After graduating we got involved in the summer project Somewhereto_ Re:store which was set up to regenerate unused space within Glasgow city centre by creating a creative pop-up venue. We documented the ongoing of the space for the duration of the pop up (one month). This was our first mural together and where we realised we could possibly take it further and start a collective. The name came about as the newspapers were coming and we had to think of something quick – Mairi and her partner had the name Little Book Transfers kept aside for the day they started a band together, but as it had been a few years and they hadn’t gotten round to it, we thought we had to put the name to good use as it just suited what we wanted to do perfectly! (We are still going to have a band one day!)

We work doing illustrations used to create private commissions, illustrated objects, live art and wall and window murals, ranging from small to large (around 25ft!). Our work is often feminine and is inspired by nature and form. It has a surreal undertone and can often be described as humorous and whimsical. We also work with blocks of colour, which we illustrate on and around.

We work together in our office/studio space smack bang in the centre of Glasgow. We normally come up with small, basic sketches, together or apart and verbalise our ideas to each other whilst using Illustrator for mockups. There isn’t much in-between from initial sketch to finished product as we do a lot of our work on the spot and change things as we go when creating mural work. We work in a spontaneous way, making the process more exciting, where we have loose sketches at hand, but it is all very much freehand! We go with what feels right for the space when we turn up to different sites and locations.

The highlight of our career so far would be last year (as we have only been working as a collective for roughly a year) when we had a 5 month long feature in the Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow in correspondence with Generation: 25 Years of Contemporary Art. We created a 25 year long timeline which consisted of 25 individual illustrations which we free-handed onto the walls of the GoMA balcony. We montaged and illustrated a selection of world history and art events that took place to create humorous yet informative work for each year.

Our first solo show at The Good Spirits Co. on Bath Street will showcase a selection of large illustrated boards and screen prints inspired by exotic botanicals and the female form. The show will run from 12 March until 19 April.

More: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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LeithLate is delighted to announce the second phase of the highly successful Shutter Project, a public arts initiative in Leith, Edinburgh that matches up emerging artists and local Leith businesses to create a bespoke work of art, to be displayed on the shutter of the business outside opening hours. The second phase of The Shutter Project will involve the installation of a further 3 artworks in addition to the existing 6 artworks completed to date.

The first shutter artwork will be installed by Omar Zingaro Bhatia, (winner of The Skinny Award at the RSA New Contemporaries in 2010), whose Spuriosity Shop installation in Leith Walk Barbers was a highlight of LeithLate13. Omar recently completed a 19m long mural in a Roma/Gypsy village in the far north of Hungary. His Leith artwork will be on the shutter of Café Nemrut, a Turkish restaurant based at 255 Leith Walk. Work will start on the first shutter in Feb/March 2014, with the remaining two shutters (artist/venue as yet tbc) to be completed prior to the LeithLate14 event in June.

Games Master – Jamie Johnson

Origano – Rich and Simon

Word Of Mouth – Fraser Gray

For full details on the completed shutters to date, please visit Leith Late website.

All images copyright Eoin Carey.

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Louise Emslie

Located in a windowless subterranean city-centre warren that operated previously as rehearsal space and recording studios, 26 was formed in 2009 by a group of six NE-Scotland based visual artists, initially to meet the need for low-cost, independent studio space.

Mark Rennie – Devout Fanatacism

26 Collective studio is now managed by Stray Dog and provides communal space, a b+w darkroom, permanent accommodation for seven visual artists and two bands, and supports the wider creative community with regular collaborative projects and events, including exhibitions, installations and screenings (Stray Dog Project Room), The Mural Project (a season of collaborative live-mural club nights curated by Jon Reid), Tuff Wax/Dolfinz single launch, and ongoing podcast/video series POST.

Stephen – The Mural Project

Our current aims are: to continue supporting and retaining emerging talent in Aberdeen by providing independent, low-cost studio space and developing opportunities to showcase new work; to provide a creative, social space for the exchange of ideas and strengthening of networks; and to make connections beyond our local region, building new collaborations and bringing creative talent to the city.

Kuba Markowski in the darkroom

We have more events planned this autumn/winter and will continue to document our activity. You can contact us and find out more via our Facebook page, and listen or watch podcasts via our Vimeo and Mixcloud pages. We’re always keen to hear from potential collaborators and anyone who wants to get involved.

Find Out More:
Facebook | Blog | Mixcloud | Tumblr | Vimeo | Twitter

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