Shed a day for ME awareness week

May 22, 2018June 14, 2018 | LCillustrates

Shed a day project was created for ME awareness week in May 2018. ME is also known as chronic Fatigue Syndrome and over 20,000 people in Scotland alone are diagnosed with this disease with a estimated 2000 new diagnosis each year. There is only one specialist nurse in all of Scotland. I focused on Scotland as this is where my experience is based, but this is a world spread problem, there is a severe lack of funding for much needed biomedical research. This is a disease that claims peoples energy, changing lives forever, what they once knew or did is no longer possible with a estimated 5% chance of full recovery. The shed a day project was designed to reflect the isolation felt when fatigue takes over and people become housebound. All the sheds are in isolated places in the Scottish hills, exposed to the ever changing elements mirroring the ever changing symptoms experienced by those with ME/CFS.

This was a great project to be involved in, and also very humbling and a stark reminder that life presents us with opportunities and they should be seized with both hands as tomorrow your world could look very different.

Artlink commission: part three

March 22, 2018March 28, 2018 | LCillustrates

As the commission comes to a close I am looking back at the artworks that have been created and the relationships formed during the process.

During vists to the Glasshouses based at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital I met many lovely and talented artists.

Works of one partcilaur artists drew me, I got lost in looking at their work, the endless lines, the prescion and the way they were executed. A collaboration between them and myself occurred oragaincally during one studio session. A easel sat upon the desk with a large piece of paper tentively stuck on. The paper looked vast but invited marks to be made. The artist is mainly nonverbal, the whole piece was created through a silent communication, where I took the lead from the artist. Taking a pen they started to make small drawings in different areas of the paper, they all appeared to sit alone, floating with no correlation to each other, rich in overlapping lines, delicate forms were created. Looking to me and nodding towards the paint, together we made cardboard tools to make marks with. As the paint went onto the paper it started to unite the piece together, dabbing and dragging the paint across the page brought a sense of flow to the image. The artist sat back and nodded to indicate they were done and it was now time for them to leave.

Contuning the collaborative process and with the artists permission I took a form created in the large piece and made a illustration to respond to the process of creating the large work together.

Togther it was named Pylons. By repeating the form in paper cut outs I wished to echo the feeling of repetition in the marks and lines made in the larger piece.

The works are exhibited in the Western General in Edinburgh until the close of March.

Hanks Tri

March 20, 2018May 22, 2018 | LCillustrates

Hanks Tri is a picture book that was created in response to research with adults who have dyslexia. The illustrations were designed to reflect there experiences, and the impact dyslexia has had on them.

The research was carried out through Dyslexia Scotland.

The concept of the book is the triathlon represents the three different areas of the brain that information has to travel in order for someone with dyslexia to process it. These are proven to be different parts of the brain than that of non dyslexic person.

A participant during the research stated “changing conversation is like having to transition all the time, it takes time and energy.”

The triathlon goes over the area of the brain and each section of the triathlon presents a new challenge, each based on participants experiences.

Each illustration is created of 2d parts constructed to make 3d sets, photographed and digitally coloured.

Hank has twine for his beard to represent the tangled thought process that can be experienced by someone with dyslexia.

ArtLink commission part two.

March 20, 2018April 10, 2018 | LCillustrates

The ArtLink commission involved working on individual collaborations with staff and patients. This was a really interesting way of working, sharing ideas, creative concepts and getting to know one another so the finished product reflected all involved in the process.

One collaboration with local photographer SJ, was a visual exploration of escapism through art and music. The collaboartion resulted in a temporary exhibition in a centre which offers mental health services in Edinburgh.

In conversation SJ stated why she chose the locations and what photography means to her. , “I chose these locations as they have strong leading lines. I find a certain peace and calm in these types of places and photography give me a sense of escapism. It allows me to focus on the moment and be creative. Photography has been a good outlet for me allowing me to express thoughts and feeling that I find hard to explain.”

On display are illustrations that I created in response to SJ’s story, particularly how she creates her own work, through a process where music plays an integral role. After SJ shared her playlist with me, I created abstract ink drawings in response to certain pieces of music and the visual narratives they inspired.

Playlist:

Linkin Park – In the End

The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work

Linkin Park – Numb

Panic! At the Disco – Nicotine

Stereophonics – Local Boy In the Photograph

U2 – Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own

The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony

Oasis – Champagne Supernova

Radiohead – Creep

The Waterboys – The Whole of the Moon

U2 – With or Without You

Radiohead – High and Dry

Radiohead – No Surprises

Manic Street Preachers – If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next

Puddle of Mudd – Blurry

Muse – Dead Inside

This collaboration is a development of work created for the Staff and Patient Open Show 2018, which is currently on display in the gallery at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Newly commissioned by Artlink, I invited individuals to explore the theme of escapism through mark-making, line and pattern in composing works of art, bringing a linking thread through the overall exhibition.

Artlink commission part one

March 16, 2018June 14, 2018 | LCillustrates

For the past four months I have had the pleasure of being commissioned by Artlink to work with staff and patients from the Royal Edinburgh hospital, Western General, St Johns and the Royal Infirmary. Part of this commission was to set a theme and create a exhibition of staff and patients work with my own working sitting alongside it.

As a part of the process I got to enter into the NHS archives at Edinburgh University. I read so many fascinating stories of patients and staff, their relationships and how the NHS looked over 100 years ago.

Combining historical narratives and modern narratives there appeared to be a common thread. The process of creating art appeared to be a form of escapism, whether it was to relax after a long shift or a way to come together in open studio sessions to socialise and share ideas.

Combining my research and experience of meeting people, I created a narrative that depicts a blackbird finding a thread. The blackbird was chosen based on research where in the 1800’s several patients took to birdwatching or collecting images of birds to pass their time whilst in hospital. I kept a record of the birds I saw as I travelled to the hospitals, and the blackbird made the most appearances. The blackbird takes the thread and passes it to another blackbird. The idea reflects the coming together of people to share ideas over coffee and tea, ideas being formed and coming into being.

I feel very lucky to have met so many different people from so many different walks of life. Hearing their stories, ideas being shared, watching art works come to life and the how the process brings people together, the artwork becoming the common thread.

The exhibition is now open to the public in The Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, in the link corridor, from the Anne Ferguson building to the Andrew Duncan building.

More images to come after official opening in a few weeks time.

Isle of May commission

January 25, 2018March 28, 2018 | LCillustrates

Dynamic Earth, Science Centre in Edinburgh commissioned a illustration of the Isle of May to be used in one of their workshops focusing on climate change. It was a fun illustration to work on and I learned a lot about the impact of climate change on the wildlife on the Isle Of May.