Crafty Work At Highland Schools
Two artists are about to take up residence in two Highland schools for the third year of the Highland Craft Residencies project. The artists were selected by the pupils themselves to come and work with them at Inverness Royal Academy and Rosebank Primary School in Nairn.
The project which began three years ago aims to place a Craft Maker-in-Residence for one term in schools in all eight areas of the Highlands, culminating in a major touring exhibition in 2007. Set up to raise awareness of Crafts as an important arts medium and to give school pupils the inspiration to follow a career in the arts, the project has been seen as a model for similar schemes across Scotland.
Each residency will last for 60 days, beginning in September, and part of that time will be spent by the artist developing new work in response to the area in which they are working. They will also run workshops for the local community, working with adults as well as the pupils.
The project is run by The Highland Council’s Exhibitions Unit and is funded jointly by The Highland Council and the Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council, with local funding from Highland 2007, the Davidson Trust, and the schools involved.
Artist Carole Robinson will begin her residency at Inverness Royal Academy on Wednesday 23 August. Based in Fife she is a glass artist and will be introducing the pupils to the many ways in which glass can be worked, both hot and cold. She is an expressive artist and her infectious energy is already inspiring the staff and pupils at the school as they prepare her studio space in the Art Department. She has great experience in running workshops for all ages but she is always ready to learn from new experiences. She said: “I am looking forward to moving to Inverness, temporarily, and during my residency I hope to be able to explore the Highlands to get inspiration for new work.”
Swedish born ceramic artist Hanne Mannheimer begins her residency at Rosebank Primary School on Monday 4 September, coming to Nairn directly from another residency in Ayrshire. Her last few years have been spent doing various residencies in England and Scotland, making her own work and supporting herself through part time teaching, running workshops and professional development talks. She said: “I find teaching very exciting and rewarding because it is about sharing the discovery of creative journey with others."
While Carole and Hanne are in residence in the schools small “showcase” exhibitions will be on display. Acting as a teaching aid, the exhibitions will feature the work of the two crafts makers in residence and a further four selected crafts makers working in either glass or ceramics. These makers have been selected as they work in a very different way to either Carole or Hanne – to show a greater diversity of working methods.
The work of all the Crafts Makers involved in the three year project will be collected into a major touring exhibition in 2007 – showcasing the talents that have been inspired by their time in the Highlands.