Tuesday 20th May
Experiments and development

Carole's informal discussions with knitters

 


CG: Margaret says her shop window, Fibres, needs better lighting. We discuss the idea of framing garments by frosting out most of the window apart from selected areas. This would still allow light to come into the shop but also highlight the garments. We also discuss the use of fibre-optic lighting to make a feature of the window. I give her some sources for fibre-optics and
electro-luminescent fibres.

We hold a session talking about quality, using the map of ‘artistic quality’ produced in the On the Edge third Workshop. We copy the diagram and give it out to familiarize everyone with the evaluation process. We will revisit this and develop our ideas with the quality criteria in mind (or development from them).

 

Evaluation interviews

 


We have the 1st interview with Susan as Lab director and principal artist of the Maakin Project, reflecting on the project to date, it’s highs and lows. Susan reflects on the challenge that this lab has presented to her. The function of all PAL Labs is to “release the energy and imagination of each individual who participates in them”. Therefore, to be able to identify the capacity for this to happen begins with the selection process of Lab participants. Normally Susan would know the participants, their work and their aspirations well before a Lab is held. In the Maakin Lab, distance, time and quality of communication compromised this aspect of the preparation to an extent. She feels she did not spend sufficient time in earlier visits understanding Maggie and Stephanie’s approaches to creativity in Shetland, but had developed a clear idea of what a Lab might mean to the knitters and lace makers.

"They had a long history of pressure to knit for a living and so the idea of knitting for some free wheeling creative experience was odd for them…People are now asking questions about what happens next, where will it all go?"

Susan feels that the Lab had the potential to celebrate the personalities of the makers. Initial discomfort and dislocation are a necessary phase in being able to trust one’s own creativity in working with others. Knowing the individual participants better would have been an advantage in working through this period of initial discomfort.

Susan is encouraged that individuals are asking about the future of the project. She is looking forward to the 'allies' day when those who have invested in the project might hear and see where their investment will lead.

We also have the 1st interview with Maggie (Marr) and Stephanie as On the Edge partners and co-directors of the Maakin Lab project, reflecting with them the projects’ highs and lows.

Maggie and Stephanie acknowledge that the Lab is achieving some of its objectives, in particular focusing on Shetland College’s role in supporting the industry through hosting the Lab. They are less clear about how the Lab process works in terms of directing (or not) the creativity of individual participants and about their contribution as 'co-directors' in preparing for the Lab. They are uncomfortable with Susan undertaking a ‘dual role’ as participant and overall director, and question the validity of doing so.

 

Carole's informal discussions with knitters

 


CG: Hazel remarks that there is a big skills gap in terms of linkers, seamers in particular, but also generally in knitting and finishing skills. These are not very well paid jobs. Young people don’t want to learn traditional knitting skills. The local perception of knitting is that it’s for old women. It is not seen as a worthwhile thing to do. Some firms survive through export work.

We all work flat out on tests and development.

 

Heather’s informal discussions with knitters

 


HD: Freddy has an interesting idea of knitting the veins of the body. She is joining Susan and I on the 'necklace' idea.

Mary (T) has her own web site for her knitting but is unhappy with the design of it. She is very aware of the need to market properly. She also raises the question buying different sizes of garments on the web and how difficult it is to sell when people can’t actually touch and feel the quality of the things.

Margaret's sister was inspired by Margaret setting up 'Fibres' and opened a shop in Troon selling some of Margaret's knitwear. She gets her labels made in Dunoon.

 

Quote of the day

 


"Knit wits lab"

HD: We walk to Monty’s restaurant and arrive just after nine pm – they’ve stopped serving!! They change their minds when they find out there are six of us!

SB: It has been a productive day with good support from Gray’s team. It has been interesting to imagine how the On The Edge evaluation applies to the individual projects. This kind of evaluation in a Lab environment needs a new vocabulary in commercial and academic environments to explain the realities of the creative process in action. It is interesting how predictable the process is to me (and new to those experiencing it for the first time). It is a fresh interpretation of the PAL Lab pattern and I am also spontaneously making many discoveries about my own work as a participant/director this time. There is a lot going on at once!

We need now to map projects to see where everyone is headed, to create coherent expressions of the Lab work-in-progress and explore the potential for future development of both projects and the Lab idea itself. There are strong indications of directions emerging.

The experiments continue…

click here to go to the following day