#community art
Community Art
I run weekly women’s art workshops as part of my Artist in residency at Milk Cafe. We have been exploring mark making, marbling, life drawing, collage and mixed media.
Some of the women are refugees who volunteer at Milk Cafe. The cafe is a social enterprise which helps women with language skills and learning skills to help them find a job. The art workshops enable women who reside in Govanhill area and/or frequent the cafe to meet others, learn new skills and be in a supportive creative environment.
The work produced at the cafe by the women is featured in Gallery 2 at the Six Foot Gallery in Glasgow along with my own work inspired by the workshops.
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Gathered - New exhibition of my work at the Six Foot Gallery in Glasgow
The work is informed by the Art workshops I run within my Artist residency at Milk Cafe. Working with residents living within the Govanhill area and refugees that volunteer within the cafe.
I have been working with Jesmonite marble infused with fabric and Porcelain as well as marbling inks on fabric
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“We never used time as a weapon. Every moment of ‘being late’ or not using the discipline-and-punish tactic was a moment of resistance to hegemonic capitalist ideas of efficiency.”
In her latest editor’s letter, Marisa Mazria Katz talks with Ricardo Cortés and Lisi Raskin about their recent project getting youth involved in creative practice, and reflects on the importance of flexibility.
http://creativetimereports.org/2015/08/05/going-off-script-youth-and-creativity/
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‘…and the River flows on’ (2017)
Lead Artist: Robyn Woolston http://www.robynwoolston.com
Project Blog: http://andtheriverflowson.tumblr.com
Fabricators: Benson Signs http://www.bensonsigns.co.uk
Urban Design & masterplanning: Ian Parkinson http://www.parkinsoninc.co.uk
Last week saw the installation, as part of the Wirral Waters development of the docklands in Birkenhead, of a project which has engaged with over 300 community members over the last 1.5 years.
It takes inspiration from the River Mersey, it’s geological formation, the historical import and export of goods, the dockers and manufacturing history alongside the future regeneration of the Birkenhead docks.
Our project partners have been drawn from a wide demographic of collaborators including:
- PEEL
- Wirral Waters
- Wirral Methodist Housing
- Wirral Mind
- YMCA
- Pop-up workshop attendees
- Summer school workshops
- The Spider Project
- The Friends of the Williamson Art Gallery
- Wirral Museums (renamed in November 2016 as the Williamson and Priory Friends)
- The Williamson Art Gallery
- Residents of Lee Court supported living, Holyoke
- Arts Council England
The panels are situated adjacent to a plot which will house a new nursing college for the region and within an area that will soon be landscaped with lighting, seating and planting.
Note:
Photo three (above) shows Fred Biddulph, a former sign-writer who learnt his trade on the dockside, and who contributed to the lettering on the panels. Standing opposite him is Julie Davies - Team Leader for Wirral Independent Living and Learning (Panel 6 - Lee Court)
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The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, and Lillington Youth Centre exhibition unveling.
‘Make your Marque’ is a workshop programme designed by Artist Robyn Woolston to engage young people from Lillington Youth Centre with the ACE funded 'Motoring Treasures: The History of the British Motor Car in 50 objects’
‘The end result is superb, how wonderful that all the young people now own their own sketch books too - really inspired by your workshops!’
Adela Thomas - Audience Development and Community Engagement Officer
The group explored direct observation, drawing, interacting with an archive collection, mark-making, 3-D design and print making techniques which culminated in the creation of a temporary sculptural installation at the Museum.
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‘Inside Outside’ / Week One
Lead Artist: Decorating and filling insect hotels and bug boxes in a drop-in, town-centre, workshop alongside bookable gallery sessions:
“Inside Outside is about merging the beauty of nature and our surroundings with art. Creative expression is a very freeing and wonderful pastime to develop and explore.”
Corinne Whitham, a trustee of Williamson & Priory Friends
The gallery works will be included in an exhibition later in the year at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum:
http://williamsonartgallery.org
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I just launched a super cool monthly fashion challenge for folks who like to draw their OCs & want to practice some fashion research & design with a really cool community. At the end of each month, there will be a live streamed showcase for everyone’s pieces. Come check it out! Rules info & how to submit HERE
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Happy Valentine’s day from the only gay people ever
I’m midway through the research stage of my residency at Fort George, a large 18th-century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness, Scotland. Working out of the Highlanders’ Museum (Queen’s Own Highlanders Collection), the museum covers three floors of Fort George’s former Lieutenant Governors’ House.
Project Aims:
- To respond creatively to the World War 1 displays and archives at The Highlanders’ Museum (Queen’s Own Highlanders Collection).
- To engage with local children and communities
- To produce a finished artwork/exhibition to be exhibited at The Highlanders’ Museum (Queen’s Own Highlanders Collection) for 6 months (October 2017 - March 2018)
So far I’ve been working here for three months and completed 5 primary school workshops which have resulted in a wall-based battlefield mural, a series of imaginary medals, a collection of Trench Poetry and a series of letters home to loved ones.
‘We are absolutely delighted to welcome artist Robyn Woolston to The Highlanders’ Museum as our Artist in Residence and are excited about the work she has already been doing. The project will help bring our First World War archive to life featuring some of the interesting stories and characters which exist in the original letters, diaries and photographs kept by Highland soldiers during the conflict.’
Gill Bird / Education and Outreach Officer
From personal, hand-drawn, love letters to military orders, each visit provides a proliferation of compelling avenues for investigation.
It’s a time of immersion and editing, of reflection and navigation through a collection that houses thousands of objects, photographs, paintings, uniforms and reference texts.
‘God bless my DEAR DADDY at the WAR and keep him safe. With little Duncan’s love.’ / SGT DAVID J MCRAE 240180
‘Take this for your mascot’ / SGT DAVID J MCRAE 240180
It’s also a time of contemplation in terms of the ‘axis’ that embodies ‘where’ creative response meets military rigour. Of considering how suitability and juxtaposition may highlight-and-handle harrowing conflict-based narratives. I’m conceiving of plans which will both comment and illuminate with the intention of partially pushing aside many of the traditional conventions, or norms, in terms of museum display. Questions arise as to ways in which one can effectively honour tradition whilst reigniting/reframing perceptions.
S U M M E R H A S B E E N
T U R N E D T O
W I N T E R B Y T H E
G U N S
(A label found below a photograph housed deep within a section of the photographic archive not open to the general public)
Primary School Medal Workshop (photoset 2 of 2)
I’ve been exploring WW1 medals, honours and awards with a group of local primary school children. We’ve taken inspiration from medals found within the collection at the Highlanders Museum, Inverness.
The workshop also considered shape, design, context & colour when creating our imaginary awards.
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Primary School Medal Workshop (photoset 1 of 2)
I’ve been exploring WW1 medals, honours and awards with a group of local primary school children. We’ve taken inspiration from medals found within the collection at the Highlanders Museum, Inverness.
The workshop also considered shape, design, context & colour when creating our imaginary awards.
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a little gay trobed animatic
first date
