Bye Bye Shetland…..for now.
The end of the residency and back down ‘sooth’ until next year.
Taking in the Buoys
The last few days have been taken up with meetings and presenting my final 3 proposals for the sculpture. The first meeting was on Sunday to the community advisory group, made up from a mix of people I have met during my time here in Shetland. It was the first time I have made such a formal presentation to a community group as part of the selection process during a project. It was a very positive meeting and the responses were varied, interesting and valid. Just before going I read an article on Public Art and the effect of on health and wellbeing for communities, I like this quote from Alex Coulter, director of the arts advocacy organisation Arts & Health South West.
“We live in a world where everything gets caught up in its economic benefits or usefulness, and art just sits there as this other thing which is not about any of that. There are things in the world that we just stand and look at and wonder about, and are not there to do anything else. That is quite important.” And, somewhat perversely but evidently, that is important for our wellbeing too.
So the next day was a meeting with the project partners who made the final decision, it was agreed to go forward with one of the proposals, which also means I shall be coming back to Shetland next year and that is exciting.
Done… finished the proposals. Ready for the meeting tomorrow with the community advisory group, back out into the world. I shall have something more interesting to write soon.
Cliffs, there are a lot in Shetland and as yet have not really photographed any, I am still slightly scared of them, I have to admit, they can be dark and of course a sheer drop into the sea, all the time I have been here I still occasionally have this completely unfounded and irrational thought that I will be swept out to sea, blown off the land………..continuing my repetitive routine of yesterday, the proposals are coming together, there is still a lot to do….it has been a pressurised week, and will continue to be right up to the meetings, nothing like a deadline !
