The blank canvas of that glorious empty white room/box comes around again.
Space, the element in dance outside the body.
I love walking into some studios: dance, art, ceramics, all that potential waiting...
So after my conversation with Phoebe last week and snatched chats with Barry and others here are some thoughts for this years residency.

Puppets - building on Phoebe's interest and Toby's a week
3D/large images - a week
Images and projection working large - not just in paint, school projectors/acetate....a week?
Electronic music - George, Stuart and Eddie?
Film

Painting stage hangings? for new indoor show 2020?- might wait till next year or need larger space...idea with Anna

Artists already interested:
Jo L - writing
George and Sam every Tuesday, having Tuesdays as collaborative drop in day 
Phoebe a week of exploring puppetry starting with visiting artist workshop
Toby puppetry, shadow plays
Felix Packer R& D large paintings day

Looking forward to this.
Hope to see you there.

Most Fridays Shallal Dance Theatre rehearse in the morning and after lunch we do Art and Production, next Friday we will come to Falmouth to enjoy this exhibition.
We hope to met up with some of the Falmouth based artists and those who attend Express Yourself.
Express Yourself has visiting artists workshops in the next few months...donation ort £3 a session 9.30-10.30 Wednesday mornings at The Dracaena Centre Falmouth. This week they did felting with Shallal Studios artist Laura Menzies.
http://www.shallal.org.uk/express-yourself.html

Many thanks to Falmouth Art Gallery for their unstinting support.
The exhibition is on until 16 February.

Express Yourself are also having a Portraits Exhibition in August in the Community Gallery.

Exhibition up and also launching our new new Instagram
​https://www.instagram.com/shallalarts/
We managed to hang a piece by all the artists except Miles, he has some wonderful large work from our residency, but the smaller pieces needed better materials so i was thrilled to hear last night (when we worked together in Shallal 2) that he was given art materials for Christmas !
Shallal artists often span many mediums of artistic expression. Shallal 2 have a fantastic relationship with Falmouth Art Gallery and it is one of their performance venues, with many shows commissioned and inspired by exhibitions.
www.shallal.org.uk/shallal-2.html

Well the initial offer and idea was to have an exhibition parallel to Shallal 2's commissioned performance, devised and inspired by the Illustration exhibition at Falmouth Art Gallery in December 2018.

The idea was put to Shallal Dance Theatre artists, many of whom are part of Shallal Studios and to Express Yourself emerging artists and Shallal 2.
However we had an extremely busy term leaping from one performance to three before Christmas! All different shows! 
This is my excuse, my eye went off the art work and I was relieved when we had to postpone the hanging till tomorrow! So last week i collected some work and found as i expected that many ideas weren't completed.
So, visual art is not the same as improvised dance in it's production but what it does share in Shallal is this immense reservoir of talent, so we rummaged through what we had....
And it will be worth a visit! 

It is the same as shows, there are some who constantly produce work, some gaining confidence and doing stronger new work and unexpected gems and unknown treasures to enjoy. (As well as some who you want in it but just can't make it or finish it this time - Joseph Wheeler has done some amazing work recently but none is finished.)
And just like creating a show we are waiting to see what sits well in which order etc:
Anna is helping me curate it.
So we expect tomorrow to hang a mixture of work from....
Established Shallal Studio artists:
Zoe Wilton
Toby Bridge
Sam While
Anna Willis


Tina Butler
Alan Way Owl
Jo Willis

Yvonne Hingston
Jane Parfitt
Miles Steadman
Minnie Black
Harry Tims

12 Portrait and 10 Landscape

Our crowd funder has nearly reached £500!
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/shallal-art-residency-back-lane-west
Last week we had 3 fun days in the studio with a gaggle of Shallal artists, artists from Express Yourself and the Liskeard group who had fun exploring the space with tape, dance, movement...
Some snaps from the time below and some film to be edited and watched.
In the studio this week, returning artists from last week finishing off some large paintings  and a few new faces while Barry settles in.

Great day yesterday in the studio!
Photos received from George this morning
Barry and i came with materials, Sam and Tina arrived followed by George and Zoe and Jonathan and Laura came, lovely to see her, and Toby. So old and new faces back in that space.
We had an inspiring and fun day, with conversation, preparation, intense focus and music to work by alongside cameras, film and recording played with. We may return for a shorter session next week.

Meanwhile pleased to introduce artists from Express Yourself to the space today, Yvonne came last year but Minnie, Alisia and Miles are new.
Hope to post film and more photos soon!

See how our crowdfunder is coming along and some of the Shallal history on http://shallal-arts.blogspot.com/2018/11/so-excited-and-pleased-about-this-years.htmlshallal-arts.blogspot.com/2018/11/so-excited-and-pleased-about-this-years.html
PS 
Spot new comfy supportive chair for Jonathan - thanks to Lou! and our funders for new equipment and furniture for Shallal Studios new venue, 2 rooms at ...St Peters Church Hall, Newlyn

Sam and i went for a walk to gain inspiration after lunch in the first residency and Sam returned to draw this superb view of the main street in Redruth. It was wonderful watching it unfold and recognising all the elements.

After adding up the number of artists involved this year, now 22 returning and 15 new, I had the nerve to try to make a crowdfunder.....as slightly less formal than grant applications - although last years Creation Space was fairly pain free, but only as i had done an Arts Council application already!

Please support it if you can and do share.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/shallal-art-residency-back-lane-west

​Also please note that 
"Sharing' event on Saturday 24 November now 1- 3pm, ( not 2-4pm)

​This is our timetable so far:
 there are some ? tbc

1 - 3 Laura - visual artist 

4 - maybe 'Bryant and Lumber inc' cross art form?

5 - Sam Lawrence - dance artist 

6 - Shallal Studio artists with Jo and Barry

7 - Express Yourself Artists with Jo and Barry, Emily photography
      Debs after 2.30

8 - Out There group with Lois, Janice and Jo, Emily photography

9 - Sam Lawrence - 1pm

10 - Wheeler family  - multi media

11- Anna and Annis A&A ?

12 - Shallal Studio artists?

13 - Barry 

14 - Express Yourself (and Shallal studio artists?)

15 - 17 Barry

18 - Delpha?

19 - 21 Barry

22 - 23 A&A

24 - SHARING 2-4pm 
​
25 - 30 A&A


With 19 returning artists - Lou Brett will drop into film-
and 14 new artists
it looks like an exciting time full of potential.
We are so grateful to Back Lane west for providing this annual opportunity for us.
It's a real pleasure to hear artists talk about what they plan to do and how they look forward to being in the space again!

In line with our inclusive approach and ethos, we don't normally ask people to pay but to donate if they can, and this year we have no external funding so donations towards the rent and some behind the scenes organisation and travel costs would be very welcome!