Heather Iris Galt-Mcloughin talks about her style, art and values

“Careful at which angle you're pointing that camera I got a hole in my jeans”

Today I spent the afternoon with Heather Iris Galt-Mcloughlin, Fine Art student, 20 years old, 21 in April (she mentioned). We were in her studio at Spike Island, Bristol drinking a flask of black coffee with honey.

I wanted to document her androgynous style, art and values. So thought meeting her today where she mainly produces her work was perfect. Her work is based on the whole idea of masculinity. She’s fascinated with the step from boyhood to manhood. In her pieces she concentrates on West Country Boys, and her love for boxing.

When speaking to her about this love for boxing she strongly believes that

“You’re a man when you step into the ring”

“It’s your skill and strength that will make you succeed”

“You have to learn how to stand on your own two feet and be confident”

and

“It doesn’t matter what age you are when you step into the ring as long as you have that power your succeed.”

This is what she reflects in her documentation of the West Country Boys.

As well as looking at the power of masculinity, today she was looking at the weaknesses. Concentrating on her “father Paul”, she explained how after 30 years of being on the dole he has now retired. Heather is interested in the idea of working men’s hands. “Billy my boyfriend he’s a plasterer and you can tell this by his hands, where as my father hasn’t had an official job since he was in his teens when he worked on ships. His hands still look worn away though.” She explained how he works a lot in the garden and in the woods and how he needs to keep himself busy otherwise his thoughts catch up on him making him weak. She believes that men are brought up to be protectors and providers when this is taken away they can feel weak. “My father has only ever provided for us (me and my 3 sisters) through the money of the dole, he’s a protector though” She describes him as the biggest worrier and loves that he’s always in contact and any money he has he will give them (her and her sisters) and if not money… food.

The piece Heather created today shows a video of her father talking in his Scouse accent about his hands and how his prints are in the system. The pinned up denim Levi jacket and 501’s are also her fathers they represent the working class minors of the 80’s. This was their uniform and this is her dads uniform today.

Heathers uniform today however was her schoolboy shoes and sparkly blue socks. She speaks very highly about her schoolboy shoes how she always polished them; they make her feel cute especially with the sparkly socks. She was also wearing her cheap Monday black jeans, which she practically lives in and is currently saving up to buy more. The Lacoste top and CK jumper she burrowed of her father. She loves wearing his old clothes, their all designer clothes and she laughs at the thought of him wearing them to paint. She explains how she will go visit him and take a couple of his clothes to burrow for the month.

“I love gold, me and my sister both do, we get it from my nanny Iris”

Heather also mentioned her love for gold and this is clear with her gold hoops, which includes traditional Indian style ones, a pair her sister got her for Christmas and a silver spike pair she got from a market back home in Dorset.

It was such a lovely afternoon hanging out with Heather and learning about her style, art and values. I’m very keen to learn more and document this. I love the idea of her coming across tough in these photographs. She must get this look from her masculine beliefs mentioned above, but as soon as you speak to her she is this lovely girl who is clearly very family oriented. What a babe!

Heathers blog: http://heather-iris.tumblr.com