Ben Robinson

crit

2009-11-04T21:54:00.000Z

What follows is a selection of writings by Automatic Drawing Project (Service Class) participants:

My Art

Hello

My "faces" are ones that we pull while on calls with customers.

They start out as circles and then I add the eyes, the eyes dictate as to if they smile or not. The hair then sets off the "look"

(Carol McGovern)

A few people have commented saying it looks like 2 handbags so I was thinking of changing the name to "Handbags at Dawn!"

(Paul Harris)

I was a little apprehensive when attending the screen printing classes. I have never considered myself arty and I was hoping it wouldn’t be too peculiar. I needn't have worried. Our teacher/ tutor/ in house artist dude; was very good. He explained thing very clearly and it seemed the screen printing process was relatively easy. Scott Hudson summed it up when he said "you are as free as wild ponies on the wide steppe, churning the flashing earth beneath you".

Only constrained by my imagination, which of my many doodles I would elevate to art? One such doodle portrayed a large falling piano and, just about to be crushed, a rabbit enjoying a carrot. The whole scene was, I feel, rather too complex and I wished to distil the essence of the piece. I chose the carrot, being the focal point of the piece.

A happy accident of art was the frame around the carrot. The carrot looked good but I felt it needed more. The old style framing of the carrot seems to elevate it from a mere pedestrian carrot to noble celebration of the root vegetable. This noble quality shaped the title "the Good Carrot".

Although I a wanted a feel of avant-garde I also was convinced the carrot must remain orange. What's a carrot which isn't carrot coloured… maybe a parsnip?

How excited I was when the exhibition came to the office. Many people complemented me on my carrot and I wasted no time in telling all my friends and family I was now an exhibited artist. They were surprised.

Thank you to all the people involved with the project I enjoyed it immensely. To think that my "Good Carrot" will be admired for years after I am dead is truly a gift. That gift of immortally.

(Adam Redpath)

Nine Trades in Norway

2009-10-22T08:03:00.000+01:00

The bedroom in this film belongs to the super-talented Norwegian artist Kier Cooke Sandvik. His beautiful drawings were featured in the summer 09 issue of our art zine Yuck 'n Yum.

Eagle-eyed viewers will recognise one of my Nine Trades prints at 0:40

DC

2009-10-11T21:31:00.000+01:00

I was recently the recipient of some great feedback from the acclaimed American novelist, playwright, poet and all-round groovy character Dennis Cooper. I often post comments on his excellent blog, and this is his response to the recent photos of the project:

** _Black_Acrylic, Hey, man. The photos are good enough to get a real sense of the work, and they/it looks really good. The range of what people did is really interesting too, and the approaches all seem pretty successful, no? Yours is wonderful, of course, and I also really like the look of the ones by Sharma and Harris and, naturally, the Halloween-inflected Cheryl X piece, but they all look real good. Let me ... Everyone, _Black_Acrylic aka Ben Robinson has been letting us here share in the makings of a project called Nine Trades, and the finished works can now be seen. Here's Ben: 'The Nine Trades work has been installed, and I got a got a few not-that-good photos. I need to take some more, but this should give an idea of it: LINK.' Thanks a lot, man, and great work! **

Dennis Cooper Wikipedia page: LINK

unveil

2009-10-08T21:48:00.000+01:00

The prints are now installed in the third-floor meeting room at the bank and they've already had a really positive response. I took a few not-very-good photos and there should be more of better quality still to come:

Ashish Sharma - Untitled

Ben Robinson - The Intense Organism

Paul Harris - Untitled

Steven Thomson - Helping Hand

Carol McGovern and Lisa Robertson - Untitled

Cheryl McGuinness - Untitled

Adam Redpath - The Happy Carrot

Carol McGovern - Hello

preview

2009-10-05T22:06:00.001+01:00

All being well, tomorrow ought to see the completed Automatic Drawing Project (Service Class) installed on the walls of the bank's third-floor meeting room. Last week we sorted out which prints will make the final cut. This time tomorrow they will hopefully be framed and resplendent in the workplace.

Class six: the end (or is it?)

2009-09-07T22:32:00.001+01:00

The last of the Nine Trades classes took place earlier this evening at the DCA print workshops. We welcomed a couple of new starters in addition to the old hands, and the factory was soon in production. The group has really been incredibly prolific, and from the mountain of beautiful prints we will somehow have to select a group of images that will be framed and eventually displayed on the walls of the workplace. For now though everyone involved can congratulate themselves on a job very well done.

Class five

2009-08-31T22:30:00.000+01:00

The penultimate session in the print workshops took place earlier this evening. We learned a new part of the process, painting directly onto the screens with masking agent and creating a complex set of grounds for our doodle-artworks. Next week promises much and we are all looking forward to completing this batch of prints. You can see a few photos of our endeavours below.

the Skinny

2009-08-27T19:14:00.000+01:00

The Nine Trades project has been picking up some media interest courtesy of the Skinny listings magazine. You can see my article on their website: LINK

phase two

2009-08-24T21:40:00.001+01:00

After a short break of a week, the Nine Trades participants have resumed classes at the DCA print studio. A change of instructor, a couple of absentees and one new face this time, the studio's racks are already groaning under the weight of so many lovely screenprints.

Phase one

2009-08-13T22:16:00.000+01:00

The final installment of the first Nine Trades series of classes is now over and done with, and everybody has a set of prints that they're delighted with. I took a few photos of the results, and here they are:

Class two: sophomore efforts

2009-08-06T21:29:00.000+01:00

The second of the Thursday classes is over, and two new attendants were welcomed into the fold. They quickly made up for lost time and within the space of half a session everyone was ready to see the otherworldly UV room. This is where the screens are sort of vacuum-packed and then thoroughly hosed down to reveal something like how the final prints will look. Now everyone is looking forward to seeing their humble workplace scribbles turned into immaculate luxury silkscreen prints, and even under the spray gun the designs are looking smart. The enthusiasm and energy of everyone involved, including our super keen and helpful apprentice, has really made for an inspiring project. When next week rolls around I foresee the final results being quite something to behold.

My original drawing photocopied onto acetate

Class one: off the mark

2009-07-30T21:08:00.001+01:00

This evening the first Nine Trades class was held at the DCA printmaking workshop. Myself and two colleagues took part, and we were shown the basics of the screenprinting process. Although I'd done this during my art degree I'd forgotten much of the technique so I was as good as starting from scratch. My HBOS colleagues really took to it like the proverbial ducks to water, and produced a series of flat 'ground' blocks of colour with all the assurance of seasoned professionals. Next week we'll move on to composing the actual prints to be made from our workplace doodles, but they're already keen to sign up for classes beyond the basics being taught for Nine Trades. It's been a great start to the project and bodes well for what's due to happen over the coming weeks.

first draft

2009-07-29T19:44:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow will be the first screen printing class at the DCA, and I'm expecting at least 3 participants to take part. Let's hope they make good on their promises to attend. The idea is that everyone brings along a doodle they created while at work, and this drawing will be turned into a professional-quality screen-print by the end of the session. I'll be bringing along my own scribble, which will be put through the magic process with the help of the DCA's expert technicians:

Getting started

2009-07-15T16:10:00.000+01:00

Hello to you and welcome to the Nine Trades blog of Ben Robinson. The aim of this thing is to document the progress of the Nine Trades project, which will feature the artwork of my colleagues at HBOS in Dundee. Eventually other participants will be posting too, and you can follow their updates right here.

The project has just got off the ground, I have sent the following email around the call centre and already there is a good deal of interest:

Subject: Nine Trades of Dundee

Calling all call-centre workers and would-be artists!

Are you a secret artist? Do you draw doodles when you are on the phone? Now is the time to turn your doodles into fabulous screen-prints that will decorate the walls of the call-centre!

In collaboration with the Scottish Arts Council and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design we are offering call-centre workers the chance to get some FREE classes at the DCA screen-printing workshop. This will only take about two hours of your time for up to 6 weeks. By the end of it you will be a skilled printer with your very own portfolio that you can keep forever! The prints will be framed and displayed on the walls of the office, and when we are all finished there will be a grand exhibition opening with champagne and canapes and the like.

If you are interested in this opportunity to get some FREE art training and your very own FREE print then just send me an email stating what sort of time would be suitable for you. The project has already been receiving TV and newspaper coverage, so this could be your big chance!

Times are not yet decided for the screen printing classes, but we are thinking Thursdays at around tea time or early evening at the end of July. If another time might suit you better, drop me a line and let me know. This is just an email to introduce you to the Nine Trades idea, and all feedback is welcome. I look forward to hearing from you!

many thanks
Ben Robinson