The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Spring Fling 2011

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Spring Fling is an annual event in SW Scotland where, over the last weekend in May, artists across the region open their doors to the public.

Maggie has been in it for the past 3 years (see Spring Fling 2008, Spring Fling 2009 and Spring Fling 2010) but this coming year I will be too.

With Maggie now in her new studio in Kirkcudbright (see Studios), the front room of our house has been freed up for me to develop a wee photographic studio of my own, so I started thinking about whether it might be possible for me to get involved in Spring Fling myself.

Getting into Spring Fling is not a given - there is a selection process. But following the success of my exhibition earlier this year (see The Exhibition Launch and Book), I thought it had to be worth a go.

However, rather than just have another exhibition layout, I thought it would be fun to create a sort of art installation event.

The idea then, is across the Spring Fling weekend, anyone who comes in will be invited to have their photo taken, which will be printed out and pinned to the wall. Over the course of the three days the walls will steadily fill with a wide variety of faces and expressions, as the visitors become the exhibition.

I’ve worked out how to connect the camera to the laptop so the screen effectively becomes the viewfinder and the computer becomes the memory card. This should mean that if I connect a printer as well, it will be a relatively fast turnaround time to go from camera click to printed photo. If people want, I can always print 2 copies – one to stick on the wall and one for them to buy and take away with them.

At the end of the weekend, I will put the best images into a book, similar to the one I did for the Staring Back exhibition, which will be available for anyone involved or interested.

If the visitor numbers even vaguely approach the levels Maggie’s had over the past few years then I could have several hundred people through over the weekend, although I’m assuming only a percentage of them will actually want their photo taken.

My biggest fear is how to keep my energy levels up, but if I let that stop me then I may as well give up on life now.

I’ll probably just have to live on coffee for 3 days, then sleep for a month afterwards.
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23 comments

Unknown said...

Sounds like a fabulous idea. How cool.

Sausage said...

congrats and good luck with the project. I remember talking with you about a photography blog a few months ago, we had our fist event and actually did alright. We shot all day Saturday and printed all Saturday night (About 1000 4x6's) We sold at the event on Sunday. Thanks for the advice way back then..
Cheers, Sausage.

Se2 said...

Just want to wish you all the best for it..
though your last line made me really realize how hard it must be for you...it finally dawned on me that CFS is not at all easy...

Trust me, I am gonna do some research on it for you..It's time I make good use of my professors...:)
And in all probability I don't think i'll turn up with something effective as I am sure you would have scrounged the entire texts of internet as of now for it...

But it's still worth a shot...Maybe Indian Docs might have some exotic drug for it....:)

savannah said...

what a BRILLIANT idea! if i lived anywhere closer, i'd volunteer as an assistant, go-fer and all around mule on this project! well done you! xoxoxoxo

Eryl said...

It sound great, I love interactive art. And the idea of your exhibition growing day by day, brilliant!

Aoife.Troxel said...

Wonderful idea! Sounds really fabulous. I'm sure you will get lots and lots of people and lots wanting their photos taken too :)

Kim Ayres said...

C in DC - thank you :)

Sausage Fingers - glad the event went well. I cannot remember what advice I gave, but it's good to know it worked :)

Se2 - The biggest problem with CFS is it's a miscellaneous category. We're labelled with it when the doctors have done the usual tests, but nothing has shown up so they don't know what else to do. They say "you have CFS - here's a leaflet now go away and live with it". Because it's an unknown, my guess it the category probably hosts several different conditions, which is why there is no single set of options which help everyone. For each person that benefits from one rememdy, there are 10 others who don't. However, if you come across anything, I'm all ears :)

Savannah - I don't suppose you fancy that vacation in Scotland in May do you? I could do with an assistant and I don't know how enthusiastic Rogan will be (he'll be almost 16 by then)

Eryl - thank you - I do hope you'll be able to be able to come along :)

Aoife - I really don't know, to be honest. An awful lot of people don't like getting their photo taken (see Are you scared of your face?

AA said...

Right, now to get to Scotland. :-P
I'll bring coffee. *ahem*

Seriously Kim, all the best. :)

Jayne Martin said...

You're back! Over here a "Spring Fling" was a high school dance. But yours sounds fun, too! I'm sure it will be a great success, and if you end up sleeping through winter -- well, really now, isn't that what we're supposed to do? ;)

Fay Campbell said...

I think I'll come to Scotland for that!

litzi said...

Hi Kim,
Welcome back to the blogosphere! Participating in the Spring Fling along with Maggie sounds like a lot of fun (albeit work) for both of you. Is Rogan planning on selling his baked goods as well? It’ll be intense but you’ve got over 7 months to gird your loins and prepare yourself…

The Unbearable Banishment said...

Your energy level will not wane on adrenalin alone. A fine idea. Color or black and white photos? You didn't say. Each would work for different reasons.

angryparsnip said...

I must say I an very intrigued by this idea of interactive art.
I hope you will take a picture of the wall through out the day so we can see it grow.
I too am interested to know black and white or color?
Fabulous idea.

I have a little understanding your CFS, I have Fibromyalgia with markers for Lupus and somedays just getting up is almost beyond me let alone walking.

cheers, parsnip

Kim Ayres said...

Adila - I can take a photo of you drinking a cup of coffee, if you don't mind watching a grown man cry...

Jayne - I'm more worried about sleeping through the summer...

Fay - there's plenty to see and do, although I'd only be able to give you 2 minutes of my time that weekend, and only then if you're sitting in front of my camera :)

Litzi - I'm hoping to rope Rogan into being my assistant that weekend, so his baking will have to take second place

UB - I haven't decided yet on colour or black and white. Colour means I might not have to process it before printing, but black and white tends to look artier, and is easier to manipulate if the light isn't quite right.

Parsnip - Fybromyalgia is no fun at all. I'm fortunate in the fact I don't actually suffer any muscle or joint pains with my CFS

Pat said...

Can't think why you haven't done it earlier. You'll be an asset I'm sure. All best wishes for it.

Unknown said...

Of course I am a fan of yours but I put this in the brave category. It seems like a huge undertaking. Boldly going where few have gone before. Much success in this endeavor.

hope said...

I love the idea of this!

And your energy level will be kept up because we'll be here, in the corner, asking, "WHO came in next?" :)

V said...

Sounds wonderful! A visit from a stray from up the road may well be in order.....

Mary Witzl said...

That is such a great idea. And how glad I am that we'll actually BE here this spring -- there's a real chance we will make it!

Kim Ayres said...

Pat - until Maggie got her new studio, there wasn't a space for me to be able to do it before. I also think that if it hadn't been for the exhibition I had back in May, it probably wouldn't have occured to me to go down this route

Carole - no bravery - just fear about getting through on my limited energy levels

Hope - I hope so :)

V - just make sure you introduce yourself - I might not recognise you from your blogger photo...

Mary - it would be good to add your photo to the wall if you can make it along :)

debra said...

This is a wonderful idea, Kim! I will be sending you energy across the Pond!
Wouldn't an international Spring Fling be lovely.

Anonymous said...

Cool beans! Love the idea. :) Will you be doing B&W only, or colour as well this time around?

Kim Ayres said...

I haven't fully decided, but I'm thinking about going for Black and White - it looks a bit more arty and I have less colours to worry about the printer running out of...

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