'Rediscovering Myself' (2020)
Artist Statement
I was a live-in carer for someone for the last fifteen years. When I left I didn't have anywhere to live so I was referred to a hostel by the Borough of Barnet. I found a job and started a photography course with Accumulate: an organisation that provides creative workshops for youth affected by homelessness in London. I looked forward to our workshop with excitement every week. I would say that this opportunity came into my life when I was at my lowest point as I did not know what life had in store for me after I had been working with one person for so long.
It was a new beginning for me as I was able to get a part-time job and still managed to attend the workshops. During our workshops we did photography, creative writing, fashion and podcasting. I was able to gain experiences in all these different fields.
I began to have confidence in myself and be myself again.
Artist Bio
Crystal Alleyne is a photographer who was born in Trinidad and Tobago and currently lives in the UK. In 2019, Crystal completed a 3-month workshop introductory course to photography, fashion, creative writing, and podcasting with Accumulate, a charity that provides creative workshops to young people affected by homelessness. In 2019, her work was exhibited in ‘Accumulate: Youth Culture’ at Autograph, London. Crystal found the exhibition and her involvement in its curation an exciting/great opportunity and thrived on being in a creative space. That year she became one of the recipients of the Accumulate Scholarship Programme and was supported to study Design at Ravensbourne University, where she gained a Diploma.
Crystal’s photography explores personal experience and nature, capturing what she describes as “precious moments”. She is specifically interested colour and pattern.
In 2020, Crystal will be attending Ravensbourne University to pursue a three-year Degree in Graphic Design where she intends to continue her photography work and, as she explains: “to grasp more knowledge in photography as there is still more to learn and life is continuous learning process."
Crystal can be contacted via email at alleynechick@hotmail.com.