If 2019 has been the year that creatives reached a tipping point in Aberdeen then 2018 is the year that set it up. And a big part of it for me personally was being included in the Painted Doors project.
For its third year, artist Mary Butterworth curated an eclectic line up of Aberdeen based artists and creatives to add another layer to the project which has built up a collection of some 40 odd doors across the city centre. Supported by Aberdeen Inspired, the project has been a real showcase of the many talented artists who call Aberdeen home and connecting the wider public to the culture that exists in their city, often outwith the usual gallery and established art viewing platforms.
Indeed artists like Juniper Press who's intricate patterns and designs which come from a graphic background has been putting Aberdeen on the map through her work with Etsy and has been at the helm of numerous design markets in the city. I often think we're guilty of not shouting enough about our achievements and Laura has certainly achieved a lot for the design and craft community. Established artists like Gabi Reith returned to complete a second door design, a call to arms for those fighting for our environment and natural habitat while Anatomy Rooms studios director Jim Ewen added a great painted door next to the studios at the back of Marischal College.
From well established to newly emerging with David Iain Brown who was almost fresh out of Grays when he painted his highly stylised, almost abstract and bold design down at the Green. I really enjoyed his degree show work and was interested to see how he'd continued to develop and push his painting into new and exciting areas. From abstract to illustrated with local loon Honkemon who painted one of his distinctive characters, a one eyed sea captain just down from some Abz Jawa pieces on the East Green.
Myself and Corvid Eyes aka Jenny Hood continued the street art theme with Jenny adding some delicate and creepy paste ups to some panels also on East Green. Although Painted Doors by name, the project certainly isn't restricted to just doors and indeed could be a gateway for some into producing larger scale works and paste ups. During last years Nuart Aberdeen, Spanish painter and muralist Hyuro told us that her first large scale piece was painted on a door so the progression is real. I adapted some old Goliathus beetle stencils and decided to up scale them for my piece titled 'GOLIATHUS' which looks up at the stunning Hyuro mural.
Daisy Glaisy created a striking design on Schoolhill, testing her ability with a brush but the results are stunning. The Little Bat Club have been producing small scale paste ups since around the time of Nuart with brightly coloured bats popping up across the town. Stepping away from doors, they opted for a small wall located under the steps that lead down to the Green, a much overlooked space which I stencilled up way back in 2008. Although paste ups tend to be more transient in their nature both the bats and Jennys paste ups have lasted well along with the more sheltered doors.
Screen printing experamentalist and krooked grind wizard William Moulding pulled out all the stop with a billboard sized double piece which incorporated elements of his screen printing work along hand sprayed elements, creating 2 incredible pieces. Jo Gannon looked to her sketch books and risograph experiments and crafted a unique door located at the Indoor Market. With bursts of colour, her piece manages to stand out in an area that's full of art works, the piece really stops you in your tracks. Both William and Jo are big fans of the classic sketch book and experimentation which helps push both their work into really interesting territory.
Again, never a project to focus on one specific set, Madeleine Edwards, a young designer added a friendly and fun design inspired by our native bird, the Aberdeen seagull! Although these ones seemed more inclined towards a selfie, especially with the chunky ABDN font. Alison Chandler continued to explore her Way Through Project, jumping from canvas to wall and creating a rather serene portal into a rather brighter world. Her work is influenced by her own journey, from Cancer diagnosis to using art as a tool for healing but also self empowerment.
The final doors were created by Aberdeen Drug Action (ADA) and their fantastic participants and Cyrenians Aberdeen who celebrated their 50th birthday. Artists KMG & AlterEgo worked closely with the ADA group, hosting workshops at UTG and eventually helping the group to paint the finished door design located down on the Green whilst Kelly Cairns helped a group of local women create 2 stunning door designs, both at the Cyrenians HQ and on Adelphi Lane. It's great to see art have an impact in our city but especially for groups like these who often seem to miss out. The interactions and engagements with both groups are so valuable both to the participants and the artists with the finished doors adding some much needed voices to our streets.
With the project taking a break this year its a shame we won't have any new additions to the trail (you can find all the doors here) but the impact and legacy of the project so far has been great for the city, showcasing the amazing talent of Aberdonian artists and creatives. It's fantastic to have artworks by internationally acclaimed artists like John Walter and Herakut, but they are also local to somewhere so maybe its time to focus on ourselves and to give some kudos to our own artists and designers, many of whom also work & sell their work internationally. I often think to be local in Aberdeen as an artist is seen as a negative, perpetuating the idea that only the big cities can foster worthy creatives. But over 11 years of discovering artists in Aberdeen, I'm constantly impressed by the people I've met and I think they should be celebrated. Just a thought.
Big love to all my painted door friends.
For its third year, artist Mary Butterworth curated an eclectic line up of Aberdeen based artists and creatives to add another layer to the project which has built up a collection of some 40 odd doors across the city centre. Supported by Aberdeen Inspired, the project has been a real showcase of the many talented artists who call Aberdeen home and connecting the wider public to the culture that exists in their city, often outwith the usual gallery and established art viewing platforms.
Indeed artists like Juniper Press who's intricate patterns and designs which come from a graphic background has been putting Aberdeen on the map through her work with Etsy and has been at the helm of numerous design markets in the city. I often think we're guilty of not shouting enough about our achievements and Laura has certainly achieved a lot for the design and craft community. Established artists like Gabi Reith returned to complete a second door design, a call to arms for those fighting for our environment and natural habitat while Anatomy Rooms studios director Jim Ewen added a great painted door next to the studios at the back of Marischal College.
From well established to newly emerging with David Iain Brown who was almost fresh out of Grays when he painted his highly stylised, almost abstract and bold design down at the Green. I really enjoyed his degree show work and was interested to see how he'd continued to develop and push his painting into new and exciting areas. From abstract to illustrated with local loon Honkemon who painted one of his distinctive characters, a one eyed sea captain just down from some Abz Jawa pieces on the East Green.
Myself and Corvid Eyes aka Jenny Hood continued the street art theme with Jenny adding some delicate and creepy paste ups to some panels also on East Green. Although Painted Doors by name, the project certainly isn't restricted to just doors and indeed could be a gateway for some into producing larger scale works and paste ups. During last years Nuart Aberdeen, Spanish painter and muralist Hyuro told us that her first large scale piece was painted on a door so the progression is real. I adapted some old Goliathus beetle stencils and decided to up scale them for my piece titled 'GOLIATHUS' which looks up at the stunning Hyuro mural.
Daisy Glaisy created a striking design on Schoolhill, testing her ability with a brush but the results are stunning. The Little Bat Club have been producing small scale paste ups since around the time of Nuart with brightly coloured bats popping up across the town. Stepping away from doors, they opted for a small wall located under the steps that lead down to the Green, a much overlooked space which I stencilled up way back in 2008. Although paste ups tend to be more transient in their nature both the bats and Jennys paste ups have lasted well along with the more sheltered doors.
Screen printing experamentalist and krooked grind wizard William Moulding pulled out all the stop with a billboard sized double piece which incorporated elements of his screen printing work along hand sprayed elements, creating 2 incredible pieces. Jo Gannon looked to her sketch books and risograph experiments and crafted a unique door located at the Indoor Market. With bursts of colour, her piece manages to stand out in an area that's full of art works, the piece really stops you in your tracks. Both William and Jo are big fans of the classic sketch book and experimentation which helps push both their work into really interesting territory.
Again, never a project to focus on one specific set, Madeleine Edwards, a young designer added a friendly and fun design inspired by our native bird, the Aberdeen seagull! Although these ones seemed more inclined towards a selfie, especially with the chunky ABDN font. Alison Chandler continued to explore her Way Through Project, jumping from canvas to wall and creating a rather serene portal into a rather brighter world. Her work is influenced by her own journey, from Cancer diagnosis to using art as a tool for healing but also self empowerment.
The final doors were created by Aberdeen Drug Action (ADA) and their fantastic participants and Cyrenians Aberdeen who celebrated their 50th birthday. Artists KMG & AlterEgo worked closely with the ADA group, hosting workshops at UTG and eventually helping the group to paint the finished door design located down on the Green whilst Kelly Cairns helped a group of local women create 2 stunning door designs, both at the Cyrenians HQ and on Adelphi Lane. It's great to see art have an impact in our city but especially for groups like these who often seem to miss out. The interactions and engagements with both groups are so valuable both to the participants and the artists with the finished doors adding some much needed voices to our streets.
With the project taking a break this year its a shame we won't have any new additions to the trail (you can find all the doors here) but the impact and legacy of the project so far has been great for the city, showcasing the amazing talent of Aberdonian artists and creatives. It's fantastic to have artworks by internationally acclaimed artists like John Walter and Herakut, but they are also local to somewhere so maybe its time to focus on ourselves and to give some kudos to our own artists and designers, many of whom also work & sell their work internationally. I often think to be local in Aberdeen as an artist is seen as a negative, perpetuating the idea that only the big cities can foster worthy creatives. But over 11 years of discovering artists in Aberdeen, I'm constantly impressed by the people I've met and I think they should be celebrated. Just a thought.
Big love to all my painted door friends.
