Eigion/Le rivage Open day studio - 22nd august 2013

So here we are, final week of the residency here in the Aberystwyth Art Center. Along with my two fellow artists Doug Jones and Ann Gibbs, we held our open studio day on thursday the 22nd of august. An estimated 35 people showed up, which is not so much, but still more than we expected for a summer holiday.

We are now off to our respectives homeplaces. Here are some pictures of that memorable day :

Eigion/Le rivage Open studio day 22/8/2013 - 4 to 7 pm

Eigion/Le rivage is a photographic installation reflecting on the absence of purpose and emptiness. In a king size concertina book, with pages a meter long, I display the multiple variations of the ocean horizon line at dusk. Taken with a digital pinhole camera, the long exposures of up to 8 minutes are inspired by japanese archery, Kyudo, where the arrow has to be shot without intention.

Pictures of Aberystwyth sea front strollers looking at the sea surround the book. As much as they give a sense of community, these images also bear witness to the last landscape we take the time to stare at without any expectation.

Artistiaid Preswyl / Artists in Residence
Stiwdio Agored / Open Studio

Aberystwyth Arts Centre is sited at the heart of the University's Penglais Campus, which overlooks the town of Aberystwyth, and which is situated on the A487 heading north out of the town on Penglais Hill.
Full details of the campus can be found on the University's main website www.aber.ac.uk
- See more at: http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/how-find-us#sthash.Mfa7rFub.dpuf

4-7pm
Awst 22 2013  / August 22
Croeso i bawb / All welcome

Aberystwyth Arts Centre is sited at the heart of the University's Penglais Campus, which overlooks the town of Aberystwyth, and which is situated on the A487 heading north out of the town on Penglais Hill.
Full details of the campus can be found on the University's main website www.aber.ac.uk
- See more at: http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/how-find-us#sthash.Mfa7rFub.dpuf

 Aberystwyth Arts Centre is sited at the heart of the University's Penglais Campus, which overlooks the town of Aberystwyth, and which is situated on the A487 heading north out of the town on Penglais Hill.

Full details of the campus can be found on the University's main website www.aber.ac.uk

Aberystwyth Arts Centre is sited at the heart of the University's Penglais Campus, which overlooks the town of Aberystwyth, and which is situated on the A487 heading north out of the town on Penglais Hill.
Full details of the campus can be found on the University's main website www.aber.ac.uk
- See more at: http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/how-find-us#sthash.Mfa7rFub.dpuf

 

Valerian +78 days

Almost mid august now, so only a few weeks left in that wonderful pod#3 that is mine at the top of Aberystwyth Art Center.

My days are now busy with preparing the open day for the 22nd august when, each of the three artists in residence will present its works.

Here is a short presentation of the main project I have been working on here during the last week.

Eigion/Le rivage is a photographic installation reflecting on the absence of purpose and emptiness. In a king size concertina book, with pages a meter long, I display the multiple variations of the ocean horizon line at dusk. Taken with a digital pinhole camera, the long exposures of up to 8 minutes are inspired by japanese archery, Kyudo, where the arrow has to be shot without intention.

Pictures of Aberystwyth sea front strollers looking at the sea surround the book. As much as they give a sense of community, these images also bear witness to the last landscape we take the time to stare at without any expectation.

 

Valerian +64 days

Days are passing by fast, very fast...
Now is the time when you start thinking «did I use my time well during more than half of this residency ? Will I produce something relevant in the end ? What did I learn ?»
Weather is nice, very nice even, as Aber as been nominated as UK's warmest place a couple times. So it really feels nice to enjoy the sea breeze.

I have kept myself very busy during the past weeks.
First of all, a book making workshop in Wrexham, at the Regional Print Center with Michelle Rowley. Feels good to finally put some techniques on all this bits and pieces I gathered along the way.

Then 2 visits with the Aber Art Center in galleries in North and South Wales.

I keep on working on my Eigion/Le rivage project for the open studios that will be held on the 22nd august. A giant concertina book of pinhole sea landscapes at dusk and portraits of sea watchers. I can now access a bigger printer thanks to the School of Arts.

Also working on a small booklet named jours #, about transformation and relationship. I discovered the joys of digital design and double pages book printing nightmares ! Well that's how you learn and I love it so far.

For fun at week-ends, I still visit some old mine sites. Rather intringuing places

Valerian 40 days later

Two more weeks have gone by already.
Now that I am fully set up here things are getting more efficient and I am getting a clearer idea of where I am aiming at during this residency.
I have been experimenting a lot with bookmaking, using art papers and also scraps and recycled objects such as maps, and phone books.

Right now, it's still a little bit messy as I don't concentrate so much on quality but rather on playing and experimenting with this new medium.
One of the first books where I forced myself to do an actual good job was a unique piece named «on m'appelle mollet d'acier», which was a gift for my sister's 40th birthday.

This is quite important for me as I want to focus on more personnal issues during my residency, family included. So I had to spend a good time looking through family albums and understanding something of the point of view of my late father especially.
I am still documenting my activities on my instagram : http://instagram.com/realfocuszero/#

Also a couple pictures on my TumblR : http://focuszero.tumblr.com/

Including this one

.

which will belong to one of my main projects here, a long and large concertina book of pinhole sea pictures.

Also started taking a look at old mine sites around wales... and there are many !

Anyway, also a good way to move around the country

Anne Gibbs

Since arriving at Aberystwyth three weeks ago I've been exploring the coastal paths and mountains in and around the surrounding areas. The scenery is truly amazing. This is at Nant Yr Arian on a glorious sunny day. 

I've been visiting lots of  places and collating as many images as possible to use in the studio. Here is a museum display at Ceredigion Museum.

The museum is a wonderful unique place.

Things I brought with me. Some are made in plaster, bone china, wire and glass.

An ink drawing reminding me of my visit to Borth.

Here is a photo from the 'Keramik Conversations' exhibition at the Arts Centre curated by Gerard Mermoz.It's a treble vase (Schaffenacker pottery) which sits in the same cabinet as Lucie Rie and Hans Coper. Its a wonderful piece and I love the interlopers that have invaded the cabinet displays!

Valerian 20 days later

Hi all, my name's Valerian and I am a documentary photographer based in Montreal. I am working mainly on social subjects regarding migration, minorities, religion, in Canada, in the middle-east or elsewhere. I usually work with canadian magazines and newspapers.

You can check my website here : www.focuszero.com

And some of my images bellow

I have been in Aber for almost 2 weeks now and I'm thrilled with the seemingly infinite possibilities here ! While here I want to concentrate on bookmaking, and especially artist handcrafted books based on my existing work as well as on new images.

Here are some of the pictures of my studio I started posting on my Instagram : http://instagram.com/realfocuszero/#

Tim Skinner

Welcome to my first post on the Artist in Residence blog.

Having been here now for over a month the work is really starting to progress nicely, and have settled in well, such a beautiful town. The studio, apartment, staff and my fellow artists in residence are wonderful.

This residency for me has been along time in coming, originally being accepted in early 2011. 
The main reason for applying recently was to help to expand my professional development gain more experience with working alongside other institutions but also it was a great opportunity to advance my visual research into the flexibility of abstract digital video. 

Based in Essex, England
Graduated in 2003 from Colchester School of Art and Design, BA.Hons, Fine Art.
Exhibited both Nationally and Internationally.  
  

Tim Skinner © 2013

Llosgi Gwynt (Burning Wind) - Video project.

The notion that video could hold textural properties dawned on me whilst on Re:place a 2011 residency in the Peak District. This spawned many questions, both visual and circumstantial. Firstly, having embraced Impressionism at an early age, and spent many happy hours in front of a canvas; absorbing, understanding, learning paints ability to illustrate textural expressionism. The question, has my past passions for paint started to filter into my video work? formed. This initial question was soon super-seeded by what are digital video's textural properties? Followed by many other questions surrounding videos abstract expressionism properties.  

So for this residency I will be continuing my research, exploring two ying-yang textures.  

I have strong family connections to this great country, my mother grew up in picturesque Langland/Mumbles (nr Swansea), the Welsh blood continues back through her mother and so on. This residency has given me the chance to delve into my Welsh heritage, and I knew the exact part I wanted to look at. My great grandfather Morgan Shearman work as a miner at the Waunlwyd Pit in Ebbw Vale, an occupation synonymous with Wales. This lead to the idea of examining, exploring the texture of coal, visually trying to echo dark, dusty, cramped conditions.

Almost simultaneously I saw this residency to do work surrounding wind farms, I have always found them to be pensive, mesmeric (word most commonly associated with my work) places. On first viewing the OS map for Aber I was pleased to see a wind farm near by.

Tim Skinner © 2013

  
Both offer me the chance to seriously research texture, as well as offering a light dark contrast.
So far the work is progressing well, I'm all over the wind and today just started with the coal. Throughout my stay here in Aber I want work with projection. A couple of weeks into my residency a made a canvas to project onto so it can help me to really understand it's textural qualities.








Yesterday the Arts Centre laid on a really nice trip to see the Oriel Davies Gallery in Newtown and the Mostyn Gallery in Llandudno. Myself and my fellow artist in residence, poet Rhian Edwards had a great time, the scenery was spectacular. So would like to say big thank-you firstly to Tim for driving us, Carol for accompanying us, to Alex at O.D. Gallery, to Nia and the staff at the Mostyn.     

Also really great visiting Cardiff last week to see and hear Catrin, Lewis, Matthew and Ingrid's work, well done!!!! 
  

Open Studio - Matthew Macaulay

  

Alison McDonald

Alison McDonald, our Australian international artist who was with us in Aberystwyth almost this time last year, has started making silver jewellery inspired by the Welsh seaweed found on the Cardigan coastline.

It's always great to hear from our past Artists in Residence.