Artist and Justice Campaigner Mo Lea uses drawing and filmmaking to access, explore and express memories and trauma. In 1980, Mo survived a horrific attack that bore the hallmarks of one of the UK’s most infamous serial killers – the Yorkshire Ripper. As Mo continues to campaign for justice – and closure –her art is a life-saving outlet for her emotions.
“I find the creative process both healing and calming. I use drawing to express conditions of memory and trauma. I often view the world from the perspective of an archaeological illustrator; attentiveness to detail is integral to my drawing process. I represent the objects that I see before me as honestly as I can. My images are deliberately contained in isolation and devoid of context. This renders the work clear for personal interpretation and adds an element of purity.”
Professional & Academic Work
Mo has extensive experience in teaching Art and Design in a range of institutions over the years ranging from Probation services, Junior, Secondary and Further and Higher Education and at Master level in the UK, USA, Malaysia, and in the South Pacific.
She taught a range of skills including Drawing, Printmaking, Painting, Textiles, Art History and Contextual studies, Photography and Dark Room before retiring from her post as Senior Lecturer in Art and Design at the University of Bedfordshire. The majority of her teaching involved preparing Students to Teach Art and Design.
Mo Lea. MA. BA (hons) PGCE