The Makers are group of like-minded creatives with and without learning disability. The Makers involves a wide variety of creative workshops inspired by creative interests. It’s about working with others to learn something new, develop a skill, make something, or make something happen together and to have a whole heap of fun at the same time.
During 2021 The Makers have kept connected and creative with online sessions and joyful in person workshops when restrictions eased. Over the next six weeks we’ll be bringing you a series of three updates about what they’ve been up to.
Drawing with Marcus Oakley on Zoom
Emma, Mary, Scott, David, James, Kathleen, Marc, Morvern, Kieran, David and Ben really enjoy drawing and during lockdown met weekly with illustrator Marcus Oakley to draw together on Zoom. Each week had a new theme picked by one of the Makers. Marcus Oakley would begin by getting everyone into the drawing vibe; by asking everyone to close their eyes, take a deep breath and listen to music or sounds that evoked the theme for that week. Not everyone who enjoys drawing had access to these online workshops which is why the postal project Artmail* was born.
Marcus and The Makers are going to be getting back together in the studio for the first time in a long time over the autumn…with exciting plans for a new collaboration with ethically minded Everpress printers.
*Artmail – postal art project with Marcus Oakley
The Makers Artmail project was created in collaboration with illustrator Marcus Oakley for adults who love drawing and could and couldn’t get involved in our online drawing workshops. Artmail kept growing in popularity and eventually Marcus was posting out a weekly drawing challenge to 27 people every week over lockdown.
Each week Marcus Oakley posted out a new drawing challenge to people isolated at home, who were looking for fun projects to be involved in. The Makers posted their drawings back to Marcus on a pre-stamped postcard, and everyone’s drawings were combined to create a collaborative 2 colour screen-print hand printed by Bernie Reid.
The artwork for this print/tea towel was inspired by The Makers favourite food, drink or kitchen utensil. You can purchase it through the Artlink Shop.
The Makers wanted to see others benefit from this project so it was suggested that 50% sales profit goes to Midlothian Foodbank.
“I love getting the Artmail post from Marcus, it makes me happy, I get drawing straight away, post it back and can’t wait for the next one.”
Audrey Lace
Postal Sewing project between Scott Davidson & Emily Martin
Scott is all about the needle and thread, it relaxes him and he’s a prolific maker. Scott was unable to join our online workshops so Textile Designer Emily Martin starting sending him sewing projects, threads, materials and inspiration through the post each week. They had weekly phone calls over a cuppa to chat ideas and Scott would always ask for more thread. He’s still working on his large scale textile project, so still needs regular thread posting out to him. We’re looking forward to seeing the final result and getting Emily & Scott back into the studio face to face again.