Bit of a Newsletter/Connect/Expo/Big Draw

Big Draw in Schools, organised by CAST, October 22nd – November 9th 2007

What an amazing experience this was. Organised by CAST (Creative Arts in Schools Team), I got to travel around 14 very different primary schools in Argyll, my home county, and do drawing workshops with them!! Perfect job! I got to play about with loads of like-minded beings, command the games, and do loads of drawings to music; all inspired by my own live drawing practice!! And what a stunning part of the world I live in, really! There were so many highlights (as well as the low ones!) but one particular memorable experience was working with two excluded boys who were more artistic than they thought they were. Here’s something that I’d really like to pursue, however I need to make sure I’m successful as an independent artist though – I can’t help anyone if I’m a hypocrite.

If you would like a little insight into what I did with the different schools, you can take a look at an example on http://www.pcps.ik.org/p_Jenny_Soep.ikml, which is a link to a page dedicated to my visit by Port Charlotte Primary on Islay. I was really blown away by how up-to-date, innovative, enthusiastic, well organised and technologically ‘in touch’ this school was. You can check it out on - http://www.pcps.ik.org. You can also email me on info@jennysoep.com if you’re interested to know more, or would like me to come your school. I’ll be most happy to supply you with references.

http://www.drawingpower.org.uk


Open Mike/Open Draw October 13th

The day after was a bit of an experiment as part of the Big Draw – a nationwide drawing event launched in October up until November – look it up under http://www.drawingpower.org.uk for some drawing inspiration! You too can hold a drawing event next year! Anyhoo, I organised an Open Mic/Open Draw as part of my exhibition, with Garry again providing some VJing support for young and old artists alike. We also had ‘Sound’ support from Stevo and Louie from the grand old Oban open mike nights that Garry and I have been providing a bit of visual entertainment for! Thanks guys!!

We had solid live music from various different wonderful musicians from mid-day till 4pm with the Sorren MacLean band and friends, my lovely friends/blues band ‘Bluescaster’, the wonderful and enigmatic Matt Goodwin from the smiley U.S. of A, and complete troopers The Lemmings who traipsed up all the way from Glasgae to play a stomping set – Stu on the Rose Tin Drum and Key Chain Plimpsole, as well as Ben Fitzgerald doing an excellent Lap Tapping session. We were also very privileged to have Liz Lochhead there to recite a couple of her raunchiest and sweetest poems. My own dear Nana even hobbled up on her crutches – recent hip operation – to give us ‘The Old Violin’. You could have heard a pin drop!

Thanks MAJORIS to everyone who gave us help and support – very much appreciated, especially to our sponsors, to Maria my mum – world porridge making champion 2007!! - for helping out with the canapés and other morsels of marvellousness, the Sinclair family for all their help and support, Andrew Sinclair for his belief, help, support, gallery etc etc –
Andy Stuart for his interjection of assistance the night before while I Chicken-headed around, and lastly Kim – superb sister of mine who was The Best event organiser/designer, artiste liaison, and canapé creator I’ve ever had. Can definitely recommend her although, I’d hate to lose her…

http://www.myspace.com/redwinesoep - Kim, Event Organiser
www.myspace.com/jennysoepsexpo - for details on the expo
www.resipolestudios.co.uk - Great Exhibition/Music Venue


Solo Show, Resipole Studios, Ardnamurchan, October 12-28th

October came round with my exhibition which opened on the 12th with the fabulous Sorren MacLean band who filled in for Popup who’d got lost on the way to the Ardnamurchan via Ardrishaig from Glasgow…Better send them proper directions next time. Martin Hay from the Yellow Bentines entertained the audience with his one-man band replacing his normal entourage of drummer, two trumpeters, a guitarist and bassist. The boy did well until after the after show party when he got lost in his own caravan…Garry Whitton, leading local animator was on hand with his cunning animations/filming/time-lapsing/VJ-ing wizardry of my drawings and the live happenings.

www.myspace.com/jennysoepsexpo


Connect Festival, August 31-Sept 2nd 2007.

A great first experience for a ‘Wee Boutique’ festival that used lots of great local services/foods/drinks/location and a fantastic array of international and home-grown music talent. Great shows, onsite alternative entertainment, late night partying… Will just state though, that camping was pretty sketchy, particularly in the rain, and I heard a few people got fleeced by a gang of head-torch donned ‘tea leaves’. Don’t be a wally and leave valuables in your tent!!

Highlights – drawing Bjork, Areogramme, King Creosote, Bat for Lashes, The Beastie Boys, LCD Soundsystem, Seasick Steve and quite a few others! A very memorable weekend. Getting to hang out in the Press Pit while the photographers got moved on (guess the security felt sorry my slow ass!) and finish my pictures was really quite exciting. My brother Ben capitalised on being my ‘gopher’ boy and running round the back of the stages after each performance to chat to the musicians while I tidied up my materials. Think I’ve got that the wrong way round…

http://www.connectmusicfestival.com