Newsletter

Society of Scottish Artists
From the President

On June 14^th the SSA council came away from an exciting meeting, buoyed up by a sense of urgency and problem solving, a sense of artists together as a community in Scotland. Amongst our new artist-led council we double up as teachers, parents, curators, writers, administrators, studio reps, gallerists and lecturers. It's impressive but shows just how difficult it remains to earn a living as an artist in this country, and how administration, security, health and safety exert control over all human activity. Art is not necessarily dangerous, but rather it broadens the mind and encourage independent thinking. The freedom to practice what we want and to make a platform to express what we wish are crucial for the SSA, so thank you to all of you who continue to support the SSA in all its successes and

its struggles ....And now for...

...The Good News and the Bad News

Many of you might have heard through the grapevine what is now official. Our NGS- granted exhibition slot of January to February 2006 has been unceremoniously moved forward to June and July 2006 due to a last-minute curatorial decision by Timothy Clifford. His final exhibition, 'Choice', has bounced us and the RSW out of our slot. VAS will be left isolated in the lower galleries in January and February, with little but painters and decorators above them in the main galleries. Also, much hard backroom work spent ensuring the future collaboration of the SSA/ RSA /NGS for Body Parts 2006 has been unravelled by this. It has, however, been decided to go ahead with the next Body Parts in the time slot of Feb 15^th-19^th 2006 in collaboration with the RSA and other contemporary art organisations. This way we can keep up an SSA presence in the building before the June-July exhibition. We have great plans in the offing for SSA on Screen 2006, selected from open submission, to be previewed with screening events in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh from February to May 2006, in advance of continuous projection in our annual exhibition. The Burns Table project has likewise moved forward and evolved to become 'To see ourselves as others see us', or 'TSOAOSU' for short. It will concentrate on invited artists from India....more in the next newsletter. And one final piece of good news. There are far more visitors around in June and July than in January and February to enjoy the SSA annual exhibition!

SSA Round-up

In September, the SSA will welcome Erin Dobbins, an American studying art at Baylor University, Texas, as our first overseas student volunteer. She will work with us for the six months leading up to Bodyparts in February, as well as furthering her art practice as a studio assistant at Edinburgh Academy and other places.

Long-time SSA member and art impresario, Richard Demarco, is in the process of establishing a giant visual arts venue and home for his archive to mark this yearÕs Edinburgh Festival and his 75th birthday on a farm near Dunbar.

The new 9000-square-foot Demarco Gallery on Skateraw farm, a 100-acre area of coastal beauty is part of a project to bring urban and rural dwellers together through art. Demarco believes it will also prove that 'to appreciate art you do not have to be in stuffy galleries on The Mound.'

Many SSA artists are participating in the exchange between WASPS Patriothall and Arc Studios in Chicago, due to take place during this year's Edinburgh Festival and in September in Chicago.

In Memoriam

The President and the Council of the SSA extend their deepest sympathies to the families and friends of SSA members and our patron, who have died recently. They have all made strong contributions to the art world and will be sadly missed.

Irene Scott, died November 2004

William Cadenhead, died January 2005

Peter Pretsell, died February 2005

Archie Webb, died April 2005

Members will probably already have heard that our Patron, HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, died in October 2004 at the age of 102.

Benefits for SSA members -

Show your membership card!

If you have paid your 2005 subs, your membership card, which entitles you to the following exciting benefits, is enclosed.

Further discounts are also being sought for members. We will keep you informed!

If you have not paid your subs or have not paid the full amount, a notice is enclosed telling you what you still owe. Once you have paid, the Secretary will send your card, and you will be able to take advantage of all the benefits. Please also remember that submission fees for SSA 2006 for non-members will be £10 per work, with a maximum of two works allowed.

Edinburgh:

Cameo cinema concession prices for all films at all times (except during the Film Festival).

Greyfriars Art Shops, Dundas Street and Forrest Road 10% off artists supplies

Henderson Art Shop, Raeburn Place 10% off artistsÕ supplies

Step Gallery Framing, Jamaica StreetÑup to 30% off framing of 4 or more pieces of your own work (all the same); 20-25% off 4 or more of different frames; 10% off framing of 1-3 pieces.

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop 10% discount on courses

Glasgow:

Miller's, Stockwell Street 15% off artists supplies

The Art Store, Queen Street 25% off artists supplies (members must get a discount card from them)

Aberdeen:

The Artists Pad, Castle Street 15% off artists supplies

Haddington:

Peter Potter Gallery 10% off artists supplies

Call for entries

Body Parts and SSA on Screen

Body Parts 2006

Performance art festival

February 15^th-19^th, 2006

Deadline for submissions: September 2^nd, 2005.

The SSA, in collaboration with the Royal Scottish Academy, invites submissions from artists for performances of no longer than 45 minutes. Submissions must include DVD, CD-ROM or photos, with accompanying explanatory text or script and a brief curriculum vitae. Please enclose an SAE with sufficient postage if you want your work returned. There is a handling fee of £10 per work (payable to the Society of Scottish Artists) if you are NOT an SSA member.

SSA on Screen 2006

February-May 2006; June-July 2006

Deadline for submissions: September 2^nd, 2005.

The SSA invites submissions from artists for film and video work of no longer than eight minutes. Submissions must be in PC-compatible DVD format, with accompanying explanatory text and a brief curriculum vitae. Accepted work will form a continuous programme, which will be shown during SSA 2006, at the Cameo cinema in Edinburgh, as well as at other venues in Glasgow and Aberdeen. Please enclose an SAE with sufficient postage if you want your work returned. There is a handling fee of £10 per work (payable to the Society of Scottish Artists) if you are NOT an SSA member.

Submissions to and further information from SSA Secretary, Joanne Soroka (for contact details, see 'about the SSA').

Because of the change of dates for SSA 2006, we have had to reschedule some of our mailings and events. Here are the changes to expect for 2006 only. We will revert to our usual routine in 2007.

June 2005 - Council members select students work from degree shows

September 2005 - Selection of work for Body Parts and SSA on Screen

September 10-16 2005 - ESSA auction, Bonhams, Edinburgh

November 2005 - Newsletter, nomination papers for Selection and Hanging Committees

January 2006 - AGM

February 2006 - Body Parts

February, May 2006 - Screening events for SSA on Screen

March 2006 - Newsletter, labels for show, subscriptions due, ballot papers, call for installations

May 2006 - Selection of installations

June-July 2006 SSA 2006, Upper Galleries, RSA, open submission, also including SSA on Screen, invited student work, installations and the 'TSOAOSU' project.

July 2007 - Call for entries for SSA 2007

Opportunities

Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro is holding a competition and exhibition for artists aged 20 to 40. Artists should send an image of a previously-unexhibited sculpture by September 30th to Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro, Vicolo die Lavandai 2/A, 20144 Milano, Italy. Prizes up to 10,000 euros will be awarded. The exhibition will take place May to July 2006.

For further information, email competion@fondazionealdopomodoro.it, check the website at www.fondazionealdopomodoro.it or write to the above address.

Blind Art invites artists to submit work in any media which does not exclude the visually-impaired and can be explored through touch and the other senses. First prize is £5000, and the deadline is January 10th, 2006. Work will be exhibited at the Bankside Galleries, London, September-October 2006.

For further information, check the website at www.blindart.net or ring 020 7245 9977. One of last yearÕs winners was SSA member, Liz Munro.

An opportunity was listed in the April newsletter to exhibit in the Cameo bar in Edinburgh. SSA artists immediately took up the challenge and their phones, and the space was fully booked for a year ahead within a week. Please look out for these exhibitions when using your membership card to get concession prices to see films at the Cameo.