Tag Archives: ECA

Book Week Scotland 2014

Today marks the start of Book Week Scotland; the annual celebration of books and reading, as organised by the Scottish Book Trust. Part of the activity for 2014 includes the writing of love letters to libraries. Well, I’ve worked in libraries for seven years, and I can’t quite imagine doing anything else, so I think it’s safe to say that I love libraries. The world of library professionals is ever changing, and you are like as likely to spend your time digitising obscure texts to be uploaded on-line these days as you are to find yourself shelving dusty volumes onto creaking shelves. However, like most people I meet, I was initially drawn to the strange allure of a room full of words and ideas, each sealed with a binding, and the incomparable magic of losing yourself inside their pages.

This week, why not use your local library services. If you are a student or a researcher, make sure you take full advantage of the University’s resources:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery

And, please, visit the Scottish Book Trust website and see what else is going on:

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland

There are events happening all over Scotland throughout the week, including this “festival of books” at the Edinburgh College of Art:

Bookmark’ at ECA

Carl Jones, Library Annexe Supervisor

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ECA Collection at the Annexe : Dame Blackadder

A series of articles on the relationship between the Library Annexe and the ECA.

One of the gems being stored out at the Annexe amongst the ECA Collection is the below oil panting by Dame Elizabeth Violet Blackadder.

(c) Elizabeth Blackadder; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

Tuscan Landscape by Elizabeth V. Blackadder, Oil on paper, 51 x 71 cm, Collection: ECA part of University of Edinburgh Fine Art Collection

A Scottish painter and printmaker, in 1962 Blackadder began teaching at Edinburgh College of Art where she continued until her retirement in 1986.

She is the first woman to be elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy.

Her work can be seen at the Tate Gallery, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and has appeared on a series of Royal Mail stamps.

If you are interested in the paintings stored out at the Annexe, the BBC have digitised the collection and made it available on the web page ‘Your Paintings’.

 

Stephanie Farley (Charlie), Library Annexe Assistant

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ECA Collection at the Annexe: British Art

A series of articles on the relationship between the Library Annexe and the ECA.

Among the items from the ECA Collection being stored at the Annexe are some stunning examples of British Art that were purchased in the 50s with funding provided by the Carnegie Trust.

Including some works by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Augustus John.

Library of Congress, Bain Collection

Augustus John poses for the American press on board a ship.

If you are interested in the paintings stored out at the Annexe, the BBC have digitised the collection and made it available on the web page ‘Your Paintings’.

 

Stephanie Farley (Charlie), Library Annexe Assistant

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ECA Collection at the Annexe : Storage

A series of articles on the relationship between the Library Annexe and the ECA.

The Annexe provides a great space to store, sort, preserve and work on collections.

Improvements to the storage of materials are always on-going. Recently staff from the ECA have been working hard out at the Annexe lining shelves with Plastazote, a hard foam, to protect the paintings.

Volunteers, lining shelves with Plastazote to protect paintings stored at the Library Annexe

Volunteers, Siobhan & Catriona, lining shelves with Plastazote to protect paintings stored at the Library Annexe

Plastazote is used in conservation for many purposes. It is used for packaging and the protection of various fragile objects and artifacts. Also, to create book rests and display supports.

So what is it? Plastazote foam sheets are a high density light weight chemically neutral and inert polyethylene foam material. Catch all of that? This means that the foam is inert and acid free so it won’t react chemically with any conservation material it comes into contact with. The high density foam can be cleanly cut and sculptured to most shapes. Both of these factors make it great for packing archival boxes to fit the object, such as rare books and other valuable items that are subject to potential damage.

Plastazote lined shelves at the Library Annexe

The finished product.

By lining the shelves out at the Annexe, we are creating a more secure, safe, preserving space for the ECA Collection to ensure that the Collection will be in top condition to be enjoyed for many years to come.

 

Stephanie Farley (Charlie), Library Annexe Assistant

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ECA Collection at the Library Annexe: Student Paintings

A series of articles on the relationship between the Library Annexe and the ECA.

When the Edinburgh College of Art merged with the University of Edinburgh in August 2011, they brought with them a fantastic collection of art and archives. Including a large collection of paintings which were stored off site in Livingston and have now been moved to the Library Annexe.

Paintings at the Library Annexe

ECA Collection

What are these paintings and where do they come from?

The vast majority of the ECA paintings at the Annexe are student works from final year degree shows. The additional storage space provided by the Library Annexe has been a boon to the ECA. This space allows room for the expansion and growth of the collection.

ECA Collection at the Library Annexe

Safe, secure, storage.

In an exciting move, the ECA will this year re-start acquiring final year student work from the Degree show as part of a purchase prize.

If you are interested in art and would like to have a look at what our student’s are creating, the Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2013 is currently taking place until Sunday 9 June 2013. Check it out!

 

Don’t fear though, if you miss the Degree show, the ECA Post Graduate Degree Show 2013 will be happening from Saturday 17 August to Sunday 25 August 2013.

Stephanie Farley (Charlie), Library Annexe Assistant

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Lo, Oil Paintings!

Carnival Procession by Dorothy M. Peach. Held at the Library Annexe. Part of the University of Edinburgh’s Fine Art Collection

Among the rather diverse collections held here at the Library Annexe is one that sticks out, if only because of the bright colours and hefty items it contains. Lining the walls and filling a sizeable number of the Annexe’s shelves is a fascinating collection of canvas paintings completed by students at the Edinburgh College of Art. Inherited when the University and the ECA combined in Summer 2011, the collection comprises of over 1000 fine art pieces.

Given the bulky size of the pictures and the fact that they’re stored away from the cosy and familiar Main Library at George Square, you might be forgiven for thinking that the collection could be as interesting as it likes without you ever getting to see it; not so!

As part of a campaign to document the nation’s art and make it available on-line the BBC have digitised the collection and made it available on the web page ‘Your Paintings.’ The Your Paintings project aims to make the paintings, the stories behind them and their actual location available to the public. Not only that but when you run out of pictures to tag on Facebook you can tag the paintings instead.

To browse through one of the library’s more colourful collections at your leisure, visit the site and take a look:

BBC “Your Paintings”: Edinburgh College of Art

Here are a couple of my favourites. Why not go and find yours?

Landscape with Figures by Kathleen Russell

Carnival Procession by Dorothy M. Peach

Kew Garden by Gillian Mather

Maria O’Hara, Library Annexe Assistant

The Annexe team choose some highlights

I’ve selected a couple of paintings that really stood out to me. A nice impressionist still life and something a bit more colourful! I particularly like the Curtain Call painting as, although the reds and blues likely represent a stage curtain, to me the image evokes the atmosphere of lively applause amid showers of ticker tape.

Still Life with Fish by Alistair F. Flatterly

Curtain Call by Francis Convery

Carl Jones, Library Annexe Supervisor

                                                 

A warm still life with rose, gold, and lovely crisp apples.

Still Life with Apples by D. Gordon Campbell

An engaging portrait. I like the way light and shadow are used to encourage the eye to focus on and examine the subjects expression.

Portrait Study by Thomas Kim Redpath

I have a particular fascination with doors, archways, and the in-between.

Arches by Stella Anne Sandeman

Stephanie (Charlie) Farley, Library Annexe Assistant

 

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