HOTPOT; Art, Food & People

23rd January - 7th March 2010
St Andrews Museum

Twelvebytwelve

AMBER ARTS, 78 MONTROSE TERRACE, ABBEYHILL, EDINBURGH

Antonia Gallacher . Adam Wallace . Elaine Russell . Elise Chisholm . Hazel Vellacott . Jemma Derbyshire . Thomas Chisholm

Private View – 12.12.09 2pm-4pm
Open daily until 24.12.09 – 10am-5pm
Enquiries/to view work visit www.jemmakderbyshire.com/page8.htm

Affordable art at 46a George Street : Only until 24th December!


Canvas is a pop-up gallery hosted by VAS, SSA and RSW. The exhibition will open at 46a George Street on Saturday and run 7 days a week until Xmas Eve with the objective of raising £30,000 needed to pay rental costs at the RSA for the Societies' annual exhibitions in February 2010. There are big names at small prices, a stunning selection of jewellery, and over 600 works in total ranging in price from £20 - £2000.

Annual Exhibition 2010

VAS Annual Open Exhibition 2010 : 20th Feb - 18th March 2010 : The Royal ScottishAcademy Lower Galleries : The Mound : Edinburgh : EH2 2EL

Sumbissions are welsome in all disciplines. For a submission form and labels non-members should send an A4 SAE to the Administrator at 6/8 Newhaven Road, Bonnington, Edinburgh, EH6 5PU. Forms and labels wil also be available at the venue on the submission days.

Hand in Dates: Mon 1st Feb, 11am - 4pm and Tues 2nd Feb 10 am - 4pm.

Where: The Royal Scottish Academy Lower Galleries, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL.

Contact: Rebecca Pollard : info@visualartsscotland.org

Gracefield Handback

If you submitted work for the VAS members exhibition at Gracefield in Dumfries please remember to collect it from the venue where you dropped it off this Saturday, 14th November, between 11am and 3pm.

Many thanks,
Becca

Norman Cherry - Isomorphs, New Mutations

Opening 5.11.2009, 6pm 6-25.11.09, Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm.
ISOMORPHS - NEW MUTATIONS is the latest collection of work by Norman Cherry, exploring the continually developing theme of Isomorphism in which obviously different objects display similarities of form or characteristic. The pieces of jewellery which Norman Cherry has created over the past three years have a common genesis - a summer residency at the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts, in Portland, Oregon, USA. Recognisably similar forms have been variously deconstructed, reconstructed, and reinvented as components or features of new jewels which, although different, are all recognisably visually related. Mainly abstract in appearance, the most recent creations of the series have begun to mutate slowly into a more particularly narrative form, each with a specific story to tell.

Remember ... Six Friends in November

Exhibition in Penicuik
VAS member Ulla Hipkin and friends have put together a lively mixed exhibition in the Penicuik Arts Centre, 2-4 West Street until November 28, open 10 - 16 Mon - Sat. Raku sculpture, ceramics, stained glass, knitted landscapes, photographs &poems, and paintings. 'Paradise Lost and Regain'd' Exhibition in Peebles Chambers Institution Gallery, High Street is on until 7 November showing innovative art works about the environment, climate change and pollution by Aine Divine, Ulla Hipkin, Michael Jessing, Fiona Maher, John Rogers and Kenneth McQueenie.

Studio Vacancy at ESW

Solo Studio available: call for applications
Deadline for applications: Monday 23 November 2009
Solo Studio Now Available for 1 year short term let

A solo studio at ESW is available for a lease period of 1 year from 1 December 2009.The monthly rental rate is £89.32 per month, payable by standing order (this forms part of the studio licence holder’s agreement). Preference will be given to artists working in sculpture, but please call Gordon Munro, Assistant Director, if you would like to discuss this further.

How to apply
If you would like to be considered for this vacancy, please complete the attached Application Form and send with the following:-
8 images or examples of your work in jpeg or dvd form
current CV
artist’s statement

Please send applications by e-mail to gordon@edinburghsculpture.org or by post to:
Gordon Munro
Assistant Director
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
25 Hawthornvale
Newhaven
Edinburgh
Scotland
EH6 4JT

URGENT AMMENDMENT TO POSTCARD EXHIBITION DEADLINE

Dear members, it has come to my attention that in my haste to post out the ESSA fundraising exhibition information I have put the wrong date for the deadline of postcard submissions. The final date for posting back cards is December 3rd and not November 3rd as stated in the letter sent out. My sincere apologies for the confusion. Please relay this information to any other VAS members you are in touch with.

Becca Pollard

VAS Administrator

VAS @ Gracefield

Saturday 26th September - Saturday 6th November
Gracefield Art Centre
Edinburgh Road
Dumfries
http://www.artandcraftsouthwestscotland.com/

The VAS exhibition at Gracefield is an opportunity for the Society to reach out to it's members and art lovers outside of Edinburgh, and to widen it's remit to a bigger geographical region. 115 works of art are on show representing the breadth of talent in Scotland, encompassing both traditional and contemporary methods in 2D and 3D, craft and fine art.

A purchase prize of £500 was awarded to Jenny Smith for her innovative laser cut 'print'.

Image; 'Family Unit' by Clare Waddle

Craft Scotland presents 'The C Word'

The C Word is the new campaign from craftscotland, designed to create discussion and interest in Scottish craft around the UK.
We will showcase contemporary craft and craft designers/makers at work. The campaign will examine the creativity, skill, time and effort spent designing and making craft, and will show that craft is unique, modern and desirable.
The ad will be screened on STV and as a trailer in Scottish Cinemas in conjunction with Pearl and Dean. Among the artists featured are VAS members Libby Day, Lara Scobie, and Julia douglas, Clare Waddle and Rebecca Wilson as the collaboration 'A Wee Bit of Light Relief'.

Affordable Art Fair

22nd - 25th of October

Battersea Park

London

The Affordable Art Fair (AAF) is the place to discover and buy paintings, drawings, sculpture, hotography and original prints – all priced between £50 and £3,000. With 120 carefully selected galleries from across the UK and Europe exhibiting there is contemporary art on show to suit every taste and budget.

The forthcoming Autumn Collection (22 – 25 October) in Battersea Park, London, marks AAF’s 10th anniversary.

When Will Ramsay set up the fair in 1999 his aim was to make contemporary art accessible to everyone and to show you don’t need to be an art expert or a millionaire to enjoy and buy art. Ten years on the fair is still a relaxed and fun way to browse a huge variety of art at one time.
AAF is a great place to spot fresh, new talent – look out for the Recent Graduates’ Exhibition at the front of the marquee which features our selection of this year’s fine art graduates. The Education Programme offers free activities suitable for all ages, including hands-on printmaking workshops, sculpture demonstrations, an open access drawing space and kids activity packs. And for those who prefer to listen The Contemporary Art Society are running a series of talks about collecting art.

Book your tickets now for fast track entry and to save £2.

Several VAS members will be exhibiting at this years Affordable Art Fair including ceramicists Craig Mitchell and Rebecca Wilson.

ART WALK on West Port & Grassmarket

Friday 25 September - Sunday 4 October 2009

Venues: shops all along West Port and the Grassmarket including the Owl & Lion Gallery, The LOT and the soon to be opened ART ROCK HOSTEL (located at the old Salvation Army building in the Grassmarket near the Vennel stairwell).

Opening times: During normal business hours Monday to Sunday, hours at the Art Rock Hostel and the LOT posted on location (some shops closed on Sundays). Continuing from the success of last year’s inaugural Art Walk on West Port – where artworks are displayed in the windows of businesses along this popular shopping street – Lorna’s Art presents the second year of the project, now extended into shops in the Grassmarket.

In a unique and exciting community exhibition, over 30 shops will proudly display in their shop windows artworks by students and recent graduates from Edinburgh College of Art. An exhibition programme will be available from each participating business. The programme will include a map showing all the participating shop locations along with the name and contact information for the artist(s) on display. The exhibition has been curated and organized by Lorna Pirrie, Year 4 Drawing and Painting, Edinburgh College of Art. Lorna’s goal is to bring artwork to the public in unique way, one which benefits both the students and the local community. It also provides a first glimpse of the freshest work being produced by current students and graduates of Edinburgh College of Art.

Talking about the success of last year’s Art Walk on West Port, local businesswoman Susan Mcmanus, owner of Lily West florist on West Port says: ‘The Art Walk generated a lot of interest. We had people coming in to the shop for the first time, intrigued by the art work in the window. The project is a great idea to promote the work of Edinburgh College of Art students and the area’s local shops and amenities.’

For further press information and images please contact: Catherine Bromley, Press
Officer, Edinburgh College of Art, Tel 0131 221 6089 or 07843 626 042; Email
c.bromley@eca.ac.uk

After a year of hard work the reputed flower painter has moved in to her new studio at Ladybank Station, Fife. Ladybank Station is an A-listed Victorian Station , still functioning on the Edinburgh/Dundee and Perth/Edinburgh lines. She has renovated these unused rooms on Platform 2 to become large bright studio rooms, full of character. Here she is making her beautiful flower paintings, running art workshops and holding occasional exhibitions.

Studio Launch Dates

Kirsty Lorenz invites you to the launch weekend of her new Artist Studio in the Old First Aid Rooms, Platform 2, Ladybank Station in the rural Howe of Fife. 11am to 4pm on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th September 2009.
Meet the artist, view the space. Paintings, Prints and Light refreshments.
Ample parking in or around the station.

Other news

BBC Scotland will be interviewing Kirsty as the first artist in scotland to have a studio on a train station platform, to coincide with the launch of her studio.Perthshire Open StudiosKirsty is taking part in the Perthshire Open Studios at the Touchie Gallery along with Suzie Johnson.

Painting Classes

Submerge your creative self in an abundance of beautiful flowers, inspiring images and art materials and create your own flower portraits with the help of Kirsty's support and experience. The workshops offer the chance to learn from the reputed flower painter in her bright, unusual and inspiring studio in the 'Old First Aid Rooms' on Platform 2 of Ladybank Station in the rural Howe of Fife. www.kirstylorenz.com/pages/art-classes/info-on-classes.php

Final Call for Entries: Aesthetica Creative Works Competition

The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is internationally recognised for identifying new artists and writers and bringing them to international attention. 2010 will be the competition's third year and previous finalists have achieved success and recognition with accolades including: writing commissions from Channel 4, selection to represent Australia in the Florence Biennale, exhibitions at DACS (London), John Martin Gallery (London), Flores Fine Art Gallery (New York), inclusion in the International Drawing Competition exhibition (Poland) and the National Geographic International Photographic exhibition. The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition represents the scope of creative activity today, and provides an opportunity for both new and established artists to nurture their reputations on an international scale. The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition seeks entries of Artwork, Photography & Sculpture, Fiction and Poetry Three winners will be awarded £500 each Additional prizes include an Olympus E-420 SLR camera and a boutique holiday for two All finalists will be published in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual, in stores December 2009 Entry to the 2009 Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is £10 This allows you to submit up to 5 images, 5 poems or 2 short stories Closing date to receive Creative Works is 31 August 2009 For full details please visit www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm

Joyce Gunn Cairns @ The Smithy

Penicuik Arts Festival

Penicuik Arts Festival 22 August - 6 September 2009
If you have not already got the programme, please pick up a copy from Midlothian Libraries, Penicuik Arts Centre, Penicuik Town Hall and many shops, or phone 01968 672 706. There are lots of exhibitions, concerts and other events.
The Arts Festival Ceilidh is on the first Saturday, 22 August, in Penicuik Town Hall, 7.30 pm, £8, £4 children.

Susie Goodwin - Curiouser & Curiouser

You are cordially invited to Dunbar Arts Hub’s Curiouser & Curiouser! This is the second Dunbar Arts Hub event of the summer celebrating a wealth of local creative talent - bringing the arts to Dunbar High Street! with exhibitions, happenings, performance, contemporary traditional crafts, music rhyme and song. It is a collaborative event and everyone can feel free to contribute; By producing knitted, crochet, quilted or even felted… cup cakes – the queen of hearts tarts - fish or cucumber sandwiches! A feast to adorn our table - and then for exhibition and sale. They can also dress the part – as a Great Scot or as a character from Alice to partake in our curious tea party - umbrellas optional The project is based on the idea that perhaps it is possible for any place to be whatever we believe it to be and the two week event features contributions from contemporary artists and makers, the Tyne Esk Dunbar writers, Dunbar Sings, Dunbar Lyric Group and local musicians. Opening at 1pm on Sat 22nd Aug with the outdoor performance Great Scots Come Home to the Mad Hatters Tea Party and the Hub at 85 High Street Dunbar will open daily 10 till 6.00 for two weeks closing event on Sun 6th Sept

Research for contemporary visual arts in Fife

Dunfermline Arts and Media (DAM) is a voluntary arts group which is undertaking research on the need for a contemporary visual arts facility in Dunfermline. The research has uncovered a unique opportunity to provide an arts centre for Dunfermline and which would also be an asset for all of Fife. Dunfermline Fire Station is a listed Art Deco building which will be sold in March 2010 and would provide accommodation to suit an arts/creative centre. The fire engine garage could be considered to be a perfect custom-designed gallery! The centre would provide a gathering point for artists/creatives, an exhibition venue for local work and incoming exhibitions, workshops/classes, artists’ studios and offices to rent, retail outlet, cafe and conference room. The research is seeking views and support from the Fife (and wider) artistic community. The survey can be accessed on the DAM website www.thedam.org.uk.

Alison Burt & Hazel Vellacott @ Newhailles

ARTISTS AT NEWHAILES

Newhailes has opened its doors to two Scottish artists as part of a novel “artist-in-residence” project. Alison Burt and Hazel Vellacott, both painters, are drawing inspiration from the extraordinary collection at Newhailes, as well as the unique conservation methods employed at the property. The fabric of this fascinating house is a rich source of material for an artist’s imagination: from the untouched layers of pigment on the walls, to the vast library which once played host to glittering, late night parties.
The work will be on show at the newly renovated gallery/education room at Newhailes from Friday 28th August 2009, running until the end of the season. The artists will be present to speak about their work from 2 – 4pm on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th August. More information and a preview of work in progress is available at http://www.hazelvellacott.com/.

Christina Kernohan - Gammell Buttiken

Photographer Christina Kernohan’s Solo exhibition GammelButikken (Old Store in Norwegian) is on show at The Saint.Gammel Butikken explores a remote and abandonedold store located deep in the Norweigan Arctic Circle.Once the epicentre of daily life in the remote islandsof the north, the store now lies disused and dormant.The Lofoten Isles had no connective tunnels or bridges until the1980’s, therefore the gammel butikken’s on each island wereparamount to the communities, keeping everything frommedical supplies, groceries to fishing nets, porcelain and coffins.They were the post office, weather station and off-license.The unit now sits untouched, solitary in the landscape. One of the last of it’s kind in the country. Christinasensitively documents the space and the narrative it contains. Her work quietly speaks of hidden presence.

Sarah Kettley - Aeolia

part of Reveal/Reset 5 August - 5 September 2009

New Media Scotland's presentation of supported projects 2008-2009

Weds - Sun 10am - 6pm

Aeolia explores the aesthetic development of sensor integration into fabric structures for wearable computing concepts, and a series of embroidered, knit and woven pieces based on the musculature and sinews of the human back are presented as proposals for design directions. An implemented garment designed to capture the specific movements of cellist Peter Gregson indicates the future direction of the work with sound output.

Pittenweem Arts Festival

1st-9th August 2009

Several VAS members will be participating in this years festival including Robert Cairns, Craig Mitchell, Jenny Pope and Jennifer Pettigrew.

A picturesque fishing village, with narrow wynds running down to the working harbour, Pittenweem’s unique atmosphere has attracted many artists over the years. The Arts Festival, which is in its 27th year, always starts on the first saturday in August and ends on the second Sunday. The Festival hosts both well established artists and newcomers. Some of the past invited artists are mentioned in the archive. There are over 100 artists exhibiting in the village in houses, garages, studios, gardens and anywhere that has wall space. There is also the Open Art Exhibition to view. These exhibitions, including the invited artists, are all free to visitors to the Pittenweem Arts Festival.

VAS is Blogging!

We thought it was about time we got on board with this blogging business so that we can more effectively keep you up to date with forthcoming events and opportunities. Follow the blog for details and updates on VAS's own ventures, and also for details of members' exhibitions and events.

Members - email me (info @ visualartsscotland.org) details of anything exciting that you are up to, or that you think other VAS members would like to know about and I'll post them here.