first exhibition ~ Cherish the
Extraordinary Crystallizing Summer

The first exhibition by the Animus ~ Art
for the World Soul artists collective was held
throughout May, 2016, at the Hub in Eskdalemuir.

Video sketches here
Contributing artists were:

Carolyn Barlow
Catkin Van Hoppe
Elizabeth Waugh
Fergus Hall
Peter Dowden
Sam Samson
Sarah Keast
Shenpen Chökyi
Trevor Leat

Being a part of this exhibition was the first time we really
got a sense of the kind of magic which happens by which
the whole can became greater than the sum of its parts.

The Gandharan stupa offering-bowl blessing the space from the North window.

These ‘parts’ included the eight other visual artists. Elizabeth Waugh with bronzes:

Trevor Leat with willow:

Fergus Hall with gouache:

Sarah Keast with prints:

Carolyn Barlow with glass:

Cathy Sidhu (now Cathy Van Hoppe) with watercolours and paintings on wood:

Sam Samson with wood most definitely un-painted:

Peter Dowden with stone (and snail):

me myself with glass, writing and cameraless photography:

…and nature with sublime, swallow-studded skies:

Sound artists were too numerous to individually credit, but included Richard
Amp, Claire Fox and The Summer Sang, with live sets including storytelling
by Elinor Prędota and music and poetry by Fergus Hall and Julie MacLeod.
Go to the A/V page to see some videos from the Beltane show :)

For me, the sound functioned as a kind of invisible glue which melded
all the visual elements together within the spacious old school room
~ with its views onto rolling hills ~ which was Animus’s home for May.

(I remember briefly being taught in the room as a youngster,
quietly horrified by the - true - rumour that being given
the belt was still a legal punishment in Scotland.)

I was blown away by the ripples of synchronicity
and connection which unfolded ~ both between all of
us artists involved and ‘chance’ visitors to the exhibition,
as well as others in the community and people further afield.

And, as ever, those ripples spread in subtler,
unseen and as-yet unimaginable ways too.

One ripple are some offerings for Attawapiskat and Cross
Lake, the Canadian First Nation communities who recently
requested prayers and messages of support after over a hundred
suicide attempts by their young people since September.

These, in the form of ribbons block-printed in the Animus space
and fused glass hangings fired at home in my 'fire box', were
posted to Attawapiskat for the creation of a wishing tree.

This tradition is dear to me here in Scotland, as
it is to many indigenous cultures. (A lovely post
on the subject by Terri Windling which includes
a photo of a wishing tree up the valley here.)

If you would like to join me in sending love notes to
show your support too, the addresses are below:

Attawapiskat: Youth in Attawapiskat, Payukotayno Administrative
Office, 50 Bay Rd, PO Box 189D, Moosonee, ON, Canada

Cross Lake Nation: Youth in Cross Lake, Cross Lake Band
Office, P.O. Box 10, Cross Lake, MAN ROB OJO, Canada

We ended the exhibition sure that the multi-faceted experience which
was Animus would seed of further expressions and collaborations. 

First, though, as a visitor to Animus put it using Caro’s glass
poetry, time to cherish the extraordinary crystalizing summer.