Steering Group Report
First meeting – 10 January 2008. 6.30pm Timespan
Attended by:
Invited panel – Norman Gibson, Lindsay Skene, Jenny Grant
Lead Artist - Ruth Macdougall
Core art group representatives – Ben Keighley, Gillian Kelly, Sean Robertson, Natalie Sutherland.
The meeting opened with a statement from lead artist Ruth Macdougall, reminding the group as to the purpose of the steering group and the different roles they will be expected to fill within it.
Each of the invited committee members were asked to prepare a short presentation, reflecting their work, experiences and back ground in order to give the young members of the group and each other an idea of where their input was coming from. The presentations from Norman, Lindsay and Jenny, were as diverse as they were engaging and inspiring.
Lindsay Skene is a designer working in digital and hand printed textiles. Lindsay’s power point presentation led us through her work spanning from her days at the Glasgow School of Art up until now. She has successfully sold many of her designs to major fashion houses in London and New York and at present sells her work, and that of other local and international crafts people through her new business CREATE. The building previously known as The Spinning Owl is home to Create and can be found at the entrance to Helmsdale. Lindsay also brought along several samples of her work and openly invites the group to visit her at Create, anytime!
Norman Gibson lives and works in Brora and also went to art school. He too gave a power point presentation of work spanning his career so far. It was clear from the diversity and quality of Norman’s work that he is a highly accomplished artist moving fluidly between different materials in a playful, yet thoughtful manner. His works spans drawing/painting, sculpture, jewellery and recently led him to collaborate with a dancer in a multimedia performance in Aberdeen. Norman has exhibited his works extensively throughout the country and will be collaborating with two other artists to form the first exhibition for Timespan’s relaunch on 21 March 2008. Presently, Norman serves on Timespan’s arts committee and is the chair of VASu - Visual Arts Sutherland.
Jenny Grant is from Dornoch but works in Golspie for SNH - Scottish Natural Heritage. Jenny’s background is in biology but it was clear from the work that she presented us with that art is far more than a hobby for her. Her love of the outdoors and natural environments led her to spend time volunteering for an environmental project in Costa Rica where her talents were put to good use, creating a mural for the centre building. Jenny has also led groups of young children in marine biology/art projects and is extremely enthusiastic to become involved in the OURS programme on a regular basis.
Thank you to all three members for the time and effort that they put into their presentations.
∗∗Following the presentations, the younger members were encouraged to tell the invited members about previously completed projects. Window Wonderland was deemed to be a big success and the group are keen to work again in vinyl and on a large scale. They also agreed that they would like to work again with graphic designer, Al MacInnes.
Of the taster workshops that took place before Window Wonderland, the Scary Movie workshop was identified as being the most successful. The group watched the movie once again…it never gets less amusing…and stated that more movie making is something they would be keen to do.
The following suggestions were made by the group:
∗ For future film/video projects time should be taken before filming to write a plot and form a solid storyboard.
∗ More video cameras should be purchased for the group to use.
∗ Better sound recording equipment, ie. Microphones should be purchased.
∗ A sound track should be added to future films in addition to recorded dialogue, as many of the group participants play musical instruments.
Response to group suggestions:
∗ Absolutely right, this was just a taster workshop completed from start to finish over three hours. Future film/video projects will be completed over several weeks.
∗There is a healthy budget for the programme and new equipment for recording sound and image is something I will look into. We could also go to Brora and use the excellent facilities that they have in the community learning centre.
∗ I am glad that Ben suggested the idea of working in sound. I have already spoken to a member of the Helmsdale community who has the skill and knowledge of music and sound recording to lead some workshops in this. I will look into this further.
Norman will be collaborating with a young musician, Lucy Treacher aged only 13 who has already had a level of success with her original compositions.
They will be exhibiting together in March at Timespan and I suggest that we arrange a meeting or one day workshop with her.
∗ I received info from Docuspace, who provided the projector that we use in the workshop, that they are running one day documentary workshops. The workshops have been very successful so far and they thought that given the slightly older age group of the OURS participants that we would really benefit from it. I have contacted them recently but they are in general slow to respond to e mails and calls.
The immediate response from the group to all these suggestions was very positive.
Going round the table, each young representative gave one or more suggestions in addition to more film making:
Gillian – Would like to take trips to visit galleries, events and artists outside Helmsdale.
Natalie – would like to design and print t-shirts and have another go at the Derive, the first taster workshop that several did not attend.
Ben – would like to do some musical composition work and design and print bags.
Sean – would like to work on a large scale again and create a permanent outdoor work. Sean also expressed an interest in my own work and is keen to know more about dynamos and inflatable things.
The entire group expressed a strong interest in working outdoors as much as possible and are keen that the film club should continue
Response:
All of these suggestions are easily possible given the healthy budget we have and the skills that are available to us through local artists, the board and myself.
Suggestions from Ruth – Trips to Orkney, visiting The Pier Arts Centre and other sites of interest on the island.
Visit ceramic artist Lotte Glob at her home in Laid, seeing her amazing workshop and expanding sculpture garden. Lotte is inspired to make her works by the environment, and often places her finished pieces back into the environment for them to be reclaimed by the elements. After visiting Lotte we could either move onto Durness and see the caves or head back to Skerray, visiting Island Roan and the earth ship project that is being built by Rhona and Steven Graham
Show Scotland – environmental art project in the Strath to coincide with this event on the Sunday the 4th of May. There is the potential to collaborate with archivist Jacquie Aitken and make a permanent site specific work on a large scale.
Docuspace workshop.
Venice Biennale trip in 2009.
There will perhaps be a visit from a Chilean film maker in March for one week. I propose either a workshop or an evening screening and talk.
There is a possible £1000 available to us through the Highland Council. I propose that we put this money to good use in a follow up project with graphic designer Alister MacInnes. This project would be in making bespoke books/sketch books that would expand and grow with the group over the course of the projects. Computer skills in illustrator and Indesign would be taught and techniques in digital, photographic and hand drawn illustrations would improved upon.
Lots of possibilities!!!!!!!!!!
Suggestions from invited panel –
Lindsay – thinks perhaps more time should be taken to think about ideas rather than physical outcomes, which could evolve over the course of projects rather than being set out at the beginning.
Lindsay is very willing to share her knowledge of printing and materials for any print making projects. She is also keen to accompany and supervise on any trips.
Jenny - is as keen as the participants to learn new skills and techniques, and is willing to become involved in any way – her enthusiasm and approach is a breath of fresh air! Jenny also has experience of arranging trips to Skye and will advise on this.
Norman – has a lot of experinece in designing and printing books and will happily advise on this. He was kind enough to bring along two books for me , which I will put into the art book library that I plan on installing in the IT suite for general use. Norman’s experince in the logistics of exhibiting will no doubt come invaluable as we look towards out interim exhibition in August. Norman will also approach Lucy Treacher about the possibility of meeting with the group in future.
Forward plan till next meeting on 6 March 2008
Recommence with film club on Wednesday nights, starting 16.01.08
Using left over vinyl, personalise the IT space with the group
Begin book making project with Al MacInnes.
T-shirt and bag printing project.
Derive
I think that the first steering group meeting of the OURS project was a great success and there are lots of interesting and exciting possibilities to now bring into being.
See you all in March
Ruth Macdougall
Artist in Residence/ Youth Arts Curator.
