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Silvana McLean CV selection (A full CV is available on request) Artist's Statement My work involves distilling impressions, history and memory and accepting the challenge of depicting those ideas in a relevant variety of media. The remoter islands and seaboards of Scotland and Ireland have been of particular interest, from the stark beauty of the coastline to the effect of these margins on the life of the people who live there. |
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Recently completing a public art project, ‘Voices’ based in Glentrool, has led to a reconnection with the land, focussing on how geological and glacial activity leaves a unique story in the bedrock and surrounding landscape. Those who lived on the land were shaped by these same forces. This research into glacial action turned my attention north to Iceland where this activity is being enacted in the present day. The landscape is regularly re-forming and shifting and is home to several glaciers and volcanoes which uneasily co-exist with each other. The continuing renewal of the Icelandic landmass offers a unique opportunity to study geological information in a contemporary visual way. The land itself is continually scored by melting water from the ice caps and is an actual embodiment of the etching process. To a printmaker, the combination of white ice and black sand is irresistible. My experience of such elemental vastness is resulting in large works which attempt to show the scale of impact on the senses. It is a natural development of continuing interest in layered, textural, surfaces and stark, uncompromising landscapes. Prizes and Awards July 2010 - Forthcoming solo exhibition at The Meffan Gallery. May 2009 - Place, Identity and Memory Artist Book Exhibition. 2008 - Visual Artists Award for research trip to Iceland to create new body of work for solo exhibition in 2010. 2007 - Glentrool and Merrick Public art commission commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage and project managed by DGAA. This project was commissioned to reconnect people to the landscape and took the form of a portfolio of etchings based on stories and memories from Glentrool and Merrick area. This was in collaboration with writer and poet, Mary Smith. Project launched in Summer 2008. 2006 - British Mini-print Exhibition ( Scottish Prizewinner) 2005 - Visual Artists Award enabling research trip to North Uist to create prints for two-person exhibition at Gracefield Arts Centre in Nov 2006. 2003 - Elected Professional Member of Society of Scottish Artists. 2002 and 2003 - Scottish Arts Council Professional Development Funding, the latter being to attend an Environmental Arts course in North Uist. 2002 - Painting commissioned for Shetland Museum. 2001 - Three month Residency in Shetland Oct-Dec. 2001 - Shetland Arts Trust Grant for exhibition ‘Watermarks’ 2001 - Residency in Donegal to create page for Great Book of Gaelic. My interest in printmaking lead to involvement with The Great Book of Gaelic Project, a collaboration of 50 Irish and 50 Scottish artists, poets and calligraphers creating a large contemporary book. At the moment it is touring internationally. 1999 - Monumental Miniatures for The Millenium. Commissioned by Scottish Touring Exhibitions Consortium. 1998 and1994 - JFM Purchase Prize Society of Scottish Artists. Currently, I lecture part time in Mixed media and Printmaking at Dumfries and Galloway College. I exhibit throughout the UK from London to Shetland and regularly at Royal Glasgow Institute, The Society of Scottish Artists, Visual Arts Scotland and Glasgow Art Fair. Work is held in Gracefield Permanent Collection, Shetland Museum, The Scottish Poetry Library and many private collections. Articles (reproduced in full) DGB Life Magazine (issue 3) |
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