+++ Outport aesthetics

Fond Farewell

2010-03-09T13:44:00.000-08:00

On behalf of the Outport Interiors workshop and the Fogo Islands Arts Corporation I would like to extend a heartfelt and sincere thanks to everyone involved in the workshop, especially the 16 participants who dedicated over two weeks of their time to be a part of this experiment and the local people who graciously volunteered their time to help in many different ways. Thank you for making this possible and a success.

Though everyone is gone now and our cocoon at the Church is empty there is still much more to do here on the Island, so keep in touch.

Please stay tuned to the blog for future links and info ... Website coming in April!

+ + + Greg White

Do A Little Research, Make a Little Presentation, Get Down Tonight!

2010-03-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

+ + + FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Day 16, time to see what everyone's been up to !!!

Schedule for Day 16

9 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

9:15 AM - Prep for presentations

12 PM - Lunch

1 PM - Participants in the workshop present their findings and ideas followed by group discussion and a tour of the Inn model room

- Intro by Elisabet Gunnarsdottir

- Colour Palettes and Patterns influenced by the "Seven Seasons" of Fogo Island

- Furnishings, Room Designs and Textures

- Lamps, Stools and Wall Fixtures

- Room Architecture, Practical Spaces and Storage

7 PM - Caribbean Night at the St. Patrick's Club in Tilting
Food, Music and Dancing all night long - Mojitos, Salt fish Snacks (Michelle LeBlanc), Buffet style dinner of Chili with homemade biscuits (Tilting Catering Ladies), Live entertainment (Carol Penton & others)

The final presentation was a big success and thrilling for those people who were either heavily involved in the whole process or simply dropping by to see what the 16 participants had accomplished. Much can be said about the tremendous amount of input and inspiration given to this group from the local community and all the guest lecturers. And in the end it certainly shows. Inn architect, Todd Saunders, was able to take in the final presentation and he seemed overjoyed and excited about the work that was produced over the last two weeks.

Here are a few examples of the findings from the workshop:
*Please note that the following images are of prototypes and are not to be copied
**All photos of workshop prototypes taken by the participants

The Storm Before the Storm

2010-03-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

+ + + WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010

During Days 14 & 15 there is no fixed schedule and the participants are working furiously to see their bold ideas realized and presentations ready ...

Schedule for Day 14

10 PM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

12 PM - Lunch - Pork Chops at the JBS Town Hall (2010 JBS Come Home Year Fundraiser)

1 PM - Free time - self directed work and research
Doors are open and visitors are encouraged to drop in

6 PM - Dinner at the Barr'd Islands Church
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad provided by Michelle LeBlanc

_____________________________________________

Schedule for Day 15

9 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

12 PM - Lunch

1 PM - Free time - self directed work and research
Doors are open and visitors are encouraged to drop in

6 PM - Dinner at the Barr'd Islands Church
Lobscouse provided by Michelle LeBlanc

During the busy two days there is always time for some entertainment to lighten the mood. Justin entertains all the other participants with a new accordion he recently purchased in Fogo. The accordion will be included in a sound project he is working on.

+ + + Greg White

Input Day 2

2010-03-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

+ + + TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Day 13, input day number two ...

Schedule for Day 13

9 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

10 AM - Prep for presentations

12 PM - Lunch at Nicole's Cafe

1 PM - Lecture Jerry Dick

2 PM - Lecture Joseph Grima

3 PM - Participants in the workshop present their findings and ideas followed by group discussion

6 PM - Dinner at Nicole's Cafe

Today we welcome two new lecturers to our workshop: Jerry Dick, Director of Heritage at the NL Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and Joseph Grima(left), director of Storefront for Art & Architecture in New York City and member of the Arts Corporation's Advisory Board. After lunch we arrive at the church to hear lectures from both Jerry and Joseph. The participants take a quick opportunity to fine tune their materials to be presented at 3 PM, and once everyone is settled away the lectures begin. Once again the public has come out to take part in the lectures and sample some more findings from the participants; some of which they have a had a strong hand in helping create.

After the lectures the participants set up their computers and pieces for the presentation. Today most of the work can be accessed directly by walking into the model room space where beds, storage spaces, work areas and wall textures have been built.

On the outside walls of the room (those facing the public space of the workshop) the participants have posted lots of drawings, textures, experiments, paintings and colours. After the Keynote presentations are over the public is encouraged to explore the room and all of the new findings and materials. Great progress has been made in just three days and with another two days to go before the final presentation we should see some wonderful results.

+ + + Greg White

The Hub

2010-03-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

+ + + MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Today is Day 12 and once again the church is a bright and exciting place to be since tomorrow is another input day and we have two more guest lecturers arriving ...

There is no fixed schedule today and once again local artists, woodworkers and craftspeople are especially encouraged to drop by the church. Participants spend more time in the woodworking shop across the street building furnishings and other pieces for the model room. The room is quickly taking on a new form and today the participants turn it around a full 180 so that instead of looking into the room through the windows the public can now enter the room through the door. This creates a very specific experience for those exploring the space.

Everyone is very focused and previous findings and ideas have become specific projects that consume everyone's time. It is an amazing feeling exploring the church today and I am very much looking forward to tomorrow.

+ + + Greg White

Change Islands Adventure

2010-03-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

+ + + SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2010

It's Day 11 and everyone is heading out on trip to Changes Islands ...

There is no fixed schedule for today as the participants embark on a little adventure across the water to Change Islands. The ferry departs at 9AM and upon arriving at their destination everyone takes in a mixture of sights and sounds. There is a visit to a boat builder, local churches, museums and an old general store.

*Come see http://atelierbipede.blogspot.com/ for photos !

Please Disturb

2010-03-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

+ + + SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2010

Day 10 is another work day and with two more work days to go before the next input day there is an easy atmosphere at the church today ...

Schedule for Day 10

10 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

12 PM - Lunch at the JBS Town Hall

1 PM - Participants gather for a meeting on practical approach to Inn room design

2 PM - Presentations by several of the Participants:
Pall Einarsson
Hafsteinn Juliusson

3 PM - Free time - self directed work and research

Most things don't get started today until after lunch. The participants take advantage of a chance to relax, sleep in and enjoy a warm bowl of pea soup prepared by the JBS Firettes before getting down to work. The first thing to take place back at the church is a quick meeting with the participants along with Neil and Roger about some practical design questions. Then we have two more presentations from the participants.

The rest of the day is like many of the other work days with little hubs of activity taking place all over the church. During these work days the doors are open and visitors are encouraged to drop in. The informal discussions that take place being the participants and the public can be very stimulating and productive.

+ + + Greg White

Input Day

2010-03-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

+ + + FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010

It's Day 9, it's an input day and everyone is coming to the church to see what progress the participants have made ...

Schedule of Day 9

9 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments
Practical information

10 AM - Local excursions with Neil Minuk and Roger Mullin
Marine Information Centre in Seldom
Museums in Fogo
Brett House

12 PM - Lunch break Nicole’s cafe

1 PM - Lecture Neil Minuk architect & professor Winnipeg

2 PM - Lecture Roger Mullin architect & professor Halifax

3 PM - Participants in the workshop present their findings and ideas followed by a discussion with the participation of Neil Minuk and Roger Mullin

5 PM - Free Time

7PM - Dinner at Nicole's Cafe

Today we welcome lecturers Neil Minuk(right) and Roger Mullin(left) to the group. They are both here for a couple days to give presentations, take in the findings and provide feedback.

But before the presentations and input gets underway everyone heads out on an excursion to Seldom to the Marine Information Centre and then onto Fogo. Neil and Roger get a quick tour of the Brett House and then it's back to the church.

At the church Neil and Roger give their presentations. Members of the community are present along with the participants and everyone crowds in together to take in the work of these two new architects.
(Photo: Nick Herder)

Once the presentations are over everyone breaks for coffee and snacks. More local people arrive and everyone quickly gathers back into their seats for the first input and findings we have seen from the participants. Starting with Keynote presentations of some of the digital imaging the designers have mapped for the Inn room designs and layout.
(Photo: Nick Herder)

Everyone is then escorted throughout the church to view and receive explanations on different pieces created by the participants. Influenced by local items and local aesthetics the prototypes are a great launching point for the work to come and everything seems to be well received by the community.

+ + + Greg White

Pot Luck

2010-03-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

+ + + Input from Participants

Here is a look at the workshop and Fogo Island/Change Islands through the eyes of some of our participants ...

Yvonne Mullock

Gudbjorg Jakobsdottir

Elisabeth Belliveau

Justin Armstrong

"Jigsaws chewing through plywood, moved along by paint-splattered hands; sawdust in eyelashes and lines of glowing Apples. Whining drills and the up-and-down noises of sewing machines. Fog that hangs like a weird, close curtain over iced-up branches and caribou on wooly hooves. Imagination that bubbles up and twists itself into cusps, chevrons, legs, seats and colours. The sound of the North Atlantic as a bedtime story. Molasses and Black Horse beer; tautons and salt cod. Cut-off in a beautifully upside-down dreamworld. Welcome that overflows through crowded kitchens filled with songs and yellow lamplight."

Justin

Knit, Hook, Saw, Eat!

2010-03-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

+ + + THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010

Day 8 and when you enter the church or the wood shop there is noise and activity. Knitting, sewing, hooking, sketching, painting, 3D imaging, sawing, hammering, on and on in an endless soundscape of creativity ...

Schedule for Day 8

9 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

10 AM - Presentations by several of the Participants:
Gudbjorg Jakobsdottir
Eric Demay
Jonathan Mandeville
Jeff Baggs

12 PM - Free time - self directed work and research

7 PM - Pot luck dinner and studio visit at the Wind and Waves Guild house in Shoal Bay

Once again the morning starts with a round of presentations by the participants, but the day ahead is in everyone's mind. Lots of work needs to get done because tomorrow is an input day. In the meantime everyone enjoys the presentations and in this photo Pall Einarsson looks on while Jeff Baggs shares some original music with the group.

At about 12:30 everyone heads to Nicole's Cafe for lunch. I tag along for a coffee and invite the participants to come and check out my renovation project for some finds. So far the participants have been extremely lucky to receive lots of materials for inspiration and for repurposing and incorporating into their projects.

Little design boroughs pop up everywhere. Knitting and hooking here, measuring and planning there. Required tools for this workshop come in all shapes and sizes as computers mingle with wool, drills, plywood and sailcloth. The work is eager and exciting. And what better way is there to end this fervor then a trip to the Guild House in Shoal Bay for a potluck dinner?

In the evening everyone heads to the Guild house for a tasty treat and a chance to explore the abundance of beautifully handcrafted artistry lying everywhere at this lovely studio. This is the home of the Wind and Waves Crafts Guild. The food is laid out and there is barely enough room in the kitchen to fit it all. The lovely guild ladies have certainly went all out on this one and after all is said and done the participants can certainly let everyone know how well fed you will be with a visit to Fogo Island.

After everyone has looked around the house, had their fill of delicious dishes and desserts they sit and enjoy some music or learn how to hook or crochet. The guild is more than pleased to offer a little of both.

Guild member Carol Penton, of Joe Batt's Arm, sings us a few tunes and soon everyone joins in with an impromptu chorus of 'Jolene'. The night ends on a high note and everyone leaves feeling full and relaxed after a long day of work and play.

+ + + Greg White

Sleds and Sheds

2010-03-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

+ + + WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010

Day 7 is a workday and it is very exciting to be in our cocoon at the Church today ...

Schedule for Day 7

11 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Coffee and refreshments

11:30 AM - Presentations by several of the Participants:
Yvonne Mullock
Elisabeth Belliveau
Jessica Waterman
Dagur Oskarsson
Kym Greeley

2 PM - Free time – self directed work and research

Our cocoon warms up and it is once again ready for the days activities. In this photo you can see the rear view of our workshop space and how it relates to the rest of the church.
(Photo: Nick Herder)

The morning starts with the second round of presentations from the participants and this time we have quite the international representation: England, Canada (St. John's and Montreal) and Iceland.

Dagur, one of the four participants from Iceland, has brought along an orange Dalvikursledinn, a plastic sled he has produced based on the traditional sleds that come from his home town. It was a very colourful addition to his presentation.

As the presentations come to an end everyone hurries out for a bite to eat and then on to discover more of what Fogo Island has to offer, tucked away in its little sheds, stages and stores.

+ + + Greg White

Exploration

2010-03-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

+ + + TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2010

Day 6, and the participants look forward to branching out and spending a day exploring Fogo Island ...

(Right: Caribou herd on Fogo Island. At least 200 Caribou live on the Island)
Click on the image to enlarge

Schedule for Day 6

9 AM - All gather at the Barr'd Island Church
Coffee and refreshments

10 AM - Presentations by several of the Participants:
Michael Pittman
Martine Myrup
Elaine Fortin
Justin Armstrong

1 PM - Lunch and free time to explore the Island

In the morning everyone gathers at the church in anticipation ... today we finally get to see the work of some of the artists/designers who have been staying on our Island. There is a great variety of work to be showcased today. We have a visual artist, two designers and an anthropologist.

Once again the presentations take place within the shell of our model Inn room. But this time the proverbial 'fourth wall' between actor and audience is replaced with the real thing. Studs have been put into place to represent the placement of windows in the room.

After the presentations the participants are on their own to explore the island. People poke around sheds, old fishing stages and peoples homes in hopes of finding inspiration, friendly faces, stories and materials. The participants delve into their work ... Great things are being set into motion ... A wish list is being put together for materials and supplies. The rest of the week will unfold in many imaginative ways.

+ + + Greg White

Charrette

2010-03-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

+ + + MONDAY. FEBRUARY 15, 2010

Today is Day 5, it is a new week and some group exercises are in the works ...

Schedule for Day 5

9 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church

9:30 AM - Presentations:
Zita Cobb
Steve Topping
Dressler Brothers

12 PM - Lunch at Nicoles Cafe

1 PM - Charrette Exercises

5 PM - Free time

7 PM - Social Dinner at Nicole’s Cafe

Back in late November of 2009 the Shorefast Foundation and the Arts Corporation held a Charrette here on Fogo Island where invited guests and people from the Island combined their previous hotel experiences with their emotions and imaginations to explore the designs of the Fogo Island Inn. Today the participants and members of the community will come together at the Barr'd Islands church to work on similar group exercises centered around the design, interiors and textures of the Fogo Island Inn.

Charrette: The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem. While the structure of a charrette varies, depending on the design problem and the individuals in the group, charrettes often take place in multiple sessions in which the group divides into sub-groups. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Such charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people(wikipedia).

The crowd was divided into five groups with about seven people in each group. They discussed the following things: Path, Entrance and Lobby of the Inn, write the narrative of exploring one of the guest rooms, Washrooms, Functional spaces and Storage.

Participants took advantage of renderings, architectural plans and a plethora of local items (old windows, boards, fishing gear, crab pots, hooked rugs, quilts ... the list goes on) brought in to inspire everyone.

At the end of each session one member from each of the seven groups present the findings. The information gathered will be used in combination with the local materials and discoveries from the excursions to aid in the rest of the workshop experiments.

+ + + Greg White

A 'Time'

2010-03-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

+ + + SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

It's Day 4, it's Valentine's Day, and there is a love concert today ...

Our experimental workshop is still taking shape and in the days to come we have lots of work to do. But today is Valentine's Day and there is time to relax, take in a concert and enjoy a cooked meal prepared by the ACW.

Schedule for Day 4

11 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church
Practical information

11:10 AM - Presentation – Walter Peddle

1 PM - Snacks at the church
Excursion to Island Harbor & Fogo

3 PM - Valentine’s program at the Catholic Church in Fogo

4 PM - Sunday dinner in Fogo served by the Anglican Church Women

4:30 PM - Free Time

9 PM - Visit to the Outport Square Dancers for a lesson

There is a later start to the day today. Participants have time to sleep in, relax, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Fogo Island on their way to the Barr'd Islands Anglican Church for a presentation by Walter Peddle.

After lunch everyone heads out on an excursion to Island Harbour and then to Fogo where Valentine's Day is in full swing. There is a concert at the Roman Catholic Church and the theme is ‘love’. Everyone enjoys some local talent and then head to the ACW for a traditional Newfoundland sunday dinner of fresh meat and boiled vegetables smothered in gravy.

In the evening the participants gather at the JBS Town Hall. But this time they are not here for a meal ... tables are pushed aside and the Outport Square dancers are plankin’ ‘er down. The participants watch keenly as the dancers scuff and kick their heels, spin, circle up and shout out enthusiastically. Soon it is our participants turn and they dive right in, moving around on the floor fast and furious. It is quite the ‘time’.

+ + + Greg White

Repurposed

2010-02-20T09:34:00.001-08:00

+ + + SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2010

Day 3 and the word of the day begins with R ...

I'm sure everyone is familiar with the three R's ... well, there are the educational R's, but the ones I allude to are there to remind us to be environmentally friendly human beings. We've seen them advertised on the walls of cafeterias, food packaging, bottoms of water bottles and many other public spaces: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE. Wise words for this obsessed consumer driven age of "want everything, waste everything". So in this world filled with accessible commercial furniture products is there an advocate sending out a clear message to the consumer about the beauty of reused materials? You bet!

Schedule for Day 3

9:00 AM - All gather at the Barr’d Islands Church

9:30 AM - Presentations – Walter Peddle & The Dressler brothers

12 PM - Lunch for visitors & local people at the Town Hall

1 PM - Lecture – Frank Tjepkema, designer

Excursions - The Wells House, Don Wells' Shed, The Long Studio in Joe Batt's Arm

5 PM - Free Time

7 PM - Salt Cod Dinner for the visitors at the big Seldom house

The morning session begins with a further study into Outport furniture by Walter Peddle. The images are charming and please the aesthetic senses. Walter's passion is palpable and again his attention to detail is expert to say the least.

The next presenters are famous for their dedication to responsible furniture making and repurposing materials to create things that are beautiful and timeless. The Brothers Dressler are identical twins, Jason (left) and Lars (right), who run a furniture studio in Toronto. Their presentation shows us stunning examples of repurposed materials used to make superbly crafted tables and chairs. There are examples of wood that would normally be discarded because of warping that has been used by the brothers to make furniture that embraces these imperfections and celebrates the natural beauty of the objects. Their presentation is very inspiring. The R words rattle around in my head throughout.
www.brothersdressler.com

Lillian Dwyer shows us how rug hooking embraces the reuse of materials through repurposing fabrics.

Lunch is at the town hall next to the Anglican Church where the workshop is being held. 'Cold plates' ... a traditional Newfoundland meal usually served during fundraising activities. Easily made and easily transported the cold plate consists of several versions of cold potato based salads (mustard, beet and vegetable), sliced ham, cold beef, lettuce, tomato and jello.

After lunch we sit down for a presentation from designer Frank Tjepkema. Frank runs a studio in Amsterdam named Tjep. He discusses his recent works, including the award winning design of the Heathrow Airport executive lounge, and plays several videos which illicit many smiles and laughs.
www.tjep.com

In the evening we head to the town of Seldom for a traditional Newfoundland meal prepared by Michelle LeBlanc, Shorefast consultant chef. The smell of salt fish fills the air carried on the steam from a pot full of potatoes, mixes with the smell of 'scruncheons' (fried pork fat) and the simmering drawn butter. The hearty meal is devoured in minutes and only bones are left. The participants take advantage of this time to relax, chat and get to know one another. Music soon fills the air, mingles with the salt of the fish and in this two-story saltbox house the Outport interior comes to life.

At the end of the day, back home on my couch with my cat in my lap, the R words still bounce in my head. And I think for the purposes of this workshop we should consider three new R's ... REPURPOSE, RECLAIM, REJOICE.

+ + + Greg White

From Crates To Cabinets

2010-02-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

+ + + FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

Today is Day 2 of the workshop and a history lesson never goes unappreciated ...

As our little incubator slowly warms up on this lovely morning I find myself dozing off at my work station and in desperate need of sleep or a major dose of coffee. The last few days have been an adventure for everyone and things have yet to settle. The experimental workshop has not yet taken its mature form, but we are getting there ... slowly. It is actually a beautiful thing to witness how the participants, artists and lecturers with their different customs, cultures and history can come together on Fogo Island and give birth to a creative environment and begin to operate as their own little community. Beautiful to watch and a little exhausting to create, but all good things take time ... so say the wise. And I truly believe them.

I down a mug of coffee in a matter of seconds, feeling the burning satisfaction run down my throat, into my belly and coursing through my exhausted matter. It works ... for about a minute. But then the time has arrived to begin and Walter Peddle, expert on Outport furniture and author of The Dynamics Of Outport Furniture Design: Adaption And Culture and The Traditional Furniture of Outport Newfoundland starts to share his wealth of knowledge with the audience. His speaks with true genius on the subject matter, holds a long pointer in one hand and talks vigorously with the other while a large series of slides project on the screen behind him. One by one the slides show us furniture many Newfoundlanders are used to seeing in homes across the province, but Walter takes us beyond those things we see and shows us the things we don't see. The details, the simplicity, the beauty and of course the materials. I am surprised when I learn just how much of this Outport furniture was made using repurposed materials and reclaimed wood from barrels, fish crates and boxes. Many times in my childhood (and that wasn't very long ago) I remember seeing pieces of furniture in the homes of relatives with strange printings on the back and have only now realized that these pieces were made from old packing materials or barrels ... my eyes are open now, literally.

Next up is Mike Paterson, cabinet maker and woodworker living in Bonavista Bay, and another expert on furniture. Mike's presentation shows just how sexy outport designs can be and like Walter he gives insight into the details of this precious art. The slides of turned bed posts, windows and cabinets are simply stunning and hide nothing. I am left excited and wanting more. But I have to make the dash to pick up three more participants and I need to hurry ... I don't want to miss anymore and neither should the newcomers. This is good stuff.
www.patersonwoodworking.com

We end the day by gathering everyone near the work area and making wooden names tags to hang around our necks. No standard-issue-plastic-pinned-to-your-shirt style names tags for us ... and extra points are awarded for creativity. There is something very special about these personalized name tags. Each personality is showcased along with the names and it will certainly help you remember the names of the participants easily. As I write this post it is 7 days into the workshop (oops) and I don't think anyone wears their names tags anymore. I guess they worked.

+ + + Greg White

The Gathering Place

2010-02-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

+ + + THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Day 1, here we go ...

In the middle of the Barr'd Islands Anglican Church on Fogo Island we have created a cocoon ... Sure it would be fun to think of giant moths or butterflies bursting free and terrorizing the Northeast coast of Newfoundland, but this is not THAT type of cocoon. Practicality and not experimental biology is of course the reason: it is February and the capacity for the very large church to retain cold winter air seems almost limitless. Therefore the industrious men of Fogo Island have built a tarpaulin cocoon to trap the heat and shelter everyone from the bitter sting of the salty winter air.

On the afternoon of February 11 I am waiting inside this cocoon with a fear I'm sure all people who have had a hand in organizing large events often feel ... will anyone show up?? Of course there are the participants and lecturers, we just had a delicious lunch of beans and toutons together at the local cafe, but what about the community? During the course of our preparations for the Outport interiors workshop we have invited many local artists, woodworkers and craftspeople to explore the aesthetics of such interiors and help integrate them into the Fogo Island Inn and the Arts Corporation Studio projects. We also encouraged the general public to come and investigate what sorts of things we will be up to at the church for the next 16 days. But once again the thought creeps into my mind ... will they come out?

With the cocoon slowly heating up (now with the added help of what can only be described as a 'fire canon') the stage has been set and the actors, or in this case the participants/lecturers, are ready for the curtain to rise. All is quiet, I pour myself a cup of coffee and as I chat with one of my colleagues about the A/V setup the door opens ... the first person has arrived and they are a member of the community. The doors open again ... and again ... and again. Soon our little cocoon is overflowing with people from Fogo Island who are curious about the workshop and many of them already want to get involved. In the next few minutes we run out of chairs and the event becomes standing room only. This is very exciting stuff.

Everyone is welcomed. Everyone mingles. Introductions are made around the snack table, people slowly open up and things are going well. The little room heats up quite fast now and the 'fire canon' is no match for the heat of 50 or more people packed into our little sheltered dome. Things get started and continue in the following order:

+ Welcome

+ Words from the Shorefast Foundation - Zita Cobb and Tony Cobb

+ Introduction to the Outport interiors Workshop - Elisabet Gunnarsdottir (Director of the Fogo Island Arts Corporation)

+ Words from Walter Peddle - Expert on Outport Furniture

+ Story and Song about Fogo Island Sealers - Pete Decker and Greg White

+ A Look at the Fogo Island Inn Plans - Nick Herder (Staff Architect for the Shorefast Foundation)

+ Excursion to the Inn Build Site

The day is a success. The gathering place that has stood for so long in this location has once again proven to be the ideal location for bringing minds together for a common purpose. Cocoon no longer feels like the right word for our little heated room sanctioned off from the rest of the cold church. It now feels much more like and incubator ... a warm place for the ideas of the artists, crafters and the community to grow and blossom into something that will benefit and inspire us all.

(Photo: Nick Herder)

+ + + Greg White

Workshop Participants

2010-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

JUSTIN ARMSTRONG
Justin is currently preparing to defend a dissertation in cultural anthropology at McMaster University where his research examines the visual, narrative and material culture of isolated and abandoned settlements throughout North America. Justin also produces experimental electronic music and is a sometimes drawing-maker, printmaker and photographer. He was born in Saskatchewan, raised in Northern Ontario and lives in Boston.

JEFF BAGGS
Jeff is a woodworker and cabinetmaker in St. John's. He graduated with a BA in Theatre (technical scenography) from Dalhousie in 2003. Over the past 10 years, Jeff has worked extensively in theatre, film, and on a multitude of unique millwork and furniture projects. He currently operates Means Design Inc., offering custom furniture, cabinets, heritage renovations and specialty woodwork.

ELISABETH BELLIVEAU
elisabeth is an interdisciplinary artist working in stop-motion animation, drawing, textiles and writing. She completed a MFA at Concordia University and an BFA at the Alberta College of Art and Design. elisabeth is a published author and has screened and exhibited her work throughout Canada and Internationally. Currently her studio is based in Montreal, Quebec.

ERIC DEMAY
Eric is a Montreal-based designer & photographer. Things that get him going: everyday objects, human interactions, low-tech VS high-tech, experimental kitchen endeavors, phone interfaces, good lighting, text messaging, long journalistic essays, all things bicycles, his well-worn jeans. He's also been blogging about design and other interests since 2003.
www.ericdemay.com

PALL EINARSSON - WORKSHOP COORDINATOR
Pall is one true entrepreneur, especially in his field of endeavor which very few others have engaged in. Probably no one! Pall has the advantage over other chair designing, latte drinking modern designers of being extremely handy, creative, profoundly intelligent, verging on the autistic spectrum, but least and not last, dead handsome. He was basically appointed by god himself as a leader in his field.

ELAINE FORTIN
Elaine is the co-founder of Bipède, a young multi-disciplinary design studio, combining architectural and industrial design. Through its work, Bipède explores multifunctionnality, flexibility and modularity to create optimal interactivity between the user and the object or space. Bipède believe in design that allows the user to be creative and fully possess his environment.
www.bipede.ca
http://atelierbipede.blogspot.com/

KYM GREELEY
Kym is a St. John's-based visual artist whose work explores places where the natural environment meets with human intervention. Painted and screenprinted works range from large, abstracted landscapes to small practical objects for daily use. Kym has exhibited works in Canada, the USA and Germany.

NICK HERDER
Nick was born and raised in St.John's, Newfoundland, is a 7th generation Newfoundlander, and recently relocated back to Newfoundland form Brooklyn, New York. He now works as an architect for the Shorefast Foundation on Fogo Island and resides in the town of Tilting. Nick is primarily concerned with the next 300 yrs of Newfoundland building - especially on the edges. He reads backwards, walks forward, and talks with his hands.

GUDBJORG JAKOBSDOTTIR
Gudbjorg was born in Hafnafjörður, Iceland 1977. Graduated from the Iceland Academy of the Arts 2006 as an fashion designer. Founded a label of accessories named "Serendipity". As the name suggests the concept is based on the unexpected fortune of the material found. The label is based on repurposing quality material. In 2009 she co-founded a grass root market for young fashion designers, the aim is to create a platform for the designers to introduce them selves to the market.

HAFSTEINN JULIUSSSON
Hafsteinn is an Industrial/Interior designer from Reykjavik, Iceland living and working in Milano, Italy. He has aspired to solve his projects with few objectives in mind. Hafsteinn likes to approach design from new perspective and reach a diverse range of people. He would like to be involved with society, ecology and try to avoid mainstream mass production. As a designer Hafsteinn has no special focus, he is fascinated by simple things with fun solutions which have a rich and strong concept.

JONATHAN MANDEVILLE
Jonathan was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Moved to Halifax to study Architecture in 2003. Received Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies in 2005 and Masters in Architecture in 2007. Worked in Dublin, Ireland during Masters degree. Studied the reuse of abandoned industrial buildings in Germany and England in 2006 and placed first in 2007 LEAP Social Housing Competition. Currently works in Halifax, NS.

YVONNE MULLOCK
Yvonne is a visual artist based in Glasgow. Graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 2001, Mullock has gone on to exhibit widely both in U.K and in the U.S.A. Her current practice has been focused on several research led projects, from celebrating the natural diversity found on the man-made hills left from the mining industry to exploring the acoustic landscape of a region in Kentucky through the use of bird song. Recent exhibitions include ‘Natural Order’ at Glasgow School of Art, and ‘Now and Then and the Things In between’ at the New Center for Contemporary Art, Louisville, Kentucky.

MARTINE MYRUP
Martine is a visual artist based in Glasgow. She graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2002 and has since then exhibited widely across the UK and abroad. Recent shows include the solo show Misrememberings in Galleri Tom Christoffersen, Copenhagen and New work by Tom Varley and Martine Myrup in Intermedia, Glasgow.

DAGUR OSKARSSON
Dagur (b. 1977) is a product designer who graduated from the Iceland Art Academy in 2008. He grew up in Dalvík, a small fishing village in northern Iceland. Memories of his childhood have sparked ideas he uses in his design that often centers on expressing a new interpretation of an older, utilitarian object in playfull way. In his work he seeks a homage to an old tradition, presenting the past to new generations in a modern way.

MICHAEL PITTMAN
Michael is a visual artist from Newfoundland and Labrador. He has received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Sir Wilfred Grenfell College (MUN) and a Masters degree in painting from the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford, Ireland. Pittman works with multiple media, utilizing non-traditional combinations of materials to create eclectic, multi-layered images; often dealing with the overlap of psychology, science and personal experience. Pittman has had numerous public exhibitions of his work and exhibits regularly at the Leyton Gallery of Fine Art in St. John’s, NL and at View art Gallery in Victoria, BC. His paintings are held in public and private collections internationally. For further information, please visit his website at www.newfoundartist.com

STEVE TOPPING - WORKSHOP COORDINATOR
Steve lives and works in Montreal, Quebec and St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada and elsewhere. Working as an individual or in artists' collectives, Topping organizes and participates in many arts events that integrate film, video, painting, sculpture, new media, installation and performance art in site-specific urban spaces. Topping's art, that has included the creation of his own living space in the wheelhouse of an elevator atop an apartment building, has also been exhibited in more traditional gallery spaces. He has exhibited both internationally and locally.

JESSICA WATERMAN
Jessica Waterman received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the NSCAD University and completed a Diploma in Costume Studies at Dalhousie University. After studying Fine Arts, she worked full time in Carpentry and continued her education by enrolling in the Carpentry program at the Carpenters Millwrights College. Her recent art practice has focussed on texture in Carpentry and in Textiles. Her current work deals with Shape Imagery and the lines of movement and shadows. Her work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions across Canada. She lives in St. John's, Newfoundland where she teaches at the Anna Templeton Centre for Craft. She works on many theatre and film productions, building sets, props and costumes.

Many Meetings

2010-02-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

+++ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010

It's 5:00AM, Newfoundland Standard time, and the fun has just begun: canceled flights, throat infections and the impending doom of a storm the likes of which no one has seen in these parts during the last one hundred years. The storm punishes the East Coast of the United States dumping upward of 3 feet of snow on the wary metropolitan dwellers of Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. And as it rages it's way toward Canada we are assured that here in Newfoundland we are safe from the violent brush of this cranky tempest. At 5:00AM looking out my living room window at a clear dawn I feel safe, for now.

I start my little blue car, turn the heaters on max, scrape the ice from my windshield and knock away the frozen slush which has accumulated around my tires. Snow tires of course. It is winter in Newfoundland and one can never be too careful.

My destination this morning is Gander International Airport located in the town of Gander about 100KMs from Fogo Island where I currently reside. The airport was well known as a stopping place for international travelers flying east or west across the Atlantic ocean, but today I am about to meet 10 people, along with two wonderful little kids, traveling from within North America whose flight will take them briefly over the Gulf of St. Lawrence on their way to the island of Newfoundland. The final destination for these 10 travelers flying into Gander is Fogo Island. It is the largest of all the offshore islands in the province and for the month of February it is where these travelers and many other participants and lecturers will be exploring the aesthetics of Outport interiors.

Standing at the arrivals gate I already know from the many emails and correspondence I have shared with them in the last two weeks that I am about to meet an excited group. Instantly recognizable at the doors of this little airport the participants slowly spill into the baggage claim area. They expect to see me, know my name, and I look quite obvious while standing there holding my clipboard. For me it's instant speculation, a game of trial and error ... "You must be ... ?". With hands shaken, names exchanged, baggage claimed and drivers delegated we go for a quick drive down the street to the 'Country Kitchen', a restaurant whose proprietor is from Fogo Island (after spending some time in this province one will soon realize that between Newfoundlanders 'six' degrees of separation is far too many). While at the cafe the participants are able to preview their destination, for all the walls are covered in framed photos of Fogo Island.

Once fed, it's back on the road to catch the Fogo Island ferry which leaves from Farewell. Upon arrival we join the line-up for the ferry and wait patiently for about an hour or more. Sitting here in my little blue car last minute phone calls and emails are sent. Preparations are finalized for the beginning of an exciting 17 days of workshops and exploration.

The horn blows and we take our respective place in underbelly of the brawny ship, the MV Captain Earl Windsor. Exposed to the refreshing smell of the salt air we climb the stairs to the passenger deck. The first means of contact with Fogo Island begins now as we enter the doors and it is an important one: the people. Sitting together in this modest passenger room the participants begin to absorb the outport environment through attitudes and dialect, while local islanders observe these new visitors to their community and try to ascertain the reason for their visit. Everyone is used to this by now: strangers are a common sight as the world slowly comes to discover the magic of the Islands.

It's very dark now, and nothing can be seen from the cabin windows except for the dim flicker of street lights in the distance. This is the beauty of being ferried to the Island for the first time at night ... the mystery. Getting closer you emerge from this 'outer space' and into the loving arms of an island that is preparing to welcome many more.

We arrive on Fogo Island, participants are escorted to accommodations in Fogo and Joe Batt's Arm to meet the aesthetic of the outport interior eye to spirited eye. Some congregate for soup and a beer while others put sleepy babes to bed. Those participants who have never experienced a Newfoundland outport community will have to wait until first light of the following morning for the secret to be revealed.

I head home, finish up work for the night and head for bed. I look out the window for one last glimpse of that big storm but I only see street lamps covered by a foggy haze and every where else complete blackness. And when the sun rises tomorrow these artists, designers, architects and craftspeople will be introduced to a renaissance the likes of which nobody as seen in these parts during the last one hundred years, and that is more powerful than any silly old blizzard.

+ + + Greg White

+++ exploring the aesthetics of Outport interiors

2010-02-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

workshop on Fogo Island
February 11-27, 2010

+++ exploring the aesthetics of Outport interiors is an experimental art/design project and workshop designed to develop the ideas for contemporary furniture and interiors inspired by traditional Outport living conditions and reality.

The workshop will gather experts, creative thinkers and hands-on producers on Fogo Island to explore the essence of Outport interiors and hopefully translate ideas and findings into useful proposals for an upcoming furniture design competition. The competition is planned to follow the workshop in the spring with the intention of recruiting creators of locally rooted designs adapted to the various Shorefast projects on Fogo Island and Change Islands.

The Shorefast Foundation has various building projects underway: traditional houses and churches are being renovated and adapted to new use, several artists' studios are being designed and constructed along with a small five star Inn. All furniture and interiors for the new studios and the Inn are to be produced locally.

Participants will be asked to work on the given tasks individually and in groups. Local craftspeople and external experts will be engaged throughout the process. Formal input will be given regularly every fourth day.

Participants:
Dagur Oskarsson – designer (Reykjavik)
Elaine Fortin – designer (Montreal)
Elisabeth Belliveau - textile artist (Montreal)
Eric Demay – designer (Montreal)
Gudbjorg Jakobsdottir - fashion designer (Reykjavik)
Hafsteinn Juliusson - industrial designer (Milano)
Jeff Baggs – cabinetmaker (St. John’s)
Jessica Waterman - artist (St. John’s)
Jonathan J Mandeville – architect (Halifax)
Justin Armstrong – anthropologist & composer (Wellesley MA)
Kym Greeley - artist (St. John’s)
Martine Myrup – artist (Glasgow)
Michael Pittman – artist (Grand Falls-Windsor NL)
Yvonne Mullock – artist (Glasgow)
&
10-14 local craftspeople on Fogo Island & Change Islands (wood, textile)

Lecturers:
Walter W Peddle - writer & expert on Outport furniture
Mike Paterson - cabinet maker
Frank Tjepkema – designer
Lars & Jason Dressler – furniture producers
Joseph Grima - director Storefront for Art and Architecture
Neil Minuk – architect and professor
Todd Saunders – architect for the Shorefast projects
Sami Rintala - architect
Jerry Dick - director of heritage – NL Department of Tourism, Culture & Recreation

Workshop Coordinators:
Steve Topping – artist and tenant of a St. John’s Battery stage
Pall Einarsson – industrial designer

Project co-ordinator:
Greg White
outportinteriors@gmail.com

Curated by:
Elisabet Gunnarsdottir
The Fogo Island Arts Corporation

Produced by:
The Fogo Island Arts Corporation in collaboration with the Shorefast Foundation

The Fogo Island Arts Corporation is a contemporary art venue specializing in residencies for international artists and the production of art projects and workshops engaging both local and international participants. The Arts Corporation is supported by the Shorefast Foundation.

The Shorefast Foundation is a Canadian-registered charity that is using entrepreneurial methods to help secure prosperity for the region of Fogo Island and Change Islands. www.shorefast.org