The Stove Network
Back to “Our Norwegian Story” so far – July brought us a two day event sharing skills and learning about our common love of making. We made boats, oars, whistles, rope and nets while also exploring the knitting of Sanquhar patterns and their Norwegian counterparts. Our friends from Galgael Trust up in Glasgow, Alyne Jones of Moniaive, Simon Lidwell of local group Clauran Haven and Wordsmithcrafts helped us explore the beauty of skilled craft and our intertwined history within it.
Looking over the next few weeks on Our Norwegian Story so far – The project kicked off on June 17th the with a wonderful array of specialities from Norway as well as this side of the ocean for our Recipe Swap and Market. Those who turned up shared stories over warm waffles with Norwegian blueberries, Kransekake and some scotch favourites like Chranachan, writing down some recipes for you to enjoy at home.
All of the Recipes have now been up-loaded to our project page here: http://www.thestove.org/portfolio/our-norwegian-story-recipe-swap/
Saturday the 17th June saw us join Dumfries’ annual Guid Nychburris celebrations with more waffles, cinnamon buns and a special Norwegian Market kindly put on by Alex of Edinburgh based Nordic Affar – www.nordicaffar.com – where you can buy all the Norwegian classics from Brown Cheese to Salted Liquorice.
More food to come at Septembers Scottish/Norwegian film Shorts and Pot Luck night on September 15th at 7pm, information to follow.
September 3rd sees The Stove’s fourth staging of Nithraid, a fun family event that takes place on and around the river. Nithraid is a celebration of the town’s long relationship with its river, highlighting the way the Nith connected Dumfries to the rest of the world through trade, goods (including Coos) and sail power. It is created and produced by The Stove Network and is part of the groups mission to make creative opportunities for local people to be involved in the future of Dumfries
Matt Baker, lead artist on Nithraid, says, “It’s really exciting to see the event continue to grow and change with each passing year, for 2016 we’ve been overwhelmed by the support of local businesses and community groups – Dumfries is definitely pulling together for the Nithraid! New for 2016 we have the inclusion of Coastal Rowing and we’re also very lucky to be able to offer such high quality food produce, as well as a range of arts and activities on the Mill Green.”
The daring sailing race, starting from the Solway Firth and sailing right up the River Nith into the centre of Dumfries, is made possible by one of the highest tides of the year. While waiting for the boats to arrive, The Stove invites you to enjoy the ‘arts and food village’ at Mill Green, opposite the Whitesands, from 12 noon until 4pm. Join in with art activities and demonstrations for all ages, listen to acoustic music, visit a mini market of local food producers, as well as watching the procession of the legendary Salty Coo, starting from Dumfries High Street down to Mill Green, where the winning skipper has the honour of lowering the Coo and releasing her into the river.
For more information, including how to take part, please visit www.thestove.org/nithraid
Sponsors for Nithraid 2016 include McDermid Supply Co. Ltd, Dumfries Timber Co, Monaghan’s Jewellery, Farries Kirk and McVean, People’s Project, Lowland Accountancy and Luke Moloney Architect.
Stunning sonic and light installation to visit Dumfries, Dundee and Glasgow from 7 September.
The large-scale work will illuminate lanes and public places in Dumfries, Dundee and Glasgow with an animated flock of origami-style birds suspended overhead in celebration of the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016.
Composer, sonic and visual artist Kathy Hinde will be bringing her stunning sound and light installation Luminous Birds to locations across Scotland this autumn.
As a key event in the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016, the sight and sound spectacular will illuminate public spaces in Dumfries (7 September – 14 November), Dundee (12 September – 19 November) and Glasgow (16 September – 16 November) as hundreds of origami birds flock overhead.
Luminous Birds is designed and hand-crafted by Cryptic Associate artist Kathy Hinde and encourages members of the public – from commuters to day-tripping families to night owls winding their way home – to ‘look up’ and appreciate their day-to-day environment. The innovative design of the mechanical birds (created from paper, plastic and metal) will transform their surroundings using synchronised lighting and spatialised sounds that create the effect of birds flying overhead. The action of many birds, flocking together, is one of nature’s most amazing phenomena – an ultimate act of cooperation, hundreds moving together in harmony.
“I’m particularly excited about showing Luminous Birds in Scotland during the autumn because many birds will be on their migration passage at that time, with huge flocks of Barnacle Geese resting near Dumfries and Pink Footed Geese further north near Dundee.” said Kathy about the work premiering in Scotland. “I want to create the effect of birds flying just above people’s heads, through alleys and lanes right in the heart of towns and cities, highlighting some of the many beautiful aspects of bird flight, through light and sound.”
Cathie Boyd, Artistic Director of Cryptic said: “We are delighted to be able to show the work of Cryptic Associate Artist Kathy Hinde on such a large scale, with Dumfries and Dundee being inspiring firsts for Cryptic. We are developing dynamic relationships with new partners and communities across all three locations and further afield – encouraging everyone to come and experience this mesmerising event.”
Especially for Dumfries, The Stove has commissioned musician and composer Stuart Macpherson to create an accompanying sound work and performance artwork, that will pop up during and around Kathy’s Luminous Birds. More information on Stuart’s commission coming soon!
Luminous Birds is a free, non-ticketed event, to be viewed after dark; it opens at The Globe Inn, Dumfries High Street on 7 September, with further flocks appearing at The Howff, Meadowside, Dundee on 12 September and Kingarth Lane next to Govanhill Baths, Glasgow from 16 September. Celebrating its historical design as both a water tank and dovecote, the Mackintosh Tower at Glasgow’s The Lighthouse will also host the birds from 20 September up to 8 January, encouraging visitors to journey upwards through evocative soundscapes before reaching a flock of birds fluttering and chirping in harmony at the top.
The installations will feature an accompanying free workshop programme led by Kathy Hinde, encouraging members of the local community to create their own origami birds. In Dumfries, these workshops will take place as part of Nithraid, The Stove’s annual boat race and river festival on Saturday, 3rd of September.
Snapshots – a fast paced photography competition was first conceived by blueprint100 member Elli – invited competitors to challenge themselves and their camera to a day of exploring the town through different topics in the form of a photography marathon.
2 Hours, 12 Topics, 12 Pictures
In the run up to the competition, photographer and Stove member Kim Ayres joined the blueprint100 Open Tuesdays, to offer help, hints and inspiration to those interested in taking part.
An ambitious 20 participants raced off at 10am, keen to win the ‘golden camera’ that was first prize, and most returned bedraggled and worn out and in need of coffee!
The judging panel was comprised of Kim, stove curatorial member Martin J O’Neill and Elli herself, who spent the following two hours judging all of the images that had arrived back at the Stove.
Following on from the competition, Martin hosted a workshop with blueprint100 members developing narratives from the collected photograph sets, to work into short pieces of poetry and prose in the run up to the next Brave New Words.
A selection of our favourite images from Snapshots Dumfries are available to view here
