Looking in Looking out lecture at Dumfries

Following on from the popular 2011 lecture series ‘Art of Place’ for 2012, The University of Glasgow’s new Solway Centre for Environment and Culture, in Dumfries, in association with Spring Fling are delighted to present ‘Looking In – Looking Out’ – a three part lecture series. Focusing on the themes of ‘Memory’, ‘Land’ and ‘Sustainability’, the series celebrates the work of artists from this region; as part of the historical artistic legacy, stimulated by its distinctive environment and culture, whilst remaining engaged with and sustaining links to the world outside. These lectures will explore the relationship between creativity and location – a key theme for the Solway Centre for Environment and Culture just as it is for Spring Fling – engaging with the reasons why, and where, artists choose to work where they do.

Each evening – four artists who have participated in Spring Fling over the past ten years will speak about their work and practice; a series of art professionals from out with the region will speak about their work and experience (speakers to be announced on the page from February 2012); and Dr Valentina Bold from The University of Glasgow representing The Solway Centre for Environment and Culture will lead a Q&A with the participating artists.

MEMORY

Wednesday 18 April 2012, 6pm – 7.30pm

Artists have long been drawn to Dumfries and Galloway. With a focus on Dumfries and Galloway’s artistic legacy and its continual appeal for living artists, these speakers will talk about living and working in the region, their journey towards feeling part of an artistic community, and being inspired or influenced by artwork or artists from the past.

Invited External Speakers:

Dr. Maggi Toner-Edgar – After working in France and America and running her own fashion design company in the 1980s, Maggi spent over 20 years leading Degree and MA courses in Fashion and Applied Arts in Higher Education at UCLAN and Cumbria Institute of the Arts. Her main interest is in fashion, millinery and sculptural textiles with the Cumbrian landscape and weather conditions inspiring her in relation to concepts, colour and form. www.toneredgar.com

Maggi will talk about:

Memory and Thinking Caps

These three small collections formed a mini-memoir, inspired by memories of people and place.

The practice research involved investigating how we learn from our own experience of practice. My research explored how the physical experience of being creative can exorcise memories; it shows how the creative process can be beneficial for lifting your mind above and away from the everyday.  Fabrics have meanings that transmit visual messages and concepts, often not fully recognised or understood.

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Fashion runway

I love the Gianranco collection so chic and simple I love the latest runway show http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2012/ready-to-wear/gianfranco-ferre/full-length-photos – should not really be looking was supposed to be sending out messages to invite folk to Wedbnesday’s book launch. So easily distracted!!!

Runway collections

Lovely chic and simple Gianfranco Ferre collection http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2012/ready-to-wear/gianfranco-ferre/full-length-photos.

Really looking …

Really looking forward to the launch of my book – if you can’t make Carlisle on 29th Feb and would still like to come, thats ok.  Please come to Cockermouht New Bookshop on 9th March at 4.30pm for a glass of early Friday evening wine and a chat.  The local Celeb Alan Dawson @adaptahouse is going to introduce me!

New Book : ” Thinking Caps” by Maggi Toner-Edgar Dec 2011, Published by 2QT.

I am launching a book on Wed 29th Feb @7.30pm at Book case, Carlisle.

 

1. This book is only one little snapshot of the full extent of my 10 years of work on the creative process. My research findings in relation to the reflective process are hinted at in the book but it is illustrated with my hats.  The book is a personal artistic story, along with a sneak view into personal journals, which were a bearing of my soul and about my life experience – during a roller coaster journey, which was the death of my sister and two other family members. The hats are the vehicle used to tell a story – which is poignant in parts and inspiring in others.

 

2. The research  work I carried out behind this book, investigated how people learnt from  their own practical experience.  It  shows how the creative process can be particularly beneficial for lifting your mind above and away from the depressing situation everyday.    It displays how clothing and  fabrics  can have meaning, and transmit visual messages and concepts often not recognised or fully understood.  It is a bit of millinery (hat making) and a bit of philosophy quite a quirky and unusual mixture, which sums me up really! This is a mini-memoir, which works   as a book in its own right when illustrated with the textile experiments hats. Launching on Leap year day is pertinent as I refer to the benefits, I gained extra   days.   At 51 I didn’t expect to be alive,  writing books and starting a Style Business.  At the ages of 36 and 49 three of my family members had died, of breast and ovarian cancer, I had surgery and my   other sister is just in remission after 8 years and a mastectomy. It is living evidence of a journey through the tunnel and survival at the other end.

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Come along to the Launch of my New book at Book Case Carlisle opposite Tullie House.