Washed Up and Blue

As mentioned a couple of days ago, I've spent a couple of weekends recently working at Shambellie House near New Abbey in Dumfries and Galloway.  The project was called "Washed Up and Blue" and was aimed at those on benefits or who are low waged.
It was a collaboration between Shambellie, Glasgow University and the Solway Firth Partnership and was made possible by support from Marine Fund Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Regional Arts Fund, and the University of Glasgow.

The participants initially learned how to produce cyanotype photograms.  They then went on a beach clean at a nearby location,  collecting objects which were of interest to them.  Finally, they produced cyanotypes using these objects and wrote down the imagined stories behind the washed up items.
The group produced some genuinely amazing cyanotypes and stories (currently on display at Shambellie House), but perhaps what was even better, was the way their personal confidence, creativity and self-belief developed over the sessions.
It was a privilege and a pleasure to work with all the participants, and hopefully we'll do something similar again in the future.

(The black objects to either side of the extra image are "pirate glass".  I'm back at Shambellie later this week so will snap a close up of the pirate glass then, and give some background to what it is.)