Back to Books is a Corby based, county wide voluntary arts organization which has, during the last month been working with artist Carole Miles to stage the first visual arts workshops throughout The Cube, as part of The Big Draw, a yearly nationwide initiative begun by the Campaign For Drawing. There was a mix of working with locally based professional artists on some fun up-cycling of old china, textiles workshops with adults & students from Tresham college & drawing workshops for all ages & levels of experience. On the back of all this activity we developed the first art installation in the Chamber Foyer, which includes 16 suspended fabric columns, hung on arms, rather like mobiles, so they float, bob, shift and inhabit the space: produced by Carole Miles, in response to the work created during the public workshops. The textiles and ceramics up-cycled during the workshops are on display and open to the public until December 16th.
The Mayor of Corby, Gail McDade and Corby Borough Council's Chief Executive, Chris Mallender walk and talk amongst the Floating Columns
We thought it would be good to try and bring the outside inside the cube and to try and inhabit the long Chamber Foyer space in a way that would add softness and movement whilst reflecting the strong shapes made by the existing concrete columns, so artist Carole Miles in conversation with J Devereux, Corby’s Strategic Arts & Cultural Officer, devised a series of floating fabric columns which could carry reproductions of some of the drawings made. Participants who came to the Family Drawing Days made drawings of the landscape from various windows inside the Cube, a selection of these were made into stencils and screen printed onto cotton strips, other drawings were scanned and applied with sublimation heat transfers.
Images by – Ann Leonard, Lisa Wilkinson, Sarah Stringer, Kate Dyer, Maureen Walvin, Shula Hawes, Willy Gilder, Carole Miles, Bethany Walker, Hayley Langwith, Mollie Durrant-Jones, Bethany Pacan, Rachel Wood, Monica Maguire, Evie Price, Louisa Walker, Hayley Waltham, Olivia Reed, Jason Croucher, Emma Meakins, Aleks Armonlene, Lyndsay Grant Muller, Cathie Shuttleworth, Dora Shrive, Sophie Cullinan, Oscar Cullinan, Adam Kay, Maggie, Gwen & Rhona from the Stevie Way Art Group, Becky Shippe, Nigel Shippe, Millie Ballard, the Padayach Family, Milec Saba & Family, the Bantin Family, Suryaudit & Family, Kitty Chan & Family , The Davidson Family, the Miln Family, the Finan Family, the Dunne Family and many more….
The Family Drawing Days were devised and delivered by artist Carole Miles and assisted by Sarah Stringer and Lisa Wilkinson for Back To Books.
Hoops & Hangers by Michael Miles, Scanning by Sarah Stringer and help with stitching, Kate Dyer. Many thanks to Marie Taylor, Carol Parfitt, Guy Newton, Andy Eathorne and Lubelia Watkin-Wynn and Tresham College for helping to make this such a successful project!
Guests and participants mingle amongst the Floating Columns
Hamish Young helping to animate the space!
The Mayor of Corby, Gail McDade, Corby Borough Council's Chief Executive, Chris Mallender and J Devereux, Corby’s Strategic Arts & Cultural Officer admire the cake stands made during the Tea With A View Day.
Participants made drawings of the landscape from various windows inside the Cube and transferred them onto old crockery to create a series of up-cycled cake stands – observational drawings, sculptural forms and recycling discarded domestic ware, brought together to mark the changing landscape and to hint at all the celebrations that will take place inside the Cube.
The Mayor of Corby, Gail McDade, Corby Borough Council's Chief Executive, Chris Mallender
Works are by - Ann Leonard, Emma Boulton Roe, Marian Anderson, Cathie Shuttleworth, Dora Shrive, Sophie Cullinan, Oscar Cullinan, Meriel White, Lisa Wilkinson, Sarah Stringer, Kate Dyer, Lesley Hagger, Jean Chapman, Maureen Walvin, Allan Davies, Sonia Hawes, Shula Hawes and
Lyndsay Grant Muller. The workshop was devised by artist Carole Miles and inspired by the work of Esther CoombesSarah Stringer making sure all the cushions have been secured to the sofas before the exhibition opening.
The Mayor of Corby, Gail McDade said "I cannot get over the drawing and embroidery of the changing Corby landscape." The Mayor is pictured here with cushions by Jennifer Helliwell and Ros Stoddart.
Participants made drawings of the landscape from various windows inside the Cube and translated them into a series of cushions to temporarily adorn the sofas in the Chamber Foyer and to add a touch of softness to the environment, an intervention that would remind people of their homes, of conversations with friends or family, of warmth and comfort.
Works are by – Jennie Helliwell, Lorraine Dziarkowska. Ros Stoddart, Ann Leonard, Meriel White, Lisa Wilkinson, Sarah Stringer, Kate Dyer, Maureen Walvin, Sonia Hawes, Shula Hawes, Willy Gilder, Carole Miles, Bethany Walker, Hayley Langwith, Mollie Durrant-Jones, Bethany Pacan, Rachel Wood, Monica Maguire, Evie Price, Louisa Walker, Hayley Waltham, Olivia Reed, Jason Croucher, Emma Meakins, Aleks Armonlene.
The project has been delivered in partnership with Corby Borough Council, Corby Cube and supported by The Northamptonshire Community Foundation with funds from the Constance Travis Trust. We would also like to thank J Devereux, Corby’s Strategic Arts & Cultural Officer who has been a source of help, inspiration and refreshments throughout the course of this project!
Photographs by Andrew Rushton & Carole Miles
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