Jenny Saville Trip

On the 23rd of June Blueprint embarked on their second field trip to Edinburgh! The morning began early in Dumfries for most and earlier still for me as I hopped on a plane from Barcelona! Though rather tired from the journey, after a week of sun and tapas I was eager to sample some culture from somewhere a little closer to home. The temperature change, however, was not a welcome one.

Upon arrival, first stop was the National Gallery on The Mound! Following a whistle stop tour and a planning meeting for a future project we were off to see the main event!

The scale of Jenny Saville’s work is incredible and although it comes nowhere near to dwarfing the Neo-classical high ceilings and deep-silled windows of Modern One, it sits as if commissioned for the space. The warm summer light pouring in belies the tone of art on display. Though I studied Saville at school I’d never seen any of her pieces in the flesh and by all accounts there was a lot of flesh on show. Beautiful, brutal and affronting; Saville’s work has always been an affecting mix of vibrancy and violence and whilst a first glance her newer work seems tamer, on closer inspection there is a more subtle, sensitive undercurrent of unrest in the washed-out frantic brushstrokes. It’s almost as if, unlike before, the violence is no longer inflicted directly on the subjects of each painting but their entire surroundings are in a constant state of chaos, undulating and pulsing with movement, though her figures are stationary. This makes sense when you realise the creative catalyst behind her new work is the Syrian Refugee crisis. Near transparent bodies, intertwined and almost indistinguishable from one another, depersonalised, serving as a backdrop to the battle raging around them, on which they have no effect.

I can’t discuss Jenny Saville without talking about her chosen subject type. Real bodies. Curvy, flat chested, big footed, hairy or hairless, used and more often than not, abused. Celebrated not because they fit in with our preconditioned idea of beauty but thrusting unapologetically out of the canvas in all their grotesque fleshy glory. Grotesque not because they’re ugly, grotesque because they are unflinchingly human and all the more beautiful and striking as a result.

Saville’s work, to my surprise, sat perfectly amongst the more permanent large scale sculptural installations that make Modern One and Two so popular, despite being the most “traditional” work by far. It demonstrates what, as a portrait artist myself, I’ve always believed. Good portraiture, rendered with real emotion and honestly transcends trends and fashion, because it cuts us to the core of what it is to be human and that will never get old.

Written by Emily Cooper.

Members Fund: Lavender Menace

My project Lavender Menace has been running for 9 months now, and has grown from humble beginnings to a platform which facilitates a broad range of experiences for volunteers and participants. A collaboration between Blueprint100 and LGBT Plus, we’ve had film nights, discussions, discos, exhibitions, art classes and meditation, all with a queer focus. We have brought about countless moments of belonging and acceptance, which cannot be quantified or even described but which have the power to transform, and have shown what’s possible with a big idea and buckets of determination and support.

I started Lavender Menace because I loved everything about The Stove – the events, the activist spirit, the community engagement – except that there wasn’t any explicit queer presence. Queerness itself has radical potential which I felt would add a vital component to the conversations already happening there: the word queer is traditionally a slur but has been reclaimed as a liberation framework, acknowledging that we are different and do not wish to conform. We reimagine systems of identity and desire, of support and connection, we embody ways of being which we’re told are wrong and impossible. Not all LGBT people identify as queer, some are happy to try to blend in to the mainstream, but for me this disruption of convention is vital in allowing me to be my fullest self, and I know I’m not the only one.

I had been exploring my gender and was wondering if had to leave this area again to find a community where I could feel validated. LGBT Plus convinced me that I didn’t, and that if I started organising events people would come out of the woodwork; they were right. I had never run public events before but after spending several years isolated with chronic illness I was eager to develop my skills and connect with people. I previously lived in Glasgow for 6 years and knew that living rurally suited me better. I found it hard to feel grounded and find a sense of community in the anonymous buzz of the city. I’m delighted that all of this is happening in Dumfries, which feels vibrant and full of potential, and I hope Lavender Menace will inspire others to stay in the region too. 

I look forward to doing some training this year, and to strengthening the network of volunteers so that we can aim higher and reach more people. It’s incredible to think where the next year will take us. Please get involved if you like what you’ve read, regardless of how you identify. We’d be nothing without our friends and family, we are all our most powerful when we work together. And while it’s not always glitter and rainbows, it often is!

 

Members Fund: Isla Gracie

Being a member of blueprint100 has helped me gain so much knowledge within the art industry. Since applying to Cardonald College in Glasgow I recently had the opportunity to take part in a 15-week life drawing course which would strengthen my portfolio greatly. The life drawing course came at a cost so I applied for members funding through blueprint100. 

Life drawing was an intense 15 weeks which consisted of 3 hour lessons every Thursday after class, I struggled a lot to find my feet with getting proportions accurate but I finally grasped it. In finishing my portfolio and being extremely happy with my work, I was especially proud of my life drawing boards and how far I’d come from my first few life drawing lessons. Life drawing classes have improved my drawing skills and my ability to draw from eye and I can really see the progress that I’ve made since taking them.

To me, life drawing classes are highly demanding yet very rewarding and I would recommend them to anyone interested in building a portfolio and applying to art school. Without the help of the blueprint100 members fund, I would have not been able to participate in such a great opportunity.

Since completing my portfolio and sending away art school applications, I have recently received an unconditional offer from The Glasgow School of Art to study Jewellery and Silversmithing, without the support and encouragement of blueprint100 I would not have had the confidence to even apply to college, let alone art school. I can only thank them for their help and support. I am humbled and proud to say that I play a part in such brilliant organisation. 

 

Written by Isla Gracie.

 

Members Fund: Kirstin McEwan

Thanks to the Blueprint100 members fund, I was able to pay for the printing costs of my photographs for an exhibition during the months of December and January. I was incredibly grateful to the team at Blueprint for awarding me the funding, as having my work displayed in an exhibition was a really big step in my career and a great learning experience. When I graduated from my Photography degree in 2011, my class had a small exhibition to display our end of year project – that was the last and only time I had ever had my work on display or had been through the process of organising work for an exhibition.

In the last few months, a lot of my work has focused on portraiture, and portraiture in specific places. I am very drawn to areas of decay and vast open spaces, so when Emily from Blueprint100 asked if I wanted to be part of an exhibition on the subject of place and identity, I knew that it was a theme fitting to what my practice had been focused on in the last few months. My model and I spent an afternoon at Castle Milk Bank in October. Although the building is in a true state of decay, I think this just adds to the beauty of it. I wanted my images to tell a story of the relationship and the connection a person can have with a place, and how particular spaces and places can shape us.

Once I had chosen my images and experimented with the layout of how I wanted them displayed and at what size, and I made numerous printing enquiries. Another local photographer had recommended Loxleys to me, and they were a fantastic company to work with. They were quick to answer any queries and offered great advice regarding the type of prints I was looking for. I ordered three 10×8 images and one A3 image, all mounted on foam ex board. The total cost was £80, which, although may seem costly for four prints, is certainly worth the cost if your work is to be exhibited.

The exhibition was amazing and it was an incredible feeling to see my work on display, especially alongside other fantastic artists from the region. This has now prompted me to organise my first solo exhibition, which will hopefully occur sometime during the summer.

 

 

Written by Kirstin McEwan.

Blueprint100 at Big Burns Supper

To commemorate the deaths of the famous faces that we lost last year Blueprint100 teamed up with Big Burns Supper and hosted workshops to create elaborate carnival costumes that celebrated “the day of the dead” where they were presented in the annual carnival that paraded through the town centre. These skeletal creations depicted iconic celebrities such as David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Victoria Wood, Gene Wilder, Alan Rickman, Prince, Carrie Fisher and Muhammad Ali. These workshops took place from five till eight on Tuesday nights where Blueprint100 members helped to carve out the skeletal bones and heads, carve out jaws and make the intricate hands and backpack harnesses.

These skeletons were then designed to look like the renowned faces of the celebrities we loved and lost in 2016 – it was most definitely the year of the dead. Even though the construction of these costumes was tricky, time-consuming and very messy the end results were truly outstanding. There were also lantern making workshops where members could learn how to easily build lanterns to carry while walking in the carnival parade. The carnival parade took place on Saturday 22^nd January at 5:00pm where members could finally show off their celebrity carnival costumes. Members walked round the town centre in height and style doing the famous skeletons justice. Overall, the work applied and wait was definitely worth it and the carnival was a success and a really fun day for those members involved.

On Tuesday 24^th Dead set took place at the Stove from six till nine, this night of music celebrated the artists we had lost during 2016. These contrasting tributes were performed by our own town’s local bands and artists. The show was hosted by Blueprint100 curatorial team member Euan Macrory who also opened the show with his own acoustic set alongside band member Isla Gracie – they performed a selection of Burns songs to highlight the celebration of Burns month. Locally known singer song-writer Kate Kyle performed her own simple and beautiful acoustic renditions of Eagles songs to highlight the death of Glenn Frey who passed away at the start of last year. Michael Grant, another local singer performed an acoustic version of heroes by Bowie to celebrate his significant part of music history. He also performed a song by the Beatles to commemorate the death of their producer George Henry Martin who died in March last year.

A local trio called the Beard Progression played a selection of Prince Buster songs to celebrate his death. Prince Buster was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer who died in September last year. Singer song-writer Alex Maxwell performed his acoustic versions of Leonard Cohen songs alongside Kirsty Turpie. The audience then joined him for his rendition of Cohen’s unforgettable “Hallelujah”. Colin James wrapped up the night with his own hilariously clever songs about famous celebrities and death. He mentioned celebrities such as Carrie Fisher and he also sang about the loss of Harambe the silver back gorilla. Overall, all performances did a remarkable job in celebrating and highlighting the deaths of all the famous and iconic faces we lost last year, 2016 was well and truly the year of death but it is safe to say that along with the creation of decadent carnival costumes, parades and a night of fantastic music I feel we celebrated their deaths in a unique but awesome style.

 

By Isla Gracie – Blueprint100 Member

Drawing for Enjoyment

The month of November has seen Blueprint100 take a new approach to their Tuesday workshops. Teaming up with local artist Frank Hayes, Blueprint100 have hosted an ongoing series of workshops throughout this past month.

The workshops approached drawing from a different perspective, with the main intention of these sessions to gain enjoyment from creating the art as opposed to focussing on the finished products.

Host of these workshops, Frank Hayes describes these workshops as follows:

“Drawing for Enjoyment is a series of free to attend workshops open to under 30s looking to get more creative learning new ways of approaching art whatever their skill level.”

The differences between drawing for enjoyment and with the main intention of creating a piece of art became apparent within minutes of the workshop. Starting out with being told to ignore a few lines here and there and then gradually proceeding into a process of creating something surreal. You find yourself ignoring where colours would conventionally go and smudging lines in a manner that cannot be replicated. You start making mistakes but leaving them on the page because you like the way that a simple mistake creates a new divide across your page.

For me everyone created something special but it really became art after you stepped away at the end of each workshop and looked at every individuals piece next to one another. When you placed all the work together you begin to see how each person interprets objects differently. You can see how everyone creates something amazing but they all do it in different ways. Some pieces consist of long lines while others are built entirely on little sketch strokes and some are made of entirely blurred charcoal lines.

We began 2017 with an exhibition opening to showcase all the works of each individual. With this exhibition we saw The Stove cafe transformed into a drawing classroom with drawing utensils and materials left out. This presented the works with a sense of realism as it showed the works as if they had just been finished and placed upon the wall adding to the genuine feel of a community art project.

Looking back upon the workshops, Blueprint100 curatorial team member Michael Moore stated:

“Drawing for Enjoyment in November had a great turn out. People were relaxed and able to have fun with their creative side as well as forge new friendships along the way! I’m hope the next series in February will repeat that.”

Drawing for enjoyment really was a community arts project. Despite being a series of art workshops it was not for the artist, it was for people. We often see arts organisations criticised because they aren’t doing enough for the everyday person but on this occasion I feel we managed to host something that really was for everyone.

Drawing for Enjoyment will return on the following dates from 5pm at The Stove:

2nd February

9th February

16th February

23rd February

By Euan Macrory of the Blueprint100 Curitorial Team

Cample Line

A few weeks ago, a small group from blueprint100 were invited to go on an adventure! An adventure to find out all about new rural gallery venture and brain child of Tina Fiske and Andy Goldsworthy, Cample Line. hidden far away in the remote untamed wilderness of …Thornhill!

We all immediately fell in love with the beautiful renovation work that has taken place at the sight, a former mill. From the stunning open upstairs gallery space, shadow lined walls and disguised fixtures, all designed specifically so as not to detract from the art on the walls. The whole building became an art piece, with so much care and thought invested that it left us all in awe.

After the obligatory tour and introduction to the building’s history, specifically the areas link to Doctor Grierson as well the overall concept behind the project we settled, coffees in hand, in to our seats to begin what should have been a preview of three films, in the end the conversation became too absorbing and we only had time for one, Corin Sworn’s film “The Foxes ”, an intriguing look at the effect of thirty years of change on a small Peruvian community. By……, by all accounts definitely worth the watch.

We ended the trip on a high by being given a rare glimpse of Andy Goldsworthy’s labour of love, dubbed the Leaf House. Hidden away it what had been a tiny and completely collapsed sandstone cottage, lovingly restored, was a huge floor to ceiling oak, glass fronted cabinet filled with spectacular installations and sculptures made entirely from leaves. it left us speechless.

Cample Line has all the signs of being a sure-fire success and all of us at Blueprint100 can’t wait to see the impact it will have on its community and look forward to working together in future on many exciting projects.

Thanks again to Tina Fiske for being such an inspiring and graceful host, Emily Cooper

Upcoming events at Cample Line:

May You Live In Interesting Times, and other family stories

An on-going programme of films and other activities

SCREENING 2 at  CAMPLE LINE

Corin Sworn, The Foxes, 2013, 18 mins

Laura Horelli, The Terrace, 2011, 24 mins

Rania Stephan, Memories for a Private Eye, 33 mins

SUNDAY 15th JANUARY 2017, 4pm

Cample, Dumfriesshire, DG3 5HD

In association with Driftwood Cinema

£2, LIMITED SEATING, BOOKING ESSENTIAL

To reserve a seat contact: info@campleline.org.uk

By Emily Cooper,  Blueprint100 curatorial team member