On the 1st of April 2011 The Scottish, Art, Craft and Design Centre opened its doors for the very first time and I was lucky enough to be there for the opening day.
The aim of the event was to showcase just how much artistic talent exists right here in Scotland. The organisers of the event felt that sometimes Scotland's artistic capability is sadly left undiscovered. It seemed that many Scottish artists and designers simply did not have the funds or the means to allow them to display and promote their unique creations. This is why this centre was put in place in order to showcase these hidden treasures of work not only to Scotland but to the rest of the world.
Several months were spent on trying to find the perfect location for the event before it was finally decided that South Lanarkshire's Valley International Park in Crossford would be the venue. Situated on the banks of the River Clyde, Valley International Park hosts many events and has many facilities that are visited regularly by thousands of visitors. In addition, it is set in 90 acres of stunning Scottish scenery
However, I soon realised inside that the centre held as much beauty as its surroundings outside. I was amazed by the beauty and uniqueness of the artwork and designs on show and was even more surprised that these works were produced by artists pretty much on my doorstep!
The paintings above were designed by Sheena Christie, a local Scottish designer who I was able to talk to at the centre. Sheena whom initially trained as a Graphic Designer, currently works as an Art Specialist locally and has also in the past worked with children and disadvantaged children, teaching them how to enjoy and express themselves through art. This I felt was very useful information for me as I know how important Art is within the curriculum. For instance, on Learning and Teaching Scotland website, they mention that
"The inspiration and power of the arts play a vital role in enabling our children and young people to enhance their creative talent and develop their artistic skills"
She also mentioned that although she feels she has her own personal style, she is deeply inspired by the Scottish Colourists.
Another artist who particularly caught my eye was Susan Kerr. Susan, who lives in the village of Law in South Lanarkshire, studied graphic design at Glasgow School of Art and has since set up her own business producing a vast amount of commissioned textile, collage and encaustic art as well as fine art pictures. On top of this, she also enjoys designing both wedding stationary and accessories. The thing I liked most about this artist's works was the 3D effect she used in her designs as I thought this would perhaps be a good idea to adapt for an art lesson in the classroom, as it would bring in that bit of extra originality and creativity to a standard art lesson.
After this event, I was certain I wanted to feature it on my blog, as I felt that it embodied what my 'Arts Within Society Module' is all about. Mainly because not only was I surrounded by fabulous works of Art, but all of which were created uniquely here in Scotland. A really important part of our module was about learning about our own Scottish heritage and to be aware of the various arts surrounding us in our lives. For example, at the beginning of the module the class attended the Celtic Connections festival which featured unique Scottish talents through Music. This was very similar to the idea although instead of music a different medium of creativity was featured - art and design.
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