#scrapstore

Exploring sound and waves doesn’t have to be all about oscilloscopes and diagrams of the ear. It’s a great opportunity for some arts-physics crossover. Here are some resources that I love. Continue reading

20 August 2019

I spent today discovering the Jewellery Quarter, and the Scrapstore was the first on my agenda since I had been encouraged to check it out. I had a wonderful time rummaging through all of the assorted fabrics and finding exactly what I needed. The staff are super friendly, and I learned that the scrapstore support and promote the reuse of unwanted materials.

I next visited The Hive, an organisation that provides opportunities for young people with special educational needs, principally Asperger’s syndrome, to gain valuable real work experience and develop personal and social skills. I was immediately drawn to the impressive tapestry by The Bee Yourself Project. This collaborative artwork of 1000 tapestry bees was stitched by 1000 individual people within Birmingham and marked the arrival of beehives to the building’s rooftop micro-farm – another impressive feature at The Hive. I discovered that some of the produce used in the cafés freshly made food is grown in the micro-farm above the café, so I had to try out the lunch and I highly recommend the homemade hummus and handmade pitta bread!

The Hive also run craft experiences which aim to bring people together from across the city to create new community installations for their café every year. I feel really inspired by The Maker’s Studio monthly Saturday Sessions programme for adults, Workshops Wednesdays and the pay as you feel Sparkle Sessions, offering a variety of craft activities and the opportunity to learn new art and crafts techniques. Something I may have to try out! 

My final stop was at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists as I was keen to view the handmade screen-printed textiles, ceramics, and jewellery and learn about the adult workshops. I was fascinated by Paul Brown’s figurative clay sculptures that capture the movement of the human form and viewed some incredible pieces in the RBSA Portrait Prize 2019 exhibition (John Williams’ Michael Harding with Kings Blue Light was a favourite of mine). I hope to check out the upcoming Prism Textiles exhibition in October.