Well, I did it somehow, after many hours on the lap top I managed to post Rose’s article – with images. Phew! My learning curve has peaked. I hope you enjoy it and will get around to visiting their exhibition in Peebles. Something to look forward to in the next few weeks. Hopefully this is the first of more regular posts from me but for now I think I need a lie down in a dark room…
Intertwined-all around the forest grew.
When Alison first suggested we consider doing another exhibition together, I think it would be true to say that I wasn’t initially very enthusiastic. However, after the success of the DIS/rupt exhibition we wanted to continue to build on our relationship with the Tweeddale Museum and Art Gallery.
A conversation with Christine Sawers led to an exhibition proposal to work with the museum and to use the local area as our source of inspiration. We both share a keen interest and love of landscapes with which we have a personal connection. Glentress forest was the natural choice to base our work on, however we wanted to approach it from different directions.
Alison already had a link with the history and symbolism associated with Traquair House and wanted to develop this further. She also found inspiration in the museum’s ancient bronze rings, thus choosing a historical path.
Alison in her studio.
Historic symbolism.
I decided I would like to look at mountain bikes after a visit to the centre there, in this way we could create a link from the past to the present.
We immediately set to work.
Photographic ref. For ‘On Yer Bike’
‘On Yer Bike’ detail
In this case the timescale of the exhibition was a challenge. We heard we had the gallery in October and that we would show from July to September the following year. It was indeed very exciting to have been given such a prestigious time by the gallery but it wasn’t a very so much time to produce the work from scratch!
Completing enough work of a high enough standard is one thing but giving thought of who to contact and how to promote the exhibition is quite another AND it takes time!
We have learned from our past exhibitions together that we work well as a team. We share our expertise, encourage one another in a mildly competitive way which helps to keep each of us on track. We share the responsibility of the tasks as they crop up and we are still trying hard with publicity!
We will keep you posted and are looking forward to seeing you at
‘Intertwined’ all around the forest grew
Tweeddale Museum & Art Gallery, Peebles,
20th July -28th September.
Rosemary and Alison
Intertwined
This is a bit like the number 26 bus, isn’t it? You wait for years for a post and then 3 come along at the same time.
There is a reason for this though. Shan, our lovely chairperson, is going to restart Musings from edge which will be fantastic….. once we’ve managed to work it all out again that is!
Bear with us if you would and I promise you a great new blog to get involved in.
Intertwined
Oops
I really meant to write ‘Tiny’ didn’t I?
Latitude 77 North
It seems such a long, long time ago since we were asked by the Dundee Heritage Trust to put on an exhibition at Discovery Point and given an exhibition time of October 2019.
How time flies. Here we are at the final stages of preparation The administration, publicity and hanging teams are ready, images are about to be sent up to our web designer for flyers and posters and we’re looking for best ways to get the media involved……our next meeting on the 8th August will hopefully find all sorts of solutions .
Meanwhile, a tint taster of what’s to come.
The end of my ‘chair-ship’
This is the last blog written as chair of the group. Tomorrow I go up to Birnam and report to the members at our AGM. It’s been 3 years since I was asked to take on the post – sometimes it feels like yesterday and sometimes it feels like forever!
I’ve enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from being the ‘overlooker’ as it were. I’ve been, in turns, frustrated,overwhelmed,impressed and supported by it all.
Frustrated? Not by the group – well very rarely by the group – more by a general lack of perception into the value of textile art today. Want a Creative Scotland grant or a gallery to exhibit in ( or even a gallery to answer an enquiring email) : a newspaper to write a review or an acceptance that our creations are an art form, not just craft work of a high standard? That’ll not be happening sadly. Wouldn’t it be lovely to think that someone reading this an 10 years time would be amazed that we weren’t considered an equal to fine art?
Overwhelmed by kindness.Kindness in general but the kindness the was expressed when I had my horrible hospitalness. The cards and messages that came from edge members during that time were so comforting and quite kept me going – thank you again.
And I never cease to be impressed by the work that gets selected for the exhibitions we’ve had these past 3 years.From ‘cutting edge’ to ‘myths and l(edge)nds’ and of course ‘strands of time’ and each selection I swear seems to get better and better.No wonder our comment books are filled with superlative, inspirational responses. I do believe that, apart from the natural talent we all have, this quality comes from the workshops Jennifer has run and the mentoring that Sarah Burgess gives. We are, as our constitution states continually striving to be at the cutting edge of contemporary Scottish textile art, and I think this shows in the new pieces that we see every selection.
Last, but the crux of this past 3 years,comes support.From Fiona our web designer and John the printer, from the galleries who had faith and gave us galleries to show in, from amazing friends and friends of friends who helped, from every member of edge who gives what they can to keep edge in the forefront of our field and produces the class of work that ‘strands’ was all about, to the wonderful committee members who have made this whole 3 years happen – each one a gem and without them, no edge or not the edge we seek to be.
Mentoring
This, I reckon, is edge’s own Marmite subject, but whether you love or loathe the idea I am ever hopeful that it will stay open to all members in edge – maybe not every 6 months as we have had for the past two years but as an annual occurrence.
Why should we keep it going? Well, for starters we have got ourselves a cracking tutor in Sarah Burgess. Ideally suited to mentoring the group but not part of it, she’s a member of the textile Study Group, so has the perfect approach to tutoring our group – helping you to find your answers – it’s a great skill to have. We can only afford her, to be honest, because she is given hospitality by Rose and Ali ( TSG friends as well as edge members), and I for one am extremely grateful to them both.
And then there’s the session itself. Time spent beforehand compiling a brief for her about what it is you want to be doing with your work and ideas is awfully good for you and then spending a day ( Leith Academy is may not be the ultimate venue, but it suffices) in a small group, having an hour to be with Sarah, time to reflect and jot down the ideas and next steps and time too to talk .
What did it do for me last Saturday? I got myself able to separate my new ideas into a decent working list – short, medium and long term plans ( once you learn ‘counselling’ speak it kind of stays, sorry). Sorted.
And for the others – well their comments were as follows…’I have a better sense of direction now’ ‘My imaginative mind was stretched’ It consolidated ideas into a coherent way of moving forward’ Informative and constructive’…and that’s just a sample.
See you at the next one?
Then it’s all gone.
Last month the three galleries were buzzing with work, visitors, stewards and cups of coffee. The atmosphere was fantastic and everyone seemed to love the experience.
Last Monday I made a final sweep of the spaces to check that we hadn’t left anything behind. All that was left were these two chairs from gallery one. Not a picture to be seen.
So – to refresh memories and promote the group, I’m compiling an archive – videos / broadcasts / articles / the sound and light installation / slide shows and those involved in the complex story that was ‘Strands of Time’. Even just reading that through makes you realise just how much work was involved and how many people made it all happen.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if ‘Strands of Time’ could be resurrected in another format in another gallery in another city?
Spread the word.
Final Call for Strands of Time
We are now on the last 3 days of this fantastic exhibition at Edinburgh Palette, so it is now a case of “snooze and you lose”.
It closes at 6 on Saturday 23rd., the work is collected by the members on Sunday and I do a final sweep on Monday morning and then not a trace should be left – physically any way. I’m sure though that there will be loads of memories and inspirational thoughts to keep this fantastic show of Edge :past, present and future alive and thriving for a long time to come.
There was a heap of work and favours called in to make it work so well but when you stand in any of the 3 rooms and look at just how good it looks and just how good we are as contemporary textile artists, it has all been worth while.
In modern parlance….. go us!
The final image, I think, should be a salutary one. Edge does ‘thought provoking’ as well as beautiful and Moira E Dickson’s trilogy on remembrance, especially the devastation of lives in WW1, says it all.
musingsfromedge 