Wednesday 30 March 2011

More Soapstone Carving

This stone carving has just been completed By Dave Thomas  Dave has got no sight at all. He copied from a clay model. This project was almost a years work spending one morning a week. Allthough it is not for sale because Dave wants to keep it the carving will be on show at the forthcoming Brighton Open Houses exhibition. More details on that to come.

written By Phil Rawson

Monday 28 March 2011

Cr8net Conference


Esther Freeman, Art & Craft Manager participated in Cr8net Conference on the 24th March.

CIDA logo - click here to return to homepage

Cr8net was put on by CIDA, the Cultural Industries Development Agency. CIDA is the leading specialist support organisation for the grassroots creative and cultural sector in London. They have supported thousands of creative individuals, businesses and arts organisations since their inception in 1999 by providing information, business support, professional development training, networking & showcasing opportunities and by commissioning new work.

Cr8net aims to set the tone for a renewed relationship between Government and creative industries support agencies like CIDA, highlighting the importance of creative minds supporting creative minds to the Big Society and the economy”. Toks Majek-Akisanya, CIDA’s Head of Operations.

Cr8net was a conference for the creative industries especially for those whose role it is to support and develop others. Cr8net brought together leaders in the sector from across the globe to discuss the pressure points of the industry.

The one-day conference gathered together significant of industry practitioners, policy makers and businesses and took place in the prestigious Royal Institution of Great Britain in Mayfair.

The panel addressed delegates and we debated a variety of key topics including:The event was a great success, with lively debate and networking from our delegates and speakers. Twitter (www.twitter.com/Cr8net) for more news and updates.
  • Creative entrepreneurship and new business models for the sector
  • Unlocking talent and the IP Review: to protect and serve
  • Big Society and creativity: expectations and opportunities
  • Creative support agencies: are we still relevant?

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Amadou & Mariam Eclipse 14 - 16 July 2011 at Manchester International Festival


amadou4.jpg

Malian musical superstars Amadou & Mariam return to Manchester for five totally unique performances; their first concerts staged entirely in the dark.
Married for more than 25 years, Amadou and Mariam met in the orchestra of The Institute for the Young Blind in Bamako. Since then, their magical fusion of pop, blues and Malian music has won them fans and stellar collaborators around the world.
Eclipse will tell the story of Amadou & Mariam’s life and work together, featuring songs from across their career including the premiere of tracks from their forthcoming album.
New Century Hall will be entirely blacked out for this unforgettable sensory experience.
If you cannot see, your sense of
sound becomes richer. You appreciate
the qualities of sound. That’s one
reason I wanted to have a series of
concerts in the darkness. I wanted
the audiences to try to hear the
music just as Mariam and I hear it.
Amadou Bagayoko

Thursday 17 March 2011

Tony Golding's soapstone carving



Tony Golding has just completed his third week of training at St Dunstan’s Ovingdean centre. Tony learned how to carve soapstone. For his final project he produced this cat which is approximately 25cm x 15cm x 10cm. Tony Is one of the many visually impaired adults we teach art craft skills to at St Dunstan’s and he will continue with his new found skills at home.  

written by Phil Rawson

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Commisioned

Matt Rhodes has been commissioned after his appearance in the press recently to reproduce this image on a smaller scale for a private client - well done Matt!

Thursday 3 March 2011

Brighton & Hove Gallery project

The Art & Craft Department are working together with Brighton and Hove Gallery to produce a Workshop based on their Bloomsbury Exhibition (running from 17th April – 9th October 2011)

The aim of the session is to give those who are blind or have a visual impairment the opportunity to engage with the Bloomsbury exhibition through a guided tour and practical session.

Working with 3D objects, audio descriptions the group will be encouraged to make individual creative decisions. Participants of the Workshop will create a still life set up and feel how it may appear. From this set up, participants will create a range of drawings and interpretations using a combination of wet and dry media. Inspiration will come from the images by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. 

The Workshop is the first of a series in a partnership between St Dunstans Art & Craft Department and Brighton & Hove Gallery.