Getting crafty at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

An exhibition of innovative crafts from the Crafts Council and elsewhere opens at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery this weekend and to complement it a special spotlight show entitled “Bones and Beasts” will open in the small gallery.

Over the past six months four Highland makers have been mentored through HI-Arts ‘Making Progress’ scheme developing new and experimental work.  Their ideas, techniques and materials are the inspiration for the “Twisted and Turned” exhibition of innovative objects from the Crafts Council Collection and elsewhere, curated by The Highland Council’s Exhibitions Unit.

A chess piece made from a re-cycled cheese grater, ballet shoes grafted onto old surgical instruments, and a shed for drying currants.  Rather like reading a detective novel there is a hidden story waiting to be discovered and a trail of connections to be found, from materials and techniques to inspiration and mood.

Thoughts, ideas and materials, have been twisted and turned to create amazing, unusual, unsettling, surprising, amusing and unexpected objects.

Artist include Wendy Ramshawe who makes dramatic jewellery using unusual conjunctions of objects; pieces from Maria Malitsi’s  ‘Ballet to Remember’ Series using tools and surgical instruments and Lucy Casson’s Chess Set made from recycled plastic, nylon and tin

Each intriguing object is here for a reason.  The challenge for every visitor is to uncover what it is, as nothing is quite as it seems.

The “Twisted and Turned” exhibition will run until 2nd July.  To coincide with this the Small Gallery will be hosting four spotlight shows, the first of which opens also on Saturday and features the work of Patricia Neimann

Patricia Niemann is a German-trained goldsmith and designer with a master’s degree from Edinburgh College of Art in glass. Since 2003 she is based in a studio based in the wilds of Caithness, where she primarily makes contemporary fine jewellery. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and works free-lance as designer and as an instructor at North Lands Creative Glass.

Most of her recent work is informed by her experience of the Far North of Scotland, with its wilderness, wide open spaces, the deteriorating and forming effects of the harsh weather and the clean air - and local funeral archaeology. She is most interested in all forms of body adornment, especially objects that change the silhouette of the wearer. In her practice, much of her work develops by drawing. Materials used are precious metals, hot glass (blown and hot sculpted), textiles and found objects.

Patricia Niemann said: “Making Progress has been a life-changing experience for me. I was able to concentrate on new pieces, some of which I have been excited about for a while – without having to think about purely commercial considerations. These pieces were mostly about anthropology and local mortuary archaeology. Indeed, the archaeology theme is running through the exhibition. In all my work I am drawn to turn human fears into decorative things – and inject a bit of humour on the way. Death is the single biggest threat to our very existence as human beings. As soon as we are born, we are bound to die. And in our culture we desperately try to banish every thought of death.

“More recently I have become ever more intrigued by lichen. It only grows, where the air is clean – and it takes a long time to grow. It marks the passage of time. It grows on grave markers, standing stones, brochs and cairns, forgotten ruined crofts and gnarly trees and branches. Lichens are a combination of algae and fungi. And fungi are associated with the good (e.g. bakers yeast, antibiotics), the bad (mould, poisonous mushrooms) and the uncanny.

“During the “Making Progress” programme I have experienced challenges like social media, online research, blogging and training in good business practice - and at the same time encouragement, support and mentoring. My life and work has become ever more “viral”, even more exciting and akin to a whirlwind. I feel linked closer to the world and at the pulse of things. I have grown more confident about the small things I am passionate about and the very local and precious inspirations, which are to discover in Caithness. My creative view has expanded into a bigger awareness and at the same time focussed in on detail. My work is my life – and it has just become fuller.”

The other makers who will have spotlight shows are Nick Ross from Inverness, Caroline Dear from Skye and Jennifer Cantwell from Forres. Since November 2010 all four have worked with their mentors, Deirdre Neilson and Gilly Langton as well as HI-Arts Craft Development Coordinator, Pamela Conacher to develop their skills and business to a new level.

The makers have also been supported by HI-Arts Audience Development manager, Sian Jamison, Highland Council Exhibitions and by a partnership with Screen HI to create short films for the project with filmmaker and Director, Catherine Weir.

Pamela Conacher, HI-Arts Craft Development Coordinator said:  “Our 2011 Making Progress makers are now reaching the culmination of their mentoring programme. The Spotlight exhibitions are a wonderful way of focusing their talents and gives them invaluable experience in the process of curating an exhibition. I very much look forward to seeing the results of all their dedication and to viewing work that has pushed their skills to a new level”.

 

27 Apr 2011