Resident

Context Galleries runs the Artist in Resident project to bring visual arts out to communities who would not be able to readily avail of such activities. This year we are showing the work produced by 10 communities in the Derry City Council area as they worked with our professional artists.

St Bernadette’s Pre School PlaygroupThe playgroup staff asked the artist to assist them with signage for their building as it is hard to locate in this built up area. The small children sponged and hand printed the surface of the sign and it was finished by the artist in mosaic lettering. To be installed on the building at Hazlebank, Derry
Artist: Hilary Morton

Praxis Care GroupThe Richmond Hall in Eden Terrace gathers local people with a learning disability to share daily activities such as craft work and such recreational activities. They painted freely with much encouragement from the artist who is an experienced painter himself. A love of life and colour is evident in the paintings and the large 8 x 12 mural.
Artist: Julius Guzy

Travellers Support Group
The tradition of metal work and knowledge of horses in the Travelling community are reflected in the large flying horse constructions in the middle of the gallery. Their enthusiasm matched with the metal work skills of the artist produced this spectacular work which will be installed at the Ballyarnett Park site,
141 Racecourse Road, Derry
Artist: Mark Hill

New Building Community and Environmental Association
This rural village have an annual festival for the whole community and they decided to work on a sea theme making flying fish wind socks, octopus costumes and a sea creature to wander through their parade. Dressmaking and carnival arts skills, often using recycled materials are used to great effect.
Artist: Sarah Lewtas

Lilliput Theatre Company
This is a theatre group located in the Playhouse whose membership is learning disabled adults . They worked with Todd Herman and Amanda Coslor from the Dancing Tree, San Francisco, who specialise in doing art work with marginalized groupings. The film Welcome to my Home, running in gallery 2, is a touching testimony to their love of home, family and neighbourhood.
Artists: The Dancing Tree

Galliagh Women’s Group
Traditional photography had been the original description for the work on this residency but with the enthusiasm and demands of the women and the expertise of the artist the end product evolved into a light box display incorporating local history, imagery from their lives and neighbourhood. Displayed in gallery 2.
Artist: Denzil Browne

Melrose Day Centre
The adults attending this supportive day centre were invited to paint to their hearts content with quality canvasses and paints and brushes. Some were done in 5 minutes, some in hours! More and more people joined in as the enthusiasm for colour and freedom of expression spread!
Artist: Julius Guzy

Fountain Youth Club
The children of the club decided on the varied imagery in this mural which can be seen on their building in the Fountain. They participated in every aspect of the work from design to completion and it reflects the places they would love to visit by rail, sea and air, their beloved Samba band and the disliked CCTV cameras!
Artist: Blaze FX

Creggan Pre School Training Trust
The children from their After Schools Club worked with artist Hilary Morton to produce a large collective banner displaying the loves of their lives! And the adventures of marbleing and its unexpected results are displayed in the large frames, all to be displayed in their building.
Artist: Hilary Morton

Shantallow Community Arts
A Night at the Oscars is a film which records an evenings entertainment as part of the Shantallow Arts Festival. Local people in Gallaigh voted for their favourite films and then Oscars were awarded for the winners. The cinema, a local hall, was beautifully fitted out for the evening with red carpet and plush curtaining!
Artist: Ailie Rutherford


For information about the artists or communities on the Artist in Residence Project contact the Project Officer, Sheila Fairon at email aircontext@yahoo.co.uk.

The gallery is open 11.00am to 5.00pm Tuesday to Saturday and the exhibition runs for 2 weeks until Friday 21 October 2005.