Dr Syntax versus the Paperweights

A quick note to let you know that the new show at the Changing Room in Stirling opens tonight. Dr. Syntax versus The Paperweights by Mick Peter.

I had a little hand in the install for this one, managing to navigate some really unusual sculptures up a gnarly old staircase without mishap. Mick (who I seemed to think was called Joe - weird) was putting the finishing touches on some work the other day and caused some debate about blu-tack once he'd left. You'll need to catch the show to understand what I'm blathering about. Just ask yourself, what is the trombone* made out of?

Anyway, I might not make it along tonight (Friday 4th June) for the opening, which I feel really bad about, but if you're available, go, go go. Even if you've never been to an art opening before. They're not scary and see that big table with all the beer & wine? Yeah, that's free. The amount of people you can get through a door with that little bit of information is ridiculous.

The show will run through June and July so there's no excuse not to catch it, especially all Stirling residents. Support your only contemporary art gallery please. Here are the full details:

Dr Syntax versus the Paperweights
Mick Peter
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Show runs: 5th June - 31st July
Private view: Friday 4th June, 7-9pm. All welcome
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The Changing Room
Tolbooth
Stirling
FK8 1DE
01786 274005

That's that. Have a look at Mick Peter's website for loads of info about his work and examples of his work. I'm away to catch some sunshine for a bit.

EDIT: it's not a trombone, it's a tuba. Thanks Jules.

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A Narrative of Montage

This is a little late notice but it's worth a mention anyway. Over the past couple of days, I've been helping out at the Changing Room preparing the new exhibition A Narrative of Montage by The Fruitbasket Collective and Mike Chavez-Dawson.

The gallery is looking really good. It's a bit of a departure for the Changing Room, much more crazy and colourful than some previous shows. I knew very little about The Fruitbasket Collective before helping out, they've got a pretty neat surrealist / outsider art thing going on. I managed to find a snap of one of the pieces from A Narritive of Montage, check it:
That's a massive oil painting by Fruitbasket's main man, Jean-Pierre Lapeyre, titled Self Portrait as the Imprisioned. He's got a bunch of similar stuff alongside comics, sculptures and prints. His wife, Caroline Mackenzie Lapeyre exhibits some beautiful drawings and Mike Chavez-Dawson has some really cool laser-etched pieces.

The best thing is, Lapeyre also has a whole performance-art thing going on as his alter ego 'Jack The Hard Worker'. You can't beat a guy who'll paint himself blue and do some ironing in front of a crowd:
I'm reliably informed that he's gonna be psyching himself up for an appearance as 'Jack' tonight at the opening. Man, that's what you want from an art show - a dude jumping about in facepaint with a jumper on! I can't wait.

If you can make it to Stirling tonight, drop by, have a little drink and check out the show. Say hello. If not, it'll be up over the next month or so. As far as I know, JP plans to perform nearer the start of the night than the end, so move your bum. Here are the full details:

A Narrative of Montage
The Fruitbasket Collective and Mike Chavez-Dawson
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Show runs: 10th April - 22nd May
Private view: Friday 9th April, 7-9pm. All welcome
-
The Changing Room
Tolbooth
Stirling
FK8 1DE
01786 274005

ps. if any of that sounded a bit sarcastic, I don't mean to be. I'm all for people going full-on. The wildest I get is perhaps doing a drawing with a little hat on.

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Wall Work

Another snap of some work from the How Children Learn show. The little shelf has a pile of painted stone 'coco-pops'.

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Painted Twigs

Another snap from How Children Learn at the Changing Room. I painted a bunch of twigs and combined them with RueFive's birdhouse-like sculptures. If you've never drawn patterns on bumpy sticks, let me tell you it's maddening.

Wall

Another snap from How Children Learn. This collab wall (again with RueFive) was across the room from the fireplace structure posted previously. I'm working on editing together a few video clips I took from the show into a little walkthrough so stay tuned for that.

Oh yeah, remember you can subscribe to my site (if you like).

Untitled Structure

This was part of the How Children Learn show I did with RueFive last May. Working in the Changing Room was a great opportunity to try out some new things. The space allowed us to put together some larger scale / sculptural stuff that was a nice departure from our smaller drawings and the like. This structure emerging from the fireplace was one of the first ideas we developed.

Wall Clock

A work-n-progress shot from the second room of How Children Learn, my joint show at The Changing Room with RueFive. I'm slowly putting together a little walkthrough video of the whole exhibition.

A Bowl of Corn Flakes

A Bowl of Corn Flakes
painted stones, bowl, spoon, doiley, stool
from "How Children Learn" at The Changing Room, 2009


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Floorboards

Floorboards

ink on paper
from "How Children Learn" at The Changing Room, 2009
show on now

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Naughts & Crosses: Work Begins

Work has begun on part 2 of How Children Learn, the collaborative show between RueFive and myself. It's a more laid back affair than the first; we're working live in public on a large wall piece over the next few days, trying not to take too long about it. You can stop by, see us painting and ask us questions if you wish at the Changing Room gallery at the Tolbooth in Stirling. If you'd rather not look at our ugly mugs, the show will be done by Friday and runs, alongside part 1, until the 27th June.
Speaking of part 1, things went pretty well. The above photo is but a glimpse of a room full of small drawings, huge drawings, sculptures, photos and more. It's still up and if you haven't caught it yet, you have until the end of the month to catch the full finished spectacle of How Children Learn, parts 1 & 2.

I'll try to get a few more photos together, but for now, there's a nice wee review from the Metro here. Better hop on my bike and back get up to the gallery.

How Children Learn

The reason I've not been updating as regularly as usual is that I've been working away on this here show. How Children Learn is a 2 part joint show between Rue Five and myself. It's set to open in a couple of weeks at The Changing Room gallery in Stirling. Expect small drawings, big drawings and perhaps even a dibble dabble with sculpture. Only if we don't have panic attacks and blow the whole thing though. Here's a blurb:
Also on in the other room is The New Spirit by Julian House of Ghostbox which should be pretty awesome. As always, everyone is welcome to the opening bash for a wee drink. Here are the details:

How Children Learn: part 1: Killycode
Rue Five & David Galletly
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Show runs: 1st May - 6th June
Private view: Thursday 30th April, 6-8pm
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The Changing Room
Tolbooth
Stirling
FK8 1DE
01786 274005

This one's a homegame for us. Please put it in your diary and we'll hopefully see you there. I'll no doubt post more info as time goes on, but back to work for now.

2 Lost Scarves

Argh! In the past few weeks I've went and lost my 2 favourite scarves. Actually, 'lost' is being nice, as I suspect they may have been stolen. If I see anyone around town wearing either of these there'll be trouble, that's for sure.

The first one I lost, was an old brown scarf that was my dad's. It was awesome. I lost it somewhere in Stirling after the opening of Graham Fagen's show at the Changing Room. My main suspicion is that it was left amongst a big pile of bags & jackets in Nicky-Tams and that some chancer liked it and picked it up. However, we were also in the Darnley and the Tolbooth that night so who knows. I moaned about it all the way home.

The second was a surprise present from Alex, my girlfriend. She'd spotted it in a wee shop in Glasgow and reckoned I'd like it. I did, very much. It was left on a chair in the restaurant area of the MacRobert Arts Centre and seemed to vanish within the 10 mins it took me call them once I realised it was gone. (you get very good food that's cheaper than anywhere up there by the way)

Ah well. I'll keep checking around. If you spot either of these scarves, or anything similar, let me know. If you notice someone wearing one, punch them in the nose and steal it back. Thanks.

somebodyelse, Stirling

somebodyelse: Graham Fagen

I've been involved in the hanging and preparation of the new show, somebodyelse by Graham Fagen, at the Changing Room in Stirling. The show is a collection of Fagen's photographic portraits, combining images of real and imagined figures and studies the characterisation of historical figures in an exploration of Scotland's contemporary and historic culture.

Show runs: 14th February - 11th April 2009
Private view: Friday 13th February, 2009. 6-8pm. All welcome.

The show is the first to use the Changing Room's new hanging system, so go have a peek at that as well as the work. The boy Rue Five and myself will be on the wheels of steel at the opening bash. Say hello.

Concrete Shadows, Stirling

Concrete Shadows: Kate Davis, Ines Shaber, Lucy Skaer, Catherine Street

Just a short announcement about an upcoming show at The Changing Room in Stirling. I've helped to prepare the gallery over the past week or two, so I've developed a wee attachment to this show already.

Show runs: 15 November 2008 - 17 January 2009
Private view: Friday 14 November 6-8pm

As I've previously mentioned, on Friday I'll be jaunting between the private view here in Stirling and the Holiday Special opening at Recoat in Glasgow. I miss the end of one night and the start of the other. Ah well, could be worse.

Discovery

Jules found this old fella was found in a gap in the wall while we've been working at the Tolbooth in Stirling. We've been in there all week (hence the lack of updates) preparing the new Changing Room gallery. He fell out with a bunch of crumbly rocks from between some old wooden panels. He seemed pretty fragile, so I reckon he's been in there a good few years. Hasn't lost much of his colour though.

Right, off to work I go. Painting and sanding today. I'll post more when I get the chance, probably when the job's done.

Bingo Card

Along with my buddy Jules, I've been working on some stuff for an artist networking day at the Changing Room gallery in Stirling tomorrow. This is a quick wee bingo card I've knocked together for a couple of games at the end of the day. All that's left is to sit and write the stupid numbers on the damn things.

May / June News

Here's a belated post about what's going on right this second, and over the next few weeks. Oh, and this site should be getting updated a fair bit soon:

JAGGY NETTLES
My show, Jaggy Nettles, is still up at Amble in Philadelphia. I'm back in Scotland now, but the exhibition will be on until the 8th of June, so go and have a look if you can. I'll try to post about the trip in detail soon, but thumbs up to Concetta, Fergi, Lindsy & Becky for their help and for rocking. The above picture is from the show. There's a wee post about it on myloveforyou... cheers Meighan.

LE WEEKEND
Stirling's weird little music festival, Le Weekend, is on this weekend (Fri 23rd - Sun 25th May). Get some tickets if you're in town because it's always worth a look. There's usually a lot of strange world music and people shouting into pianos. Friday night looks like the most fun with Victoria Bergsman from Taken By Trees/The Concretes/that Young Folks song playing amongst others.

FROM LOVE COMES PAINE
I'm sketchy on the dates and details but it's worth mentioning this as soon as possible - for Amble's next show they're teaming up with Exit skateshop to put on a show of skateboards painted by a bunch of different artists. The rumours of who might be exhibiting are pretty exciting (I'm in it too!). It's all in support of funding Paine's Park, which will be a massive new skateable square kinda thing in Philadelphia since things got all pissy about Love Park. Check out fromlovecomespaine.com for details and for one of the best looking websites going.

MAC ATTACK
My iMac died... again! It looks like the same problem, so hopefully I can get it repaired and useable without shelling out more money. I've ordered a fancy new one anyway though because I can't risk one I do work on buggering things up any more. This is the reason for the lack of posting / pictures / photos.

Sideshow Flyer

Sideshow Flyer

For show at The Changing Room, Stirling
April 2007

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Knitting & Crochet Bee

Kirsteen MacDonald, the Visual Arts Development Officer for The Changing Room has started a little knitting and crochet club at the Tolbooth in Stirling. I've made a flyer for it in a little envelope that can be used for swapping patterns and stuff. The Bee is on Wednesday nights and is open to all. I try to go myself when I can, despite being useless. I'll post the info here so the search engines pick it up:

Knitting & Crochet Bee
Wednesdays 5.30 - 7pm
Upstairs at the Tolbooth: all welcome
Jail Wynd, Stirling, FK8 1DE
For more info contact Kirsteen MacDonald
Tel: 01786 274005

If you're interested, either ping Kirsteen an email or get in touch with me and I'll tell you what I can. Here's a slightly clearer version with the details, will possibly get a better scan/photo of the other bit soon:


Go along if you fancy it, don't just sit on your bum. Everyone is really nice and there is usually some cakes and tea and stuff. If you would like some flyers to distribute anywhere, contact me.

Fortune Teller T-Shirts

Fortune Teller 10th Birthday T-Shirt
commissioned by The Changing Room gallery
(sold out, I think)

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