Max Alexander
SculptorWhat have you been up to since leaving University of the Arts London?
Whilst at college I worked on knitted sculptures and knitted animations. After graduating, I exhibited knitted artworks at a number of venues in London, including the Affordable Art Fair, where I ran a workshop on knitting blood and eyeballs. I also did a three month course in stop motion animation a couple of months after I graduated. I am currently running a handmade jewellery business specialising in knitting themed jewellery and accessories, as well as working on new sculptures and animations. I’ve also been doing a bit of work as a web designer - www.maxsworld.co.uk. Most recently, I have developed a game with lots of knitted features called 'Catch-a-Sheep While-you-Sleep' for the V&A Village fete with fellow Sculpture graduate Isabel Vince.
Aside from my own work, I also install exhibitions of automata and mechanical sculpture, which means I get to travel the world with the shows, fixing mechanisms and teaching people how they work and how to make their own.
Are there any particular skills that you have come to rely on?
Yes. Knitting! I took it up whilst at Camberwell and haven't really stopped. It's been an inspiration for many projects as well as helping to keep me warm.
Did you feel prepared when you graduated? If not, was there anything else you wish you’d done, any opportunities you wish you’d seized?
Yes, I did have a plan. It was to study stop motion animation further and then get a job doing that. I managed the studying part, which was a great experience as we spent every day in the studios animating, but by the end of it I realised I didn't want to do it as a full time job. This was the most useful thing as it made me develop multiple jobs for myself. I have tried to take every opportunity that comes along, as you never know where they might lead until you give it a go. I also find that the more I do, the more new opportunities arise. So just keep working and putting yourself out there, something will turn up eventually!
What would be your advice to a student graduating now?
I would say that the best piece of advice I have had is to ignore the people who say that you need to find the ONE thing that you love and concentrate fully on it. I've found that I work best when I have multiple varied projects. As I currently work on jewellery, sculpture, animation, web design and exhibition installation when one thing slows down I've always got plenty to keep me busy, and thus I spend less time worrying about what to do next.
A Job For A Bear
