Work On Paper

Mikael Carlsson - Stockholm

“I am 32 years old from Stockholm. I like listening to all music, taking long walks and reading books. When I am not working, I like to listen to classical music.”

Mikael's drawings depict scenes from his life

“When I was sitting in the “Big Ben” pub watching football, I saw Sweden meeting Germany in the world cup. Sweden lost the match.”

“This summer I have been in Huiksvahh where my father has a summer house. There I take long walks with my dog Chilli. I'm a bird watcher.”

“I'm bringing invitations to our gallery and paper to our other studio. I'm out with my sketchbook at Inuti, the studio were I'm working other days of the week.”

Hein Dingeman - Rotterdam

“I have been drawing all my life. For years I obsessively drew extremely muscled men of all races. In the beginning mostly dark skinned. My drawing used to be aggressive. This had to do with a process of coming to terms with a difficult youth. I used to repeatedly draw the same subjects: Australian aboriginals, Africans, Indians, Bedouins and most of all Polynesians. Gradually tattoo art and eroticism started appearing in my work. Influenced by the comics Elfquest, in around 1987 I had a period that I drew elves as well. Since 2004 I have again an elf period, after films like ‘Lord of the Rings' and a new interest in fantasy and Elfquest .

I used to draw with Bic pens, colour pencils and coloured ink. Thanks to Herenplaats I have discovered acrylics, watercolours, oil colours, shimmering and metallic colours, and even etching.

The work for the new exhibition revolves around fantasy: elves, aliens (the blue figures), trolls and normal persons, as a symbol for integration. I have used ink, acrylic and shimmer and metallic effect colours of Brena.

My favourite music is guitar music, mostly hard rock or alternative music and sometimes dance music.”

Robert George Mackay - Thurso

Robert George Mackay is in his seventies and lives in Thurso. He is a self-motivated artist who works by himself with little artistic contact or support.   His drawings are clean and minimal with a strong element of design.   

“Robert lived on a farm in Halkirk in the north of Scotland until he was sixty years old when he moved six miles north to supported accommodation in Thurso.  Robert is interested in aeroplanes, drawing and tractors.   He enjoys nice weather, visiting friends and walking.”

Quote by Robert's support worker Marcelle Lockhart

John Manson - Dumfries

“I like walking on my own around Gatehouse of Fleet, however a year ago I had a disc removed from my back which affects my ability to get out and about. I find inspiration from things I see whilst walking - such as planes from the nearby airbase. The sight of a plane moving through the air and the scream of the engines are what I find exciting and motivates me to draw.

I can spend a whole day drawing as I get so engrossed in it and can find it difficult to stop, even to pick up a different pen or pencil. I concentrate so hard when I'm drawing I stop thinking about anything else.

One of my favourite films is called Platoon , I like the sound track and the themes in the film. Bon Jovi's song Wanted Dead or Alive is a song I particularly like, especially the line ‘And times when you're all alone all you do is think'.”

Robert Reddick - Glasgow

Robert Reddick has attended workshops at Project Ability since 2002 and had a solo exhibition of drawings, paintings and sculptures, in Gallery 1, in January 2006.

"Robert's original drawings have been a key inspiration for this exhibition.   He has an extraordinary ability to draw both from memory or from observation.   He is undaunted by any media or subject.   He produces a drawing at each sitting; he has no hesitation when he starts a drawing or any doubt when it is complete.   He uses traditional rules of perspective but jumbles them about.   Objects can appear flattened, and at other times foreshortened. Often the viewer is looking at a scene that has been drawn from what would appear to be an impossible angle. Robert's hand and eye seems to soar above or below the people and places he depicts."

Quote by Elisabeth Gibson - Project Ability