As December kicked in the list of events seemed to be piling up and as always its impossible to check out everything. But I made an effort to check out the preview of the WASPS Winter Open Studios event.
If you follow the various WASPS studio pages on facebook you'll see there's events on almost every other month but the Aberdeen studios have often seemed to be neglected on this front. At first I thought this was down to the organisation but I've realised it's more due to the nature of the Aberdeen studios and the lack of a communal space to host shows. The old Project Slogan space was a perfect olive branch space for the city with regular shows and events and perhaps there's an opportunity to reconfigure that space again but that's another discussion.
The Winter Open Studios provided the perfect opportunity to explore the extensive Langstane Place site which stretches from the vacant lot across from Yatai all the way to the edge of Soul Bar. The entire block is filled with artists covering a range of practices but mainly visual and contemporary artists including painters, print makers, sculptors and now weavers. The recent addition of Lynne's Loom provided the perfect excuse for a group of residents to open their doors and dish up some canapés. I initially made my way to Lynnes new studio space, eager to see the impressive George Wood loom from her instagram stories. Taking up most of the space, its an impressive piece of kit, now fully integrated with digital technology to help her keep track of her weaves. The loom itself had travelled quite extensively before making its way up to Aberdeen from Dundee via Portsmouth. Taking inspiration from her previous career as a scientist, Lynne creates bespoke textiles which often incorporate scientific data as starting point, translating the information into weaved forms with specific colours and patterns. It was fascinating to see the work that goes into preparing the loom and the effort required to create a new piece on the 'Frankenloom' but the results are quite special. You can hear more about Lynne and her work via the Creative Me podcast here.
I had a great chat with painters Lorraine Taylor and Fiona Swapp about their work. Lorraine's snowy landscapes seemed fitting for the time of year but it was a set of quick portrait sketches that took my attention. She spoke about exploring new ideas and ways of working, moving a little out of her comfort zone but enjoying the results. Next door I recognised the big canvas paintings by Fiona Swapp from her degree show. With a background in botanical drawing, Fiona also incorporates a scientific element to her practice, looking at different types of moss under a super microscope, often finding a deeper beauty in the bryophyte which she translates into sketches and paintings. It was great to see how Fiona's ideas and practice have developed through her sketchbooks and how these have influenced her on going paintings. From microscopes to kilns with Amy Benzies work being instantly recognisable for its unique 3D forms which stood out during her degree show a few years ago. Her pieces have an organic but perfectly formed look, quite something when you see the humble space in which they are created.
Despite having visited friends in WASPS in the past I was surprised to discover a whole other section of studios through the back in what I believe was an old printing plant. I can imagine the big old Heidelberg presses whistling away as the P&J overlords make sure the people of Aberdeen get their daily dose of right wing bile. The open ware house space is now home to a slew of artists including Tomasz Wrobel and Debby Forsyth. Debby kindly took me back for a look at her studio and spoke about her colourful paintings. The last stop capped off a great evening exploring WASPS and finding out a bit more about what goes on behind the studio curtains. Check out a few pics below and be sure to keep an eye on the WASPS Langstane page on Facebook for future open studio events.
If you follow the various WASPS studio pages on facebook you'll see there's events on almost every other month but the Aberdeen studios have often seemed to be neglected on this front. At first I thought this was down to the organisation but I've realised it's more due to the nature of the Aberdeen studios and the lack of a communal space to host shows. The old Project Slogan space was a perfect olive branch space for the city with regular shows and events and perhaps there's an opportunity to reconfigure that space again but that's another discussion.
The Winter Open Studios provided the perfect opportunity to explore the extensive Langstane Place site which stretches from the vacant lot across from Yatai all the way to the edge of Soul Bar. The entire block is filled with artists covering a range of practices but mainly visual and contemporary artists including painters, print makers, sculptors and now weavers. The recent addition of Lynne's Loom provided the perfect excuse for a group of residents to open their doors and dish up some canapés. I initially made my way to Lynnes new studio space, eager to see the impressive George Wood loom from her instagram stories. Taking up most of the space, its an impressive piece of kit, now fully integrated with digital technology to help her keep track of her weaves. The loom itself had travelled quite extensively before making its way up to Aberdeen from Dundee via Portsmouth. Taking inspiration from her previous career as a scientist, Lynne creates bespoke textiles which often incorporate scientific data as starting point, translating the information into weaved forms with specific colours and patterns. It was fascinating to see the work that goes into preparing the loom and the effort required to create a new piece on the 'Frankenloom' but the results are quite special. You can hear more about Lynne and her work via the Creative Me podcast here.
I had a great chat with painters Lorraine Taylor and Fiona Swapp about their work. Lorraine's snowy landscapes seemed fitting for the time of year but it was a set of quick portrait sketches that took my attention. She spoke about exploring new ideas and ways of working, moving a little out of her comfort zone but enjoying the results. Next door I recognised the big canvas paintings by Fiona Swapp from her degree show. With a background in botanical drawing, Fiona also incorporates a scientific element to her practice, looking at different types of moss under a super microscope, often finding a deeper beauty in the bryophyte which she translates into sketches and paintings. It was great to see how Fiona's ideas and practice have developed through her sketchbooks and how these have influenced her on going paintings. From microscopes to kilns with Amy Benzies work being instantly recognisable for its unique 3D forms which stood out during her degree show a few years ago. Her pieces have an organic but perfectly formed look, quite something when you see the humble space in which they are created.
Despite having visited friends in WASPS in the past I was surprised to discover a whole other section of studios through the back in what I believe was an old printing plant. I can imagine the big old Heidelberg presses whistling away as the P&J overlords make sure the people of Aberdeen get their daily dose of right wing bile. The open ware house space is now home to a slew of artists including Tomasz Wrobel and Debby Forsyth. Debby kindly took me back for a look at her studio and spoke about her colourful paintings. The last stop capped off a great evening exploring WASPS and finding out a bit more about what goes on behind the studio curtains. Check out a few pics below and be sure to keep an eye on the WASPS Langstane page on Facebook for future open studio events.
