Diary of an artist writer online

This is the first photograph of Craig-y-nos Castle, built in 1880.( Well, this is where the image should be if only the technology worked…)

The “Children of Craig-y-nos” online book has turned into a public project using new media to tap into the collective memories of a whole community dealing with a taboo disease.

I am co-authoring a printed version with Outreach Historian Dr Carole Reeves, organising a Patients Reunion next month which ties in with an online photographic exhibition and an exhibition in Wales.

It is supported by The Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine, University College London’, Heritage Lottery Fund and The Sleeping Giant Foundation (new media oral history charity in Wales).

More good news

Dr Carole Reeves of The Wellcome Medical Trust has agreed to co-author the book with me putting it into a medical history perspective.

She's a workaholic so my own work has speeded up as a a result.

Now arranging to have an online photographic exhibition to coincide with the "real" one in Wales.

Meanwhile I am off to Berlin tomorrow for a few days.

Good news!Heard today that the Heritage Lottery Fund has granted an extension to The Sleeping Giant Foundation in Wales to help me finish my project. They are helping to do some of the interviews- over 100 people came forward as a result of my article in the local newspaper.

"The long-tail effect"
Still having difficulty getting my head around the "long tail"effect of the net but yet another example reminded me this morning of its existence.
While I am deeply immersed in research for my book – and it now looks as if The Wellcome Trust may be able to fund its publication thanks to the historian Carole Reeves with whom I am working- my web videos have a life of their own.

Take sheep-shearing ( over 3,000 downloads so far) there is an on-going net discussion over the breed of sheep I have filmed. ( And no, I dont know the breed either, since you ask).
Is it art? I dunno but I do know its about communication and involving people through social networking sites such as this who would not normally get in touch with each other.
I prefer to think of it as another branch of social scculpture.

To view go to video blog:www.annshaw.co.uk or use the following link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ_b00WTQ18#GU5U2spHI_4