Sheila Scott is the lady in Rousay. Regarding public art, this is one of the aims of the Kirkwall Town Centre Traders, and digging on their behalf has revealed that there is a (small) public art fund administered on behalf of the Council by the Pier Arts Centre, who seem to have forgotten about it over the last couple of years. There are some engaved verses from GMB on the floor of the Picky Centre, and on the wall of the West Pier in Kirkwall. Also there are various painted mines from WW2! But I can't think of a single statue. Cheers Steven ----- Original Message ----- From: Sian Thomas To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 5:28 PM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Public Sculpture Talking to myself here.... there is public art commissioned and displayed around Orkney, though not sculpture. The large collages displayed at Kiekwall Airport, plus glass paitings depicting ORkney today and in the past, by Sheila (can't remember her surname, lives on Rousay), she was also commissioned to decorate the glass on the walkway from the Hamnavoe to the Ferry Terminal, and has depicted a seabird in flight. I think Orkney does respect its heritage, it's past and present, but perhaps choses different ways to represent that compared to other countries in the world. See - another reason Orkney is unique...... ;-) Sian ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sian Thomas" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 5:14 PM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Public Sculpture > As you say, Tuck, compared to other places in the world it is curious that > there is so little public sculpture (however one defines that) around in > Orkney. There are various organisations that could be approached to fund > such things, as well as public fund-raising in ORkney. However there seems > to be a lack of interest in such things *within Orkney* and I would guess, > the general public *in Orkney*, despite there being many local artists, > both > Orcadian and incomer. Like I said before - it may be a "cultural" thing. > Sian > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tuck" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 4:16 PM > Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Public Sculpture > > >> All, >> >> After much world travel it is curious to me that Orkney, a place with >> so much history, so many famous and amazing people, and so much arts >> activity, does not choose to endow their lands with public sculpture >> as other places do. I can't somehow believe that Iceland, as just one >> example, has more money than Orkney, yet sculpture abounds, and >> enriches the capital, and every small town as well. >> >> But public sculpture often takes forms well beyond the important man >> standing on a plinth. As we decorate our homes with small and >> affordable pieces of art so many communities beautify their public >> living rooms with art as well, and not always to celebrate someone >> who is dead and gone, but often just to add a point of focus to the >> urban landscape. And many times the two purposes coincide. >> >> I would wager there are plenty of Orkney artists who would welcome >> the chance to add their talents to the ongoing legacy of the Islands. >> One such is Frances Pelley of Evie. She is a trained figure sculptor >> who specializes in elegant letter cutting, artfully carving words >> into stones. Some of these she places in unusual spots to be >> discovered. For example, there is a small stream in Rendall, where, >> if a hiker looks carefully, he or she might find a stone lying on the >> bottom of the stream with a poem winking through the water. What a >> delightful way to enrich a landscape without really altering it. >> >> Sheila Fleet has wonderfully sensitive drawings she has done of tide >> and hill and sky, from which she extracts designs for her jewelry. If >> she were encouraged and funded to make some of those larger and in >> permanent materials, and place them carefully, just a few here and >> there, how nice they might be to encounter. Just as a cluster of >> puffins puts a sparkle on a cliff edge walk, so might one of her >> lovely works add just that touch of specialness to a view. >> >> There is a small town near here that began, several years ago, to >> place public sculptures. One woman took on this task, and found >> residents who were long time citizens of the town, who had amassed >> some money, and who were nearing the ends of their lives. Asked if >> they wanted their money to go to the government or to improving the >> town they so loved, they asked how they could help, and funding a >> public sculpture was the answer. There are now seven large pieces >> gracing the town, and, coincidentally, or perhaps not, the entire >> town has been revived, thrown off the ugly modernizations of the >> 1950s, restored the original store fronts, opened new shops and >> restaurants, and has returned to the beauty spot it once was. >> Incidentally, one of their eating and drinking establishments >> includes on their beer list two from Orkney - Skullsplitter and Red >> McGregor >> >> There is plenty of talent in Orkney, as well as those artists abroad >> who love the Islands, to begin a small renaissance of public art, I >> am sure. Future generations would be thankful. As in all such >> endeavors one starts small and grows, bit by bit. And if one >> searches, the money can be found. >> >> Tuck >> On Oct 1, 2007, at 6:07 AM, Sian Thomas wrote: >> >>> There are memorials, such as the one at Longhope to commemorate the >>> crew of >>> the Longhope lifeboat who lost their lives (I find that one very >>> moving). >>> And there are one or two other "memorials" in Kirks etc eg John Rae >>> in St >>> Magnus Cathedral. >>> >>> But generally there is little public art in Orkney. Most is found >>> within >>> the Museum and the Pier Arts Centre and the other small galleries >>> of local >>> artists etc. Generally I think most Orcadians are more focussed on >>> day to >>> day living and would prefer what money was available to go towards >>> essential >>> services, housing, health care etc rather than "public art". >>> >>> As for "BP" - if you mean the oil terminal on Flotta, that is run by >>> Talisman, and I'm afraid over the years they have put less and less >>> into the >>> community. The Council do have an ARts Development Officer, who >>> has access >>> to external funding (not much available in Orkney) but her focus is >>> more on >>> developing an arts scene involving people and developing arts for >>> people, a >>> current "living" culture, rather than something which may be seen >>> to be >>> "static" such as a sculpture. And there is indeed a rich and thriving >>> living arts culture in Orkney, which is one of the reasons I love >>> living >>> here. >>> >>> The Holm Totem Pole carving was brilliant as it involved the local >>> community >>> both young and old and there was an exchange of cultures and >>> skills, I think >>> that has far more impact locally than a more conventional public >>> piece of >>> sculpture. As for commemmorating "local heroes" of the past - >>> well I >>> think that does happen but in other ways eg "St Magnus" Festival. The >>> "George Mackay Brown Fellowship", which has awarded a fellowship >>> for a year >>> to a local writer, who has organised many other literary events >>> too, again >>> involving the community. >>> >>> Don't get me wrong - I too love sculpture, but I don't think much >>> public >>> sculpture will ever be in evidence in Orkney. And I for one would >>> rather see >>> the money spent on involving the community in arts events rather >>> than a one >>> off sculpture, which after a while blends into the landscape for >>> local folk >>> and is often only commented upon by "visitors". What do the >>> other ORkney >>> folk on the list think? >>> >>> Sian >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Tuck" <[email protected]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 3:40 AM >>> Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Names and links with Canada (was: Re (Orcadia) >>> Handyreference information) >>> >>> >>>> Orkney is not without funds, especially with BP situated there, and >>>> with the Scottish Arts Council. Does anyone have the will to begin >>>> the drive to grace the islands with images of the many colorful, >>>> important, and truly amazing people these Islands have bred? >>>> >>>> Tuck >>>> >>>> PS: In Reykjavik, Iceland, I could not fine a place to stand where I >>>> could NOT see a public sculpture. To the best of my knowledge, Orkney >>>> has only one, a piece on the north end of Stromness. For island so >>>> full of art, this is a shame. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 30, 2007, at 6:35 PM, Steven Heddle wrote: >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________ >>> Orcadia Group Photo Album >>> http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- >>> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >>> in the subject and the body of the message >> >> _______________________________________ >> Orcadia Group Photo Album >> http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > _______________________________________ > Orcadia Group Photo Album > http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > _______________________________________ Orcadia Group Photo Album http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message