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Newburgh Residency 2007 |
Newsletter 3 |
9th Oct 2007 |
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‘Fruit & Fibre’ |
Click above for Scenes of Newburgh |
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‘Fruit & Fibre’ was the second spotlight exhibition at The Steeple featuring the outcome of Jeanette working with the Fife community of Newburgh exploring the land around them.
The exhibition included two main strands. There was work which was created during the first master class organised with residency partner Twist Fibre Craft Studio on the theme of silk paper and Newburgh’s reed banks. The other work on show was the result of Action ‘Windfall’, three workshops looking at how to present the bounty from Newburgh’s unique orchards. |
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Ist Masterclass: Silk Paper & the Reed beds of Newburgh
Early one sunday morning participants took a walk down to Newburgh’s reed beds to seek inspiration from the site. |
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The walk sparked off many thoughts connected to the water and the land. Some local people in the group helped to fill in the gaps in Jeanette’s knowledge about the Tay. |
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The reed beds change throughout the year. In March when Jeanette started her residency in Newburgh the river banks were covered in thick layers of dry reed shimmering in a golden tone. During early summer the green broke through the heavy undergrowth of the beds to grow into a gigantic curtain of green reeds. By late autumn all the reeds were in bloom transforming the waterfront into a purple cloud.
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Throughout the seasons the reed beds provide shelter for the many local and migrating birds passing through Newburgh every year. Undoubtedly the pieces of art created capture the mood and atmosphere of the river banks which are so beloved in Newburgh. |
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3 examples of art created at the masterclass |
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Action ‘Windfall’ |
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Three workshops ('Print it', 'Bag It' & 'Box It') were designed by Jeanette to brainstorm ideas about how to present Newburgh’s fruit in a very special way. These ideas could be used during the annual fruit markets or throughout the year as a way of giving presents.
On three Saturdays in August / September plum fairs were held at the St Katharine’s Court to sell local; fruit (mainly plum), fresh off the tree or as jams and chutneys. |
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As well as the workshops held at Fife Arts Co-operative, the workshop Print It was on offer during the last plum fair at the market.
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Print It
People designed fruit on templates to then print their designs onto paper bags using acrylic paint. The templates were cut used to print more than one colour. This is a very inexpensive way of printmaking and was fun for children and adults alike.
One small paper bag can easily hold a pound of plums. |
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Jam It
Participants used woollen fibres to make felt covers for jam jars and bottles. |
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A plastic template had to be cut which acts as a resist to the felt around it. A handmade cover goes well with the homemade jam and makes it a very personal present indeed. |
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Box it
Concentration and a steady hand were required to follow the instructions to fold a Japanese style box. Japan is known for its way of presenting gifts and also everyday food items. The workshop here gave participants an insight into more complex gift wrappings. Different paper was used to achieve various effects and of course colour played an important part in presentation.
A handmade box never fails to show an apple in all its beauty! Esspecially a hand grown one,,, |
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Weaving in Nature with wool (or The Big Abbey Tangle...) |
photos by pupils & Jeanette Sendler |
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Newburgh ’ Primary school P7 had a field day & got into a right tangle at Newburgh Abbey... |
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The project informed about weaving history of Newburgh and contemporary art practice before letting the kids loose with balls of wool….
A collective installation was created in the Atmospheric grounds of the Abbey the like of which has doubtfully been seen before. |
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Pupils were be divided into groups to put their mark on a certain area. By weaving different coloured knitting wool around trees & canes they created their unique niche in the spider web whilst exploring the relationship between vertical and horizontal planes. |
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Another group of pupils filmed the unfolding art work under the expert guidance of Tracey McConnel-Wood |
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Reference was be made to Andy Goldsworthy and other contemporary artists working with nature. |
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Plum Job is a year long residency for an artist working with textiles / fibre to explore the past and present relationship of the community to the land in Newburgh. |
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60a High Street
Newburgh, Fife
Scotland KY14 6AQ |
email: Jeanette
landline: 01337 841004
mobile: 07813 023607 |
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