Meet the Make Your Way Artists

Six artists have been tasked with creating new community art installations in and around Clyde and Avon Valley.

Article Source: Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership
Last Updated: 10 February 2017 17:02

Six artists have been tasked with creating new community art installations in and around walking and cycling routes in the Clyde and Avon Valley, in February and March.

The residencies are part of the Make Your Way project, which encourages people to walk and cycle more whilst exploring the rich and varied heritage of Carluke, Glassford, Lanark, Larkhall and Stonehouse. The six artists are a mix of Lanarkshire based and those from further afield, who will combine local knowledge with wider experiences of landscape and community to create unique installations within the five towns and villages.

The installations will complement a series of new paper and digital maps highlighting local routes, which have been produced through a series of community consultations and workshops. The Make Your Way team have been delivering a wide range of workshops since October last year, including Dorodango mud dumpling, mapping, citizen journalism and periscope headdress walks to help local people explore their local landscape in different ways.

From March to April, active travel roadshows will be held in local train stations, health and leisure centres. This will be the chance for people to collect the new maps with local walking and cycling information and active travel tips.

The artists are keen to create artwork that is meaningful and unique to the communities they are working within. The Make Your Way team are connecting the artists with groups in each area, but anyone interested in getting in touch can make contact through myw@icecreamarchitecture.com / 07843 145 128.

This project is being delivered by icecream architecture and SYSTRA, with support from Smarter Choices, Smarter Places grant and Heritage Lottery Fund supported Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership.

Artists were chosen from a range of impressive and diverse applications, and each artist or artists will have their own focus area and use different creative methods, workshops and activities to discover and record the details of each place. The artists will explore what makes up the unique character of the Clyde and Avon Valley towns and villages, be it a particular viewpoint, a historical curiosity or a wonderful play space.

The chosen artists for each area are Kevin Morris (Carluke); Ewan Allinson (Glassford); Daniele Sambo (Lanark); Allison Smith (Larkhall); and Kate McAllan and Martyn Mckenzie (Stonehouse).

Hamilton born Allison Smith, who will be working in Larkhall, says, “Being a Lanarkshire lass, I have a real passion for the heritage and landscape of the area, having made use of local industrial heritage in many projects. The Clyde Valley has such an interesting history that needs to be passed down to the next generation, so that many more people can continue to appreciate the outstanding natural landscape.”

She continues, “I am excited about this residency and hope that Make Your Way will lead to many more projects, working to help achieve happier and healthier communities.”

Using a combination of 3d and 2d creative processes, Allison develops a contemporary visual language responding to research and concepts, utilising a variety of hand-made media.

In Carluke, Kevin Morris hopes to approach his work in an experimental way, with the idea of object, material and environment at the centre of the project. His recent work engages with concepts of craft, material and place, motivated by an investigation of his own family heritage and material culture. He is looking forward to working in both natural and man-made environments and exploring how communities interact with them. He is open to embracing new techniques in his work and values opportunities to pass on these skills as well as learn and work with a range of other people. Find out more about his work here

Ewan Allinson is an independent sculptor, researcher, activist and Master Craftsman dry-stone dyker, who will be working in Glassford, harking from the Lake District. He is chair of the Landscape and Arts Network and has been Vice Chair of the successful HLF Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership for the last 5 years. He is also artistic director of The AniMotion Show, an immersive art, music and projection project devised by long-term collaborator, Russian artist Maria Rud with guest-collaborators including percussionist Evelyn Glennie and flautist Dave Heath. Fascinated by our collective attachment to the outdoors and place, his recent public commissions have all been site-specific and focussed on providing people with a sense of the sacredness of place – something he looks forward to exploring in Glassford. Find out more about his work here

Daniele Sambo, who will be working in Lanark, is a Venetian artist who works with photography and installation. With a background in urban and landscape planning and design, he has developed an interest in public art and photography’s role as a vehicle for change. His work uses the production of images as a tool for the generation of ideas, dialogue, exchange of ideas and primary research. He is looking forward to applying these methods to focus on the rich history of Lanark. Find out more about his work here

Having worked together for a number of years, Biggar born Kate McAllan and Greenock born Martyn Mckenzie, who will be working in Stonehouse, have developed several community based projects aiming to reconnect people to the landscape of their home. Both their individual practices focus on the relationship between people and environment. Having grown up in Biggar, Kate recognises the rich potential of the area and the part the landscape plays in community identity and quality of life. Using their experience of community based projects, they hope to offer the opportunity for local residents to reconnect with their landscape in a meaningful way, with the outcome being a natural, creative collaboration. Find out more about Kate’s work at https://katemcallan.wordpress.com/ and Martyn’s work here

“The installations will be fantastic physical interventions in the landscape that are relevant to the space and communities around them,” says Kirsten Robb, CAVLP Development Officer for Make Your Way.

“We hope that they will encourage people to connect with their local spaces and get using the maps that have been created through the project. We’re urging people to look out for the active travel roadshows which will be taking place in March and April, details of which will be available here ” she continues.

The artists have already been out in their focus areas, exploring and getting a feel for the landscape of the Clyde and Avon Valley. They are keen to work with local groups to find out what matters to local communities when it comes to walking, cycling, and enjoying the rich history and culture of the Clyde and Avon Valley.

Find out more and get in touch at myw@icecreamarchitecture.com / 07843 145 128. Keep up to date with project developments on the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership website http://www.clydeandavonvalley.org/explore, on Twitter @ClydeAvonValley, Facebook @ClydeandAvonValley, Instagram @clydeavonvalley, and using #MakeYourWay.

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