Sally Hackett on her collaboration with George Stevenson

Our current exhibition Solo Showcase: George Stevenson features a series of ceramic sculptures which he made in collaboration with artist, Sally Hackett; exploring abstract forms and an organic approach to artistic collaboration.

Watch here a short interview of Sally talking about their collaboration.

Posted on 15th May 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  Film & Animation  News 

Mental Health Awareness week 2013

The theme for this year's campaign, which runs from 13-19 May 2013 is physical activity and exercise, highlighting the impact they have on mental health and wellbeing. We agree but let's hear it for visual arts activity and participation in the arts !

ReConnect is a dynamic visual arts project for people in recovery from mental ill health. Each week sixty people have access to studio space at Project Ability to make work, develop their practice and right now prepare for their forthcoming exhibition which will be on show in our gallery in August.

Posted on 15th May 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Workshops 

Project Ability Film Shorts: George Stevenson Preview

Yesterday, we opened George Stevenson's show as part of our solo showcase season presenting a series of ceramic sculptures, made in collaboration with artist Sally Hackett.

This short film gets up close with the objects and reveals George's first glimpse of the work on show in the gallery.

The exhibition continues until Saturday 18 May, open Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm - another short showcase not to be missed!

Posted on 9th May 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  Film & Animation  News 

George Stevenson Solo Showcase - opening 08/05, 1pm-2pm

Our second Solo Showcase is a series of ceramic sculptures made by George Stevenson in collaboration with artist Sally Hackett.

“The first clay shape George made was a small pinch pot. He began forming the hollow shape. When it was finished I handed him another piece of clay which he proceeded to drop slap bang in the middle of his first creation with great satisfaction. This became the central, joyful feature of his work. Simply making shapes, and putting one on top of another, whether it was a conventional placing or not.”
-Sally Hackett

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday 08 May) for the preview of the exhibition and some refreshments.

1pm-2pm, Project Ability Gallery, Trongate 103.

Posted on 7th May 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

Luigi Bertonesi, Untitled – Artwork of the Week #05

To mark the first exhibition in our Solo Showcase season, we bring you this colourful drawing by Luigi Bertonesi as the Artwork of the Week!

Luigi has been attending Project Ability’s studio for over ten years, the exhibition presents drawings that he made in the workshop alongside a selection made at home of his own accord.

Luigi’s work is currently on show in Project Ability Gallery until 4 May – don’t miss the chance to see this remarkable collection of visionary images of autobiographical content, mastered into hundreds of hand-coloured, panoramic drawings of spanning Africa, South America, Holland and Gibraltar.

Luigi Bertonesi is the first in three consecutive weeklong solo showcases presenting the diverse artistic practices of the artists from our Aspire programme.

Posted on 27th April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Artwork unveiled at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital

In 2012, the Golden Jubilee National Hospital commissioned Project Ability to create artwork to mark the 10th anniversary of the hospital as an NHS centre of excellence. On Friday 19th April 2013, artists Cameron Morgan, John Cocozza, John McNaught, Steven Reilly and Robert McCamley attended the hospital for the unveiling of the work.

To start the project off, the artists visited the hospital to sketch and took photographs. Back in the studio they developed their ideas; working on large canvases they selected a variety of subject matter. Cameron was inspired by the drama of the operating theatre; illustrating both cardiology and orthopaedics. Robert chose the iconic Titan crane which is visible from the hospital and very familiar to Robert who was born and brought up in Clydebank. John Cocozza, John McNaught and Steven explored the hospital architecture, Steven employing vibrant colour to eye-catching effect while the Johns focused on the buildings’ geometry.

The six paintings in the collection are on show in the hospital conservatory before they are moved to their final locations within the hospital.

The artists relished the challenge of working to a brief and are extremely proud to have their work in such a prominent public collection.

Posted on 22nd April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Workshops 

Launch of www.lennoxcastlestories.co.uk

Funded by The Heritage Lottery and delivered in partnership with C-Change, Project Ability invites you to the launch of www.lennoxcastlestories.co.uk

Over the last twelve months a remarkable group of people have come together to make art, learn new skills, tell their stories, rekindle friendships, remember and immortalise in words and images the story of Lennox Castle Hospital.

The stories span many years. Some people went to the “castle” in the 1950’s and 60’s leaving when it finally closed in 2002. The individual stories have been captured on paper, in words, in print and on film and now this important contemporary collection of memories can be found on www.lennoxcastlestories.co.uk

Join us for an afternoon of conversation, hear how the project developed and what we learnt and the participants’ stories.

17th April, 2 – 4pm at Project Ability, Trongate 103, Glasgow G1 5HD

Posted on 10th April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  Film & Animation  News  Workshops 

Outside In: Call for Artworks

Two exhibitions (in Perth and Glasgow) and an online gallery will showcase work of people who find it difficult to access the art world, whether due to disability, health, social circumstance or art process.

The deadline to submit work online is 30th May 2013. If you need assistance, we can help you set up your online gallery and submit your artwork for selection for Outside In: Scotland: we can help you photograph and upload your artworks and help you write your artist statement.

To submit for possible exhibition in Perth or Glasgow, you need to:
- Have at least 5 pieces of artwork
- Choose which 2 pieces you wish to upload onto the website
- Provide titles for your pieces and measurements in cm
- Start to work on your artist statement

For further details contact:

Project Ability
t: 0141 552 2822
e: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Or

Perth Museum & Art Gallery
t: 01738 477679
e: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

For more information and to submit work online: http://www.outsidein.org.uk

Image: Jacqueline Jones, Birds on Walk

Posted on 8th April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

‘You, me and ASD’ made the 6 o’clock news!

The opening event of You, Me and ASD made the 6 o'clock news on STV, with a short segment featuring two of the artists present and Project Ability's very own Celine McIlmunn!

Posted on 3rd April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Open Gallery - March

For the second Open Gallery workshops of the year, artist Clare Hume created a multi-sensory workshop centred around our current exhibition Big Skies, an artistic exploration and celebration of Nordic skies and weather.

The group followed a trail of spotty umbrellas around Trongate 103 and settled in the Project Ability Gallery, where Clare started her story-telling.

Out of Clare’s treasure trunk came colourful fabrics, sand-filled bottles recreating the sound of the rain, a felt hat echoing the colours of some of the artwork, and even some fake snow!

The next Open Gallery workshops will take place on the 25, 26 and 29th of April and will be in response to the Glasgow Print Studios exhibition Tableau Vivant by Callum Mackenzie.

Posted on 3rd April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

The opening of ‘You, me and ASD’ was a great success!

We love it when a plan comes together!

Today, the 2nd April 2013 is World Autism Awareness Day and we took the opportunity to open our exhibition You, me and ASD. For the last six months Project Ability and the Autism Resource Centre have worked together to deliver visual art classes for people aged 14 plus with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder. Some people were experienced artists with a developed arts practice, for others it was a new experience. Everyone showed commitment and enthusiasm and some people have discovered a new interest which they are keen to continue.

58 artworks are displayed in the foyer at Trongate 103 created by 41 artists, many of whom turned up, bringing family and friends, for today's opening. Dr Christopher Mason the vice-chair of the National Autistic Society opened the exhibition, and representatives from Lipsync Scotland -who had delivered a programme of creative writing- brought specially commissioned poetry postcards while two of the writers read short stories.

The opening was a fantastic celebration of creativity, talent, humour and imagination.

Posted on 2nd April 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Side by Side Symposium

Project Ability attended the Side by Side Symposium at the Royal Festival Hall, in the London Southbank Centre. The event was led by Alice Fox and the Rocket Artists with participation from learning disability artists, their colleagues and support networks. The purpose of the symposium to collectively build an Inclusive Arts Manifesto and the event began with points and questions pitched to us by Sue Williams, Senior Diversity Officer, Arts Council England:

“Why is inclusive arts practice good?”
“How do we recognise the validity of that work?”
“How do we change the conditions of working together?”
“How do we stop being fixed in the same output?”

The opening address discussed achieving great art for everyone and pitched the creative case for diversity, equality and art together, side by side. Andrew Pike from KCat, Kilkenny, reinforced the point and offered us his own take on Inclusive Arts; that it should be just that, included.

“We do what we like to do, we stick our necks out…I don’t believe in pretty pictures…we’re here to shock, we’re here to make a mess.”
“Go and jump in the river if you don’t like it.”

The workshops ranged from collaborative drawing, interactive sculpture, dance, music and film. I took part in “Make Sculpture with Rocket Artists” which posed the question, “How do we want to be viewed as inclusive artists?”

We were given 4 materials to answer this question: mirror foil, pins, foam boards and space blankets. We created a reflective, mountainous landscape; we made, chatted, created headbands for each other, shared our experiences and our work. The overall shape of our sculpture disseminated through our exchanges with one another and became a vehicle to discuss the contribution to the manifesto. We talked about ‘material memory’ with the actual piece itself being a direct result of our physical interaction with the material, completely unique to time and place. We adapted the word “nebulousness” to describe the intangible nature of what we were trying to achieve and, most importantly, we were all wearing our headbands throughout the day, representing the bond that had developed between us; we were comrades working side by side.

If ‘inclusion’ is the underpinning theme of ‘Side by Side’, the venue of the Southbank Centre creates the perfect conditions to say, this work is important. The symposium itself creates a case for the commitment to doing whatever it takes to make things better for learning disability artists in society; it was noisy and they hold the power to make their voices heard.

Instead of fitting art practice (whether that is contemporary, inclusive, individual, collaborative) to a set of measurable norms, perhaps we should be excited by what is unpredictable, noisy, free and unique. Art practice is a fundamentally inter-disciplinary, reflective, instinctive process that helps us to reconsider our own reality. I think the work towards this resulting publication may not be able to quite capture the poignancy and excitement of what happened on the day, but certainly could be part of a much bigger reflection.

Alice Fox is the Artistic Director of the Rocket Artists which consists of fourteen artists, some have learning disabilities and others are lecturers/artists in the Faculty of Art at the University of Brighton. Fox's collaborative arts-based research is used to challenge social inequalities and effect positive change.
The Rocket Artist Group was established in 2002 and is based at Phoenix Artists Studios in Brighton. Learning disabled artists from the Rocket Artist group make artwork alongside students from the University of Brighton.

Posted on 26th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

‘You, Me and ASD’: opening Tuesday 02 April

Join us and the Autism Resource Centre on Tuesday 02 April in the Trongate 103 Foyer for the opening of You, Me and ASD, an exhibition of works by 40 artists with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

The artists worked over the course of two ten-week long workshops to produce beautiful work in a variety of art forms: ceramics, painting, video, drawing or block printing. The variety of the work echoes the breadth of the Spectrum, with some works being very literal and self-reflective, whilst others show the difficulties some of the artists experience in communicating with the world.

The exhibition opening coincides with World Autism Awareness Day 2013, and will take place on Tuesday 2nd April from 1pm to 2pm.

There will be a second opening on Thursday 04 April, 6pm-8pm.

Posted on 26th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Project Ability are pleased to announce the artists selected for the Residency Programme 2013

Project Ability are pleased to announce the artists selected for the Residency Programme 2013 are Ruth Ansell, Lea Cummings, Lorraine Hamilton, Nicola Henderson, Genevieve Kay-Gourlay and Jordan Kay and Linda Mahoney. Now in its fourth year, the residency is an initiative to support artists to develop their practice within a disability arts setting where artists are resident in Project Ability’s open studio for a short and intense working period of one month. The artists are provided with studio space, materials and professional development opportunities within the Project Ability community.

Ruth Ansell (May) is a textile designer and craft practitioner. She will use the residency to develop her techniques in photography, ink chromatography and light reflections applied to textile design. The residency will be focused on her interest in colour and textile recycling as well as sharing her extensive skill range with others.

Lorraine Hamilton (June) is a sculptor whose practice encompasses visual spectacle and tactility. During the residency she will undertake a sculptural exploration of the senses expanding on her interest in shared experience through art.

Genevieve Kay-Gourlay and Jordan Kay (July) are a sister and brother collaborative duo; they will use the residency as a context to explore their relationship as siblings and collaborators in an experimental idea exchange and coming together of two individual practices.

Lea Cummings (August) is an artist and musician who takes part in Project Ability’s ReConnect programme. Working in a wide range of practices including sound, performance, painting, animation and film, Lea will use the residency as a space for experimentation and exploration of maximalist pattern and colour.

Nicola Henderson (September) is a ceramist and aims to use the residency to experiment further with metamorphic open bowl forms, volcanic glazes as well as an investigation into the crossover between organic and decorative vessels with an in depth investigation into form.

Linda Mahoney (October) will use the residency to undertake a period of extensive research examining existential philosophical ideas about the construction of ‘self’ and the contemporary meaning of ‘self’ in the context of society constructs.

The artists will be exhibiting their new work in an exhibition at Project Ability Gallery in January 2014.

Image: Fraser Ross's Lab during his August residency

Posted on 19th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Residency 

Side by Side opening in London

On Friday 15th March artist Tommy Mason attended the opening of Side by Side at the Spirit Level gallery at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

Tommy had two related drawings of men and horses selected for this exhibition which presented work by 150 artists from 30 international arts organisations.

“We travelled by train arriving at Euston Station at 3 o’clock. We took a taxi to our hotel, unpacked, relaxed and then went for tea before going to the exhibition opening.
We didn’t meet any of the other artists but there had been an opening earlier that afternoon which they might have attended. The gallery was long and bright and the work well balanced and attractive. During the opening there was a performance by The Rocket Artists (the exhibition curators) and Corali Dance Company.
At the opening we met up with Beth Forde an artist who worked with Project Ability before moving to London a couple of years ago. Afterwards we went for dinner, then back to the hotel for an early night. We left London the next day." 
-Tommy Mason, artist

“The gallery was hung with over 200 artworks including installation work, sculpture, video, drawings, paintings and textiles. We recognised several of the artists, and organisations, as over the years we have worked together and they have contributed to our exhibition and events programme.
There is a long tradition of juried exhibitions presenting work by learning disabled artists and Side by Side is one of the more ambitious and attractive that I have seen. A clean gallery, work well presented, good lighting and the work speaking for itself rather than through the artists’ “story ”. But there are artists whose work, because of its quality, appears again and again in these exhibitions and is now the time to challenge the “salon-type” exhibition and should we be curating the work in a new way?”
-Elisabeth Gibson, Executive Artistic Director

Posted on 18th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

Duncan Gray, Himalayas- Artwork of the Week #04

This beautiful acrylic painting of 'The Himalayas' by Duncan Gray, is this week's 'Artwork of The Week', inspired by our current exhibition, Big Skies, which features more of Duncan's work.

Posted on 8th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Big Skies Opening

The exhibition Big Skies which opened last night, is dedicated to the memory of artist Fletcher Stobbs.

Fletcher Stobbs (1940-2012) was a regular participant in our workshop for over fifteen years. We were saddened to learn at the end of last year, that after a short illness Fletcher passed away. Over the years, Fletcher turned his hand to many artistic processes, but most enjoyed expressing himself through his paintings and ceramics.

Storm at Sea: the magnificent painting shown in this exhibition was one of his last pieces.

Fletcher was a kind man, always ready with a smile and always with a twinkle in his eye.

Gallery view

Artist, Tommy Kemp (with his family)

Artist Hanne Arnheim travelled from Bergan in Norway to see her work, La Tempesta, in the gallery

Posted on 8th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News 

Big Skies and First Thursday!

This Thursday 7^th March 2013 is another First Thursday here at Trongate103, and the opening preview of Project Ability’s new exhibition ‘Big Skies’. Our gallery on the first floor of Trongate103 will be open from 6pm till 8pm on Thursday evening for a first look at this wonderfully eclectic show of new work.

Big Skies is a Scandinavian exchange showing works by artists from Finland, Norway and Sweden, alongside a selection of Project Ability artists. It is an artistic exploration and celebration of weather; its changeable nature, our fascination with it and its sometime mystic and sublime beauty. 

Exhibiting artists are Hanne Arnheim from Amalie Skrams Hus, Norway; Buster Hollingworth, Camilla Holmquist and Jens Nilsson from Inuti, Sweden; Harri Blomberg from Kettuki, Finland; Tommy Kemp, Duncan Gray and Fletcher Stobbs from Project Ability. 

Image credit: Untitled, acrylic and charcoal on canvas by Fletcher Stobbs 

Posted on 5th March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Artwork of the Week

Posted on 1st March 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

Residency Exhibition closes this Saturday

This Saturday 2nd March 2013 is the last day of our current exhibition Artists in Residence 2012. This exhibition shows new work by Lauren Bryden, Karly Burns, Elaine Dockery, Simon McAuley and Fraser Ross. 

Our Gallery on the first floor at Trongate103 is open from 10am till 5pm on Saturday, so make a note in your diary and come down to the Trongate before its too late!

Posted on 27th February 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News 

Young Talent on Screen

On Saturday 9th February Project Ability’s young film makers, friends, parents, grandparents, next door neighbours and more piled into the GFT to watch their latest cinematic creations.  One hundred people turned up to show their support.  There were Aliens, Superheros and Villains, Jenny and Penny, Rudolph, Rabbits and much more.  We laughed, cried, gasped in delight.  The films were clever, original and often very, very funny.

Last years’ fundraising campaign to purchase new equipment ensured the work was technically strong but the real strength of the work lay in the originality of the scripts and the young people’s imagination, hard work and sense of fun.  Well done!

Posted on 11th February 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: All  Exhibitions  Film & Animation  News 

Young Talent on Screen Film Festival 2013

Join Project Ability on Saturday 9th February, 12noon at the GFT as we showcase the talents of our young film makers as part of the Glasgow Youth Film Festival 2013.  See exciting new work from our Arts Award Film Programme for young people aged 14 to 25.  There will be live action, animation, comedies and sci-fi alongside some Project Ability classics.  Hear from the film makers themselves as they are invited on stage to introduce their work.

This event has been organised by young people aged 16-25 as part of our Young Talent on Screen Programme.

Tickets are available form the GFT Box Office on the day of the event.

Posted on 22nd January 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: All  Exhibitions  Film & Animation  News 

Exhibition Opening: Artists in Residence 2012

Preview: Saturday 19th January 2-4pm

Exhibition: 22nd January 2013 - 2nd March 2013

The residency programme, now in its third year, was set up in 2010 to support Scottish based artists by providing time, space and facilities in which to concentrate on their artistic development in a supportive and engaging environment.

The selected artists were resident for short and intense, one month working periods, where they could explore their individual practice and integrate within Project Ability’s collaborative community. The focus of the programme is for individual research, experimentation through interaction and discussion between the artists.

The exhibition will feature new work by Lauren Bryden, Karly Burns, Elaine Dockery, Fraser Ross, Simon McAuley and Fraser Ross.

Project Ability Gallery
Trongate 103
G1 5HD

Gallery opening times: Tuesday - Saturday 10-5pm

We will announce information on how to apply for the 2013 residency programme shortly.

Posted on 16th January 2013 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News 

Gallery Closing and Mono Exhibition

Don't forget everyone that Project Ability will close for the Christmas and New Year holidays from 4pm on Friday 21st of December 2013 and will re-open on Monday 7th January 2013. Our gallery is closed until the 19th January when we will reveal a new exhibition of work from this years resident artists. In the meantime you can see one of our young Create artists Rachel Hook's solo exhibition in Mono, until 9th January 2013.

Happy Holidays!

Posted on 20th December 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103  Workshops 

Lest We Forget - exhibition at Mitchell Library

On Thursday 6^th December the Lennox Castle Stories film was screened at the opening of Lest We Forget, an exhibition organised by Values Into Action to mark Disability History Month.  

Many of the participants including Doreen Kay and Marie Christie (pictured above) came along to see their artwork in the exhibition and their “story” screened on the big screen. 

Project Ability would like to thank all those who came to the opening, their friends and supporters.

Posted on 10th December 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News 

Pandas by Pauline Jackson

Pandas by Pauline Jackson.

The artist with her work.

Pandas can be seen in the exhibition Picture This in our Trongate 103 gallery until the 21^st December 2013.

Posted on 7th December 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Artists  Exhibitions  News 

Lest We Forget - Opens Today at the Mitchell Library !

Lest We Forget is an exhibition of artwork created during a Project Ability and C-Change programme called 'Lennox Castle Stories'.  Project Ability in partnership with Values Into Action will be showing this exhibition at The Mitchell Library.  The Exhibition opens this afternoon, Thursday 6th December 2012, from 4pm till 6pm.  The exhibition closes on the 19th December.

Posted on 6th December 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News 

First Thursday at Trongate103

Don't forget to come along to Trongate103 this Thursday between 6pm and 8pm for December's 1st Thursday. Project Ability are delighted to invite you to the opening of our new exhibition 'Picture This' in our gallery on the first floor. Picture This is a group exhibition of paintings by Project Ability artists from Aspire and Create and displays the dynamic painting environment of the workshops throughout the year.

Posted on 4th December 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News  Trongate 103 

Picture This - Opens Tomorrow

Picture This is a glorious, rich, painting extravaganza which features some of our most talented artists.   

The gallery is open tomorrow from 10.00 to 5.00.  Then, Tuesday through to Saturday closing on the 21st December with Late Night opening on Thursday 6th December when the gallery is open to 8pm.

Posted on 30th November 2012 by PA Editor : permalink
Categories: Exhibitions  News 

‘Lest we Forget’ Exhibition

Project Ability in partnership with Values Into Action are exhibiting art work from the Lennox Castle Stories project at The Mitchell Library. The Exhibition opening preview will be on 6th December 2012, from 4pm till 6pm.

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