Tag: Annie Lord

Annie Lord’s Ecology Centre Residency

My mini artist’s residency, supported by Fife Contemporary, has sadly come to an end. Over spring and summer, I had the opportunity to spend time onsite – at first getting to know the people who work or volunteer here, or in some cases both! Latterly I returned to run printmaking and drawing workshops. I was so inspired by the beautiful artwork that was produced that I decided to turn them into something celebratory – to honour the vibrant community of the Ecology Centre.

So, I had the artwork made into a textile (at the Centre for Advanced Textiles, Glasgow), and spent the next few days sewing together metres and metres of flag bunting. Each individual piece was made by someone who attended a workshop or one of the volunteer groups at the Ecology Centre. They depict the animals and plants of the local landscape – tadpoles, frogs, coots, elder leaves, the rings of a tree and the earth itself.

On a Saturday at the end of July, the bunting had its first outing at the Ecology Centre’s Beach Day on Kinghorn beach. The bunting flapped in the sea breeze as people gathered to go rock-pooling, made monoprints and created sand sculptures. I hope that for years to come, this bunting will be hung out at celebrations and community events. Some of the fabric was also used to create a set of weighted beanbags – perfect for playing games with and another way to celebrate the brilliant patterns and textures created on the workshops.

The landscape of the Ecology Centre provided a rich source of inspiration, with so much to see and draw! From now on, visitors to the Ecology Centre can borrow an activity kit which will provide the tools you need to creatively explore the site. Each kit contains a handmade notebook, a viewfinder, a ‘Discovery Drawing’ guide and art materials. All of this is packaged up in a beautiful tote bag printed by one of the volunteers at the Ecology Centre. It’s the perfect way for children to spend some time engaging with nature and playing with new techniques. Kits can be borrowed from reception. We can’t wait to see what you create – please share any photos with the Ecology Centre and Fife Contemporary (Facebook/Instagram @fifecontemp @theecologycentre, and Twitter @fifecontemp @theecology_1 with #kinghornloch).

It has been such a pleasure to get to spend time at the Ecology Centre and I am looking forward to returning as a visitor to sit and sketch in the grounds and enjoy this wonderful place. A big thank you to everyone who came along to a workshop, and in particular to the volunteers who helped put together the kits.

Annie Lord – Ecology Centre Mini Residency, 2022

In the early days of spring, I begin work on my mini-residency for the Ecology Centre in Kinghorn. This role is supported by Fife Contemporary and will result in the creation of a new artwork for the centre. As an artist, my work focuses on the relationships between people, place and nature and so this is a wonderful chance to work somewhere which embodies those principles. I won’t be working on this commission alone; the many people who work, visit and volunteer at the Ecology Centre will be involved every step of the way. It is a creative activity which involves many hands, minds and viewpoints. My role is to weave these threads together to capture some of the spirit and purpose of the Ecology Centre.

The first phase of my residency is spending time getting to know the site, and the people within it. Each time I return there is something new to be seen, spurred on by the arrival of spring. One day a clutch of goslings come skittering across the loch, flanked by honking parents. The leaves of the sycamores rapidly unfurl into soft handkerchiefs, creating a canopy of green in the wooded areas. The daffodils die back and are replaced by bluebells. And in amongst it all, the staff and volunteers of the Ecology Centre are busy, busy, busy. In the tool shed, shears are brought back to shining sharpness, in the kitchen, caramel is bubbling, and scones are being prepared for the weekend. Groups of children arrive for Easter camps, and I join them round the bonfire for a marshmallow.

A few weeks later I begin running workshops. I work with two of the existing assisted volunteer groups, leading printmaking sessions where we produce beautiful prints of the animals and plants around the centre. Over the course of an hour or so, inky swans, coots, tadpoles and frogs start to appear on the page, the fingerprints of the individual makers leaving delicate traces on the paper.

Later I run a workshop which is open to the public. We spend the morning making mini notebooks and then sketching outdoors. We are lucky enough to have a clear, warm day. In retrospect we could have spent longer exploring all the beautiful spots around the site, but I, ever in waiting for rain, have prepared a whole host of activities to carry on with indoors! The group work with monoprinting, stencils and carbon paper to build up a richly textured set of images. The whole time we are working my mind is whirring with possibilities for these artworks. We talk about printing onto fabric, of making banners and screens that you can weave in and out of. It’s a brilliant day, attended by a wonderfully open and engaged group of families, teenagers and adults who are just getting back into creative work.

And now I am sitting, surrounded by all the incredible work made by volunteers and workshop attendees, pondering my next steps.

Finding Patterns in Nature

In this hands-on, free workshop, you’ll learn drawing, printing and stencil-making. You’ll all go on a short walk to take inspiration from the shapes and colours found in plants and birds, then head inside to get creative. Whether you’re a regular to the Ecology Centre or this will be your first visit, we’d love to have you here.

Fife Contemporary appointed artist Annie Lord to an artist’s residency with The Ecology Centre on Kinghorn Loch in March 2022. Since then she has visited several times to get to know the Centre, who uses and visits it, and what they do. This workshop from 11am-2pm Saturday 14 May will be her first public workshop there for anyone aged 7+.

The art that you create at the workshop will be used as inspiration for the final community artwork which will be unveiled at the centre later in 2022.

No experience required and all materials will be provided. Children must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the workshop (and we’d love for you to get involved too!).

If you have any access requirements please contact admin@theecologycentre.org