Journal Three: Electroforming Art Residency in Germany
In the summer of 2025, I spent a month in Leipzig, Germany, undertaking an artist residency at the studio of artist, jeweller, and former chemical engineer Leticia Domingues. The residency was made possible through a Develop Your Creative Practice (DYCP) grant awarded by Arts Council England, allowing me to deepen my understanding of electroforming – the process of depositing metal onto objectc using an electric current.
Season of Experimentation
The month became a season of experimentation, technical discovery, and the development of a new body of work centred on the themes of home and womanhood.
Leticia's background in electrochemistry offered a rare opportunity to explore the science behind the process. Together we investigated pH levels, current density, rectifiers, electrolyte behaviour, and the countless subtle variables that influence the surface and character of an electroformed object. Alongside these technical experiments, I built miniature electroforming tanks in glass jars, tested ways of creating more intentional textures, and ventured into silver electroforming for the first time.
I also began to recognise the conceptual potential of electroforming itself. During the process, metal ions naturally follow the path of least resistance, depositing most readily onto the areas of the cathode closest to the anodes. I found myself reflecting on how this mirrors life. Rather than constantly swimming against the tide, perhaps growth often comes from recognising where we are being led and learning to move with the current instead of resisting it.
It became another way in which my making process began to reflect my personal life, further blurring the boundaries between art and lived experience. Additionally, my adventures in Leipzig beyond the workbench became a source of inspiration, as the city gradually became my temporary home.
A Temporary Home
I settled into the rhythms of everyday life: joined a local gym, took German lessons from Leticia's eight-year-old son, wandered the aisles of Lidl with Google Translate trying to identify sourdough bread, drank countless bottles of Fritz-Kola, and made regular pilgrimages to Hornbach – the greatest DIY shop in the world (my humble opinion)!!
More importantly, I became part of the life of Leticia's amazing workshop, which felt like an extension of her extraordinary mind. Designed with immense care alongside her friend, master carpenter Paavo, every corner revealed another thoughtful solution: custom-built shelving, ingenious tool storage, vintage display cabinets, and adaptable furniture. Working there reminded me that artists' studios are deeply personal places, revealing not only how an artist works, but often how they think.
A Short Visit to Poland
Being so close to my homeland of Poland allowed me to briefly visit my grandparents, celebrate my grandfather's 87th birthday, and revisit the garden where I spent my childhood summers. Being in those familiar places reminded me how deeply our earliest memories continue to shape the way we see the world.
Throughout the residency, my understanding of home slowly shifted. It became less about geography and memory, and more about the people who make us feel safe and the invisible foundations upon which we build our lives.
Eucalyptus: An Unexpected Muse
One day, I walked into a flower shop intending to buy flowers for the studio and walked out carrying eucalyptus instead.
In my previous projects, eucalyptus had symbolised forgiveness and the moment when healing begins. During the residency, however, it revealed a different meaning. Its leaves appear gentle, almost weightless, yet I became fascinated by the resilience of the tree itself: its ability to regenerate after fire, thrive in poor soil, and endure harsh conditions. To me, it became a symbol of the female spirit, honouring the generations of women who came before me – the life givers who transformed houses into homes while paving the way for my freedom to live as I choose.
The tension between grace and strength that I found in the eucalyptus inspired a new body of work exploring feminine endurance and creativity. The first pieces to emerge were a series of sculptural rings.
How Leipzig’s Architecture and Museums Inspired My Work
Leipzig itself found its way into the work. I became fascinated by the city's arched windows and doorways. There was something deeply calming about their curves. Unlike sharp corners, arches speak of patience, craftsmanship, and structures built not merely for efficiency, but for beauty. I realised that this attraction mirrors what I seek in my own work – beauty that is uncompromising, where function and aesthetics coexist.
Visits to the Grassi Museum opened another thread of thought. Standing before anonymous historical objects, I found myself wondering less about kings and dates than about the unnamed makers whose hands created them centuries ago. Their work had survived long after their names had disappeared. Perhaps one day our own objects will outlive us too – discovered by future generations, interpreted in ways we could never predict, carrying stories we never intended to tell.
Counting Blessings
Artists rarely have uninterrupted weeks to focus purely on their art. Disappearing for a month to do just that was a true luxury. Leticia and I spent countless hours exchanging knowledge, comparing approaches, solving technical challenges, questioning concepts, and encouraging one another to push our ideas further.
At the end of my stay, we hosted an open studio to share the fruits of this time with the people of Leipzig – my electroformed eucalyptus objects d'art and Leticia's “chemical” paintings, born from her experiments with different substances on canvas and metal.
As the residency came to an end, I left Germany carrying not only new technical knowledge and ideas, but also a renewed confidence in my practice. Back in everyday London life, where the noise of the city and countless obligations compete for my attention, I let my memories of Leipzig remind me that making space for curiosity, experimentation, and playful creativity is never time lost – it is where the most meaningful work begins.
Residency Diary on Instagram
For a detailed diary of my time in Germany, head over to my Instagram and scroll to my August 2025 posts, where I documented the residency day by day.
