Community Kaleidoscope: Crafting Unity and Continuity Through Collaborative Art in Scotland
By Adil Iqbal
This discussion delves into the impact of collaborative art in Scotland, emphasizing sustained practice and community involvement. It features an interview with Katie Fowlie, a neurodivergent artist from Fife with 20 years of experience, who uses beachcombing and foraging to blend creativity with mental well-being. She employs camera obscura, inspired by Patrick Geddes, to represent the contrasts of isolation and community during the pandemic. Additionally, the conversation includes Katherina Radeva and Alister Lownie of Two Destination Language, known for their diverse artistic methods and focus on identity. They have been engaging in co-creative practices for over a decade; now reflecting on COVID-19 experiences they have reached approximately 500 people in the initial phase. Their work in the Borders involves working with textiles and co-designing tartan, adding a unique dimension to their inclusive and responsive artistic approach.
Shadows and Light: Katie Fowlie's Journey of Art, Nature, and Community Healing in Scotland
"Foraging, both as a method and an artistic endeavour, generates cascading benefits that enhance an individual's physical and mental health." Katie Fowlie.
Drawing inspiration from Patrick Geddes' holistic learning within nature, Katie emphasized reflection in her approach. She used the camera obscura technique as a metaphor for community experiences during the pandemic, representing isolation and the potential for forward-looking connection. The camera obscura offered a simple, accessible starting point for community engagement.
Fife Phase 1 workshop
During phase 1, Katie conducted approximately 25 workshops across Fife, blending specific community workshops with open drop-in sessions. These workshops varied in participation, from grandparents sharing pandemic stories with younger attendees to others preferring to narrate their experiences for Katie to record. The community's contributions diverged between sharing pandemic stories and discussing desired memorials in Fife, with some integrating both aspects.
Katie emphasized using softer language in her project, encouraging communities to think about how they want to remember, rather than using terms like “memorial”. This approach fostered a focus on commonalities rather than differences. The camera obscuras created by various communities were compiled into a collective, allowing people to relate to and experience stories similar to their own. She underscored the therapeutic effects of nature, highlighting how Fife's landscapes, woodlands, and beaches helped communities during lockdowns. People grew more aware of their natural surroundings, like garden birds and soundscapes. Post-lockdown, many sought to integrate this newfound nature connection into daily life. A key goal for phase 2 was investing in people, equipping them with basic skills and knowledge for resilience and hands-on learning, thus enhancing their wellbeing.
One impactful workshop for Katie was in Buckhaven, a deprived area, with a group of 16-18-year-olds attending a community centre for skill-building. The group generally downplayed their Covid experiences, but a breakthrough occurred when a boy, while painting his obscura, shared his mother's death during the pandemic. This candid sharing led to a supportive response from a girl in the group and the formation of a new friendship. Katie reflected that the collaborative art-making process provided a safe space for open expression and connection.
Katie appreciated the extensive support provided by Greenspace Scotland, including artist meetups and resources like Sharing Spaces, which were especially helpful during co-creation. She found the level of support for artists, ranging from access to budgeting and therapy sessions for well-being, refreshingly unique compared to her previous projects. Katie emphasized the encouraging and enlightening connections she experienced during the project. She also noted the project's potential to leave a lasting legacy, particularly in reaching out to deprived areas and involving them in shaping their communities, highlighting the importance of building trust with these communities.
Weaving Memories: Tartan Tales of Resilience and Identity in the Scottish Borders
"In designing the tartan of our community, each thread is a story, coloured by our memories and emotions, revealing how the same hue can warm a heart or caution a soul" - Katherina Radeva and Alister Lownie, Two Destination Language.
Katherina expresses an opinion that there are distinctive challenges in the area, marked by intense local competitions and unique identities, making it difficult to establish common ground among the communities. She spoke of isolation, not solely in terms of geographic seclusion but also in feeling a sense of community belonging.
Alister added that their interactions extended to local stores where they engaged in conversations with shop keepers. Despite some resistance to the Scottish Government's logo, they found that most people were open to discussing their project. Katherina noted that many locals suggested focusing on sheep, leading them to explore new Tartan designs. The rich weaving heritage of the Borders region became apparent to them, and by the end of the first phase, they were committed to incorporating textiles into their work.
The ‘Borders Together’ tartan
Katherina pointed out that the contrast in their perspectives within this project enabled them to effectively manage the various emerging aspects. A key element of their co-creation methodology was to allow space for difference. Take, for instance, the colour choices in the tartan design: when someone mentions yellow, it might evoke the warmth of a summer day for some, while for others, it might symbolise caution or danger. This illustrates the divergent interpretations of the colour yellow among different people.
Alister explained that their project appealed to a wide-ranging audience across the border area, notably involving the main hospital in the Borders, frequented by a diverse group of individuals. This location proved to be an effective meeting point for engaging various people in their project. Additionally, they expanded their steering group's reach by connecting with families with additional needs.
A particularly impactful group in extending their reach across borders were parents who had children during the pandemic. They connected with these parents through public libraries and reading groups. In these gatherings, there was a notable mix of attendees, from GPs to women receiving benefits, all participating in the same reading sessions, creating a diverse and inclusive environment.
Katherina discussed the unique approach to designing the tartan, which involved recalling individuals' actions and emotions. This design process began with memories and emotions, linking them to specific colours through the choice of embroidery threads. For instance, she shared an anecdote about a doctor who questioned the colour representation of guilt. The doctor felt guilty for being unable to complete her training and not being as effective as she hoped during the pandemic. This instance led to an in-depth discussion about the relationship between colour and personal perception.
Katherina and Alister’s journey in co-creating tartans, infused with the stories and emotions of the local people, highlights the profound connection between art and human experience. Their work, navigating the complexities of local identities and embracing diverse perspectives, exemplifies the power of art to bridge differences and foster a sense of belonging. The tartan, a rich tapestry of the region's collective memory, stands as a testament to the resilience of the Scottish Borders community, weaving together the varied hues of individual experiences into a unified and vibrant narrative of hope and healing.