One of the great things about Open Studios is that it is a super opportunity to meet new people.
Over the weekend I had many interesting conversations with a range of people, some whom i already knew, and others who i didn't.
Shelley Krycer is a Melbourne based artist who is currently on her travels with her brother, and just happened to be in Glasgow for the open studios weekend.
We share some similar interests, and there is potential for us to do some kind of project together... watch this space!
You can find out more about Shelley by viewing her website:
I would like to invite you to the annual Wasps Artists' Open Studios Weekend.
I will be spending the weekend in my Studio (122) at the Briggait, and hope you can pop in.
The opening hours are:
Saturday 2nd October 11am - 5pm Sunday 3rd October 12noon - 5pm
The Briggait is a magnificent building by the River Clyde that served as the city’s fish market for over 100 years, but following its recent transformation, now contains 45 studios.
For more information about the Briggait please visit www.thebriggait.org.uk
For more information about WASPs studios please visit http://www.waspsstudios.org.uk/arts-programme/open-studios/
I have recently contributed work to The Pound Gallery.
POUND GALLERY is an enterprise for losing money. The gallery retails second-rate products of emerging artists for next to nothing. The prices cannot cover even the manufacturing costs of the works, let alone the gallery space rent, promotion or transportation expenses. Pound Gallery seeks to increase accessibility of contemporary art by making it affordable to everyone.
THE POUND GALLERY COLLECTION consists of flaws and byproducts of creative processes: proof-prints, sketches, experiments etc. All the works are original, authorized and signed. Pound Gallery celebrates imperfection, looking to reclaim the uniqueness and presence of a product through its defects. At the moment the Pound Gallery catalogue includes over 300 works.
HELSINKI-BASED Pound Gallery is yet to have a permanent location. Before opening in late 2010 or early 2011 Pound Gallery is looking to further enhance its collections.
For more information please visit http://www.l-galleria.fi/galleriasivut/poundgallery.html
Click the link below to watch a great stop motion animation that reminds me of the good days of playing pacman and how the most basic of games remain the best!
AHM (Sam Ainsley, David Harding and Sandy Moffat) present State of Play: Art and Culture in Scotland Today
The first of three one day symposia to be delivered over two years in different locations across Scotland.
Organised as part of their Research Residency at Glasgow Sculpture Studios.
Keynote speakers are Christine Borland, Dr. Neil Mulholland, Prof. Philip Schlesinger and AHM
Chaired by David Harding
The symposium will begin with a dynamic 30 minute performance of spoken one minute personal manifestos by a wide range of artists that include Ruth Barker, Justin Carter, Dalziel & Scullion, Ellie Harrison, Nicola Atkinson, Peter McCaughey and Shauna McMullan.
For more information on this event please visit http://theahmblog.blogspot.com/
To book a place please contact Glasgow Sculpture Studios on 0141 204 1740 or via info@glasgowsculpturestudios.org
Today I visited my old flat to ask the new tenants a question / favour (long story not worth detailing). I had intended for it to be a brief visit, but I got talking to the lovely new occupants and we shared landlord stories. As they were showing me around the 'renovated' flat, I saw something familiar on the floor of my old bedroom. Immediately I recognised the large sheet of cartridge paper as belonging to the portfolio of artwork I created on my foundation course and sent to GSA with my application for the Environmental Art Degree.
Dave had found the collection of sheets under a cupboard (I really thought I have looked everywhere and taken everything from that room when moving), and along with his other flatmates, had sorted through them picking out some pieces to keep and put up in the flat. The other sheets had been folded and were waiting outside in a pile of rubbish to be collected by the bin men tomorrow.
I quickly rescued the other sheets, and was amazed at my luck of being in the right place at the right time.
Dave told me of how he and his flatmates had enjoyed going through all my work and selecting pieces for their flat. I feel delighted that I just so happened to be there when the work was still outside rather than in the landfill.
Ive been experimenting with creating complex structures from simple forms. These drawings have prompted me to extend the work into a three dimensional realm.
I was invited to exhibit work in a group show in South Korea, and have 3 works featured in the exhibition; Abacus, my quest to find a shaddock and Cat's Cradle.
The show opens on August 28th, and more details can be seen on the poster.
I will be uploading documentation once I receive it!
'Down Over Up' by Martin Creed at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh was a real delight to visit and a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Much of Creed's work appeals to me on a number of levels. The inherent humour in his work is refreshing, and his work is visually appealing, especially when he uses colour. But his work is far from superficial. It deals with the human desire for humans to try to order what is around us.
The first Edinburgh Festival special episode of The Culture Show http://beta.bbc.co.uk/i/tdzc3/ asked some important questions:
Why do we find pattern satisfying? Are we just creatures of habit? Or do we classify the world to help us understand it?
I'm exhausted after a full on weekend in the studio - but a weekend in the studio with a difference as not much work was made at all. It was the official launch of The Briggait, the building in which my studio is situated, and so it was an Open Studio event where the artists opened their studio doors to the public.
After the Open Studios on Friday night there were speeches and then a performance in the main atrium space.
On Saturday and Sunday the studios were open from 12pm-5pm, and I enjoyed talking to the constant stream of people who came for a look at our work. I met some very interesting people and had some brilliant discussions.
I also enjoyed looking around the other studios in the building and meeting the other artists (many of whom I had never met before).
Photos of the weekend will be uploaded soon, but in the meanwhile, do take a look at the reviews and online images:
Eiji Hiyama is the founder of "World of Cardboard" where all everything is created from cardboard. As co-founder of the special-brown paper and cardboard society, I can honestly say that Hiyama is one of the greats!
I've just returned from an amazing trip to Canada.
I have got thousands of photos to sort through and edit, but will then be uploading some images to the blog!
I visited the Banff Centre which was much more expansive than I had appreciated. Some great facilities, and an incredible setting to work in.
The Fiona Tan exhibition at Vancouver Art Gallery was one of my art highlights, particularly her two-channel film installation titled Rise and Fall. Some very powerful shots of waterfalls.
I was also excited by the activity of the non-profit artist run centre called ArtSpeak. Artspeak presents contemporary practices, innovative publications, bookworks, editions, talks and events that encourage a dialogue between visual art and writing. The gallery is currently inhabited by experimental, small run, and self-published artist books, magazines, and fanzines that have been made by Motto, a Berlin and Zürich-based bookstore. I love the way that the books are displayed on the walls, although reading those at the top is somewhat difficult!
I am an artist making work that incorporates installation, video, sound, sculpture, performance, & writing to explore the human condition. I investigate ways to immerse the audience in multi-layered psychological & physical situations.
I trained at Leeds College of Art & Design (Foundation), Glasgow School of Art (BA (Hons) Fine Art: Sculpture & Environmental Art) and Newcastle University (Masters of Fine Art).
My lived experience of eating distress & obsessive compulsive disorder informs the work I create & the way I work. Some of the consequences of living with these conditions are that rigour, routine & attention to detail are fundamental to my way of life, all of which are integral to my creative practice; using the constraints of systems, I allow chance & playful elements to create unexpected results.
My work is regularly exhibited in solo & group exhibitions across the UK, USA, Canada & South Korea & is contained in various public collections. I have a number of public artworks, been commissioned to produce site-specific work & have taken part in national & international residencies, consistently since 2005.
2020-21
Awarded Arts Council England Developing Your Creative Practice funding for a printmaking residency with Charrington Editions
Byre-Group exhibition in which I created a site-specific installation alongside some creative writing
Everything Will Be Alright-an audio installation at Cheeseburn Sculpture, commission by curator Matthew Jarratt
Filling Time-a watercolour calendar-based work, currently exhibited at BALTIC centre for contemporary art
Lockdown Diary-a daily online process since March 2020, that has been acquired by the Wellcome Collection
Home Time-a creative tool for public, inspired by Lockdown Diary, commissioned by New Writing North
Inclusion in a new Alec Finlay publication.
I work in my studio at NewBridge Projects in Newcastle & as well as my solo work I collaborate with David Foggo as marginendeavour; I am often invited to speak to students, artists & facilitate workshops.
Website: www.helenshaddock.co.uk
Blog: https://helenshaddock.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @hshaddock
Instagram: /helenshaddock
Facebook: /helen.shaddock
Vimeo: /hshaddock
YouTube: /helenshaddock
LinkedIn: /helen-shaddock
Education
Master of Fine Art, Newcastle University, 2016
BA (Hons) Fine Art: Sculpture and Environmental Art , Glasgow School of Art, 2008
Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art and Design), Leeds College of Art & Design, 2005
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