Virtual Learning, Virtual Space and Positioning Creative Work for Value.

In her presentaon, Gladys Adinyira Wuaku spoke about the crical need to use ICT when the COVID -19 lockdown was announced. As a teacher, she had to migrate all her teachings onto a virtual learning app. It was verytechnicalbecausesheneededtoupholdtheintegrityofthecourse.

In order to teach a praccal subject like art, Gladys Adinyira produced a video with a sequenal guide aer doing several researches, she said. The students somemes did paper art, clay work among others. The process was very thorough, the me investment was huge but it gave her the opportunity to connue teaching students during theCOVID-19lockdown.

Gladys said that she has realized that you don't need physical space as an arst to exhibit. She recounted an experience where along with other arsts, they went from hotel to hotel to idenfy spaceforexhibions.

Madam Gladys said that ICT provides virtual space for arsts to exhibit and sell their works. Nevertheless, nothing can compare with the touch le interacon the arst experiences with an audienceinrealme.

She noted that the arst would have to strike a balance between the number of virtual exhibions to hold and the physical exhibion, this is , considering available resources. Gladys posits a queson about the bargaining journey arsts experiencewhensellingtheirworks.

What does it mean when a buyer negoates with an arst to reduce the price of a creave work? If she reduces the price of her work, what does it say about her creavity? How can an arst put value on a creave work if the price of a painng is comparedtofoodprices?

women in the arts share experiences on “digitall: innovaon and technology for gender equality” within the COVID-19 context.

SUMA JOURNAL CHRONICLES OFWOMEN INTHE ARTS APRIL-JUNE

Gladys Adinyira

2003 – OHENE DJAN SPORTS STADIUM

Cement – 1 – ‘Gbomo nyemii dzi gbomo’ (I am my brother’s keeper).

Heroic-size figure (8) on a 4 pedestal. In memory of the 127 souls that perished in the May 9 th stadium tragedy

She appealed to fellow arsts to find ways of valuing their works because nobody will do it for the arst. Gladys explained that the answer to the queson, what is value? Is an individual enquiry, and it can manifest in different ways.

She said that as a sculptor, it was difficult for her to get clay during the COVID-19 lockdown, so she pracced painng. She worked in watercolor, acrylic and

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returnedtooilpainng.

Madam Gladys Adinyira Wuaku noted that social media has come to stay, and millions of people are using the plaorm. She added that arsts must find ways of keeping their presence online despite thedifficules.

An award winning sculptor and researcher

Gladys Adinyira is an arst at heart. She is a sculptor and painter. Her artworks span media such as cement, wood, terra-coa and in recent mes, fiber glass and calcium. She has a couple of naonal monuments credited to her. Gladys has effecve listening and counseling skills. She can work under pressure and respond to compeng priories.Heraenontodetailisevidentinherwork andaddstoherprofessionalcompetence. She has prepared herself to handle adventurous projects and test her response to difficult and somemes dangerous condions. She has been in different leadership posions and can work as part of a team in any capacity. Her appreciaon of diversity is rooted in her belief that it enriches a person's perspecve on life. Over the years she has worked in a mulcultural environment and can deliver on key outcomes.

1986 – NATIONAL MUSEUM

Yaa Asantewaa statue – Life-size

2003 – OHENE DJAN SPORTS STADIUM

Cement – 1 – 'Gbomo nyemii dzi gbomo' (I am my brother's keeper).

Heroic-size figure (8) on a 4 pedestal. In memory of the 127 souls that perished in the May 9th stadium tragedy.

PhD (SCULPTURE), FIELD OF SPECIALISATION: Studio-based research in Monuments to honour Ghanaian women, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) – 2014– to date

MPHIL, (EDUCATION), FIELD OF SPECIALISATION: Educaonal theories and Applicaon, Norwegian Teachers' Academy - 1999

CULTURAL ORIENTATION INSTRUCTOR & PROGRAMME ASSISTANT: 1990 – 1992: ABURI GIRLS' SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. ART TEACHER

The Disconnection from Creative Work, the Storage of Art works, and the Rediscovery of Creative Energy.

In her remarks, Akwele Suma Glory said she was transioning to her living space when the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. She packed all her work to a remote space with no electricity, so she decided to go and stay with her work. She used the opportunity to wait before God and occasionally fasted. The pracce was a wayforhertobespirituallyintunewithGod.

According to Madam Glory, about some days into the lockdown, not quite sure whether out of depression or fear of the world ending, she gave away and disposed of a hugenumberofherpainngsandinstallaons.

Somehow, she was not feeling good relang to the work. In the process of disposing of the works, the scavenger asked, how about this painng, how about that painng? ThiswasjusttogetAkweletokeepsomeofthework.

Along the line,Dr. Aah Kwame from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology of blessed memory recommended her for an online challenge In this challenge, parcipang arsts posted three works a day for seven days without a text and recommended one arst tojointhecompeon.

Akwele said she took up the challenge on Facebook and it wasagreatreliefforher.

Aer the first round of the challenge, she was invited to submitanotherthreeworkseachdayforsevendays.

She parcipated in the second round of the challenge and got her works collected by other arsts for catalogs and promoons in other circles. Akwele's parcipaonintheonlinechallengeexposedherwork to other art instuons like the Namibia Arst Associaonamongothers.

Prior to this experience, Akwele prepared for a collectors' exhibion at the former Golden Tulip Hotel in April 2019. A show she considered her most important show in years. But the lockdown came in March,anditwascanceled.

women in the arts share experiences on “digitall: innovaon and technology for gender equality” within the COVID-19 context.

Akwele Suma Glory lives and works in Accra, Ghana. Glory's arsc career covers a wide range of paths from strategic consulng (training, organising, coordinang and developing brand identy), to mul genre art (painng, installaons, performances, sculpture), to bead cra (manufacturing,designandarrangements),andtoArt and health (communicaon in health and wellbeing) a recentaddiontoherartpracce.

Throughout her childhood Glory handled beads as cultural objects and later as an art form by applying wet and dry media such as natural pigments, glues, and pastels, as well as burlap, fabric, paper, metal, wood,canvas.

Glory's creaons embody her cultural intake from birth to present day. This accounts for why she expresses her ideas in material culture to suit her environment. Her work is a connuous process of research, experimentaon and development By interrogang socio-cultural, environmental, economic, and somemes polical issues, it encourages us to examine life from an enrely differentperspecve.

Since 2007, she has been researching texles in Ghana, exploring its history, stories and significance (value as a trade commodity, tool of communicaon and aesthecs), from the eleventh (11) century to the presentme.

Bridging the gap between art and humanity by connecngittoeconomicdevelopmentatlarge.Asan acvist, Glory is concerned about acvies that push for women and arsts' development and empowerment.

1st Prize Winner.

"Expression by Ghanaian Arsts "

An Art Compeon - Aorney General's Choice. (2003)

Hosted and coordinated "Overcoming Maps 4" , a study tour across Africa, organised by the Pan African Circle of Arsts. Accra, Ghana (2004)

Gold Star Category Award Winner. by Quality Commitment Convenon, Geneva, Switzerland. (2007)

Contributed a paper to the wring of the book "Art is Everywhere." Abuja, Nigeria. (2009)

Contributed a paper to the BIBCo Journal "Borneo Internaonal Beads Conference." Borneo, Malaysia. (2013)

Resource Person -Africa; World Cra Council (2011)