b. 1963, I am a UK based anthropologist-turned-illustrator, comics artist and comics scholar and author of award winning graphic memoir, Billy, Me & You (2011 Myriad Editions) based on the experience of bereavement following the death of my 2-year-old son. I illustrate to commission, please email me if you have a project in mind.
I have extensive experience of planning, facilitating and delivering comics workshops in a variety of contexts as well as mentoring in the context of drawing or academia. I have lectured in British art schools and universities since 2014. I am currently offering online mentoring offering two strands of support: With your practical drawing projects and/or with your academic work. I also offer consultancy to assist you with the development of individual projects. https://nicolastreeten.wordpress.com/graphic-novel-online-mentoring-programme/
Since 2017 I have worked as artist facilitator on the British Council Creating Heroines project, working with women artists from the UK and from five South Asian countries. 2021 will see the third iteration of this project, expanding to include 30 artists. From 2018-2019 I was in receipt of an Arts Council England International Development Fund Award to develop “Expectations” a collaborative project, with Kokaachi in Kerala, India and Indian illustrator Priya Kuriyan.
I co-founded and direct the women-led, welcoming all international forum LDComics and in 2018 we launched the first women-only prize for graphic novels in progress at our inaugural festival with support from Arts Council England. 2020 has seen the third iteration of our festival online in response to COVID_19. Further strands of activity are continually being introduced and developed. A second award from Arts Council England supports the 2019- 2020 activity.
My PhD from the University of Sussex on A Cultural History of Feminist Cartoons and Comics in Britain from 1970 to 2010 informed the The Inking Woman 250 years of women cartoons in Britain (2018 Myriad Editions) which I co-edited and which is aimed at a general reader. My most recent book includes a more theoretical approach UK Feminist Cartoons and Comics: A Critical Survey (2020 Palgrave Macmillan). Please email me if you have trouble getting a copy.
Since 2014 I have worked as a lecturer in Critical Theory and History on the Animation and Illustration BA Honours degree courses at Kingston University and London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London. In addition I regularly deliver comics workshops to Medical Humanities BA students at Imperial College London and to design students at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London. I speak publicly and deliver comics workshops – recently synchronously to a variety of different audiences on a regular basis Visit my events page to see forthcoming events.
I live in a converted Methodist chapel in Lincolnshire with my artist spouse John Plowman and currently our artist daughter Sally Plowman. We collaborate artistically as a family, combining our artistic practices and interests. Our Chapel is listed to rent via airbnb, currently unavailable in line with Covid restrictions, but hopefully available for the summer for an amazing UK holiday in the countryside! It is an amazing space! See below.
Get in touch! nicolastreeten[at]yahoo[dot]com
