Forth Valley Open Studios - June

We visited our designer in Edinburgh on Monday and handed over all our information for the Forth Valley Open Studios brochure- on two digital sticks! Once upon a time...well a year or maybe two years ago this would have involved huge folders and required a bulky briefcase , even a suitcase, to transport all the information.
Today the stick slips into my handbag next to my iPhone...such is the changing work environment.

We have all been astonished at the response - nearly a 100 entries, thats well over 100 artists.

Scion House exhibition

"Joy" iPhone art

It is always a bit sad to take an exhibition down though this one has been up for over five weeks. Feedback has been good though little sold. Part of the problem is that people are reluctant to pay money for something they see that has been through a computer even though you are using the same thinking process as if you were doing it physically.

The question is: what to do with the work? it is currently stored in the spare bedroom....maybe ought to sell it on E-bay? only joking.

Scion House exhibition

Just heard my Iphoto pix are selling at the exhibition but have not got the time to promote my work there because of all my work with Forth Valley Open Studios.

Fortunately I have had good coverage in the local newspapers because of the novelty of work drawn on an Iphone!

These are some photos taken at the private viewing by Karen Howard
Karen Howard with some of my iPhotos

Exhibition opening- Scion House

"Strength" created on iPhone


Delighted to see over 40 people turn up last Sunday afternoon to my exhibition opening at Scion House, Stirling University Innovation Park.

Many were intrigued with the iPhone pix but sales were nil.

The following conversation was overheard:
"I like the work and I would buy it if it was the original."
"But the original is in the computer."

So were does this leave digital artists?

Art Goes mobile- Scion House

Frank Sullivan, PR for Stirling University's Innovation Park, has just issued the following press release about my upcoming exhibition.



" The first art exhibition in the UK to feature works created on a mobile phone will staged at Stirling University Innovation Park.

The 21st century medium has been used by digital artist and writer Ann Shaw as a means of expressing her artistic vision.

A former journalist and graduate of the Glasgow School of Art Ann downloaded software to her iPhone that allowed her to develop her innovative style of art.


( Caption: "Dancer" created on IPhone "Brushes" app on train to Edinburgh)

A self confessed computer buff she has embraced the technology of the cyber world in the pursuit of art.

Ann, who spent more than 20 years as a staff writer for The Herald in Glasgow, has more that 60 short films on Youtube and can be found on Face Book and Twitter.

She is also a ‘blogger’ with her online Diary of Artist only a click away at www.annshaw.net.

Her first solo exhibition entitled The Journey will run at Scion House on Stirling University Innovation Park from February 8 till March 14.

It will include 30 of her colourful iPhone creations one of which ‘The Dancer’ was produced in four minutes as she travelled on the train to Edinburgh!



Ann has firm views on the perception and accessibility of art: “Art is so elitist and it shouldn’t be. What I like about this technology is that it frees it up and breaks down the barriers because it’s accessible, it’s cheap and it’s fun. You don’t have to be in a studio. It’s art on the go.”

“I’m delighted to be staging my first solo exhibition in such an innovative setting and being part of a project that supports local artists.”

The Journey Exhibition is part of an initiative called Art on the Park introduced to encourage local artists, giving them an opportunity to showcase their work.

The highly successful project was established four years ago as part of the Innovation Park’s outreach to the local community.

Lynn Blaikie the Innovation Park’s Operations and Business Development Manager, said:”Art and Innovation have gone hand in hand from time immemorial. It’s very fitting therefore that Ann’s innovative creative style using the most modern mobile communication technology should be staged here on the Innovation Park. I hope it will attract great interest, not only because it’s the first exhibition of its kind, but because it showcases a new art form that is accessible to everyone.”

Iphone and Ipad

Walking in the Scottish Highlands yesterday I decided to find out how Andy Murray had got on in the Australian Open.
So I googled it on my Iphone .

Next week I have an exhibition opening in Scion House, part of Stirling University's Innovation Park and a big chunk of the exhibition has been created on my ...Iphone.

It goes without saying I can't wait to get my hands on the Ipad.

Forth Valley Open Studios - June

A date has been set for the Forth Valley Open Studios - 12- 20th June.

This follows Saturday's meeting in Stirling where we formally constituted ourselves and formed a committee.

Tremendous enthusiasm from everyone concerned with the project.

Changing world of work- Twitter

Had yet another example this morning of how fast the world of work is changing.
I rang a printer in Oxford for a quote ( I am in Scotland) and I was asked for the web-site for Forth Valley Open Studios. Explained it was under constuction because we had only just registered the domain name and there was a silence the other end.
Then she said:
"Oh thats OK I have found you on Twitter."

Photos from public meeting - Forth Valley Open Studios

Angela Beardsley chairs the public meeting in Alloa for the Forth Valley Open Studios




Chair of Perthshsire Open Studios, David Murton ( with beard) with members of the audience.

(Photos courtesy of Karen Howerd)

Forth Valley Open Studios-Alloa public meeting

We held a public meeting in Alloa to "test the water" to see if there was any public interest in holding a Forth Valley Open Studios 2010- and we were delighted to find over 50 turned up!

Not bad for a mid-week January night in central Scotland. A lot of this was due to the publicity we had in the local papers, support of Kathleen ONeill the Cultural Planner for Alloa who arranged for us through Clacks Council to have a fantastic poster designed, refreshments and a room for the event - the temporary "Make Room" former shop premises acting as a very lively arts venue in the centre of Alloa.

The whole event was chaired by Angela Beardsley who did a fantastic job too. Oh yes and there was an army of unsung volunteers who worked their socks off to get everything ready for the night.

One thing is certain: artists are want to see a project like Open Studios in this area.

Watch this space.

Forth Valley Open Studios - poster

Richard Feehan of Clacks Council design team has produced a poster for us at lighting speed, very glossy A3 also one for the web which I have circulated to all 41 artists who have wish to participate in forthcoming event.

Whole project gathering momentum.

Forth Valley Open Studios

My garden today covered under a blanket of snow


Did you know that most people have never an artist and certainly never visited one in her/his studio?

this was pointed out to me last night when I attended networking event with several friends involved in setting up Forth Valley Open Studios in the Dunbalne Hydro.

It was organised by VisitScotland.com to promote tourism in the area.

Everyone we mentioned our project to was really enthusiastic because it ticked all the right boxes i.e. it offered people a new experience, it involved visiting beautiful parts of the Scottish countryside , it had something there for children too and it was free!

I guess we are on to a winner...

So far 34 artists in the Forth Valley have expressed an interest in participating in the project and we have anaother public meeting planned for January 21st in Alloa- weather permitting.

NEA Arts report

Are we moving from passive consumption to active creation? if one is optimistic that is one possible interpretation of the American study NEA report
(http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=6221)
which shows a national decline in all arts and sports where there is passive consumption.

There's another scenario: would people rather consume arts and sport via digital media in the comfort of their own homes rather than sit with strangers in some expensive location...just a thought?

Celebrations for centenary of Macintosh building - people gathering for the projections on three sides of the building


Professor Roger Wilson, Head of Fine Art, Glasgow School of Art in his studio

View from the staircase

The Loggia, better known as "the hen run".

Attended the centenary celebrations of the Macintosh building yesterday. Place heaving with celebrities, politicians, and the movers and shakers from the international art world including Tony Jones , former Head of GSA and now with The School of the Art Insitute, Chicago.


Met the new Head of Fine Art, Professor Roger Wilson in his studio where he was painting and chatting to visitors ( nice touch!). He comes to Glasgow from Chelsea College of Art and Design.

I graduated in 2001 and it was good to be back in the Macintosh building. It reminded me again that the building is a "feast for the eyes", not surprising since Charles Rennie Macintosh, a part-time student, knew what art students wanted.

Amateurs versus professional artists

Iphone art: "dancing"


That hoary old chestnut "amateur versus professional artists" has reared its head again as the debate over Open Studios begins.

Pointed out to a professional artist friend that participants will have to pay only to be told:"they can afford it because they have jobs and paint part-time".
Oh dear!.... why can't everyone accept that there different strands of art and many different kinds of art and artists.


Let the public decide!

Forth Valley Artist Open Studios

I am still reeling from the shock of discovering at yesterday's meeting of Forth Valley Artists that no data base exists of artists in the area! I would have thought it would have been the first job of any Visual Arts Officer to make certain that he/she had an up-to-date list of all artists.

This accounts for the poor response to our first meeting - 10 plus our two guest speakers. I had assumed ( wrongly as it turned out) that the Changing Room gallery, a local funded gallery by the council, had a list. It was only discovered half way through the meeting that most of the people attending had not received an email from the Changing Room informing them of the meeting.


Later discovered a "glitsch". Sure enough the new Visual Arts Officer confirmed that such a list does not exist. Unless artists have approached them for grants or signed their Visitors Book then they have no record of their existence.

Now Perthshire artists have a very active art scene . They have a flourishing Visual Arts Forum which provided a data base for the Perthshire Open Studios to work from.

We have to start from scratch.....

e-Christmas card

Take time out from writing Christmas cards and view this e-card sent out by Glasgow School of Art.
Is this the way forward?

This card is colourful, lively, interactive and what's more environmentally sound , oh yes and its free!

er....if the link doesn't work try this: www.gsa.ac.uk/seasonsgreetings

"Dancer"drawn on my Iphone while travelling into Edinburgh by train.
Who says you need a studio now to create work?


Have put posters out for the open meeting for Forth Valley Open Studios. Response so far is good. Meeting fixed for Saturday December 12 in the Changing Room gallery's eduation room- courtesy of Arts Officer Emma Hamilton, Stirling.

The link economy- and artists

"Fish" created on my Iphone

In this new online world of the linked economy- OK I don't really understand it either but the world is shifting under our feet even though we may be standing still-I am not certain where artists fit in.

What sort of work do we make and how do we sell it? some pointers to the future come in today's Guardian"Money" section Tot Taylor , director of the Riflemaker gallery makes some predictions:

"It will be about formats and mediums ( new and old), not so much painting, sculpture and photography but more textiles and tapestries, digital art, gardening art, Eco at, all things cosmic, woodcuts and even wax."

Oh yes, and "outsider art".

Collapse of newspapers

I used to work on newspapers and I still love the feel of them and read them avidly. So it was with great sadness I heard yesterday that two of my favourite supplements Guardian IT and Observer Business and Media are about to be pulled. Yes, another sign of the rapidly changing world we live in.