‘On Your Marks’

In our penultimate 'On Your Marks' feature, we're racing towards Let the Games Begin Part 2 as our painting athletes make further progress with their sporting heroes...











Our artists have one more week left to complete the challenge - join is next week for the final part of the process. More information about our forthcoming exhibition 'Let the Games Begin Part 2' coming soon...







Posted on 29th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Artwork of the Week ‘Untitled’ by Tracy Thomson


This week, we are pleased to bring you this beautiful painting by Tracy Thomson – an artist from our Aspire programme. Tracy has mirrored that radical language of the abstract expressionists with highly coloured stains and energetic strokes switching from hand to brush and back again.

Textured with a pale water-like background, mixed with blazing colours; the visible hand prints reveal the process by which this work materialised, drawing us closer to the subconscious space of the artist at work. This painting is intrinsically connected to the place and moment of creation; we love it.

Please tell us what you think of Tracy’s painting on our facebook page!

Posted on 29th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Lennox Castle Stories

 

The Lennox Castle Stories project restarts Friday 29th June and the group are going on a bus trip to visit the grounds of the hospital.  The hospital was knocked down several years ago and housing has been built on the site but if you are familiar with the grounds you can still make out where things were and you can still see the ruin of the “castle”. 

Film maker Kate Burton is going along to capture the groups stories on film.

On Friday 6th July the group will be back in the workshop for the next stage of the project. 

All this material will be available on a dedicated website which will be launched in October.

Posted on 28th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Arts Awards Film Programme

 

 

 Project Ability’s Create Programme is offering an exciting new opportunity for young people aged 14-25 years to participate in a film making programme with a twist! Instead of just making a film you will research an arts hero, keep a log of your progression from week to week, share your findings and new skills with others and explore new areas of film making and critiquing as an audience member. At the end of the programme your folio of research, evidence and findings will be assessed by a member of the Arts Awards Team who will be responsible for approving awards. Arts Awards is an accredited programme managed by Trinity College London.

 

This 18 week Programme will require a great deal of commitment and effort. Classes will run on the following dates:

14-18 years

Date: Tuesday 7th August – 11th December (excluding 16th October)

Time: 6-8:30pm

Cost: Free

18-25 years

Date: Thursday 9th August – 13th December (excluding 18th October)

Time: 6-8:30pm

Cost: Free

If you would like to book a place or chat further about Arts Awards and what to expect from the programme you can email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 0141 552 2822.

More information on Arts Awards can be found on their Website.

Posted on 27th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Film & Animation  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

Fundraising for Project Ability

 

 

The recent Charity Emporium event held at The Good Spirit Co. on Saturday 02 June was a great success. There were 12 stalls selling handmade crafts, fashion and artwork while DJ’s provided entertainment. Half of the money raised was donated to Project Ability, the other half to Galgael, a local community project building and sailing traditional boats in celebration of Scotland's heritage. A big thank you to everyone involved, we really appreciate the support.  If you would like to hold an event or fundraise for Project Ability in your own unique way we’d love to hear from you, please get in touch.

Posted on 26th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Project Ability’s young film makers are launching an appeal to raise £7500!

 

 

 

www.justgiving.com/young-filmmakers

We are a group of young film makers who are clever, resourceful, creative, imaginative and very, very good at making films! Each year beginners and more experienced film makers produce up to 20 films.

Our work is of an exceptionally high standard and has won many awards and recognition including recent screenings at the Glasgow Youth Film Festival 2011, Co-operative Film Festival 2010, first prize in the one minute movie section of the Kids for Kids Film Festival 2010 and most recently runner up in the Glasgow Film Theatre’s Wee Movies competition in Aug 2011.

We understand how important it is that everyone should be able to have a go at expressing their ideas and talents through film making. Some of us have even used the work produced at Project Ability to springboard our careers and further study in the creative industries.

Our film making equipment is well used and needs upgraded. Some of our cameras are older than many of us! They are heavy, complicated, dated and cumbersome and for many difficult to use. We need light weight, modern, HD, user friendly equipment which makes filmmaking accessible to children and young people of all ages and abilities and allows the older film makers to create high quality work that we can share with pride.

We want to buy:

- One broadcast quality video camera Canon XF100 High Definition Professional Camcorder (£2500)

- Two Apple Macbook pro laptops (£1500 each)

- Dragonframe professional animation stop motion software (£200)

- Four ipads for our younger filmmakers (£400 each)

 

If you would like to make a donation you can:

Text: FILM12 £1to 70070 (or £2, £3, £4, £5, £10)

Or visit our JustGiving Page to donate online:

www.justgiving.com/young-filmmakers

Posted on 25th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Film & Animation  News 

‘On Your Marks’

Artists Edward Henry, Cameron Morgan and Steven Reilly continue working hard in the studio to complete their lifesize series of sporting heroes.

Week 2: Canvases primed, base colour applied and now the athletes emerge...

Joey Dunlop has his badges,


 

The cyclist has his helmet, 


And the strongman has his weights, 




It's becoming quite the endurance event! The paintings will be exhibited in our forthcoming exhibition, 'Let the Games Begin Part 2' in July 2012.


Posted on 22nd June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Workshops 

Artwork of the week - ‘Untitled’ by Simon McAuley





Next in our artwork of the week series, we bring you a recent drawing by Simon McAuley – our current artist in residence. Whether Simon uses painting or drawing, he is devoted to the aesthetic of illusion. Simon’s work is very intuitive and his use of line contains certain modular elements that hover between drawing and painting traditions. His works are small and large, solid and fragile, absorptive and reflective. 

Stay tuned for an overview of Simon’s practice coming up in July where he will discuss how he spent his time on the residency!  

Posted on 22nd June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Residency 

Robert Reddick exhibits in Norway

 

Project Ability are proud to announce that the drawings of the late Robert Reddick will be exhibited in Norway until 31 August as part of the Arts Festival of North Norway.



The festival, opening today, is an international event dedicated to international outsider art with a number of events showcasing visual art, music, performance, literature and film. The exhibition Inside Out: Outsider Art in Norway, presented by Galleri Nord-Norge, is a collaboration between the festival, the Sør-Troms Museum and curated by Simone Rossner of the Trastad Collections. 

 



The festival runs until the 30 June and the exhibition Inside Out: Outsider Art in Norway at Galleri Nord-Norge exhibition continues until 31 August.

Posted on 21st June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Celf O Gwmpas - Day 2

 

 

On Wednesday 20th June, the artists from Celf O Gwmpas joined in the Christmas card image making workshop in the morning and then after lunch continued to work on images of famous Glasgow landmarks. 

 

During all the hard work and out pouring of creative energy there was lots of conversation and discussion amongst the artists on how people with additional support needs could fulfil their potential as artists and benefit from residency and exchange opportunities if adequate support could be put in place.  The two groups of artists are keen to continue this creative partnership and will continue to explore opportunities for further collaboration. 

We have invited the Celf artists to contribute to a landscape exhibition scheduled for March 2013 along with artists from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Glasgow and following the successful residency Edward and Cameron took part in last year we plan to support another Glasgow artist to accept a residency later this year.

 

“I really like seeing new places and meeting new people.  I live in a really small place and work in my bedroom and that really restricts what I can make.  Being in a new environment and seeing new things makes me want to produce a really big piece of work.”

Dean - artist working at Celf O Gwmpas

Posted on 21st June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Christmas card workshop

 

 

A seasonally inappropriate Christmas card image making workshop was held today. 

 

The Aspire artists entered into the spirit of the workshop and while outside the sun was shining, inside, they happily produced Santa’s, Christmas Trees and Winter Wonderland scenes. 

 

The artwork will be photographed and the selected images will be made into a series of original Christmas cards which will be available to purchase directly from Project Ability from October.

Posted on 20th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Celf O Gwmpas - Day 1.

 

We are hosting a research / study visit from a group of artists from the arts organisation Celf O Gwmpas which is located in Llandrindod Wells in mid-Wales. 

Last year, Aspire artists Edward Henry and Cameron Morgan spent a three week residency at Celf O Gwmpas.  When they were there they spoke so enthusiastically about Project Ability and our fantastic premises that the Welsh artists were keen to see it for themselves. 

Today 19th June 2012, artists Dean Walburton, Kayte Phillips, Shan Edwards, Jan Butler and Amanda Wells arrived at Project Ability for day one, of a two day visit. 

In the morning we gave the group a tour of Trongate 103 and after lunch they got down to work with Aspire artists Edward, Cameron and Doreen Kay to produce a collage of iconic Glasgow landmarks.

“I like it, Its spacious.  There is loads of equipment and its nicely separated out into separate areas.  You could work on really big pieces here and not be restricted by size.”  Dean

Project Ability and Celf O Gwmpas are working together to advance an artist residency and exchange programme which will allow artists with disabilities and mental health issues to network, share their skills and experience and progress their artistic practice.

Posted on 19th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Fundraising for Project Ability

 

This year Joannie Tough has run the Edinburgh Half Marathon and Megan Jarvie has run the South Downs Marathon and between them they have raised £1895 in sponsorship for Project Ability. 

This Saturday the 23rd June, Chris Gorman is swimming the Great North Swim and has a set a fund raising target of £500.  You can help Chris reach his target by donating on his secure Just Giving site. 

Project Ability would like to take this opportunity to thank all our fundraisers for their efforts and their friends, families and colleagues for their support. 

Posted on 19th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

‘On your Marks’

Artists Cameron Morgan, Edward Henry and Steven Reilly are in the studio for the next four Fridays working on a series of life sized paintings inspired by their love of sport. 

Week 1. On your marks, get set, go! Undaunted by the task ahead, they get down to work.

 

 

 

We’ll keep you updated on their progress.

Posted on 15th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

Artwork of the Week ‘Untitled 2012’ by Craig Murray

 

 

Next in the series, we bring you a painting by Craig Murray, currently on show in our Young Talent exhibition. Craig’s work is very intuitive, embracing an abstract tradition and, with heavy brushwork and a bold use of colour, he manages to heighten the viewer's sensitivity to subtle variations in surface. Craig has a painter’s touch with an ability to produce highly refined examinations of the optical and material properties of painting.

Posted on 15th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Residency: Lauren Bryden, May 2012





The Print Assembly is an autonomous project promoting innovative printmaking practices and the artist behind the project is textile designer and printer, Lauren Bryden, a graduate from Glasgow School of Art textile department. Lauren was Project Ability’s resident artist for the month of May and we caught up with her towards the end of her project to find out what she had been up to. 

You have been working in Project Ability for one month, how did you prepare yourself for such a short dedicated span of working?
 “…I planned my time through a series of structured projects under the central name Night Shades with a focus on the watchman and the circle as a central motif. My starting point was a series of still life compositions as inspiration and a focus on how the work would take shape during the residency.”

Can you talk me through what you have been working on?
“Night Shades is a series of colours and spherical shapes which explore ideas of vigilance and remark upon the role of the imaginary watchman. The symbolism of the circle is the central focus of the ideas bringing to mind the clock face, time, observation, all creating a cyclic motion using colour shades spanning the spectrum from white to black.”
Lauren began by using found spherical objects such as stickers, sink drainers, masking tape rolls and other objects all tacked together to form a disordered semblance of order. This still life series was the starting point for finished pieces including a painting on an atomized pink PVC canvas and a designed outfit. These final outcomes were stimulated by the still life series which Lauren used to draw stencils and pattern from, revealing the significance of the objects’ purpose not only to shape but to inform the configuration of her designs and patterns. The small compositions appear somewhat industrial yet, with the injection of bold colour moments, Lauren has created a series of pleasing, futile monuments which offer a different viewpoint on the use of transformed detritus in the pursuit of design.

How did working in the communal Project Ability space compare to an independent studio practice?
“…working in Project Ability offered freedom to realise what I didn’t know was already there in my practice and provided me with the opportunity to spend some dedicated time crossing the boundaries between designer and artist, configuring solutions to problems  and indulging the artist side for a change. I liked coming to a space where you see the same faces every day and you all work in this space independently, together. There is a big focus on painting in the Project Ability workshops and I was really influenced by what was going on around me, I think that is what led me to make the painting.”

Lauren Bryden will be exhibiting new work in Project Ability’s residency exhibition in January 2013.  Other forthcoming projects include the development of a new line of fine-art printed clothing, pursuing textile conservation and an ongoing research project titled “Dyeing Communities: recolouring the narrative of post-industrial decay through radical geography and community-led praxis" in collaboration with an academic and archivist based in the Vale of Leven and Grangemouth.

 

 

Posted on 13th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: All  Artists  Exhibitions  News  Recruitment & Volunteering  Residency 

Young Talent 2012 - what a great party!




Young Talent opened with a bang last week for Trongate’s 1st Thursday and we are just thinking back to how great a night it was; brilliant atmosphere, too many sweets, great chats, lots of compliments, proud parents, pleased artists and a host of great comments for us to look back on in the exhibition book! Highlights of the evening were the young people’s batik series on the washing line, Dylan Lawson’s Cabbage Head, Ross Agnew’s Elephant, Pauline Jackson’s Pauline & Family and too many more to mention. Thanks to all who came along to make it a brilliant night!




Posted on 12th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Create Summer Activities

 

 

 

There's lots going on for children, young people and their families over the summer months with Project Ability's Create Programme:

 Family Fun Weekends for young people and their families - for more information click here.

 Create Summer Studio - independently directed workshop time for young people aged 14 -25.  Click here for additional information.

 Summer Activities for Families - more information is available here.

Posted on 11th June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News  Workshops 

Megan Jarvie is running the South Downs Marathon and raising funds for Project Ability

 

Megan Jarvie is running the South Downs Marathon on Saturday 9th June and raising funds for Project Ability.  Megan’s nephew attends our Saturday Art Classes and his work will be on show in the gallery in this year’s Young Talent exhibition which previews at 6pm on Thursday 7th June.  Young Talent is annual exhibition which showcases the work of sixty five young people aged 5 to 25 years.

You can sponsor Megan through her secure online Justgiving site.  All money raised comes directly to Project Ability and helps us continue to provide creative opportunities to children and adults with learning disabilities and mental health issues.

Posted on 1st June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News 

Artwork of the week ‘The Queen’ by Rory MacDonald

 

Next in the Artwork of the Week series artist Rory MacDonald, and his portrait of the queen. The queen has been an artistic subject for many artists, over the years, she has been depicted by the likes of Gerhard Richter, Lucian Freud and Gilbert & George. Today, we are proud to bring you Rory MacDonald’s individual portrait!

Rory will be exhibiting a series of characters in the Young Talent exhibiiton which opens in our gallery on Thursday 7 June 6pm.

 

 

Posted on 1st June 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: News