The Awakening

The Awakening is a new portrait series by Marksteen Adamson exploring the human spirit and its profound ability to overcome challenges, traumas and obstacles and convert past behaviour with new learnings into positive, new, beginnings and actions that make the world a better place.

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Shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing National Portrait Gallery Prize 2024

Being shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 is an incredible honour.

The competition is a high bar, and I didn’t expect to even get pass the doors of the National Portrait Gallery, so the shortlist notification was a very big surprise. Yes, I was disappointed it didn’t win, but there is always next year and the year after. Being shortlisted is more than I expected and I’m greatfull.

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Selected for Portrait of Britain 2023

Portrait of Britain is an annual photography exhibition showcasing the best images of ordinary (and extraordinary) people across the British Isles. Photographers are invited to submit one picture which, if accepted, is published in the Portrait of Britain book as part of a collective view of Britain’s shared identity. 100 of the chosen images are then exhibited around the country on digital billboards.

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Final selection for Portrait of Britain Vol 4 Book 2021

I took a group of young adults down to the Gower Peninsula in Wales to escape inner city distractions, explore nature and learn to swim. Jessica, who lives in Hackney, has been a young carer since childhood and is now also an ambassador for Action For Children. This trip to the sea with her brother and friends was a chance to reflect and renew confidence. Portrait by Marksteen

Portrait of Britain Winner 2021

This is George, my youngest son. It’s one of the winning images for Portrait of Britain. George chose this outfit for his personal study “How Social Expectations of Masculine Attractiveness have Restricted Male Expression Through Fashion” He says “I think the way men are expected to be in society is detrimental. The expectation of ‘manliness’ – wanting all the ‘manly’ parts of the typical masculine attitude without any of the vulnerabilities. Limited emotional expression but still needing mature understanding of mental state. Its no wonder men struggle to develop a feminine side”

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PEEL IN THE USA

Excited to announce that we are going to be running the PEEL programme in the US with our international partners starting summer next year 2021.

Search for the Hero Inside

From hairdressing, baking and sewing, to home-schooling, counselling and delivering… There is an army of unsung heroes in our community. Volunteers helping us get through the difficulties presented by lockdown, with their new-found roles, responsibilities and positivity (often funding these pursuits and paying for necessary materials out of their own pockets). Introducing the ‘Lock Down Heroes’…

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Making Makes Us Happy

While in LockDown 2020 I decided to learn how to use and make products using premium leather. LockDown is a good time to learn new skills so I got to work in my spare time and weekends.

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The Breach

Exploring the boundaries between us, our collective responsibility to each other and the limits of personal freedom.

My son Jack wins Silver Award

Salvador is a personal project created by Jack Adamson during his travels to El Salvador, in partnership with Glasswing International. This series of images is a selection from a wider body of work that has been published in a catalogue, which has been sent to the Graphis offices as a physical accompaniment to this submission. The photographic account and accompanying story tell of his personal experiences and interactions with everyday people during his stay.
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Change Maker Of The Year Award

I wasn’t expecting this award. Feel honoured and humbled. I’m just delighted that all the social projects that we do (mostly out of work) are recognised in the Design and Advertising industry for the social impact the projects are having. Thank you to all the Judges at Drum this year.

CHELTENHAM FOLK WINS GOLD

Really honored to have recived Gold at the Graphis International Photography Awards for Journalism 2020
For full story and all potraits go to Cheltenham Folk in the Studies section…

11 Ambassadors For Vulnerable Children & Young People speak about their PEEL experience

This is Chloe. One of the 11 Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children & Young People in Gloucestershire who came on the PEEL workshop weekend. This is what she had to say in one minute about the project.

11 Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children & Young People speak about their PEEL experience

This is Abie, Henry and Rael. 3 of the 11 Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children & Young People in Gloucestershire who came on the PEEL workshop weekend. This is what they had to say in one minute about the project.

PEEL workshop with youth ambassadors

If you ever thought you’d had a hard life, think again.

Welcome to the 11 Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children & Young People in Gloucestershire. These exceptional young adults are employed by Gloucestershire County Council to support the voice of the child in Children’s Services. They have grown in strength and resilience to become mentors for others who have experienced similar childhood hardship and traumas.
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BUILD SOUND MINDS

Nothing makes me more happy than sharing my own experiences, the good, the bad and lessons learnt, with young people who are on the beginnings of their own journeys of discovering and shaping their true identities. So it was an honour to speak to the 500+ enthusiastic bright student this morning in Princess Hall at Cheltenham Ladies Collage.Poetry and Photography in action. Part of a series of talks on Mental Wellbeing at the Cheltenham Wellbeing Festival.
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SALVADOR BY JACK ADAMSON

Salvador is a personal project created by Jack Adamson during his travel to El Salvador, in partnership with Glasswing International. The photographic account and accompanying story tell of his personal experiences and interactions with everyday people during his stay.

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Private View Evening

Great time spent with friends and family at the Cheltenham Folk Private View Exhibition.

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Cheltenham Folk BBC Interview

Cheltenham Folk Exhibition Posters Go Up In Town Centre. ‪

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Exhibition Posters in the High Street

Giant posters went up in the Brewery Quarters Monday 11th of Feb with BBC Radio getting reactions form people in the street.

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