27th January 2022
Our latest window installation is installed! “Antarctica in Particka” was created in collaboration with the pupils of Thornwood Primary. Taking inspiration from the beauty of the natural world and the fact that as human beings our actions are putting it at risk, the young people used a range of drawing techniques to create illustrations of wildlife found at the Antarctic. Working our Anchor Lab magic we enlarged the children’s drawings to life-sized versions of penguins and seals and using packing materials scavenged from a local recycling point we created an environment for them to inhabit.
16th November 2021
Bloomberg have launched an open call to anyone living in Glasgow wishing to make an artwork about climate justice and the action we can take, and as artists in residence we were asked to promote it. So, returning to the amazing Thornwood Primary School, we worked with the incredible P6-ers and Mr Graham. Together we created our own climate summit, the young delegates making their own official lanyards by screen printing reclaimed t shirt fabric, discussing a range of climate issues, and putting our creative heads together about what the solutions might be.
The children’s submission “Almost to The Moon” is based on the fact that each person in the UK throws away an average of 8 items of clothing each year, and if laid out side by side on a washing line these clothes would reach …ALMOST TO THE MOON! It’s been shortlisted by Bloomberg for the chance to be further developed and you can vote for it here!
4th November 2021
15 minutes of fame! As delegates and activists from all over the world were arriving in Glasgow for COP 26, we filled our windows with information about COP and opened our doors to local young people wishing to make banners for the School Strike for Climate. Paints, collage materials, a lovely big space to work in and cardboard (as you know, our material of choice!) were on offer to anyone wanting to join in. We were delighted to see some familiar faces and make some new friends as we worked together on slogans and images for our banners, but didn’t expect to see the BBC journalists who had spotted the buzz through The Studio window! Before we knew it the young people were being interviewed for BBC Breakfast News about the climate issues that are so close to their hearts. A great reason for us all to get out of bed early to switch on our TVs tomorrow!
31st October 2021
We’re back! We have the very exciting news that we are returning to The Studio at 567 Dumbarton Road to continue our residency, as part of Phase 3 of the Glasgow Life Cretive Communities: Artists in Residence . This time we will be exploring the theme of hope and what that means to ourselves and our planet as we step out of the lockdowns of 2020/21 and into the new year.
22nd June 2021
With a big mixture of excitement to celebrate and sadness that this residency is coming to an end, we can announce that the Anchor Lab final exhibition is now open! On Tuesdays and Fridays until 9th of July we invite you to come in and see the amazing community responses to the quetion What Anchors You? Alongside it, you can also view work completed during our open studio afternoons, artwork by pupils of Thornwood Primary and work made by our Anchor Lab artists Sara, Lynsey and Jen by means of reply to our neighbours’ contributions. It feels like a deep, funny, serious, personal, quiet, reflective and lively visual conversation. We hope you’ll love it!
As part of this exhibition you’ll also see the latest Anchor Lab window display; every response we’ve received to the question What Anchors You, written in our neighbourhood’s very own Neighbourhood Font.
18th June 2021
Did we mention we’ve been busy making you some presents? Taking the beautiful handwritten responses to the question What Anchors You? as a starting point, these playful tea towels have been screen printed with abstract shapes derived from your very own script. We can’t wait to give them to you!
Just call by Anchor Lab HQ at 567 Dumbarton Road any time from 10am-4pm on Tuesdays and Fridays until 9th July to get yours.
8th June 2021
Our latest installation in our window gallery is up! It’s a small sample of the work completed alongside pupils and staff at Thornwood Primary school. The P5 and 6 pupils made a beautiful short film, telling the story of a stormy sea, a boat and an anchor as a means to explore some of the things that have been difficult about the lockdowns of 2020/21 and the things that have provided sense of hope and security. This installation features some of the props used to make the animation.
4th June 2021
What a buzz at today’s open afternoon at Anchor Lab HQ! For the second Friday running we have opened our doors to our inspirational, talented and creative neighbours. Thank you for sharing your art and ideas, it’s been so nice to experience creative moments together with other humans once again. At times emotional, deep and beautiful, and also at times joyful, funny and exuberant, it’s been wonderful.
Exploring our personal responses to the question What Anchors You, residents of Ward 12 have made bags that proudly celebrate the things that have kept us going, thoughtful collages that have provided a way to ponder and reflect, and pocket-sized matchbox ‘shrines’ in which to keep personal momentos of hope.
11th May 2021
Join us! The Anchor Lab HQ will be open every Friday afternoon from 12 noon – 4 pm until the end of June. You are invited to come and make art at 567 Dumbrton Road inspired by the question What Anchors You? It’s FREE! To be on the safe side there will be a maximum of six guests at a time, face coverings will be mandatory the hand sanitiser will be in plentiful supply. We can’t wait to see you!
7th May 2021
Our latest window instalation at 567 Dumbarton Road has been revealed! The Neighbourhood Font is made of letters taken from the handwritten responses to the question What Anchors You? The very language of hope through this bizzarre and difficult time.
30th April 2021
With restrictions here in Scotland lifting ever so slightly we felt it was time to step out and introduce ourselves! We took to the streets of Ward 12 today with bundles of postcards and some makeshift signs. What a beautiful day, thank you to everyone who was curious enough to chat with us and take a card!
20th April 2021
Collect your collage kit from Anchor Lab HQ, 567 Dumbarton Road, Friday 23rd April at 11am onwards! We have loved being artists in residence so far, and now it’s time for us to invite you to become artist in your own residence! The word ‘collage’ comes from the French verb ‘coller’, meaning ‘to glue’ but to us it also means ‘to play’, ‘no rules’ and ‘no right or wrong’ so we thout it was a perfect way to invite our neighbours to join in the creative process with us. We have even prepared a short video packed with playful ideas about how to use your pack. As one of our heros, the printmaker Sister Corita Kent once said, “Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail. There’s only make”. Well said, sister!
13th April 2021
Our next window installation is open! The postcards have been arriving thick and fast and it has been wonderful to read about what has anchored our neighbours through 2020/21. Working with cut paper we lifted the original handwriting of our contributors to create what looks to us like a song of words, a rallying cry of hope in the face of the pandemic.
20th March 2021
The booth at the Anchorlab HQ is open! Thank you to everyone who has called by and completed a postcard so far. If you’ve not had chance to do so yet, don’t worry! We have plenty of cards left at HQ, which is at 567 Dumbarton Road G11 6HU.
16th March 2020
Our Anchor Lab postcards are ready to go! From today, these beauties will distributed around Glasgow’s Ward 12 and available at our Anchorlab HQ doorway. Keep your eyes peeled or pop down to collect one (and wave hello through the window!). What has anchored you through 2020/21? Let us know by writing you answer on the blank side of the postcard and dropping it back through our letterbox at 567 Dumbarton Road. We will use your answers to inspire what we make during the Glasgow Life Creative Communities residency, including window displays at our HQ and gifts to give you in return.
