Douglas Thompson

Masters Creative Practice Log

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Mother Shipton Introduction

I have created this animation for Moonspace theatre’s production of Old Stinker. It introduces the legendary historical figure of mother shipton.

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Northartcraft Art Market 11th & 12th September 2021

This is a one hour walkthrough of the Northartcraft art market. I worked with a group of artists to create this opportunity for artists to show and sell their work. As well as creating themed concept exhibitions and participating with my peers on group shows I have created a selling opportunity. I think it’s important to show your work in different ways and with different focus. This focus was about artists selling work and networking with others.

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Each page of the Catalogue I created for Shadow Reflection was negotiated with the artist. I spent time working with each person sourcing photos and editing written descriptions of the work on display and the artists process. Each artist had different abilities in writing about their own work so varying degrees of editing were necessary. I found I had to be very flexible in my approach and sensitive to their needs. I also needed to make decisions as we went to print and to enlist the help of two copy editors.

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These are all the draft designs for Harrogate town centre mosaic project. The finished works will go on permanent display in Harrogate. The site is the alleyway between Marks and Spencers and Boots, (pictured below) in front of the old unused window spaces.

Its an exiting project though it comes with its challenges. The A board has been refused by the committee on the grounds that it may offend some people:

Committee decisions by their nature are often conservative. It's sad I can't get this design through (they would like an image of the Turkish baths instead) but It is my job to promote inclusion. Instead Artizan have suggested we keep this as a separate design that they show in their shop.

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Watch "I BEG YOUb" on YouTube

This is the first draft of a video I created for artist Shaeron Canton Rose. I shot, edited and consulted with Shaeron on the production of this work which is a signed version of a Holocaust survivors poem which will be shown for six months at the dye museum at Bradford college. I would say that this is collaboration straddles a grey are between being a technician and collaborating artist. It owes to my fascination with sillouette, space and outline. Very proud to be part of the creation her 6 month solo show. Collaboration with other artists is vital and here are creating a work together which both of us are discovering new ways of creating material. Each shot took place in front of a green screen with the artist dressed in green. We choreographed each sign as we translated the poem into movement. You can see some original footage below:

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I have posted this video of the Shadow Reflection exhibition previously but wanted to highlight it here in its own. To date and after research virtual tours I still find a good steady cam video tour more accessible than a virtual tour. Video is good to show 3 dimensional work and able to express the relationship of the artworks to with each other and with the space in a way that is less possible with still photography.

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Visitors book highlights. This visitor book was created for Shadow Reflection. I am now bring it with me to all exhibitions, workshops and public sharing of my work. It gives me a perspective of how my audience is recieving my work. Its great to read if my intentions are read by my audience, if my communication is understood. It may be my audience has perspectives on my work which are novel to me. I am thinking of having a dedicated visitors book blog.

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This is the press entry in the Yorkshire Post Magazine

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Shadow/ Reflection, 8th - 11th July, Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre, Knaresborough — Harrogate Informer

A big, bold, black and white jigsaw where you are invited to place a single piece to create a shared artwork will be the focal point of a special exhibition exploring shadows and reflections at…

This is a lovely writeup in the local papers online magazine to publicise my show. It has pictures of preparations and a quick interview with me about the exhibition:

“A big, bold, black and white jigsaw where you are invited to place a single piece to create a shared artwork will be the focal point of a special exhibition exploring shadows and reflections at Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre in Knaresborough North Yorkshire.

This socially distanced show has been made possible with the Support of Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre who have welcomed and supported students from Harrogate’s Master’s in Creative practice led by Annabel Smith at Harrogate college with the help of Douglas Thompson and all the staff at the Henshaws.

Douglas Thompson said: Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre have been so supportive of the post-graduate students studying their MA in creative practice, particularly as we have followed the steps coming out of Covid. The centre which has outdoor space has offered a small number of micro residences to the students and it has been very positive for these artists. Marc Malton has described the time he has spent sculpting in the private woodland garden at the rear of the Arts Centre as ‘inspiring, relaxing and the best setting for creating my work that I’ve had in years. We are really overjoyed to be able to have this themed exhibition at the Arts Centre. The exhibition has hand coloured photographic collage, sculpture, video art, ceramics, laser-cutting and a special participatory work of art that visitors will be able to contribute to which will go on to be exhibited at the Victoria Shopping Centre later in the month. The special preview night on Thursday the 7th will include live music by Rufus Becket. The show presents contributions from 15 artists working in photography, sculpture, ceramics, Papercut, painting, animation and sound art. The special preview on the evening of July 8th is accompanied by live music and complimentary fizz. There are a limited number of free tickets for the evening event set in the spacious grounds of Knaresborough’s unique Arts and Crafts Centre. The exhibition will be open all weekend and closes on Sunday the 11th July at 6PM. It then moves to the Victoria Shopping Centre. Tickets for the preview can be booked online by visiting www.northartcraft.com/exhibition

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Meet the artists as new exhibition is launched in Knaresborough at Henshaws

There is a chance to meet the artists at a Shadow Reflection Group Art Show Preview Night at Henshaw's Arts & Crafts Centre tonight in Knaresborough.

Press release with Harrogate advertiser for Shadow Reflection Show.

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You can see from my online log and portfolio that I have artwork selling through a small gallery space in Knaresborough, regular public workshops, video art on public exhibition in Knaresborough and Bradford, permanent public art under construction in Harrogate town centre in addition to significant temporary artwork underway for the reopening of Harrogate Theatre. I have created a commercial website Northartcraft.com to sell six distinct artists work, held weekly meetings to establish the group and plan retreats, work with guest artists and produce events. I have led and curated a themed group exhibition with a preview night ‘Shadow/Reflection’ for my final show at a public arts centre, created micro residencies for a number of local artists which have promoted wellbeing during a time of social isolation, hired a new studio space and taken part in an open studio exhibition, taught my artform in public workshops as part of a local arts festival, coproduced the Masters final group show working with local business and finally created a very successful art market for over 30 artists to sell and network in Knaresborough.

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Nidd Art Trail. Open Studio. Spa Studios.

This is our open studio for the Nidd art trail. Having a studio space has served me well whilst producing large commissioned work for Artizan International and Harrogate Bud. It also has allowed me to take part in the Open Studios Project. Wonderful way to share your whole practice. It also helps you define your space in preparation for the public.

Nidd Art Trail Open Studio.

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Nidd Art Trail Open Studio

Thus was my open studio event for the Nidd Art trail. We successfully applied to the established trail and prepared our studio space for public visits. Thus included putting up shelves, rusk assessing each space for the public, choosing and f among work that represents our studio practice, advertising and naming the event. Thus open studio took place after both group exhibitions and before our art market event. I am discovering exhibiting work happens in seasons. The sharing of your work should not happen as isolated one offs but should evolve, build, progress from show to show. It should have artistic and commercial and exist as a conversation with your audience or community.

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The Shadow Reflection themed group show exhibition represents a focal point to my creative practice. The curation of this event became in some ways an extension of the concepts contained by my work. I am very greatfull to the artists who opened their practice to include my ideas as stimulus for their work. It became a visual think tank around the subject. I most enjoyed responses that moved between sculptural and drawing. I do think that the stimulus provided here had imbued other artists with grist for their creative mills. You can see a video walk through of the project here:

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Final digital design for G in Harrogate mosaic.

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Underpainting for mosaic design for Harrogate BID public art project. I have used a video projector to enlarge and transfer the digital design to the board.