Silk screen printing workshop

Silk screen printing workshop with David Farrar based on the work of Hannah Frank.

More photos to follow...

iPad Art Workshop

iPad art workshop in style of Hannah Frank was led by Jonathan Adamson

Stained Glass Workshop

Below are some photographs of the works produced during a two-day stained glass workshop with Leona Stewart.

A panel inspired by the style of Hannah Frank.

photographs by Claire Maxwell

Our colourful dreams...

We met on Sunday afternoon to share our dreams and to play sharades... It was fun!
(photos by Claire Maxwell)

What's the most important thing in your life?

 

What's your greatest dream?

 

The fireplace has become lively with our colourful drawings, hearts and important words...

 

I little elf. :-)

 

Afterwards, an evening of multilingual poetry and song led by Marzanna Antoniak took place in the House.

With poems and songs in Gaelic, Polish, Yiddish, Czech and English.

We are especially glad that children were present at this event,

 singing along to "Ein Kol Vain" and actively listening to captivating stories by Rosie Mapplebeck.

 

 

Our next singing session is taking place on Thursday the 28th August between 7 and 9 pm. 

We will learn some new Yiddish, Polish and Scottish songs to add to our current repertoire.

All welcome!

iPad ART and SILK SCREEN PRINTING workshops

These two workshops will be held simultaneously 

between 1 pm and 4 pm on Thursday, the 21st of August.    

iPad art workshop with Jonathan Adamson

Come along and learn how to create artwork
in the style of Hannah Frank on your iPad.
Beginners welcome! 1 – 4 pm, meet in the Courtyard.

Silk screen printing workshop with David Farrar

 

This workshop is based on the work of Hannah Frank.
1 – 4 pm, meet at the reception desk in the House.

 

Please book a place by contacting us at maclaurinfestival@gmail.com

Dance workshop

A big thank you to Assembly Players Ceilidh Band

for teaching us dances of Jewish, Polish and Scottish tradition!

We had great fun!

Another traditional dance workshop is going to take place in Wellington School Hall, Craigweil Road, Ayr on Weds 27th August. Please go to the festival programme for more details.
We're looking forward to meeting you on the dance floor! :)

Picnic and dance workshop indoors

We imagined a lovely afternoon in the park tomorrow but the weather forecast says it's going to rain in Ayr, therefore we'd like to let you know that we've decided to move indoors.

Join us for some funny games, family quiz and a traditional dance workshop in Rozelle House.
Sunday 10th August, noon - 5 pm

Song & Poetry at Rozelle

Sunday 17th August at Rozelle will be full of poetry...

First, we'd like to invite you to join our Poetry Writing Workshop between 1 and 4 pm.

Explore a variety of poetic forms and techniques
and bring your family history alive in verse.

The theme of this session will be Family Tree and participants are encouraged to do some genealogical research / gather some family stories prior to the workshop.

This poetry writing workshop is open to everyone, regardless of previous writing experience.

 

Please book a place by emailing maclaurinfestival@gmail.com or join our event on Facebook HERE.

 

 

Then, at 4 pm we will dress one of the Rozelle's trees in our colours and dreams.

And finally, at 6 pm we will hold a Multilingual Song and Poetry Event.

Join us for this memorable evening of songs and poetry in different languages at Rozelle.

If you'd like to join the group of our performers please contact us at maclaurinfestival@gmail.com or join us on Facebook HERE.

 

CREATIVE WRITING at Rozelle

 

Join this inspiring two day workshop led by Donna Moore of the Glasgow Women’s Library.

The workshop will be based around the theme of trees. 
You may attend only one of the sessions.

Booking essential: maclaurinfestival@gmail.com or tel: 01292 443708
or by joining the event on Facebook HERE

 Mon 11th & Tues 12th August 
10.30 am - 4 pm

The Maclaurin Galleries

Rozelle Park

Ayr, KA7 4NQ

Meet us at the reception desk in the House.

Our 1st 'Cultural Connections' song workshop

Thank you to all who came along to our traditional Yiddish, Polish and Scottish song workshop.
It was a pleasure to share all those beautiful songs with you.
We are hoping to develop a festival choir and there will be plenty of occassions for collective singing before 'Cultural Connections' end on the 21st September. And we'd love the festival to be only a beginning to collective signing at Rozelle.

Here are just a couple of photographs from our Sunday's gathering.

Elaine Nicol facilitated the Scottish part of the workshop.

Please check our festival programme HERE to find more similar events.
If you have any questions about any of the events or would like to book a place for any of our workshops please email maclaurinfestival@gmail.com
We are looking forward to meeting you at Rozelle.

Angela's statement

Before starting work on this project I had heard about Hannah Frank, but my knowledge of her work was very limited. I knew that she was a Glasgow-born Jewish artist and that the Women’s Library in Glasgow had a collection of her prints, but sadly that was the extent of my understanding. Looking back now, it is strange to imagine my life without knowing about Hannah as since March 2014 she has been a huge part of my life.

Hannah Frank in 1984 with ‘Bird Woman’ (1969). Photograph courtesy of Fiona Frank.

When I saw the post of Hannah Frank Curatorial Intern I knew instantly that I wanted the job. I love Hannah’s work. She is often compared to Aubrey Beardsley and Jessie M. King but there is a darkness and edge to her work. She was greatly influence by literature and poetry but did not shy away from addressing difficult issues such as death, grief and the plight of refugees from Nazi Europe in WWII (Flight, 1939). Her sculpture celebrates femininity but also displays maturity and serenity (Standing Figure 1, 1959).



                             Flight (1939)                                                          Standing Figure 1 (1959)

Images courtesy of Fiona Frank.

Over the past 4 months I have obtained an abundance of knowledge about the Jewish faith and culture, Hannah’s work and that of her contemporaries. I have gained invaluable practical experience such as researching and tracing artworks, negotiating and liaising with owners, arranging collections, looking at geographical limitations and adhering to a budget whilst not compromising quality or aesthetics. These are skills that I will take into my future career. Inevitably not everything goes smoothly but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every moment of the project.

As well as the research and curatorial duties, I have been fortunate to work at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre cataloguing many of Hannah and Lionel’s, letters, diaries, and photographic albums. Fortunately for us, Hannah retained many of her belongings and correspondence spanning her 100 years. This vast collection allows us to follow her life and career as they developed. To have such an insight into someone’s life through their personal belongings really is a privilege.

There have been so many highlights…going to the care home where Hannah and her husband Lionel spent their later years. Hannah’s work still adorns the stairwell and alcoves. The most poignant moment of the day was visiting the small garden that Hannah cultivated, a small sculpture stood with a sign that simply said ‘For Lionel.’ A trip to the Ben Uri Gallery in London with my fellow interns to meet curator Sarah MacDougall was extremely beneficial. Sarah graciously took time to talk to us about the Ben Uri’s collections, exhibitions and the Cultural Connections collaboration. Meeting the amazing Ida Schuster-Berkeley, a 93 year old actress who knew Hannah (as well as Benno Schotz, Jankel Adler and Josef Herman) was an unforgettable experience.  She shared her memories of Hannah including sitting on the stairs at parties discussing films and bumping into Hannah and Lionel in the street; Lionel carrying one of Hannah’s sculptures wrapped in a blanket on its way to be cast. It all helped to create a picture of Hannah as a person and as an artist.

L-R: Maria Simou, Ida Schuster-Berkeley and me (Photography by Claire Maxwell)

 

The Cultural Connections exhibition has been entwined with an array of coincidences and connections. One of the most rewarding moments was meeting Mr. John Buck and his family. His wife, Susanne Schaefer, came to Scotland on a Kindertransport and was adopted by the Hamilton family who once owned and lived at Rozelle House where the exhibition is being held. Susanne was one of 10,000 children who were evacuated from Nazi Europe to the UK from 1939-1940. Mrs Susanne Schaefer-Buck sadly passed away in 2002 but her husband compiled and published a book detailing Susanne and her family’s story as well as letters from her father who was trapped in East Germany after 1945. I was honoured to write an information panel detailing Susanne’s story and eventually met Mr. Buck, his son and daughter-in-law at the exhibition opening. He is wonderful, kind man who has two sons, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren who would not be here today if it were not for the determination and dedication of the people who organised the Kindertransports. I was privileged to tell Susanne’s story and was extremely grateful to Mr Buck for allowing me to do so.

I have met and worked with so many people who have shared their skills, knowledge and memories with me. I especially have to thank Dianne Gardner for all her help, advice and support, Fiona Frank for her knowledge and enthusiasm, Fiona Brodie and Deborah Haase at the SJAC for sharing their expertise, Marzanna Antoniak for organising and planning an amazing programme of events and my fellow intern and friend Maria Simou with whom I shared this whole experience.  Quite simply I have loved this job and I am delighted that I was given this opportunity. I will never forget Hannah Frank.

L-R: Fiona Frank, Marzanna Antoniak, Dianne Gardner, Maria Simou and me

(Photography by Claire Maxwell)

Soming soon - Traditional dance workshop at Rozelle

Traditional Klezmer, Polish and Scottish dance workshop and picnic at Rozelle

is part of the 'Cultural Connections' festival of Scottish Jewish arts and culture.

To see the full programme of free workshops and events go to: http://www.themaclaurin.org.uk/cultural-connections.asp

 

 

Sunday, August the 10th

The Maclaurin Galleries

Rozelle Park

 Ayr, KA7 4NQ.

 

 

All welcome to join our traditional Klezmer, Polish and Scottish dance workshop at 3pm.

Family picnic in the park starts at 12 pm.
Bubble machines and kites welcome!

Bring a picnic or buy refreshments in our tea shop.

Games and competitions with prizes.

Test your knowledge of family trees – join the quiz.

(in case of rain activities will be held indoors)