Printmaking workshops with City of Glasgow College and Art Trek

Project Ability tutor Iona Grey has been working with a group of young adults with autistic spectrum conditions from the City of Glasgow College (formerly Glasgow Nautical College), with help from Art Trek artists Cameron Morgan and John Cocozza.

During the 8 sessions they have been exploring printmaking techniques - monoprinting, blockprinting and colograph. Colourful water based printing inks have been used throughout and the students have derived inspiration from a variety of sources from Aboriginal art to sci-fi.

Posted on 24th January 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

There are still a few places available in our Saturday classes

The new block of our Saturday visual arts workshops will start this Saturday (28 January). We still have a few places available in each workshop, but they are filling up quickly! If you are interested in booking a place, please download the booking form and bring/send it back to Project Ability, Trongate 103, Glasgow G1 5HD.

Posted on 23rd January 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Workshops 

Reminder: Outside In 2012 Induction Day

Don't forget to book a place to the Outside In 2012 Induction Day, taking place in Project Ability on Thursday 26 January, 1.30pm - 4pm.

Outside In 2012 is a National Open Art competition for people who find it difficult to access the art world, whether due to disability, health, social circumstance or art process.

Come along for a chance to meet the Outside In team and an artist engaged with the project. We will tell you how you can get involved, how to create an online gallery and all about the Outside In: National in 2012 and the regional exhibitions in 2013.

For more information on the event, please click here.

Posted on 18th January 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

Help us reach our £2500 target: join us in Mono this Thursday for our Xmas fundraiser!

We are well on target for reaching our 2011 Xmas Pounds Appeal fundraising total of £2500. To date we have raised a staggering £1358 in cash donations and a magnificent £650 profit from the sale of our original xmas cards and calendars making a grand total of £2008.

We are accepting cash donations up to our close of business on Friday 23rd December and the BIG annual fundraiser complete with music, exhibition, pop-up shop and a RAFFLE !!!! is this Thursday 15th December at Mono from 8pm ‘till late. There are wonderful prizes to be won, and the money made through the raffle goes towards our Xmas Pound Appeal!

Please join us for a fabulous evening of music and laughter.

Every donation contributes directly to Project Ability’s original and innovative programme of visual art production and exhibition.

Posted on 14th December 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  Fundraising  News 

Outside In: 2012 Induction Day

Come along and learn more!

Outside In 2012 is a National Open Art competition for people who find it difficult to access the art world, whether due to disability, health, social circumstance or art process. Outside In has changed the landscape of the art world. It has no set creative criteria or boundary in art process or limit on subject for the artists that choose to align themselves with the project.

Thursday 26th January 2012
1.30 – 4pm
At: Project Ability
103 Trongate
Glasgow
G1 5HD

Please RSVP to Project Ability:
By Phone: 0141 552 2822
By email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Come along for a chance to meet the Outside In team and an artist engaged with the project. We will tell you how you can get involved, how to create an online gallery and all about the Outside In: National in 2012 and the regional exhibitions in 2013.

Agenda for the day:
13:30 – 14:00 = Arrive at Project Ability for coffee/tea.
14:00 – 16:00 = Outside In overview, how to get involved, regional exhibitions and how to set up an online gallery. There is time at the end for questions and to practice gallery set up.

Outside In was set up by Pallant House Gallery in 2006 to showcase and give opportunity to artists who would otherwise be excluded from taking part in the art world.
For more information, please visit http://www.outsidein.org.uk

Image: Dannielle Hodson, Swallow

Posted on 13th December 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

New in the shop: ceramics vases and birds

As part of our Christmas preparations we have hosted two ceramic workshops to create some lovely gifts for our shop. Participants from both our Aspire and Connect programmes worked with our artist Tracy Gorman to produce a range of quirky ceramic birds and vases. These pieces are currently on sale in our shop, complementing our current print exhibition, ‘Press to Paper’. Each of the pieces feature embossed clay with subtle colour rubbed in to enhance the print.

Come along and see them in all their glory!

Posted on 13th December 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Shop 

On Your Radar

Many of Scotland’s leading learning disabled artists, dancers, musicians and actors live and work in Glasgow. On Your Radar is an annual celebration and showcase of their talent.

On Wednesday 7th December 2011 Project Ability, Indepen-dance, Theatre Arts and Artform took over the Tramway for a day of workshop, performance and exhibition.

A team of artists from Project Ability had prepared a GIANT painting depicting the new transport museum (thereby linking the work to the Tramway) and its surroundings. This was installed on the day and added in situ while performers from Theatre Arts used the imagery as inspiration for physical theatre.

In the studio next door Indepen-dance danced to music performed by Artform to celebrate winter festivals.

After lunch everyone came together and shared their work. Over sixty people took part in this day of celebration and everyone reported that they had a fine day.

Posted on 12th December 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Workshops 

Xmas pound Appeal Update

In four weeks we have raised a massive £783.

This is a considerable amount of money and we are thankful to every person who has been kind enough to donate. This money will help us provide more visual art workshops and film classes to more people.

‘Gives you something to get up for in the morning, mixing with other people, gives you the opportunity to do things that if you didn't come you wouldn't take on” - participant on the Connect programme. Connect is our specialist arts and well-being programme for people with mental health issues.

“My seascape picture has worked out beautifully and I feel confident that I have achieved something.” – young person attending the Saturday Art Class.

You can help us reach our target of £2500 by donating money – cash, cheque or card or through JustTextGiving (text PABL11 £10 or any other amount of your choice to 70070), buying our original xmas cards and 2011 calendar, purchasing original art work from the gallery (Project Ability takes a 40% commission on all sales) and publications and gift items from our shop and coming along to our fantastic fundraiser on the 15th December at Mono.

“Keep up the awesomeness!” - Create participant.

Posted on 23rd November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  Film & Animation  Fundraising  News  Shop  Workshops 

Stephen Reilly’s Prague Highlights

Artist Steven Reilly went to Prague and made a large collage on the theme of Space: the final frontier. Here are his comments on the event:

"Prague was very nice but it was very cold. We went on the trams. We saw a church with a fancy clock. We went out for lunch and dinner to fancy restaurants. The hotel was very big. We climbed a big hill.

There were lots of people at the conference and we watched people talking when I wasn’t working on the collage. I was interviewed by people from Denmark, and Czech television was passing and took pictures. There was people from Germany and Denmark and Mathew from England.

It was a long journey and we went on two planes."

Posted on 21st November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News 

Winter workshops: Introduction to Film

There will be a new block of Introduction to Film workshop for 6-12 year olds with disabilities, from Wednesday 23 November.

* Time: 18:00-19:30
* Dates: 23 November - 14 December 2011 and 11 January - 1st February 2012. Note: there will be a break in the middle for Christmas.
* Cost: £40 for 8 weeks

To book a place, call us on 0141 552 2822 and ask for a form. Places are given on a first come first served basis.

Posted on 16th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Film & Animation  News  Workshops 

Xmas Pound Appeal update: over £500 already!

We have reached a staggering £512.50 – in 3 weeks!!! We are truly grateful for every pound and pence donated, thank you.

Our xmas cards are also selling well. This year's top seller is without a doubt Skye McLaughlin’s “Birds”. There are only a few packets left. Well done Skye! All proceeds from the sale of xmas cards and calendars will be added to our Xmas Pounds Appeal helping us reach our target of £2500.

Click here to see how you can help!

Posted on 15th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Fundraising  News  Workshops 

Project Ability was in Prague for the Conquering Public Spaces International Conference

Prague is a beautiful city - in mid-November it was cold with brilliant blue skies and blinding sunshine. Check out artist Steven Reilly in his shades!

We were in Prague at the invitation of the film and media organisation Inventura to deliver a presentation about Project Ability, our practice and our success at promoting artists with disabilities within a contemporary arts market to the “Conquering Public Spaces” International Conference as part of the 6th annual “Normal Festival”.

We were joined by colleagues from Europe, Israel and Australia and a large number of organisations from England. Some organisations we already knew and had worked with on previous occasions such as Brighton based Carousel who manage the Oska Bright Film Festival while many more were new to us. Also from Brighton were the Rocket Artists who we have been making plans with to collaborate on a project in 2012 (watch this space!) and Arty Party from the West Midlands who screened their fantastic animation “Let me in” and who have been working with artist Tanya Raabe.

The conference focussed on how people with disabilities were using film and media to express themselves and claim their right to be heard in today’s society. It also included representation from organisations working in dance, theatre, performance, music and the visual arts.

The conference was held in Prague’s magnificent Central Library and Project Ability artists Valerie O’Regan and Steven Reilly set up in the foyer and delivered a drop-in collage workshop on the theme of “space: the final frontier”.

Posted on 15th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News 

Highlights from My Residency in Wales - By Edward Henry

Today, it's Edward's turn to talk about the highlights of his residency in Wales. Both him and Cameron Morgan had a wonderful experience and only had positive things to say!

"This was my first time in Wales, the scenery was great and I enjoyed doing the art work even though the workshop was a bit smaller than Project Ability’s. I painted from my imagination and lots of birds which is my favourite subject.

I would like to go back again and see the people at Celf. They became good friends.

My work came on and was a great success. I produced eleven works of art and sold one.

There were hills and mountains and we saw Kites in flight – they are a bird of prey and this was the first time I have seen them. We saw a lot of sheep and on the train journey we saw lots of pheasants. The train journey there and back was great although I almost got left behind on the train and ended up in London.

I worked with Cameron in the studio every day even without the staff which gave me a chance to produce good work as there wasn’t any distractions.

I hope the people from Celf can see my exhibition and the people in the town of Llandrindod Wells come to see it.

It was a good experience being in a new place on my own; shopping and cooking in a different place was a good experience for me."

For more photos, please click here.

Posted on 14th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News 

Meet the Volunteers: John Cocozza

For Meet the Volunteers this week we have John Cocozza, a very familiar face over the years at Project Ability and one of the founder members of Art Trek. John has been involved with our organisation for many years and as well as constantly producing new pieces of art within our Aspire programme, he also contributes in lots of other ways. He and a number of his fellow Art Treker’s have been manning our gallery for several weeks now, meeting and greeting visitors.

‘I’m really enjoying it and it helps to get me out the house. It gives me a chance to do my ideas too and draw them.’

In between meeting our visitors, John quietly sketches in his sketch pad, this role allows him to explore new ideas for his own art work too. So not only do our visitors have an opportunity to talk to one of our participants first hand, but also see the artist at work!

John and all of our volunteers' hard work is greatly appreciated and very much enhances the service we can provide, so a big thank you to you all for your contributions!

Posted on 9th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Recruitment & Volunteering 

On Your Radar

On Your Radar is back! The day of celebration of Arts and Disability in Glasgow will take place in Tramway this year, and be a collaborative effort between 4 organisations.

Come join Project Ability, Theatre Arts, Indepen-dance and Artform for a day of performances, exhibition and worshops.

Wednesday 7th December 2011

• 10am - 12pm: workshops
• 1pm - 1.45pm: performances
• 1.45pm - 2.30pm: social time

Places are limited, so make sure you book in advance: just contact us on 0141 552 2822.

Posted on 9th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Workshops 

Xmas pound Appeal update

We have received some fantastic donations this week, and after only two weeks the appeal has reached £300.00

If all of us were to give even just £1, we would have no problem reaching our target of £2500! Just text PABL11 £1 (or any other amount of your choice) to 70070, or click here to see how you can donate.

After the successful sale of books at last week’s First Thursday, Stirling Books have agreed to keep a stock of quality second-hand books in the shop through to the end of the Collected exhibition on the 19th November. Project Ability will receive a third of sales proceeds.

You can also contribute by purchasing our original Christmas cards and calendars.

We really appreciate your support and all funds raised goes towards our year round arts programme of classes, workshops, exhibitions and events for people with disabilities.

Thank you all!

Posted on 8th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Fundraising  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

Highlights from my Welsh residency - by Cameron Morgan

"I like Wales, it's very nice, nice wee quaint shops. It’s like a Miss Marple's town.

There are lots of nice buildings in the area with lots of details.

The countryside is brilliant. We went to the dams on a dreichy day, but it was still good. We went to see an old church. Katie took us for a walk to see Red Kites. The farmer puts meat on the ground and the kites come flocking in. I went on a few walks around the town. There was a nice park with a lake and lots of grey squirrels.

We worked in the small studio space downstairs which is really small but nice and quiet. The flat we stayed in had original stained glass windows.

Quite a few people came on the opening night. Edward sold a picture of a spoon-billed bird and I sold a life drawing.

We did life drawing on Saturday and drew bikes in a museum on Tuesday.

I took a lot of photos and drew the dragon on the lake, the stained glass in the flat and bikes, life drawing and wild life and one of Edwards jacket. I used oil pastels mainly and ink and chalk pastels.

I would go back, and if I was born there I would stay there... but its nice to be back home."

For more photos, please visit our Facebook page, or click here for a slideshow.

Posted on 8th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

Gallery Talk: Ninna Hultgren Borg, Director of Inuti

Ninna Hultgren Borg, Director of Inuti, Stockholm, Sweden will be in the gallery on the 23rd November at 2pm to talk about the work of Inuti.

The INUTI foundation is an arts organisation which provides opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.

Inuti has two studios and a gallery all situated in downtown Stockholm and works with 30 people. They have a staff of ten people who are qualified supervisors with backgrounds in the arts, education and psychology. Their work is built upon the LSS law, a special law in Sweden which gives people with intellectual disabilities the right to their choice of support and fulfilling daily activity.

Inuti looks upon art as a means of communication and tries to guide and help each individual to develop their personal style and proficiency, giving them means to express themselves in different ways.

Wednesday 23 November 2011 - 2pm - Project Ability Gallery.

Image: Inuti, studio 1

Posted on 7th November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Project Ability and Outside In are partners

Project Ability and Outside In are partners and Project Ability will curate an Outside In Scotland exhibition in 2013.

 Outside In aims to provide a platform for artists who find it difficult to access the art world either because of mental health issues, disability, health, social circumstance.

Create yourself an online gallery now and you can choose to submit two pieces of art to go forward for selection for the Outside In: National to be held at Pallant House Gallery from October 2012 to February 2013. There will be further regional exhibitions in 2013, including one at Project Ability, Glasgow.

For more information see the website http://www.outsidein.org.uk or call Jennifer on 07735568531.

Image: Peter Andrews, My Interpretation

Posted on 1st November 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

The Xmas cards have arrived!

The Project Ability Xmas cards have arrived! We have three wonderful designs for you to chose from: 'Birds' by Skye McLachlan, 'Snowman' by Cameron Morgan and 'Penguins' by Ruth Much.

Each pack contains 10 cards and enveloppes, and are available to buy in our shop for only £5.

They will go fast, so make sure to buy yours soon!

Posted on 31st October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Fundraising  News  Trongate 103 

Meet the Volunteers: Steven Reilly and Tommy Mason

This week, meet two of our brilliant volunteers: Steven Reilly and Tommy Mason. Both artists have been attending our Aspire programme for many years, and are founding members of Art Trek. They are very involved with Project Ability, taking part in many projects, and have recently started volunteering with us as gallery invigilators.

When Steven hasn’t been busy painting for the SECC commission, he looks after the gallery on Thursdays afternoon, where he likes to spend his time sitting at the desk browsing the internet. ‘You can look at different things and you can learn a lot and you can have a good good chat!’

Our other Thursday gallery invigilator is Tommy Mason. Tommy enjoys the gallery time because it gives him time to draw in his sketchbook, he spends all his time drawing and colouring; he is very focused. ‘I just like to draw.’

Thanks to both of them, as well as all our other volunteers, for their time and dedication!

Images from top: Tommy Mason, Steven reilly, Tommy Mason's sketchbook.

Posted on 26th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Recruitment & Volunteering 

Launch of our Xmas Pound Appeal 2011

25th October is the launch of Project Ability’s Xmas Pounds Appeal 2011.

 We want your cash for Christmas! After last year’s success, our target this year is to raise a massive £2500!

 Please don’t spend money giving us Christmas cards or gifts - sweets, biscuits or alcohol will be used as raffle prizes. We just want your money! 

 There are several ways you can give money towards our Xmas Pound Appeal:
• You can hand cash into the office.
• Or, send a cheque to Project Ability, Trongate 103, Glasgow, G1 5HD
• You can donate money safely on line, via WorkWithUs or via JustGiving.
• Or you can text us your donation via JustTextGiving! Simply text PABL11 £amount of your choice to 70070 (i.e. PABL11 £10)*

All the money we receive will go towards providing more opportunities to our participants: workshops, exhibitions, training and events.

We offer a fun, lively, internationally renowned arts programme for people with disabilities and mental health issues. From our youngest participant who is 5 years old to our eldest who is 90!!,

Help us give the best experience possible to our participants!

 Many thanks from all of us at Project Ability.

* Project Ability receives 100% of funds donated through JustTextGiving.

Posted on 25th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Fundraising  News 

Simon McAuley: last artist in residence for 2011

Simon McAuley was the last artist to take part in our residency programme this year. Click here to read more about his work and experience during the residency.

Simon's work will be exhibited in our gallery in January 2012, alongside the other artists who participated in the programme: Karly Burns, Abi Pirani, Duncan Wilson, Patrick Butterworth, Lea Cummings and Ross Byers.

Posted on 25th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

The Glesga Boys are in Wales!

Artists Cameron Morgan and Edward Henry have embarked on a three week residency at Celf O Gwmpas in Llandrindod in mid-Wales. The artists who are both passionate about wildlife expect to be inspired by the wonderful scenery and rural location as well as the unique history and architecture of the town. Celf O Gwmpas are providing the artists with a flat, a studio and a small stipend as well as access to their workshop programme which includes life drawing classes and sketching trips to local places of interest. This is a wonderful opportunity for the two artists and for the first time a residency has been developed which takes account of the particular needs of an artist who has a learning disability.

Morgan and Henry have worked with Project Ability for over sixteen years and in that time their practice has developed from workshop participant to workshop leader to skilful, imaginative and ambitious artist. Both exhibit widely and their work is in demand internationally. In April this year, Morgan took over the Project Ability gallery to create a massive wall painting Let the Games Begin. This was the start of a planned body of work leading up to a series of public art works scheduled for installation in 2014.

The residency ends on the 2nd November with an opening of the artists' work at the Oriel Beaufort Gallery. The exhibition The Glesga Boys runs until the 22nd November.

Click here to see Cameron Morgan's photo diary of the residency.

Posted on 18th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News 

First selection of work for the SECC Project

The SECC Project is about to come to an end, after many weeks of hard work from the selected artists.

Today, two people from the SECC team came over to have a look at the work produced, and make a first selection. It was not an easy task! There were over 100 pieces, drawings or paintings, and all very striking, beautiful and interesting. We were all very impressed with the quality of the work, and would like to say a big WELL DONE to everybody involved!

Keep an eye on the website for more information on the exhibition at the SECC.

Posted on 11th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Workshops 

New Project Ability Book: Studio Visits

Many of the staff and tutors at Project Ability have an artistic practice outside of their work here, as do the steady stream of volunteers. While participating artists get to see and experience how the tutors and volunteers work on a daily basis, there are not many opportunities for them to find out more about how these artists work on their personal creative projects.

It was with this in mind that the idea for this book was conceived. We wanted to demonstrate the vast variety of choices and decisions that artists make to maintain the relationship between their working life and their practice. The visits were documented and comments and reflections gathered after the events.

The Studio Visits book is now available to buy in our shop, for only £7.50. (For mail order, add £2 p&p. Call us on 0141 552 2822 to order your copy).

Our thanks to everyone involved who helped make this project such a success.

Posted on 10th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Shop 

The Project Ability Calendar is now available to buy

Our Project Ability 2012 Calendar is available to buy for £5 from Project Ability’s Shop, 1st floor Trongate 103.

 The artwork is by Project Ability artists, and is inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and reflects a wide range of styles, abilities and interests. If you want an original calendar for the new year, look no further: bold colours, striking images, and plenty of space to write on, for only £5! (For mail order, add £2 p&p. Call us on 0141 552 2822 to order your copy).

Posted on 10th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Shop 

Meet the volunteers: Sheena Leach

Sheena Leach is currently volunteering with Saturday art classes for younger children within our Create project. She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in Sculpture, in 2010 and has since sought opportunities to work within group environments where she can share her skills and experiences with people. Sheena runs local art workshops for children in North Berwick and also volunteers for Firsthand, where she befriends a young boy with learning difficulties, supporting him to do recreational activities of his choice.

Sheena has been with Project Ability for six weeks so far and her expertise and enthusiam is a fantastic addition to our Saturday morning team. Sheena is one of four volunteer artists giving their time to the Saturday classes.  Thier support allows the young participants to have more one to one time with the artists, helping to bring their ideas and art work on even further than before.

If you want to read more about some of our other volunteers, please click here.

Posted on 5th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News  Recruitment & Volunteering  Workshops 

Two Project Ability artists in residence in Wales

Next week, Cameron Morgan and Edward Henry, two Project Ability artists and founding members of Art Trek, will start a three-week long residency at the Beaufort Gallery, in Llandrindod Wells, Wales. Every year, they run a programme of projects for people with learning disabilities and people who are often excluded from society, including a residency programme.

From Wednesday 12 October, the two artists will share a flat and a studio next to the gallery, where they will produce new work. Both artists are known for their vibrant and colourful drawings and paintings,as well as for their productivity: the studio will quickly be filled with beautiful multicoloured artworks!

The residency will be followed by 'Glesga Boys', an exhibition of the work Cameron and Edward will produce during the three weeks, and running from 1st November to 22nd November. Keep an eye on the website and on Facebook for some photos!

For more information, please click here.

Posted on 4th October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

Creativity Explored, San Francisco: International arts and disability conference

On the 17th and 18th September 2011, twenty eight arts and disability studio providers from across the United States and Canada, Arts Project Australia from Melbourne and Project Ability were invited by Amy Taub, Director of the renowned arts studio Creativity Explored to attend this two day conference. Over two intense and stimulating days the delegates, all Executive Directors or senior managers of their organisations shared their practice, discussed a huge range of topics including curriculum development, exhibiting work in contemporary spaces, income generation, selling and licensing art work and programme evaluation and realised there was enough common ground and shared experience to form ourselves into a professional network. This emerging organisation will seek to generate discussion and debate on issues related to disability art provision and the creative practice of people with learning and development disabilities.

It was a great privilege to attend this conference and to share the wealth of experience and collective knowledge that Project Ability – the board, staff, tutors, artists, friends and supporters - has gained in its twenty seven years of supporting artists with disabilities and mental health issues to develop their practice and delivery of our workshop and exhibition programme.

Posted on 3rd October 2011 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  News