The University of Sheffield
Department of Landscape

Catherine Dee B.A (Hons) M.A Dip.Ed M.A.C.F.A.

Cathyemail: c.dee@sheffield.ac.uk

Address: Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield, Floor 13, Arts Tower, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

Telephone: ++ 44 (0)114 2220603

Biography

Broadly, landscape architecture and art practice have been consistent, related elements of my work. After completing a BA in Fine Art I practiced and exhibited sculpture, worked in horticulture and as garden designer and contractor, before going on to study landscape architecture at Masters level. After qualifying I worked in practiced as Landscape Designer and became a professional member of the Landscape Institute UK in 1992, before entering academia. In 2001 I published `Form and Fabric: A Visual Introduction to Landscape Architecture´(Spon) based on my experience teaching design studio. I re-established my art practice in sculpture and installation in 2004. In 2006 I co-founded the peer-reviewed European Journal of Landscape Architecture (JoLA) as one of the Editors, and conceived and edited`Thinking Eye´ its visual essay section, continuing in this role until 2012. Since 2001 I have developed a design philosophy proposing artistic practice as the central means by which ecological and ethical remits are realized, and in 2011 published ‘To Design Landscape: Art, Nature and utility’ (Routledge) setting out these ideas. I have published a small series of essays on visual and aesthetic practices in landscape architecture and their ethical significance to the discipline. In 2011 I organised and hosted with colleagues: the ECLAS international conference: Ethics/Aesthetics. I am currently working on sculpture and installation; a new book on austere beauty in gardens; and the establishment of a PhD programme by Practice in Contemporary Fine Art and the Garden.

Academic Qualifications

1977 Loughborough College of Art & Design:Art Foundation
1980 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Polytechnic. B.A. (Hons) Fine Art
1989 University of Sheffield. M.A. Landscape Design
2001 University of Sheffield. Dip. Ed. Teaching & Learning in Higher Education
2008 M.A in Contemporary Fine Art, Sheffield Hallam University

Professional Qualifications

1992 Landscape Institute Part 4
1992-2012 Member of the Landscape Institute, MLI.

Current Practice & Research

Art Practice: Sculpture, Installation and Gardens
Since completing ‘To Design Landscape’, my main study focus has returned to practice employing sculpture, installation, and gardens to further developing ideas on the role of aesthetic austerity, and the garden as contemplative art.

Visual and Aesthetic Practices of Landscape Architecture
I continue with studies in the philosophy and pedagogy of aesthetic and visual dimensions of landscape architecture and their changing relationship to ethical and ecological concerns of the discipline. Contributions to this field aim: to promote rethinking the relationship of utility and ethics to aesthetics in contemporary design education and practice; to raise the status of the visual as critical medium; and
to critique the superficial attention given to aesthetics in much contemporary design. Currently I am writing a book on ‘austere aesthetics’ of the garden.

PhD by Practice in Contemporary Fine Art and the Garden is a new Doctoral programme at Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield, UK under the supervision of Catherine Dee. Applications are invited from artists, landscape architects and garden designers for entry in Autumn 2013, with three initial places available. The mode of study consists of the conception, development and realization of an original project in the singular or combined medium of garden, installation, sculpture, and intervention. The practice and the resulting environment are to have clear aims, and be deeply informed philosophically, contextually and theoretically. The assessment is of the final work (art/environment/garden), and a document of the philosophy, lessons and ‘theory’ of the practice, communicated in a creative published or exhibited output ranging from a book, artist’s book, public exhibition, film, online visual, or other document. The project is rigourously assessed for aesthetic distinction, and a profound knowledge of medium, craft and context, both having significance for wider practice.

Art and Landscape Design Projects and Exhibitions

2010 Pit and Earthworks at Manor Lodge, Green Estate, Sheffield. With Jie Liao, Charlie Mitchell, Eleanor Hall, and Mark Collins.

2009 ‘Circles we might call home’ Interventions at The Landscape Laboratory Woodland (Roland Gustavsson), at Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Alnarp, Sweden. With ECLAS and students of the Landscape Architecture programme.

2009 Cloister Garden (‘The Other Shore’) at Crookesmoor Building University of Sheffield. With students of Landscape Architecture University of Sheffield.

2008 ‘Ablution’ Exit Show MACFA. Foyer Gallery and Portable Classrooms, Psalter Lane Campus, School of Cultural Studies, Sheffield Hallam University.

2008 ‘Lecture’ Installation of chairs with water in Foyer Gallery, Psalter Lane Campus, School of Cultural Studies, Sheffield Hallam University.

2008 Sheffield Art 08 Yes No Other Options* Participant artist in Studio Practice Live Project, Millenium Galleries, Sheffield.

2007 Talk and Exhibition of ‘Arkadia’ ‘Artefacts’ at Urban Wildscapes Conference, Sheffield S3 organised by Anna Jorgensen, University of Sheffield and Richard Keenan, Environment Room Ltd.

2007 ‘Arkadia’ Interventions series with found material on waste sites Sheffield S3. Projects included: stop/go traffic signage, toy boats made from waste timber, apple jelly made from wasteground tree fruit returned to site for sale by donation, giant tarpaulin in the form of a paper boat. With students of Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield.

2007 ‘Park’ Installation of porter’s trolleys and institution’s pot plants relocated to (and movable within) Foyer Gallery, Psalter Lane Campus School of Cultural Studies, Sheffield Hallam University

2007 ‘Walk’ Solo Exhibition at END Gallery, Psalter Lane Campus School of Cultural Studies, Sheffield Hallam University

2006 ‘Game’ Installation at ICOSS centre, University of Sheffield for Transformations, AHRC consultation on Landscape and Environment Research Funding Stream.

2005-2007 Dust installations of swept material. Floors at Psalter Lane Campus, School of Cultural Studies, Sheffield Hallam University

2005 ‘Ash Garden’ Installation in ‘Protem’ Group Show at END Gallery, Psalter Lane Campus School of Cultural Studies, Sheffield Hallam University

Teaching and Learning

I educate primarily in the fields of landscape design, contemporary fine art, visual and aesthetic practices, materiality, and landscape design theory. I teach by ‘theorised’ studio project, field and site design to detail, using a distinctive form and craft-based philosophy based on the notion that ethical and ecological remits are realised through deep aesthetic and material knowledge and understanding, with utility being inseparable from artistic considerations. I have developed the term “aesthetics of thrift” to define aspects of this approach which is outlined in ‘To Design Landscape’, following on from ‘Form and Fabric’ (see Publications above).
In teaching both specialist courses and theory I bring to bear my practice in and knowledge of fine art, as well as landscape architecture and philosophy of gardens and aesthetics.
I encourage students to develop a strict discipline of craft and experiment with the actual and representational materials and media of landscape, with the clear edict that this practice must always be underpinned and contextualised by knowledge of theoretical, historical and contemporary landscape architectural ideas.

The Postgraduate Courses I currently teach are:
LSC 6004 Art Practice and Landscape Design
LSC 6230 Landscape Architecture: Practices, Theories, Histories.
LSC 6080 Integrated Design Project Studio
LSC 5110 Special Design Project Studio
LSC 5110 Special Project Workshop: Visual Approaches, Construction

The Undergraduate Courses I currently teach are:
LSC 122 Histories and Theories in Landscape Architecture (Theory)

Research Awards

2003-04 AHRB Innovations Award: `Eye and Mind´ A project to investigate and outline the potential for `critical visual methodologies´ and peer-reviewed visual research journal papers for landscape architecture.

2002-05 Funding for Coordinator Landscape Architecture Theory Working Group for LE:Notre project (Landscape Education: New opportunities for Teaching and Research in Europe) European Union funded Erasmus Thematic Network Project

2004-06 Establishment of JoLA (see above) funded by LE:Notre project European Union funded Erasmus Thematic Network Project

Other Professional Roles since 2000

2010-13 External Examiner Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Landscape Architecture, Writtle School of Design, University of Essex.

2005-09 External Examiner, Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Landscape Architecture, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, University of Central England.

2002-05 Coordinator Landscape Architecture Theory Working Group for LE:Notre project European Union funded Erasmus Thematic Network Project.

2003-05 Steering Committee, LE:Notre project European Union funded Erasmus Thematic Network Project.

2003-06 Steering Committee European Council of Landscape Architectural Schools