Anna Collette Hunt is a ceramicist living and working in Nottingham. She attended the FdA course at Nottingham College before completing her studies at Nottingham Trent University. While participating in the Nottingham Castle project, she learnt of the Open Exhibition that takes place yearly at Nottingham Castle, decided to enter it and won a prize. Following on from this, Anna was offered an exhibition opportunity at Nottingham Castle, and this was when she created the work she has become known for- an installation of over 10,000 ceramic insects.
Anna was aiming to create a sense of immersion in her work, which included insects of all sizes escaping specimen cases and swarming up a stairwell in the castle. Anna wanted to keep a Nottingham connection to the project, and she was inspired by a visit to Wollaton Hall where she viewed their extensive collection. She involved over 100 people in the making of the swarm, which has now toured the world in different galleries.
Alongside entomology, Anna takes her inspiration from folk tales, stories passed by word of mouth, cosmology and natural history. Her process involves visual research and drawing as a starting point. Anna also finds collaborations to be beneficial in trying things she wouldn’t have otherwise considered, such as upscaling. She also stressed the importance of good photography in promoting her work, acknowledging that more people will encounter photographs of her work than the objects themselves.
Information taken from guest lecture by Anna Collette Hunt at Nottingham College, 12/12/24. https://www.annacollettehunt.com/