Professional Documents
Culture Documents
JanuaryMarCH 2012
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participate
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Doodling
AT THE ROyAL INfIRmARy
We are always looking for imaginative ways to involve people in the arts from painting workshops in the Medicine for the elderly wards, to an 80 strong woman choir in the Hospitals main mall.
We base everything we do on the interests of staff and patients at the Royal Infirmary and over the years that has led to some very interesting projects and events. The more we learn, the more creative the projects become, hence our recent interest in staff and patient doodling. Over the past year artist Jonathan Owen has been working with staff and patients at the Royal Infirmary to turn their doodles into artworks. In such a busy hospital, time is limited but theres always a minute for a quick doodle so Jonathan has been working with these small sketches turning them into murals and ornamentation for uniforms and pyjamas. Whether its big, bold paintings that brighten up a hallway, or subtler, portable artworks that blend into daily life at the hospital, the starting point is the same pencil, paper and a quick moment to doodle. Jonathan is looking for more inspired doodles so theres still time for you to get involved.
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LEARn
Since 1987 weve been learning about each hospital communityfinding out what interests people and coming up with new ways to involve them.
Welcome to The Courant, Artlinks new-look newsletter. Here youll find information about Artlinks varied programme of workshops, projects, events and exhibitions at the Western General, Royal Infirmary and St. Johns Hospitals.
CREATE
At the Royal Infirmary, staff and patient doodles are being made into murals as well as ornamentation for uniforms and pyjamas. Craft workshops at the Western general focus on making quirky things for particular departments, and at St. Johns patient artworks are being imaginatively adapted to change spaces within the hospital.
Weve done something similar at the Royal Edinburgh hospital with The Morningside Mirror, a newspaper published in the hospital from the 1840s to 1970s.
Read on...
01: Aileen Benson in front of her doodle mural 02: Aileens original drawing 03: Exhibiting all the doodles (All other doodles are anonymous)
For an edition of The *new* Morningside Mirror please contact Artlink on 0131 229 3555 or email us at info@ artlinkedinburgh.co.uk
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drawings and doodles. This itself caused great debate on the ward! I think the vast majority of my staff doodle its very relaxing and weve been talking about what the doodles mean (a bit like what your dreams tell you). It was very interesting to hear about Jonathans ideas and to hear his interpretation of our ideas.
Both Kirsty and Sharon have been involved in Jonathans project: Sharon and some of her colleagues have contributed drawings to the doodle box, and Kirsty has been working alongside Jonathan to make an exhibition with the results.
Sharon: We asked
Jonathan to try to bring some brightness and colour into our ward so he encouraged the staff and patients to provide
Doodles exhibition Jonathan and I made a selection of the drawings that had been collected and we chose to present some in their original form while others were enlarged, repeated and extended to take on a new life on the gallery walls. We also included a doodle box in the gallery to collect new
doodles for us to work with later. We were delighted to get over 100 submissions from nurses, doctors, domestic staff, patients and visitors. One doodle has been transformed into a mural in the staff room of the Medicine for the Elderly ward 203. Jonathan chose a fantastically colourful drawing by a member of staff called Aileen Benson. All seem to agree that the bright and cheerful colours of the mural are a welcome change to the usual magnolia walls!
04: Anonymous staff doodle from Ward 202 05: Mural in the phone alcove outside Ward 202 06: Kirsty Macdonald, Artlinks gallery and Events Coordinator
OPPORTunITIES:
Are you musical?
We are always looking for talented people to entertain patients so if you are a professional or amateur musician and would like to play in the hospital then get in touch.
ExhIBITIOnS:
EvEnTS:
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Banksy and make way for Benson! Aileen has brought friends and family to see her doodle. She is very excited.
until 7th Jan Come along to the Pelican gallery before 7th January for your chance to see this display of old music hall and theatre posters from the archives of the Scottish Music hall & variety Theatre Society. Inspired by conversations with staff and patients from Medicine of the Elderly wards, we have sourced a collection of memorable posters and programme covers from a selection of Edinburgh and glasgow venues from the 1920s to the present day.
Do you remember?
JanMarch From January through to March we will be organising a series of reminiscence workshops around childhood memories. We can visit your ward with one of these reminiscence and handling boxes from the Museum of Childhood:-
The Patient Information Centre at the Royal Infirmary is open MonFri from 9am5pm for patients, relatives, carers, the public and staff, and our support is free of charge. To find out more about how to make use of this new service drop in or contact us on... t: 0131 242 7660 or e: patientinfo@luht.scot. nhs.uk
Street Games:
Do you remember how to use a diabolo, whip and peerie or gird and cleek? have a go at these games and bring back old memories.
Schooldays:
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For a limited time only Jonathan will be turning your *new* doodles into a wall painting, or charms for your favourite pair of Crocs! Can you think of a space that would benefit from a new mural? Do you like to doodle? Do you have a pair of Crocs that need adorning? Contact us with your doodle designs and/ or suggest a location for a mural.
The best days of your life? Remember your schooldays with a slate and pencil, tawse, dipping pen and copy book.
What hobbies did you have as a child? Did you sew samplers, collect scraps or cigarette cards? We can provide examples that will bring back old memories.
Childrens Games
18 Jan30 March This exhibition will take a fond look at games past and present from the perspective of Royal Infirmary staff and patients. Let these images take you back to your youth and the days of playing peevers and skipping in the school playground, kicking a football in your street and playing plainy-clappy with a bouncy ball...
Do you have any games that you would like to tell us about?
It could be games that you played as a child, or games that you play now. You could have a story from your childhood that you would like to tell us, or maybe some old photos to share with us? Whatever it is, we would like to hear from you.
One, two, three aleerie I saw Wallace Beery Sittin on his bumbaleerie Eatin chocolate biscuits
JanMarch Bruce Davies singersongwriter, will play songs from your childhood. numbers such as You Cannae Throw Yer granny from a Bus and Ally Bally Bee will resonate around the mall and on selected wards.
gET In TOuCh
with artlink by calling Vanessa on 0131 229 3555 or emailing info@ artlinkedinburgh.co.uk for more information on any of the PartIcIPate listings.
If you would like a concert or event on your ward then get in touch.
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Sensitively changing
AT ST. jOHNS
Weve put on races and walks and various sports competitions at St. Johns, weve had craft weeks and talks and concerts, you name it. these events have always been well attended, but in recent months we decided that we would slow down our approach, and work with people who needed us to spend time with them. We are doing this by helping them to make something which would change the look of their department, supporting people to make their mark on their ward or working space.
As a result, artist Frances Priest has been working one-to-one with patients in some of the quieter, more sensitive areas of the hospital. Taking the time to get to know individuals and finding out more about their pastimes is informing Frances current projects. She is interested in making and handcrafting things together and the conversations that arise from these shared activities, looking at the ways in which people lose themselves in an interest and use it as a way of coping with particular situations. transform one of their spaces by creating screens to give a sense of privacy to what is currently a very open area used for patient and staff meetings. The patterns that came about through my workshops are being incorporated into the overall design of the screens. They should be ready to install in the coming months and well have a small unveiling event so keep an eye out for it. I am now beginning to work in Psychiatric OT and Psychology departments, looking at ways to change and personalise some of the spaces, including a meeting room and a fitness gym. I want to continue working with the idea of motif and patterns, working with patients and staff to create individual designs that we can then use and repeat in different and unexpected ways around the departments. It will be interesting to see where and how these might pop up.
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07: Frances Priest in the studio 08: Frances working with patterns made at St. Johns 09: Motifs based on hobbies and professions 10: Sketching out a plan for the screen 11: Linda working on her design 1214: Rab, Richard and Janets motifs
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Show
to May 2011 I visited the Macmillan Centre at St. Johns regularly and began to work with people by chatting to them about their interests. We talked about peoples jobs and spoke about our childhoods and the games we used to play. From this we worked together to create patterns and drawings based on our conversations: Rab and his beautiful award winning garden; Keith and his memories of working as a chef; Richards designs for gilded patterns from his work as a book binder. The Macmillan Centre asked if we could help
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WHATS ON AT ST jOHNS
WHATS ON AT ST jOHNS
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OPPORTunITIES:
Want to design a motif?
Over the coming months artist Frances Priest will be working in different departments in the hospital, working with staff and patients to design motifs. In art, a motif is a repeated pattern in a design or composition. It could be an image of a person or an activity, a department symbol or it could just be a simple pattern.
ExhIBITIOnS:
EvEnTS:
until 21st Jan Interested in fly fishing? Then come and see our exhibition on Fly Fishing on the River Almond. Find out what flies are best used on particular sections of the river from the perspective of a local fishing group set up through Artlinks Arts for Mental health Project. Look out for your fishing stories appearing on the gallery walls over the coming months.
Musical Motif
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JanMarch In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in, or is characteristic of a composition. For example, do you know this musical motif? ...du du du duuuu. Its the first movement of Beethovens Symphony no. 5 which is the most famous motif in Western classical music.
Wednesday 23pm Main Reception. hospital volunteers will encourage you to wash in a glow gel. You then test how well you have washed by putting your hands under a light box, all the areas you have missed will gLOW!. A great fun way to highlight the need for washing hands well.
On the last Thursday of every month, come along to the main reception and grab yourself some jewellery or leather bags, perfect for gifts or as a little treat for yourself.
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MOTIF
30 Jan6 april A selection of patterns and motifs designed by artist. Frances Priest with patients and staff to ornament spaces around the hospital. Frances will work with staff and patients to design motifs which will then appear in various ornamental or decorative art works throughout the hospital. We anticipate that work from these workshops will appear in the MOTIF show at the end of January 2012. From textile patterns to ornamentation on tea sets, the artist will explore with staff and patients in the hospital just how to make subtle (and not so subtle) change to hospital departments. Look out for patterns popping up in unusual and unexpected places...
From January through to March we will put on a series of concerts of popular classics by Beethoven, Debussy, Strauss, Wagner and Prokofiev. If you are interested in having a MOTIF concert on your ward then please get in touch.
Wednesday 7am4pm Main Reception. Come along and buy local produce and work your way towards your 5-a-day.
Spiritual Care
Open to people of all faiths and of none. The Chaplains offer spiritual care to patients, carers, relatives, staff, volunteers and visitors. Chaplains can be contacted on: t: 01506 522 187/8 (or internal 52187/8) There is generally a wholetime chaplain on duty in the hospital between 8.30am and 4.30pm weekdays. Our office is next door to the chapel.
gET In TOuCh
with artlink by calling Vanessa on 0131 229 3555 or emailing info@ artlinkedinburgh.co.uk for more information on any of the PartIcIPate listings.
Making it
As time passed we started to test ways in which we could utilise these skills. This has evolved into a series of workshops in which people get involved in, in their spare time. Crafty Lunches have become a feature of the Western general for the past few years. They offer staff and patients a chance to get away from it all for an hour to concentrate on
15: Fabulous results from the hat making workshop 16: Lunchtime crafters in action 17: hat making final touches 18: Terri at the origami workshop
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Read on...
WHATS ON AT ST jOHNS
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lunchtime crafters
terri Lindsay and elaine Lord are regulars at the crafty Lunches. terri is a Study co-ordinator and elaine is an administrative co-ordinator for the creutzfeldt-Jakob disease surveillance team based at edinburgh Universitys site at the Western General Hospital.
Their first encounter with Artlink was at a hulahooping event it was there that they found out about the Crafty Lunches. In the time that theyve been attending theyve tried their hand at making jewellery, ceramics, silk painting, embroidery, origami and felting. Of all the workshops that theyve attended Elaine most enjoyed the embroidery and tie-making sessions. Im hoping to use my new tiemaking skills in my role as costume assistant at a local drama group called Forth Childrens Theatre group. Terris favourite workshop was in silk painting, I thought that was very effective!. I also really enjoyed the quilting session and recently I made a cover for a Moses basket for my new baby grandson. Elaine couldnt believe that I had made it!. Both Terri and Elaine say that they like the Crafty Lunches because sometimes they feel like theres nothing to do at lunchtime except for work. Its good to get away from your desk and try to switch off for a little bit its a good way of relaxing and learning new things.
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OPPORTunITIES:
Crafty involvement?
In the coming months artist Francesca nobilucci will be asking you to design a coat of arms for your department, ward or family. All you need to do is get in touch and we will supply you with your mission. Look out for workshops taking place throughout the hospital which may help you to design and realise your coat of arms. We anticipate that workshops will range from jewellery to mono-printing to clay work and will result in some very imaginative coats of arms.
ExhIBITIOnS:
Curious Crafts
until 6th Jan Showcasing unique and obscure crafts from contemporary Scottish makers alongside curiosities made by hospital staff. Check out hand-painted signs, funky embroidery, wacky hats, pop sculpture and the Crafty Missions quilt that Wendy contributed to.
EvEnTS:
JanMarch From January through to March we will be organising a series of events around the theme of PEOPLE. These events will reflect the rich cultural diversity of the hospital - expect Polish Singers, Bollywood Dancers, Scottish Chanters, Egyptian Artwork, nepalese landscapes. Whatever your talents and cultural interests, we would love to hear from you!
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19: Lunchtime crafters in action 20: Elaine Lord 21: Elaine and Terris wall of art 22: Terri Lindsay 23: Wendy Macfarlane 24: Tumbling blocks from the Crafty Lunches quilt 25: Details from the Crafty Missions quilt
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Crafty missions
Wendy Macfarlane, a colorectal nurse practitioner at the Western General, and avid quilter has been taking part in the crafty Missions.
I think the project is an excellent idea it can be hard to get away for a lunch hour so I like the idea that the project comes to me. I can take the pack with everything I need - thread, pattern, etc. - work on the project at home, and then hand it in at a later date. Wendys most recent mission was to make a flower from hexagonal patches made from old nurses uniforms sourced by Yvonne Mullock in the hospitals sewing room. her patchwork piece, along with those made by other Crafty Missions participants has been sewn together to make a full quilt.
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Artist Francesca nobilucci wants to know if you have any ideas for artworks that you would like to see in your office, ward or department? Your very own resident Crafty Lunches and Crafty Missions artists would like to make something for you. Come forward to let us know what you would like!
11th Jan30th March A take on the very popular Open Show which involves staff and patients across The Royal Edinburgh, The Royal Infirmary, St. Johns and the Western. Staff and patients have the opportunity to show artwork which involves the subject matter of PEOPLE. Look out for painted portraits, photographs of townscapes, and whatever else budding artists come up with! This is a touring show.
These events will take place in the gallery and we can also arrange for them to take place on your ward.
Saturday 5 May & Sunday 6 May What will you do with your Bank holiday weekend in 2012? Join Maggies on an amazing 24 hour team challenge event, biking 30 miles and then hiking 8, 23 or 41 miles to our Bronze, Silver or gold finishes. Its not a race its a fantastic, exhilarating (and demanding!) experience youll never forget!
gET In TOuCh
with artlink by calling Vanessa on 0131 229 3555 or emailing info@ artlinkedinburgh.co.uk for more information on any of the PartIcIPate listings.
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In the exhibition will be the results of the latest Crafty Mission a large scale version of Boticellis The Birth of venus. Divided into 20 x A4 sections, each section re-imagined and made by a staff or patients in the hospital. Come and see just what it looks like when they are all put together!
Cultural Crafters
We are looking for cultural crafters who are interested in showing their work. Do you make or do you know of someone who makes Mexican Masks, French Lace, Indonesian Batik, Polish Pottery, Japanese Woodcuts or Kenyan Beads? Whatever your craft, we are interested in hearing from you.
You can take advantage nOW of our Early Bird registration fee just 75 instead of 125 per person. But hurry - places are strictly limited, and when theyre gone, theyre gone. www. maggiescentres.org.uk
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Funded by:
The Courant is written and produced by Artlink, a company registered in Scotland no. 87845 with charitable status, Scottish Charity no. SC006845.