Taking Time
19 Feb 2010 in Artforms, Crafts Blog, Visual Arts & Crafts
Tree in a vegetable garden by Paul Scott. Image Richard Batty
Tree in a vegetable garden by Paul Scott. Image Richard Batty
Taking Time
Taking the West Highland train home from Edinburgh takes around 6 hours compared to 3 ½ hours in the car. It is a spectacular journey in daylight and one I have done numerous times since childhood but more often I drive because taking 6 hours out of my life somehow seems wasteful. But sometimes you need a train journey to ponder, think and plan!
This week I travelled the journey at night so the views could not distract me and I had precious time to reflect. It seemed appropriate that I had just been to Innovative Craft and the Dovecot studios to view Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution. The exhibition considers how contemporary craft practice embraces similar values to those supported by the Slow Movement. Both think through where things are made and by whom and ask us to slow down, philosophically if not necessarily literally and to reflect on a more thoughtful way of doing things.
The work of the nineteen international makers in the exhibition invites you to question time and to perhaps try to forget about it for a while. Through their work and thinking they offer the chance to interact with and become immersed in time.
As David Gates says in the catalogue to accompany the exhibition ‘..time to think and reflect and to take thoughts on to the next piece, not necessarily slowly but as a mark in a continuum.’
Perhaps here in the Highlands we already embrace many of the values of taking time to make, having time to reflect and the sense and importance of place. Before it had the name of the Slow Movement, I always used to believe that this way of working was crucial to being a maker here! It takes time and commitment to live here, to travel to outside markets and events, to reflect on work and to develop it to a new level and direction. None of this can be hurried and it all happens in its own time.
A word on the work of IC: Innovative Craft and the exhibitions at the Dovecote Studios. Over the past year I have visited many times and encouraged others to do the same.
I am constantly amazed to be able to see exhibitions of such high calibre in Scotland and value their approach to challenging preconceptions about the boundaries between arts, craft, music and performance.
Showing at the same time as Taking Time is an outstanding show of contemporary silvermaking from Bishoplands, a centre for silversmithing which gives makers the time and space to become true professionals. As well as world renowned makers such as Malcolm Appleby and Adrian Hope the display has work from silversmiths now beginning to establish their careers such as Lin Cheung and Angela Cork.
The breadth and the standard of work is stunning.
So taking time out is important too; taking time to go to see exhibitions, to reflect and to come home inspired and enthused and ready for the next challenge. And taking the slow train can sometime be the best way to get home!
www.innovativecraft.co.uk www.dovecotstudios.com
😛 <<<<< Hi Pamela, don't know what all these faces are about – YES! I liked the Taking Time exhibit and especially the willow pattern trees. I also did the train and then followed a nearly 4 hour bus ride to Portree. I was SO TIRED when I got home, but lucky to get there since a couple of days later the Highlands were CLOSED due to the weather. Wonder what the entire crafts community will think of the PINK background to all my photos!