ONLINE Studio Visit: Marley Starskey Butler

In this informal lunchtime conversation Marley Starskey Butler, and Artist Curator Gavin Wade will talk through Marley’s approach to the invitation to be an Incidental Artist and their findings so far.

Marley has spent the last nine months embedded in Beacon Family Services in Sutton Coldfield. As well as spending time with staff at the organisation he has been observing their use of Theraplay® and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy techniques which help children and parents or caregivers living in adoptive or fostering families start to make sense of their family’s world and develop, rebuild or repair their relationships with one another.

As Marley moves from their research phase towards the production of artwork (which will be made public in January 2026) we'll find out where their "listening to the noises and watching the doings" has led them, and what responses they now have to their initial questions which included 'How can an artist navigate this environment and be helpful whilst creating impactful artworks that facilitate further contemplation and positive action?' and 'What can an artist propose within this context and these boundaries?'

ABOUT MARLEY

Marley Starskey Butler is an interdisciplinary artist and social worker. They explore themes of opposites, parallels, memory, love, loss, reflection, process, and play. Marley’s practice in social work has spanned child protection, fostering, adoption, and mental health, contributing to the promotion of well-being, social justice, and human rights. The intersections of art, social work, and Marley’s familial lived experiences in social work create the foundation and tools for them to process and understand the world, both within and around them. Find out more about their Incidental Artist project HERE