art Works Project Development Bursary
2014 - a-n Artists Information Co. ‘New Collaborations Bursary’ (Art and Archaeology)
2008 - National Media Museum Photography Bursary
2008 - University of West London Faculty of the Arts Teaching Award
2007 - Magenta Foundation 2007 Emerging Photographers - Selected winner, UK
2006 - ICI and Sunday Independent Student Photography Awards - Highly commended
2006 - University of West London bursary award for excellence in teaching support
Publications
2017 - ‘From stilled time to time-based', Photographic Dialogues Journal, Issue 1. 2016. University of West England.
2015 - Peter Smith and Carolyn Lefley (2015), Rethinking Photography, London: Routledge
2014 - Carolyn Lefley (2014), ‘Seeing is Believing: The Capacity of the Manipulated Photograph to Represent Scenes of Mythology and the Supernatural’ (chapter). In Emma Williams and Iman Sheeha (eds.), Deception: An Interdisciplinary Exploration. Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press.
2012 - Detours, exhibition catalogue, London: Camberwell Press.
2011 - ‘Uncertain States’. Issue 6: Home. Photographs and text from ‘Belonging’
2008 - 'Belonging' with essay by Peter Smith, London Independent Photography magazine, Winter 2008, p.12-13
2007 - Flash Forward, 2007. Forward by Susan Bright. The Magenta Foundation, Canada, 2007
2006 - ‘The Right Place’, Stimulus Respond, Issue 15 - Home, January 2006, p.47-52
Residencies
2021 - Studio Residency, East Quay, Watchet, Somerset. ‘Tide’, work in progress, as part of the SAW Project Development Bursary.
2020 - Watching the Sun, Virtual Residency, Mayes Creative, Cornwall
2019 - Lead Artist, Woolaway Reminiscence Project, with Somerset Art Works and Somerset West and Taunton Council
2017 - Artist in Residence, Lower Hewood Farm, Dorset
2016 - Artist in Residence, Yeovil Country Park (in collaboration with Somerset Art Works), Somerset
2014 - Artist in Residence, Old Lookout Gallery, Obsolete Studios, Kent
2013 - Artist in Residence, Timespan Museum and Art Centre, Scotland
2012 - Two-week photography residency, Artist Flat, Timespan Museum and Art Centre, Scotland
2011 - Artist in Residence, Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts London. AA2A scheme
2010 - Studio Residency, Holton Lee, Dorset
Talks and papers
2023 - Artist talk, ‘Residencies and funding’ . Cross Pathway Contextual Studies lecture for UAL Extended Diploma in Creative Practice. Exeter College.
2023 - Photography and Heritage talk, ‘View of Yeovil’, Yeovil Art Space, Somerset.
2021 - Artist talk, ‘High Water: sharing our connections to the sea and the tides’. Online 12 hour event hosted by Art.earth, Tidelines and Low Carbon Devon.
2019 - Artist talk, Yeovil Creatives Network meeting, Eastville Project Space, Yeovil, Somerset.
2016 - Paper: ‘From stilled time to time-based: reflections on photographers’ use of moving image as an extension of their craft', Moving Stills: Photographers' Films Symposium, University of West England.
2014 - Paper: ‘Seeing is believing: the capacity of the manipulated photograph to represent scenes of mythology and the supernatural’, Deception conference, Oxford University.
2014 - Paper: ‘Excavating images: a photographic response to an archaeological excavation’, Photography and Anthropology conference, British Museum.
2013 - Paper: ‘Picturing Myth: Double exposed realities’. Translating Myth conference, University of Essex.
2013 - Residency lecture: ‘Art and archaeology: A photographic response to the longhouse excavation’. Timespan Museum and Art Centre, Scotland
2012 - Artist talk, Uncertain States photography forum.
2012 - Artist talk, MA students at Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Collages, University of the Arts London.
2010 - Participation in the Photographic Practices research seminar at the V&A museum
2010 - Artist talk, MA Photography students at University of West London.
2007 - Paper: ‘Imaging the home: A photographic poetics of space'. Crosscurrents in Media Theory Research Symposium, University of West London
2007 - Artist’s talk at ‘Dorm’, Viewfinder Photography Gallery, London
Curating
2023 - View of Yeovil, part of the Story of Yeovil project. Yeovil Art Space. Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.
2022 - Community, Yeovil Art Space, Somerset
2016 - Luminous Nature, Bruton School for Girls, Somerset
2014 - Unearthed, Heartwood Forest, St. Albans
2011 - In the Current Climate, Core Gallery, London
2010 - Caught by the Thames, PM House and Gallery, London
2009 - Boundaries, PM House and Gallery, London
2008 - Stills, Dominion Arts and Education Centre, London
Teaching
2022- Programme Leader in Photography, Exeter College.
2021-2022 Community Art School Programme Leader, Producer and Lecturer, Yeovil Art Space.
2016-2024 Public and community photography workshop teacher (freelance).
2011-2015 Lecturer in Photography, University of Hertfordshire.
2012-2013 Visiting Lecturer in Photography, Coventry University.
2011 Associate Lecturer in Photography, Huntingdon Regional College.
2008-2011 Associate Lecturer in Photography, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.
2007-2012 Visiting Tutor in Photography, Central St. Martins, University of the Arts London.
Production
2023 Producer: Community Art School programme. Yeovil Art Space. Funded by Somerset Skills and Learning.
2022 - 2023 Producer: View of Yeovil, part of the Story of Yeovil project. Yeovil Art Space. Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.
2021 - 2022 Producer: Community Art School programme. Yeovil Art Space. Funded by Arts Council England.
Collections
Timespan Museum and Art Centre, Scotland.
National Media Museum.
Obsolete Studios.
Private collections