A Small Library of Big Ideas - Transported - Open Book - The Eloquent Fold - Session Three

The Eloquent Fold were delighted to be back in Boston Library for the third of four sessions making books for Open Book project for transported - A Small Library of Big Ideas.

Phiona Richards had prepared a sheet to help participants structure their book pages and explain their Great Idea, whilst I did lots of enthusiastic talking, gesturing and encouraging. We shared out the pages made so far and looked at the prints made in the last session, to see how to trim them and include them in the books.

There was an air of quite concentration as people began to breathe life and energy into their ideas. Having time to learn how to make the book, prints and create pages and plan out an idea or series of ideas has been really good and we have loved seeing our regular participants each week. 

There were conversations, connections and friendships being formed as ideas were shared. Giving ideas a chance to brew up and percolate through has meant that people have time to think, dream, plan in the hopes of future making and doing in the area. 

Here is Phiona deep in conversation, exploring ideas for possible Graffiti project. If you have an idea that might fill a page or a whole book please come and join us in Boston Library on Tuesday 22nd September. Our next set of four workshops will be in Long Sutton Library commencing October 6th 10am - 1.00pm. They are free, friendly and fun so do please come along!

Amanda made an intriguing book which you can view here

and we can't wait to read the Steam Punk Festival 

book when it is finished next week!

Transported and the Eloquent Fold would also like to invite all artists from the Lincolnshire area to contribute business cards for our project, 'A Small Library of Big Ideas'. 

   

The project consists of twelve free workshops divided between the libraries of Boston, Long Sutton and Spalding, which are taking place from August to November 2015. The sessions allow participants to create two books: one to leave in the library, and one to take away. Participants use bookmaking and printing skills to explore and realise their big ideas, which could range from things that they might like to change in their area to projects that they would like to make happen.

The Eloquent Fold, would like the books left in the library to provide a networking resource for the local area, allowing users to learn from one another's ideas, be able to access 'how to instructions' for simple craft activities, and to learn where they can find out about local artists. For the latter books, Phiona and Carole thought it would be useful to promote local artists through their business cards, which could be left in pockets sewn onto the pages. 

   

If you would be interested in being included in the artist networking books, please send about twelve business cards (which would leave four for each library) to Grace Osbourne, Transported, Holbeach St Marks Community Association Building, Sluice Road, Holbeach St Marks, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE12 8HF before 31st October 2015. A Small Library of Big Ideas is part of  Transported - Open Book - Creative People and Places

Transported is a strategic, community-focused programme which aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities.  It is overseen by a Management Group, a sub-committee of Leisure in the Community, with artsNK as its lead organisation.  It is funded by the Creative People and Places fund from Arts Council England.

The Eloquent Fold at Boston Library for the Small Library of Big Ideas - 2nd session

Read Phiona Richards lovely Blog Post about the day here and see the full photo set here. Don't forget to check out The Eloquent Fold's Facebook page too!

A Small Library of Big Ideas is part of  Transported - Open Book - Creative People and Places

Transported is a strategic, community-focused programme which aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities.  It is overseen by a Management Group, a sub-committee of Leisure in the Community, with artsNK as its lead organisation.  It is funded by the Creative People and Places fund from Arts Council England.

Made in Corby Fun Palace

I'm happy to report that the Stephenson Way Fun Palace was a great success! I knew that it was a tall order to create this event with such a short lead time and a very small materials budget but I was determined that the space should look as interesting as possible. I wasn't sure how many people would come but I had Tweeted, Facebooked and emailed, along with other local volunteers, in the run up to the event. The Fun Palaces website had lots of great, free resources to use but it did take a lot of time to create and keep the page updated. The wonderful Kate Dyer from Corby Community Arts kindly assisted by creating and circulating a flyer, which we also managed to distribute amongst pupils at Rockingham Primary School. 

I was surprised, delighted and slightly flustered as we had our first visitors on the dot of 12 and the visitors continued to arrive throughout the afternoon. It is always a worry, when things are done at high speed, that people will miss the information and the event. This Fun Palace / Big Day In wouldn't have been as successful as it was had I not had good, long standing contacts within the Stephenson Way community, whose support I could muster. This warmth and community spirit is just one of the reasons I love working in Corby as much as I do! 

I was also in the happy position of being able to borrow / provide artefacts that helped to transform an empty hall into a magical space, we utilised everything including the bowls mat! Everyone involved, especially Kate, Kev the Caretaker, Ann Leonard, Susan Shier, Margot Norris gave their time and energy so generously and with great good humour.I was able to add a sculptural element to the Fun Palace by borrowing INTenz a mobile sculpture kit created with my Undiscovered Networks collaborator, artist Jo Dacombe. Intenz was made during our three year exploration of architecture and change in Corby in a project called "Fingerprints on the Pew". Jo also agreed to let me use the perspex flowers we made during our Green Patch Residency Art in The Summerhouse.

We were incredibly lucky to secure Paper Sculptor Phiona Richards for the afternoon. Phiona was kept busy with a constant stream of participants who learnt how to create rings and bracelets from wire, buttons and beads. One local resident came up to me glowing with excitement and enthusiasm saying "This is just so wonderful! To have this happening here in my neighbourhood!" as she proffered her button bracelet for me to admire!

It was great to have Kate Dyer from Corby Community Arts with us for the day, Kate acted as our Court Photographer and I believe that there will be a set of Court Portraits on display on CCA website soon.

Corby Community Arts helped to make the space look more palatial by allowing me to borrow the very splendid Flower Banners created from drawings by children in Corby for the Queen's visit in the Jubilee Year and some of the torches created with Sophie Cullinan during the Winter Light Project. having worked as an artist for CCA on both projects it was wonderful to see the work being shared and enjoyed by the community. 

Many thanks to CCA Work Experience student Elizabeth who gave her time and skills so generously both on the day and during the preparation day the previous Monday.  I provided drawing materials, papers and scissors for people to draw their own Fun Palaces and make their own paper tiaras which added more fun to the day.

There were two excellent poetry taster workshops with Michael Pike 

AKA Spike the Corby Poet who gave participants of all ages the confidence to create starting points, ideas and poems which were read aloud to the very supportive groups.

Big Days In organiser Marie Murrie captured reading her poem!

Young and old had a wonderful time as Alison Gaffney showed people how to raise a cheer out in Stevie Way's the sun soaked autumn garden!

After all the activity and excitement it was wonderful to sit down with tea and cakes made by Stevie Way Art Goup's own Susan Shier and Ann Leonard, proceeds from the refreshments were donated to S.W.A.G. Many thanks to Back To Books for generously providing the funding for the refreshments.

Photo from MiC

As this was a Made in Corby Big Days In event I thought it was important to gather some hopes and dreams from the community for future Made in Corby arts events. Kate and I agreed that we should use bird prints made with local children during a summer project as labels for people to write their thoughts on. There were some intriguing suggestion! 

Photo from MiC

We were also very pleased to welcome Nadine Holdsworth who has done much research about Joan Littlewood and her Fun Palaces and was keen to come explore ours. I'm really happy to report that our Fun Palace didn't disappoint as Nadine and her son, along with many other happy family groups came and played all afternoon!

You can see my Flickr Set from the day here

What Are You Doing Sunday?

I will be hosting the Made in Corby Fun Palace event at Stephenson Way Community Centre as part of the Made in Corby Big Days In programme which aims to reach new audiences and give communities what they want - more arts activity on the doorstep, in the local community centre. MiC are delighted to be teaming up with the national Fun Palaces initiative, with FREE arts activities for all at Danesholme, Oakley Vale and Stephenson Way Community Centres - please spread the word!

S.W.A.G have created large paper rosettes to decorate the hall, we are using Torchtastic torches, Perspex flowers and a mobile sculpture kit, felted landscape vessels to create our Fun Palace. There will be free drawing and making activities. Paper Sculptor Phiona Richards will be joining us for a mini paper Make and Take. There will be opportunities to draw your own Fun Palace and share your hopes for creativity in Corby. Celebrate your community space! Come and find out more about S.W.A.G. Tea and cake on sale. All welcome!

For a flavour of our event please visit our page on the Fun Palaces website and look out for updates on all the Corby Fun Palaces here

Crumbs From The word Table Completed

Under our title The Eloquent Fold  Phiona Richards and I collaborated together during Transported Open Book strand and created three sculptural structures which are a play on a conventional bird table.

To make the word houses we salvaged old, distressed dolls houses to conjure up memories of childhood, to inspire, intrigue and remind  people that books are an invitation explore to many rooms, many worlds. Each word table has been collaged with book papers and maps, from old and unloved books, books which were heading for the landfill. I made a set of blue and mauve bird prints and Phiona transformed them into a collection of small, exquisite book sculptures to place in and on the word tables. Two of the word tables have small sets of shelves made from hand-sized classic hardback books. There are also tiny painted houses and the plates that made the prints are in pairs on wire ovals and hang from corners of each word table, casting a fluttering of bird shadows.

Spalding Library Word Table

Long Sutton LibraryWord Table

Crowland Library Word Table

You can see details of the finished Word Tables here

Now that our Transported Open Book adventure is at an end The Eloquent Fold would love to come and enliven, up-cycle, engage with your community, library, gallery, interesting space so please do not hesitate to contact us!

Transported is a strategic, community-focused programme which aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities, funded by Creative People and Places from Arts Council England.  For more information visit www.transportedart.com.

The Eloquent Fold For Transported in Long Sutton

The Eloquent Fold had a marvellous time during our three Tuesdays in Long Sutton Library, a great community resource which has both a sense of space and light combined with quite corners for reading, creativity  and contemplation.

 Each session was a joy as everyone made us feel so welcome.

 

We worked with a wide range of ages

 and managed to attract a few more regular participants,

Photo 'electricegg.co.uk'

all of whom had a wide variety of wonderful 

 experiences which they were happy to share with us

After a busy morning creating birds and words 

for our Long Sutton Flock of Words

we continued our tradition of serving tea and cakes in / on vintage china

 ( I always new my passion for cups and saucers would come in handy!)

On our final day our project was documented by Electric Egg 

who did their best to put us at ease whilst recording

 our impressions of the project for Transported

I have a feeling that I might be the voice over part of the video as I managed to stick tissue paper to my face for half of the interview! However the delightful crew were very patient and hopefully captured some of our energy and enthusiasm for our work and for the community members we have the pleasure to meet!

Photo 'electricegg.co.uk'

To see  more images from the session please follow this link

To see all the birds for Long Sutton Flock please follow this link

To see all the Long Sutton story prints please follow this link

Transported is a strategic, community-focused programme which aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities, funded by Creative People and Places from Arts Council England.  For more information visit www.transportedart.com.