KATHERINE BECKETT

Previously, I have made work regarding the hardships my hometown has faced under austerity. However, I knew that through this piece I wanted to present Blackpool in a different light because as much as I feel anger and frustration at the treatment of my hometown- I still grew up there and have some of the fondest memories. When I think about my childhood, the sea is always present. When I was younger my sister and I would spend days at the beach during the summer with our Mum when our Dad was at work, when I was in high school my friends and I would waste our summer holidays sunbathing and when I grew older and went to college, I would walk to the seafront if I needed to clear my head. I would always sit on the same bench and listen to the sound of the waves until I felt calm again. I view this piece as a love letter to the past and an opportunity to show those around me that Blackpool isn’t always just tacky key-rings and sticks of rock.