POP Blackburn

Freehold Murals Finished

2011-06-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

At last some reasonable pictures of the finished murals at Freehold School, Oldham.

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

2010-05-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Keith Parkinson
invites you to the preview of his exhibition
Onwards
At Unit 3, Waterloo Pavilions, Church Street, Blackburn.
Thursday 17th June 2010
6:30pm to 8:30pm
Refreshments available

POP GOES TO TAUNTON

2010-03-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

Taunton High Street

Keith pulled! - This lady wants to take him away to a hotel in Sidmouth!!

The Our Place Your Place shop

Bev Susan and Keith were lucky enough this week to make the trip to Taunton to visit the partner project there.

We had a great visit, stayed in a lovely hotel, ate some great food and met some really friendly people.

The staff at Taunton were really helpful and gave some useful insight about their project.

They did some very interesting work on the heritage of Taunton, its history and the plans for future regeneration.

I think that Robbie and her team were a little overwhelmed once Bev and Susan warmed up and blasted them with the tempestuous force that is there enthusiasm!!!!

We did some activities as you can see from the photographs and had a good time. Notice that there's yet another photo of Bev with a brew in her hand!

GRAND CELEBRATION - THE FINAL CURTAIN

2010-03-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

Just a taster of an amazing last day at POP. More comment and pictures to follow during the week including an account of our visit to OUR PLACE YOUR PLACE in Taunton, Somerset. Our partner project finsih next week and we get to join them for a couple of days!

The last week in POP

2010-03-11T03:33:00.000-08:00

Tuesday saw another successful Public Art Consultation session.

More artist responses on Wednesday - this time a Year 7 group from St Bede's - who were really excited and did very well.

We were also joined by Dora Spanou from the MLA who thoroughly enjoyed getting down and dirty!

Textiles

2010-03-06T07:29:00.000-08:00

A great Saturday textiles workshop by Gwyneth Clarkson.

A change of pace today - a more adult audience and more sedate atmosphere. Good.

MIX

2010-03-06T06:36:00.000-08:00

MIX at POP (Multi-media Interactive Experiment)

An amazing evening of Contemporary Dance, Poetry, Live Music and digital images by Red Wave Dance, a talented group of musicians and the creative flair of pre-degree foundation students from Blackburn College. This ambitious project was also coordinated by the students and a tutor from Blackburn College. As one member of the audience commented - 'a fantastic event, attacking all the senses.'

Artist Responses 3rd March

2010-03-04T05:02:00.001-08:00

Year 8 students from St Bede's High School attended this week's event. They were brilliant - really interested, asked some great questions and really tried hard to experiment with the techniques.

COME TO MIX ON FRIDAY

2010-03-04T04:03:00.000-08:00

Friday evening 6:00pm to 8:00pm we host MIX - Multi-media Interactive Experience here at POP. This is an extravaganza of music, dance, poetry and images put together by students at Blackburn College. Come along and join us.

Public Art in Blackburn

2010-03-04T03:52:00.001-08:00

Sarah Galloway introduced a discussion on future public art in Blackburn and participants had great fun with their designs.

Strawberry jamming

2010-03-03T04:08:00.000-08:00

School of Rock - a lesson in life!!

2010-03-03T03:07:00.000-08:00

I like this - complete strangers helping each other.

An evening of rock music working with Blackburn with Darwen's Music and Performing Arts Service. An amazing mix of people, families mixed with some of our local older teenagers, experts and beginners playing together Sunshine of your love - I'm sure Eric Clapton would have been delighted. A fantastic jam session.

ONE THOUSAND!!!!!!!! Saturday 27th Feb.

2010-02-28T01:51:00.000-08:00

The end of another mad week at POP. Some quiet days but the busy days were manic, with Radio Lancashire spending the afternoon with us on Wednesday and a Saturday which really feels like productive engagement is happening. People keep coming back to us! Families, the groups of teenagers who gather on Church Street and adults are really getting involved, getting to know us and feel at home. They are joining in with projects and begining to think about what they are producing.

Saturday's workshop was sculpture with Carl Jackson. The group made some fantastic figures and vehicles using bits of broken toys. Amazing results.

Around that Bev and I took a 5 metre banner outside for the kids to draw around each other. Some then came in to paint it. Also Bev and I donned white boiler suits - Reminded me of a Woody Allen film but not saying which one -and went outside with paint to become living art. Really caused a stir.

And to cap it all off our 1000th visitor came in just before the end of the day. Fantastic. we all went home very satisfied.

Keith

Further proof - if it were needed - that Bev and Keith are ever so slightly off it - but it hasn't half got people interested, talking and engaging with the project and ultimately with art and creative activities.

This banner will hang in the window.

The banner makes a great superhero cape!

Painting the banner.

Lovely aprons!

Lots going on.

Carl Jackson ran a superb sculpture workshop using broken toys to make fantastic figures.

Family fun.

Proud artists showing their work.

Our Sculptor Carl working with group.

Some fantastic results!

What a great display of work.

JUST BEFORE CLOSING, OUR ONE THOUSANDTH VISITOR CAME THROUGH THE DOORS WEARING FANTASTIC PINK CONTACT LENSES.

She left with this lovely multi-coloured hat as a gift from us - no expense spared!!

Now looking forward to the final fortnight.

First Artists Reponses Session

2010-02-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

David Jeal brought some of his pupils from St Bede's Roman Catholic High School down for the 1st of our Artists Responses workshops - quite an eventful day as we also had John Gillmore from BBC Radio Lancashire broadcasting live all afternoon.

Susan, Keith and Bev talked about their work and what inspired them, then the pupils - along with others who dropped in - had a go at producing some brilliant work of their own based on some of the techniques that had been talked about.

There are 2 more artists responses sessions to come - book yourself one one & come and have a go.

"You're not pressing hard enough!"

Bev gives Gilly a hand creating the mould for a cast of his hand

Is this a fencing or ballet class?

Gilly & Carole have a go

"Now the mike is mine! Radio Lancs today - tomorrow the world!!"

More tattooing pics

2010-02-23T01:49:00.001-08:00

Sorry, I just don't get this stupid back to front posting nonsense.

Please see previous post for write up.

Keith

Tattooing at POP

2010-02-23T01:31:00.000-08:00

I am running out of superlatives now. Another banging session. The crowd from Eagles Wing delivered an interesting, informative and eye opening session. they'd never done anything like it before but put on a great evening.

Watching a live tattooing was a first for me! We even had people designing their own on their arms with felt pens!

We never realized what went into the work and the explanations of the process were great.

The only shame was we were let down by people not turning up having booked - sorry to all those people we turned away over the last fortnight! Such is life.

Keith

Saturday 20th - T-|Shirt Printing - Ace! Mint! Sick!

2010-02-22T06:07:00.000-08:00

One of our regular contributors made these fantastic paper sculptures - we think he should run a workshop!!

Louise Smith ran a superb t-shirt printing workshop on Saturday. Some excellent results and lots of smiling faces.

2010-02-20T03:32:00.000-08:00

Sitting in the POP Shop with the sun shining waiting to open with the T-shirt printing and reflecting on last night's storytelling event.

Simon Entwistle talked all evening telling some fantastic stories and tales of ghosts, heroes and villains.

Sam's Here!

2010-02-19T06:37:00.000-08:00

Samantha Grindley has started work.

A Quiet Thursday?

2010-02-18T10:52:00.001-08:00

Cold, wet, snowy day. Not many people knocking about. A less dramatic event (Environmental Champions Paper Making).
We all therefore expected a quiet day.
However!
Fifty odd visitors coming to take part or just make use of the bean bags and sit around chatting in the warm. Several groups of teenagers came in to chat. Some played Jenga (proving very popular) others made and decorated a suggestion box, someone else decorated the cover of our comments book.

And then there's our studio space - work is getting done at last.

Susan Farrow looks at architectural images and overlays and obscures them.

Keith Parkinson is working with overlaid rapidly drawn images of people with poetry.

Beverley Chapelhow is working on sculptural projects encapsulating stuff in melted plastic.

Marie Eperson is continuing with her dancing theme.

This is Gary parkinson's photographic work exploring the art and architecture of Blackburn.

Keith

Pop, Pop, Popping!!

2010-02-18T02:01:00.000-08:00

What about this lot then! It is great when the place rocks with people. Long may it continue.

Keith

More Street Dance pics.

2010-02-17T23:02:00.001-08:00

650 visitors in two and a half weeks!

Star Street Dancers!

2010-02-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

Shaky and Jay delivered a wonderful street dance workshop. Great fun was had by all.

2010-02-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

Funky Junk

2010-02-16T13:30:00.000-08:00

Check out me drumming up interest!

And Marie banging her drum.

A fantastic musical event using old oil drums and washing machine drums. Tom from Blackburn with Darwen Music and Performing Arts Service led a very popular session with dozens of participants. Brilliant!

When I can get the video clips to work I will post them - in the meantime here are the photos.

Keith

SATURDAY 27th - SCULPTURE WITH CARL JACKSON

2010-02-14T03:58:00.000-08:00

Carl Jackson is doing a sculpture workshop on Saturday 27th Feb.

Check out his work.

This Saturday - t-shirt printing.

More Poetry

2010-02-14T03:09:00.000-08:00

Horizon in Part Obscured

Paths wind in tortuous throes

Through mountains, the road is increasingly steep.

A road that has a challenge, Rosetti echoes

To the very end.

Will there be help along the way, will I meet a friend

In a darkness way too deep?

Will I be lost in the night?

Or will the light I find at the end be bright.

Carol Cooper

Drawing Saturday - 13th Feb

2010-02-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

After missing a few days postings - during which many visitors came in, chatted about the work, sat around drawing, brought in stuff for the Museum Crew to look at and made Valentine's Cards - we got back in full swing with our drawing event. Check out the drawing lesson - one man went away delighted with the help he got for a college project.

Loads going on - people inside and out, drawing on their own and also on the shared drawing, as well as making more cards. A great day with lots of people really interested - just look at the photos! At least 120 people participated - Brilliant!

Keith

Museum Roadshow and Interior Design Students

2010-02-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Students from Blackburn college measured up the joint....literally, as part of a project they had to measure the inside of the Pavillion Buildings!

The Museum staff were on hand today to look at your antiques and give information about them...... they also had a meeting to discuss plans for the new museum. they drank tea and coffee and ate lots of chocolate! The staff will be available most of the week to talk about their plans. Do pop in for informal chats!

Robert called in to draw on your doors! 'The Doors' are in the window of the POP hub they are there for you to make a mark, call it, a piece of everchanging art, you can put whatever you like on them, scribble, draw, sign.....anything goes!!

Bev

Photos from the Poetry Session

2010-02-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Norman for the two very inspiring workshops held at the Pop hub, also thanks to the participants who without, wouldnt have been half as much fun!

Bev

Poetry again

2010-02-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

Another great session - thanks Norman.

THE HORIZONS OF MY HEART
The horizon to me, no end you can see,
Like life and a heartbeat, like you and like me,
A glance you may get or a peek up above,
But there’s always a end so why do we love,

Where do we come from and where do we go,
Like the horizon, you’ll never know,
So why is it there and what does it do,
I have no idea, do you ?

I see it every day and it never goes away.
Do words does it speak but there’s things it needs to say,
Before we were here it laid in the sky.
And this is where it will remain even when we die.

Amanda Logan
Today’s poetry class

Quotes......

2010-02-08T06:40:00.001-08:00

Here are a few quotes from the art students from Blackburn College;

'Its a really welcoming. comfortable place to come relax, learn about local artists, get inspiration and do your own work'. *smile*

'Love the bean bags, great place to chill out do some art work and have a cup of tea! Will def come back!

'Very snazzy paper making and writing on the door, nice brew and nice people, comfy cushions'.

Whacky Saturday!

2010-02-07T06:31:00.001-08:00

What a great day!

Over a hundred visitors came in to see what we were about and join in with a fantastic music taster session. Young children, teenagers, parents and grandparents got stuck in playing flute, violin, drums, cellos and brass instruments.

Not to mention the dozens who came chatting to the mad fella sitting outside in an armchair drawing passers by!

A brilliant finish to a really positive first week.

More photos to follow tomorrow.

Keith

The day the students discovered POP!

2010-02-05T12:14:00.000-08:00

Today has been a very good day!!

Students from Blackburn college came in droves, well at least 30 of them. They and we had a fantastic time, what is better than talking about something you are passionate about, relaxing with friends, slouching on bean bags and drinking coffee!!

Sarah Urmson held a brilliant informative hands on paper making workshop as part of the 'Enviromental Champions' course.

The creative hub came alive today, not only because we had a heating system in place but with drawing, paper making, sketching, informal talks about artist's practice. Students were relaxed eating biscuits, munching on chocolate and learning how to be creative.

It was brilliant having a good vibe around the place. Lets hope we have many more days like these, with some of the positive comments and feedback, I am sure we will.

Check out the website for up and coming events....book into a workshop!

Students quotes coming soon.

Bev

Pop shop front

2010-02-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

POP in ...look at the new sign.

Thursday 4th Feb

2010-02-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Another good day at POP.
Increased visitor numbers - word is getting out - and a lively Environmental Champions course.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow's paper making and Saturday's music workshop.
The place is looking much more lived in and welcoming.
Hope to see YOU soon.
By Keith

2010-02-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

Fab poetry session yesterday ...Thanks to Norman who oooozes enthusiasm!
Yes the 'youngsters' were great. To say it was chilly, they seemed to enjoy it.
Camera shopping tommorow.
Looking forward to the next few weeks, and the next poetry session!!

A message from our poet

2010-02-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

HI Keith and Susan

Just a quick line to thank you and all your colleagues for their “warmth” (?) and hospitality yesterday. I am making all efforts I can to draw more folk to next week’s event, and hopefully public awareness in Blackburn will have kicked in by then after your first week of the festival. Please don’t be dissuaded in such early days by a perceived public apathy. A famous songwriter (John Stewart who wrote Daydream Believer”) once said to me in interview that “people like what they know but they don’t know what they like.” I think your event(s) will eventually mage a huge impact on Blackburn and that if you can establish the event for a year or two, it will soon become apparent that the general public really do wish to participate in Project; Our Place.

Please thank everyone who attended the workshop.

I really hope you enjoyed the session which I, as facilitator, found refreshing in its dynamism. The “youngsters” were lovely to work with weren’t they and it was fascinating to learn how seriously all of them approached their work. I felt they showed this generation to be much more aware of, and perhaps even guided by, market forces than was my generation of creative artists.

I fear life for them over the next decade will be far tougher than the last decade has been for artists like myself, who have been able to supplement income from our creativity of arts for art’s sake with earnings from our delivery of art for “social elevation”, the damning phrase this government has used to justify “community art” to a general public who have never had explained to them the positive impact of arts as a social intervention, and who are therefore likely to vote-in a government next time who, of whichever “colour”, will slash the public spending that regenerates deprived communities and sustains a body of artists, who seem to be the only body in the country capable of truly establishing cultural cohesion without diluting our proud indigenous cultural history.

I thought all the attendees yesterday managed to write really interesting pieces and once again the session showed how art forms share many preparatory, creative and editorial processes, and at the very least it was good to learn that writers are not the only tortured artists on this earth.

I look forward to seeing you next week.

Norman Warwick
Consultant and Project Facilitator
Just Poets

2010-02-01T14:02:00.001-08:00

From across the crowded bar Sarah staggered towards him on the killer heels of those green shoes. Scattered around the tables, under the spotlight's sweep, glittery bottles topped with candles stood to attention luring laughing lovers to false dreams; for these drinkers were sequestered from the deepest gaggle of humanity.

She approached. He gazed deeply into the irridescent tombs of her eyes, and yelled to make himself heard against the cacophony of fractured skylarks

Carole Pickering

POPtastic First Day

2010-02-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

We opened our doors today. Despite some heating problems.
The workshops got off to a great start as Norman Warwick led a brilliant Potrey Workshop. Ten of managed to produce some writing and had a really good time doing it.

It was great to see people wanting to join in and also come back and see how our work develops from here on.
Come and join us!!
Keith
Hope you like the photos and the poetry!! Help! Can't move stuff around or insert word files!!