Helen's Artwork Sale (in aid of MFA tuition fees!)

It may not look like it, but recently I have been having a sort-out in my studio. As I prepare to move to Newcastle to embark on a Master of Fine Art postgraduate degree at Newcastle University, I am packing up the contents of my studio and trying to earn a few pennies to add to the tuition fee fund!I have been debating what to throw out, what to sell, what to keep, what to put in storage, what to take to Newcastle etc. As I am not a good decision-maker, and a bit of a hoarder, this task has been very difficult!

TODAY I will be selling my artwork at a discounted rate, and there will be a variety of art materials that are up for grabs (any donations welcomed!)

Sunday 7th September
12:00–17:30


Studio 312,

3rd Floor,

Wasps Artists Studios,

South Block,

64 Osborne Street,

Glasgow, G1 5QH

When you are at the outside door, either phone me or buzz the buzzer and I will let you in. Then take the lift or stairs to the 3rd floor, where I will meet you.

I hope that you are able to come along, pick up some art to add to your collection, and say goodbye to me!

Helen Shaddock Artwork Sale - in aid of MFA tuition fees!

As I prepare to move to Newcastle to embark on a Master of Fine Art postgraduate degree at Newcastle University, I am packing up the contents of my studio and trying to earn a few pennies to add to the tuition fee fund!
I will be selling my artwork at a discounted rate, and there will be a variety of art materials that are up for grabs (any donations welcomed!)


Sunday 7th September
12:00–17:30


Studio 312,

3rd Floor,

Wasps Artists Studios,

South Block,

64 Osborne Street,

Glasgow, G1 5QH


I hope that you are able to come along, pick up some art to add to your collection, and say goodbye to me!

South Block Wins Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award

I was pleased to read that South Block, the building that is home to my studio, has won the Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award.

Nord architecture, the practice that redeveloped the building were awarded the gold medal at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 7th November by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop. She said: "The winning scheme is a tremendous and inspiring focus for creativity and innovation and, like previous winners of the award, it is a building of which Scotland can be proud."

Wasps Chief Executive David Cook said: “South Block is now 100% occupied, a great achievement in this economic climate, and we have received fantastic feedback from the creative community. The new venue is also making a huge contribution to the regeneration of the Merchant City.”

Judges stated: "Nord has crafted and choreographed the renovation of this existing building with extraordinary rigour, With great sensitivity and the slimmest of budgets, the architects have produced a specific environment for creative industries. Normally office buildings speak of generic environments. Here, within a tailored set of spaces, interaction and the promise of collaboration is easy to imagine."

South Block was chosen from a shortlist of 12 other projects around Scotland.
The project provides an exciting mix of low-cost studio space for fine artists and craftspeople, plus offices for social enterprises.  High-quality office space is also occupied by commercial businesses from Scotland’s vibrant creative industries.

This project was different for us because the money raised by renting space to commercial businesses is used by Wasps to reduce the rents for artists and arts organisation enterprises to around half the market rate.  This can make all the difference to arts and crafts practitioners who would otherwise be unable to afford the spaces they need.

South Block received support from:
Creative Scotland
Social Investment Scotland
Scottish Enterprise
European Regeneration Development Fund
Glasgow City Heritage Trust
Glasgow Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative
Glasgow City Council
And loan finance from Triodos Bank.

www.southblock.co.uk
www.nordarchitecture.com

Scotsman: Glasgow Tenement Scoops Building of the Year Award
BBC Scotland: South Block in Glasgow Wins Best Building Award

Making Explorations at South Block - Meg Held workshop - block printing

Making Explorations is a new project, set up to encourage cross-cultural craft technique and research. The  first exhibition and workshop series focuses on skills from across the Commonwealth, utilised by Glasgow-based makers.

The exhibition is at South Block, and a number of free workshops are running this weekend to coincide with the Merchant City Festival. 

I took part in the Block Printing workshop with Meg Held.

Meg uses the traditional practice of block printing to design and create vibrant hand printed, ethically considered fabrics.The blocks are made from reclaimed wood found both rurally and in the city.The surfaces of some blocks are hand carved and some are left solid creating a variety of textures and marks when printed. The fabrics produced are used to update existing pieces of furniture creating sustainable and unique pieces of design which offer a hand crafted alternative to products found on the high street.



I thoroughly enjoyed using block printing to create bright, lively and unique designs, which, after sample printing on paper, I printed onto a canvas tote bag.

Open Studio

South Block Artists Open Studios Weekend - catalogue

Sculptural installation on 2nd floor of South Block

Open Studio day 1

Thanks to all those who visited me in my studio on day one of Open Studios at the South Block.

I had some really great discussions with some interesting people, and was delighted to get such positive responses to my work.

Was recommended to research Galerie fur Kunst und Literatur in Basel as they often exhibit artists books.

Another recommendation was the magazine Esopus, "a twice-yearly arts magazine featuring fresh, unmediated perspectives on contemporary culture from a wide range of creative professionals. It includes artists’ projects, critical writing, fiction, poetry, visual essays, interviews, and, in each issue, an audio CD.

Published by the non-profit Esopus Foundation Ltd., the magazine has a simple mission: to provide an unfiltered, non-commercial space in which creative people and the public can connect in meaningful, productive ways."

I look forward to another interesting day tomorrow.

Installing work for Open Studios

I have been asked by WASPs to create an installation in one of the communal spaces on the 2nd floor of the South Block. Artist and garden designer, Sue MacKechnie has been commissioned to create a planting scheme, and I want my work to relate to what she is installing.


Having explored the possible options of where to locate my sculptures, I decided on a corner space opposite a planting area created by Sue. There is an area among the plants that encourages people to sit facing what will be my installation. I feel as though the sculptures will have enough space, and will be well lit due to the large windows opposite where my work will be installed.


Although there is a seated area, the space is predominantly a corridor space leading to more studios. I spent some time watching how people move through the space, and used this to direct the layout of my sculptures.

  

I am delighted that Sue has allowed me to use a few of her cacti in my installation. Their sculptural presence fits well with the plaster cast towers.

Installation for Open Studios

I have been asked to create a sculptural installation in one of the communal spaces on the 2nd floor of the South Block studios.

Artist and garden designer, Sue Mackechnie, is designing planted areas within the range of social spaces on the 2nd floor of the South Block studios.

We met today to discuss how our work can exist together, and experimented with combining my sculptures with some of her more sculptural plants.

I am looking forward to more experimentation and play tomorrow and am excited about the result of this collaboration.