Hanging Together was formed in 1993 as a group initiative by professional artists based in Stirling, aiming to raise the profile of creative activity in central Scotland through creative engagement with the historical context and the present-day communities. This concern with exploring the working context, especially in such a history-laden area, often involves an appreciation of local history.
Together, the artists create and place their individual and collective art works in situations outside the normal gallery situations where people expect to see art. The exercise is non-commercial; the works themselves are without value.
There has been some local official funding support for particular projects, but the group retain their autonomy by keeping official agencies at arm's length. This informs the particular nature of some of the projects. For example, while logistic problems were being encountered with the Memento Mori project, the group organised the much less complex Show On Ice, as a way of shortcircuiting the problems of having to spend time negotiating rather than doing art. The advantage of something like Show on Ice was that no funding was needed; there was nothing more than what happened on the day and the unpredictable rate at which the resulting work would decay.
As with so many projects in this region, the sparse media coverage received by the group's projects confers much less legitimacy than comparative projects in the cities.
The personnel for each project varies, but the artists who have been involved are Val Shatwell, Peter Russell, Paul Eames, Nicola Carberry, Karen Strang, David Campbell, Charuta, Carolyn Mason and Emma Scott-Smith.
See the projects page for details of our works so far.
Val Shatwell is a graduate from Glasgow School of Art. She lives near Dunblane and works mainly in jewellery and silversmithing. She is a professional member of the Society of Scottish Artists. Her work "Containers For Tears" was seen at the "Wax Works" exhibition at the Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde.
Peter Russell lives in Stirling and has a studio in Alloa. He has had solo exhibitions in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Alloa, Greenock and Irvine and group shows in Scotland and Germany. He is a professional member of the Society of Scottish Artists. Reviews of his "Building 2000" and "Monday's Child" shows can be read here.
Paul Eames graduated in Drawing and Painting from Camberwell School of Art in 1987. He continues to combine work as an artist with commitment to art in the community. After several years working at East Kilbride Arts Centre, he is now working in the Arts for Falkirk Council.
Nicola Carberry was born in 1970 and graduated in drawing and painting from Glasgow School of Art. She recently completed an artist's residency at Coldstream in the Scottish borders. Her illustrations have been featured in various publications, including the Glasgow Herald, as well as Convulsion magazine. She is now living in Glasgow.
Karen Strang graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 1985. She then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Although trained as a painter, she has worked in various visual areas, such as performance, film and installation. She is a professional member of the Society of Scottish Artists. Details of her "Insanadiorama" and "Psycho-Housewife / Lucky Bag" installations can be seen here. Her work "Zakonserwowana Rodzina (Family Preserve)" was seen at the "Wax Works" exhibition at the Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde.
David Campbell was born in Scotland in 1967 and graduated in painting from the University of Central Lancashire.
Charuta (Pauline Ellis) was born in 1972 and graduated from Edinburgh College of Art. She has travelled extensively in Asia and exhibited at the DeMarco European Art Foundation and at the Edinburgh Cyberia Cafe.
Carolyn Mason was born in 1964 and has lived and worked in York and London. After graduating in Tapestry and Weaving from Camberwell School of Art, she returned to her home in Ayrshire, where she taught and exhibited. She lives in Alva and looks after her son and daughter.
Emma Scott-Smith was born in 1977 and is an artist who was brought up in Alloa and now lives in Stirling. She has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Edinburgh, Fort William and Hull and has also had poetry published in two anthologies.