The House Of Books Has No Windows

I went to see a brilliant exhibition at The Fruitmarket Gallery on Monday, highly worth a peek! It's by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. They 'make immersive works of art which combine image, video, sound and music in architectural and sculptural installations which draw an audience into a highly credible fictional world.' I was lucky, I arrived just as the gallery was opening, so virtually had the gallery to myself. This meant I could go right inside 'The House of Books Has No Windows' where the scent of old books was strangely comforting and familiar. The most powerful piece, however was 'Opera for a Small Room' (a room within the gallery, which my mum reckons looks like it should have belonged to my dad!). I have been working up a proposal with a 3D animator, Henry Broadhurst, and this theatrical experience within a gallery space is a similar experience to what we would like to achieve. Our proposal was shortlisted for Channel 4's Animate but sadly never got picked. I think it needs a bit more time to develop, and this exhibition was certainly inspirational.

Fabric of Life at Arlington Centre

I'm going to be showing some of my work in Arlington Arts Centre very soon, please pop in if you're down that way, it sounds like a cracker! It's a group show called 'Fabric of Life' and features work by Michael Brennand-Wood and Kate Westerholt as well as many other textile artists.

It starts on Monday 8 September and runs until Wednesday 5 November and it's free.

Here's their spiel:
'We have brought together a group of textile artists, whose work plays with the relationship between their art form and its foundation in domestic life. For many there is an intrinsic association of textiles with home life, from the basics of clothing to elaborate furnishing. What were once commonly learned and highly valued skills have, with new technology become increasingly redundant. Many artists now work with a cultural memory of these specialist skills applying them to new and inventive formats. Fabric of Life will show a diverse collection of creative textile art specifically designed to question any preconceptions of this art form.'

Upcoming Exhibition

I am currently collaborating on an exhibition with Rebecca Wilson and Clare Waddle. We are all inspired by the wealth of stimulus found in a house and aim to create well-crafted works of art: attractive, witty and challenging.

We are still in discussion with various galleries to secure dates…I’ll keep you posted.

Rebecca Wilson 'Jelly Babies; Finest Bone China' and 'China Dolls;Real Fruit Jelly'





Clare Waddle 'Easy Chair'

How Do I Look In This?

My exhibition, How Do I Look In This?, has just finished at The Park Gallery. This is a lovely wee contemporary gallery in a massive park in the middle of Falkirk..quite unexpected! I showed clothing based sculpture alongside Susan Cutts, who makes stunning paper clothing sculptures. We each made a work inspired by Prêt-a-Porter at Callendar House, an exhibition of clothes that belonged to Ailsa Porter who was an air hostess in the 50’s and 60’s. This show is on until October 19th and is really interesting.

‘Prêt-a-Porter explores one woman’s unique twentieth century costume collection donated to Falkirk Museum. Mrs. Porter traveled the world as an air stewardess in the 1950’s and 60’s and her clothes reflect her time living a jet-set lifestyle. With over 300 items donated from hot-pants to baby-dolls this collection charts changing styles in women’s fashion from spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons.’

Visual Arts Scotland

I have now been made a professional member of Visual Arts Scotland (VAS) woohoo! I am also a committee member, so attend meetings to be involved in decision making, help with all aspects of putting on the exhibitions and am on the selection panel for the Annual Open.

Courvoisier The Future 500

Last November I was voted as one of ‘The brightest and best Future 500 rising stars’ (or top 50 in the Art & Design category) in The Observer by Courvoisier. I have no idea how this came about, but am certainly not complaining!

Colin Usher

My felly, Colin, is a very talented man! He has a regular gig doing design work for a company called Eastern, but is also involved in loads of other projects ranging from producing and directing pop videos, corporate photography & video production, including doing lots of media stuff for the Proclaimers, and putting on exhibitions of his own photography.

And, if that wasn’t enough, he drums in a band called Ten Storeys High who have just released their debut album ‘The Thrill of the Fall’. Now I know you’ll think I’m biased but it is rather good!

Fab Pad

As well as being an artist, I am a tutor on the Fab Pad programme, a housing project devised by Impact Arts. I work with vulnerable young people when they start a new tenancy, helping them develop ideas and learn the skills to turn the house into their home.

I run workshops each week in both Craigmillar and Wester Hailes, and also visit them in their home with an interior designer and take them on shopping and inspiration trips. It’s a brilliant project and, on the whole, I really enjoy the job.

Hospitalfield House

I was lucky enough to get the chance to spend three months as Artist in Residence at Hospitalfield House during the summer of 2006. This is a fantastic mansion house in Arbroath, Scotland, where I was funded to stay by the Friends of the Royal Scottish Academy.

I made works of art whilst there, inspired by the objects that have been left behind by Patrick and Elizabeth Allan Fraser, the last owner/occupants. I felt that the treasured furniture and crockery contained the spirit of the previous owners; they had a presence and kept me company when I was alone, and so, remembering the house’s earlier history as a hospital, I mended the damaged objects using medical means, caring for them as one would a human body. I was also inspired by the book The System of Objects by Jean Baudrillard.

Since my residency I have given talks on my experience in the house to the Friends of the Royal Scottish Academy, Hollyrood Arts Club and to students from Virginia Commonwealth University at Glasgow School of Art. My voice only shakes for the first 5 minutes!

My residency at Hospitalfield House culminated in an ‘Open Doors’ weekend, during which I exhibited my work around the house, and an exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy.

In Residence at the Royal Scottish Academy

In January 2007, I exhibited the work that I had created during my three-month residency at Hospitalfield House in In Residence at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA).

I showed alongside Miranda Blennerhasset (her work is shown in the top two images on the right) and Catriona Grant (a hugely talented photographer). They were also funded by the RSA to undertake the residency that year.

Extreme Crafts at The Rogues Gallery

I was part of a group show over in Lithuania last year at the SMC, The Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania (CAC). I just showed my wee plaster box ‘Bone-aid’, but was chuffed to be included in a show with such a cool title!

RSA Ottillie Helen Wallace Prize and other Awards

In 2007, I won the RSA Ottillie Helen Wallace Prize because I was (allegedly) the best female sculptor in the Royal Scottish Academy’s Annual Exhibition. Hooray!

Other awards I have won include: The Sally Schofield Memorial Prize for my work in Visual Arts Scotland in 2006; an Artworks Award in 2004 from The Clore Duffield Foundation, an Aberdeen Visual Arts Award in 2002; a Shell Expro Award for my work in Aberdeen Artists in 2000 and the N.S. MacFarlane Charitable Trust Award at The Royal Glasgow Institute in 1998.

The Graeme Mearns Band

I was really happy when I was asked by the band if they could use one of my art works for their debut album ‘Some Kind of Bliss’. I think their music is brilliant, clever lyrics combine with slap bass and funky drums…well worth a listen.

Grays School of Art, Aberdeen

I graduated with a degree in Textiles and Surface Decoration in 1998 but didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of being a designer so went straight into a post-graduate degree in Art and Design, during which I started creating humorous and thought provoking sculptural and two-dimensional works of art.

Welcome to my blog!

I'm going to do my best to keep up to date with a wee diary, which I hope will be of interest to you...so here goes...