Better Together a series of exhibitions

 Eddie wanted an exhibition at Grow Box Cafe, Krowji

Anna and Zoe wanted to have an exhibition together, 

and the thought came to have a retrospective of Peter's work after he returned to a painting from attending and really enjoying two sessions in the studio, particularly working in colour and movement with James.

Ideas always grow, Eddie with Kyle, one of his closest friends, both good multi artists.

So we often explore and celebrate our diversity in Shallal, this time it was fun to place people with their peers.

 I'm the 'silent' partner in Peter's exhibition without his understanding and support i wouldn't be working.

Anna in Shallal seriously since the age of seven and Zoe through some of her teens, both showed me Shallal can work for and with you through childhood and teens, no mean feat to maintain connection with your free childhood spontaneous creative self. They are both now art graduates.

Eddie and Kyle are tall men from creative families with a wide range of talents, they share a theme night every two weeks. Eddie has worked across Shallal since he left school/college and he encouraged Kyle to join Shallal Dance Theatre and Kyle works in the Studio and has also made art with Eddies dad Tony for many years. So a lovely opportunity for them to share outward work together and us to enjoy their work.

Then l enjoy Jack Johnsons music and his song "Better Together" is a great title i think, and i am tired, tired of groups for particular groups of people, i know they are needed but often i feel they are needed for solidarity, support, healing, education, understanding, but really we are better all mixed up and being community not tribal. We are Better Together, we learn from each other, enrich each other, in a symbiotic relationship.

This long ramble is as the last exhibition is coming up October 7th and the last party for the middle one is tomorrow!

Peter Willis Recent Paintings 'Pendentive'

 Peter Willis 

introduction to his work:

"My art has always been, and remains, a reflection of my search for meaning.  

In recent years, my engagement with painting has had to shift with the development of Parkinson's and the tremor in my right hand that accompanies it. Rather than a hindrance, Parkinson's has been an enhancement. The ethos of Shallal has freed me from the restraints of conventional fine art expectations. It has expanded and enriched my approach to painting, allowing my practice to encompass my changing abilities. Shallal works for everyone. 

Many thanks to Shallal, Grow Box Cafe, Oliver Raymond-Barker and Anna Willis."

'Pendentive'

List of Paintings 

as in zine/booklet

Pendentive l                          39.5ins x 39.5ins

Embrace                               18ins x 18ins

Vista ll                                   18ins x 24ins

Singing Stillness lll                19.7ins x 19.7ins                 

Singing Stillness ll                 19.7ins x 19.7ins   

Singing Stillness l                   20ins x 18ins

Pendentive ll                           39.5ins x 39.5ins 

Pendentive lll                          19.7ins x 19.7ins

Triply Radiant Sun                   36ins x 30ins

Desert Church                         18ins x 20ins                           

Vista l                                      18ins x 20ins

Descending Chevron              31.5ins x 31.5ins            

 

Child                                        18ins x 20ins

Chevron                                  31.5ins x 31.5ins

Royal Entrance                        18ins x 20ins

Universal Design - Audio description, a challenge, a reflection

 

So here we are the exhibition is hung yesterday - just - and today starts it's four days of being open to the public.

We have an accessible building, no mean feat in an old building in St Ives - but it was renovated.

We have warm welcoming artists, Saturday and Sunday, on site staff Monday and Tuesday - however they won't be in the room but an office on the way.

So my faults/reflections:

I didn't have a conversation around Access at the beginning of the project planning with myself or the artists involved.

As usual, in most unfunded 'passion' projects, you are squeezing in time balancing other work and life issues, both Zoe and Anna, the artists, have other issues they deal with on a daily basis and their working together and under Shallal was a help for their work to be seen without too much pressure ...so no spare cash or energy, or help in the project.

However no excuse for me, I believe passionately in Universal Design.

Reflecting on our last show Pendentive i wonder why this issue hadn't come up? and it is in a permanently staffed cafe, who i can't praise highly enough, as well as friendly artists, customers environment so someone would talk to you, answer questions - still not enough? but it's not a gallery space and wandering around with headphones might not work there?

So what am i on about, Audio description. 

What if i turn up to the Borlaes Smart room, Porthmeor Studios St ives and want to now about the exhibition and am partially sighted or blind.

In our ideal world of community and welcome someone articulate and friendly would welcome me and answer my needs for description.

However i might not want to interact/ask i might want to reflect alone, maintain my autonomy and choice and be enabled, as anyone else is, to have freedom to engage or not with the art on offer. In which case i need a set of headphones with audio description placed where i might find them on entry!!

We have head sets/headphines in the studio.

 A problem with Access ( audio description) is it can come in late and if so is there time capacity, skills and funding to do it well? - quick answer - no!

You can't describe an exhibition until it's hung. You can have the audio describer booked, the equipment and skills at the ready. and overnight/early morning do it in time for the doors opening today.

I'm up early making bread prepping my domestic and other lives before dedicating the last third of the day top the exhibition and private view for Resonance.

The reminder i had failed at Universal Design came while kneading bread dough!

The semi solution is to ask both artists to today describe their work into a whats app chat and see if we can upload it somewhere, combined with a description of the room ( requires an edit )  so it can be accessed online - this presupposes the person needing audio description has smart phone?! which is another hard area - digitally divide/poverty etc

or avoiding digital poverty, i get the headphones from the studio and attempt to put recording with them  (i haven't done this before) and therefore may not achieve it on time, plus extra stress, in very busy weekend...

Universal Design& Sustainable good practice need to be discussed and included in the first meeting and not be add ons.

I have only met the first step! an accessible building...free entry, friendly environment, a wish to incude/help,  no parking only drop off - this is St Ives one fof the least accessible places. We were invited to be part of Remapping St Project with Jo Mayes many years ago.

Yesterday i had wonderful walk around St ives and lovely chats in two (inaccessible) art galleries and one with only one small step but no ramp or signage for one if needed.

So imagine yourself using a wheel chair or unable to see far or clearly and how would you get around navigate this world of ours. I'm 62 my eyesight is far worse than it used to be, I miss it, I'm a visual person, my husband has mild Parkinsons, many of my family have had chronic fatigue, invisible chronic health and can't do much without exhaustion, so every excursion has to well planned.

And i failed, i will try to remedy it, life is work in progress, but this is a plea, I messed up and i care, please let's all; put Universal Design at the heart of what we do, life is easier for us all if everyone can be involved, is welcome, we all benefit.