It’s time to fulfil our dreams
Five artists from the Stirling area have been awarded a Scene Stirling digital commission to help transform their creative practice.
Creative writer Izzy Brims, choreographer Malcolm Sutherland, illustrator David Galletly, sculptor Ken Elliott and multi-disciplinary artist Jules Mcallister will each receive a £1,500 bursary, guidance from a leading industry mentor and three months expert training.
Izzy Brims is a Stirling University creative writing graduate and has been commissioned to write a series of stories showcasing creative disabled people from Stirling.
She said: “As a disabled person myself, I strongly believe in a variety of different voices being heard, especially ones which have been sidelined in the past. I want to highlight the work of local disabled creatives, so that their work can be recognised and enjoyed by a wider audience.
“I’m hyped to join such an exciting new venture with Scene Stirling and looking forward to meeting fellow creatives in the Stirling area, learning new skills and starting the journey towards developing my own career in the arts.”
Dunblane’s Malcolm Sutherland is a choreographer and dancer with 13 years professional experience working internationally across state theatres and dance projects all over the world. He has been commissioned to create a unique, audio visual experience incorporating dance, visual imagery and sound.
Malcolm said: “I’m looking forward to applying my creative experiences and ideas to a local context for the first time. I hope it will lead to future collaborations in the Stirling area. The training programme will be a great boost to my career development.”
David Galletly is an artist, illustrator and graphic designer from
Stirling.
He has been commissioned to curate, create and design a podcast series featuring local creative professionals – promoting his home city as a great place to live and work.
He said: “Normally I draw pictures, design posters and paint murals, but recently I’ve taken my first few tentative steps in animation. Joining the digital commissions will give me the opportunity to expand as an artist and experiment with an entirely new medium, podcasts. I’m over the moon to be part of the programme and can’t wait to get started.” Sculptor Ken Elliott, whose work has been displayed by the Engine Shed and Stirling University Art Collection, only discovered his talent two years ago. His artistic practice has quickly developed from the production of pen and ink handcoloured drawings, to computercontrolled wood carving and metal sculpture.
Ken is currently creating a series of natural world-themed sculptures, one of which he plans to film in a 360-degree video as part of his commission. He said: “It is still the early day of my creative journey, having spent most of my career as an engineer. I enjoy experimenting with new techniques. “My work is currently focused on exploring ways to express some of the elegant forms in the natural world using only a minimal set of curved threedimensional shapes, handformed in aluminium strips using simple tools. This includes the metal strip sculpture Wave which was on display at the University’s Pathfoot building last November.”
Jules Mcallister, or Rue Five, is a multi-disciplinary artist originally from Stirling, currently living in Glasgow. As a member of the Scottish art collective Team Recoat and founder of Folk-life, he has exhibited extensively throughout Europe and the Americas. He has been commissioned to design a virtual exhibition tour, supplemented by public artworks (murals, signs and sculptures). The project will include an interactive Gpstriggered walk around his home city.
Jules said: “I’m happy to be a part of the Scene Stirling Digital Commissions and look forward to working with them in furthering my own creative journey within the arts.”