Latest articles for Towards Tollcross
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This is the Evening News article from monday about the exhibition!
by Louise Ellen Gibson 15 Apr 2009
Sculptures add character to pavements of city
Published Date: 13 April 2009
A SERIES of curious characters are to adorn the pavements of the Capital as part of the Tollcross Public Art Exhibition.
The sculptures will be placed on the High Riggs pedestrian pathway close to the Bank of Scotland for a weekend to intrigue passers-by.Sculptor Louise Gibson, 24, who is a final-year student at the nearby Edinburgh College of Art, is creating the works specially for the event on May 9 and 10th. The works are inspired by the shops in the area, and Ms Gibson has been visiting several local businesses regularly over the past few months to find out about them and their owners.
She hopes that after the weekend, the sculptures will be exhibited in other areas of Tollcross, either outside or on top of the shops that inspired their creation, or in another location.
Among the businesses taking part are John Saunderson’s butchers and Lupe Pintos Mexican Deli, both in Leven Street.
Ms Gibson said: “My work should be quite colourful against the greyness of Tollcross. There’s so much going on there, and so many shops. The sculpture is just about having work that’s relevant to the place. I wanted to do something contemporary that people could relate to a bit more.”
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The events just round the corner!!!
by Louise Ellen Gibson 14 Apr 2009
The events just round the corner!!
Hello!
Everything to do with the shows kicking off now! I’ve been working flat out over the Easter festivities (but not forgetting to stop and recharge on the old chocolate egg batteries every so often!) The advertising for the show is all well underway and myself and John (from John Sanderson’s Butcher and also The Tollcross Traders Associations Chairman) have been sorting out the flyers and posters, whilst arranging a bit of advertisement for the show as well. There was a wee Article on page 3 of The Evening News on Easter Monday (ill pop a wee image of it on the blog today) However there was a slight miss print for the dates of the show, so I thought id make it really clear incase there’s any queries;
The show is on the 9th and 10th of May at High Riggs outside the Two Thin Laddies Café.
These dates are over a weekend and the work will be on show from 10am till 5pm each day!!!
I have also revised the work slightly again (so many ideas!!)
There is going to be 3 pieces of work on show all of which are large structures, with one of the pieces in particular being very interactive.
I was also going to mention that I have been visiting and blethering to a huge variety of other shops and businesses in the area, getting an idea of what it is that makes them tick and involving them also in the work. So thankyou to all these people who have helped out and involved themselves! Its really helped me get even more of a feel for the area and ultimately makes the work increasingly more relevant to the space and the community-which is ultimately the whole point!!!
Il keep you posted as things move further forward!!
All the best
Louisex
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Lots of ideas for the show!
by Louise Ellen Gibson 5 Feb 2009
Hi there!
I thought it was about time I filled those interested in, on the most recent happenings with the Toll cross project. Things are going well with the organisation of the space for the show in May, I am meeting with the Toll Cross Association chairman tomorrow for a good blether about the way the works coming along and to fill out a form for the council to make sure alls well with the health and safety etc aspects of holding a exhibition in such a busy spot. I have almost completed the first sculpture for the show, and as I am working I have come up with fresh new ideas for the exhibition. It’s exciting, I am visualising the exhibition in so many different ways now. It is hugely important the work sculpturally voices the interactions I have had with the shops and the area, and I have come up with several new ideas for pieces of work that I believe will do this successfully.
The date for the exhibition has also been changed from the 1st and 2end of May to the 9th and 10th of May. The original date for the show at the start of May is a public Holiday and the show is for everyone including the workers and shoppers, so I have moved the exhibiton to a more suitable time. I hope this is still ok for anyone who wants to see the show.
Speak soon!
Louisex
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Busy Times!
by Louise Ellen Gibson 14 Jan 2009
A big hello! to all those following my Tollcross Project, I hope you’ve had a fab festive period, and are managing to brush off the January slump! I have just finished writing a large dissertation all about the Tollcross project and am now absolutely buzzing, because I have done so much writing about it and now that’s all out the way, am finally getting stuck in to making the actual sculptures- which is the best bit!! and of course what the whole idea is centred around. At the moment I am in the Beginning stages of creating the sculpture related to John Sanderson’s Butcher and its grate to be in the studio working with the materials I love. I am going to document the sculptures progress as I work and I will post images as it evolves. At the moment I am working on the moulds and if you are familiar with casting you will know its a long and very precise but immensely satisfying process. Over the weekend I am also going to start working on the piece inspired by Lupe pintos and I will also keep you updated on its development over the next couple of weeks!
Cheers (lets go with a non alcoholic orange juice cheers, after all the festive indulgence….)and if you want to ask any questions or anything really, just leave me a wee message and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as I can!
Louisex
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whats been happeng....??
by Louise Ellen Gibson 2 Dec 2008
Hello!
I Just thought I would let those following the blog know what has been happening since my last post! Over the last two days I have been meeting one to one with the owners of the businesses involved in “Towards Toll cross” and asking them specific questions about their business and themselves, so far I have spoken to Utah(from Joolz) and John(from John Sanderson’s butcher) and Emma(from The Tree House café), I have recorded all the “informal interviews” on my Dictaphone and I have to say, it has been great getting a better understanding of what the shops are all about! I have also been getting snap happy in the shops taking lots of images that will help me create the sculptures for the may show. I am meeting the other three shop owners tomorrow and will no doubt be full of information (and cups of coffee!)by the end of the day. I have also been busy making other sculpture work which will contribute to my ideas for the may show, One of these is a seriously rotund businessman who looks like he’s had his fair share of business related pressures! I will pop him on the photographs for all to see either tonight or at some point tomorrow! I will also over the next wee while put some more drawing work up, that will give you an idea of how I am developing my thoughts for the sculptures for the exhibition.
Right, well, I’m off to the studio now to put some of those ideas you will soon see onto paper, hopefully I won’t ‘accidently’ find myself in the local pub(situated in Toll Cross of course) researching into the bottom of an empty glass…its so tempting now that I’ve opened my 2end door of my advent calendar and we are aloud to finally get festive!
Cheers Louise
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Welcome to the Toll Cross Exhibition Blog page!
by Louise Ellen Gibson 12 Nov 2008
Welcome to the Toll Cross Exhibition Blog!
First of all I just thought id give you a wee bit of information about who I am and what I spend my days doing!
So…
I was born in Edinburgh, I am 23 yrs of age, and I am unmarried and currently live with my partner in Toll Cross in Edinburgh.
My name is Louise Gibson, I was born in Glasgow, I am 23 years of age, and currently live in Toll Cross in Edinburgh. I am a sculptor currently in my final year at Edinburgh College of Art.
Over the last few years I have been creating work directly out with the restricting confines of your typical white spaced gallery. I have done 3D non-commissioned public art in Berlin (Summer 2007) and also organized and exhibited in an exhibition whilst living in the country for 4 months last year. I have also done public art on the streets of my hometown Edinburgh. My public art is aimed at involving a un expectant audience and allowing them to experience my contemporary sculpture within their everyday life. I love to collage using mixed media in both 2D and 3D forms. At this point in my practice I am creating mainly figurative based work using various mediums, one of the most exciting ways of making sculpture at the moment for me is working unconventionally and imaginatively with resin fibreglass-ideal for durable pubic art. I have done a lot of ‘out of the gallery work’, but I also love the feeling of a large clean white exhibition space and have been involved in many exhibitions over the last few years. I have notably exhibited in The Royal Scottish Academy Scottish Society of Contempery Art Show for the last two years whilst also winning an award for my work in sculpture at college.Anyway enough about the past, lets talk about something far more interesting, the future….
The Toll cross project;
Toll cross Public Art Exhibition and project 2008/2009
I am organizing an exhibition of my own artwork on the streets of Toll cross in Edinburgh. The show will be held in the open space outside the bank of Scotland in the heart of the area! The exhibition will directly involve 6 businesses, with each business being the inspiration for a particular sculpture.
The 6 businesses directly involved with the project are;
John Sanderson’s High-class family Butcher- 40 Leven Street
Lupe Pintos Mexican Deli- 24 Leven Street
Statement Barbers- 36 Home Street
The Tree House Cafe- Leven Street
James Morrow Home entertainment- 1 Home Street
Joolz Clothing and jewelry-29-31 Leven Street- It will be held throughout the day over the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of May 2009.
- After the Exhibition the work will be exhibited further on the streets of Toll Cross, outside or on top of the appropriate shop or businesses involved, or in another appropriate semi-permanent location in the area.
- The Sculptures; The show will consist of 6 Sculptures made from mixed media and fibreglass. Each sculpture is a ‘character’ and a combined product of my artistic vision derived from my observation and interaction with each one of the chosen businesses in the area.
I have been, over the last couple of months regularly visiting the shops involved, and recently arranged a specific date with each, when I can take some photos of their businesses and the owners themselves, and have a more focused chat about their business and what it means to them/the intentions/aspirations etc for their shops. This is a very important part of my research, as it will inevitably feed my imagination for the collection of sculptures I am going to make for the show!
Aims and intentions (very brief);
- I believe there is a lack of un commissioned contemporary street artwork in Edinburgh, despite this; there is undoubtedly some fantastic permanent bronze works, which most defiantly have a valuable role in the aesthetics of our city. However it seems a lot of them these days do go unnoticed, and many people, including myself, are confused by the relevance of these figures in certain locations. My intention for my Contempery project is to create approachable, endearing and exciting semi permanent sculpture that is relevant and recognizable in its location. I want to invite as many people of all ages from all walks of life to see the work. My work is often very colourful and playful but also has quite dark undercurrents; it depicts strong figures and has elements of street performance. I believe it will stand out against the backdrop of the grey city in a fresh new and unexpected way. I like to think that it will fit compositionally into the space and people will experience the exhibition by chance and through community advertisement. I strongly believe that to enjoy and experience art you shouldn’t have to be familiar with the art world and you don’t have to take yourself into a gallery to see it.
- I am also hoping that the exhibition and project will ripple out with the initial involvement of a handful of key traders and open up further possibilities for me and other artists to make our work more accessible to the public.
Funding and Advertising;
I am working alongside the Toll cross Traders Association and they are helping me with flyers/posters and other possible forms of advertisement, if you want to be involved also in promoting the show then your ideas and input for the event is very much welcome!
I am also going to arrange a night at one of the local pubs where all those who are/want to be involved can to get together and discuss the exhibition and throw a couple of ideas around can, and over a relaxing local pint!
My Details; Louise Gibson
lovelylou2007@yahoo.co.uk
Feel free to contact me or leave a wee message on this page!I will be regularly updating images of my working drawings/interaction with the businesses involved and chatting about the project in general! So far I have uploaded some images of my previous show in Toll cross and some working sketches and images of the shops involved and the location of the show!
Enjoy! And al be back with more updated information soon!
All the best!
Louise