Arboreal Inspiration – theme for our 2012 exhibition
This could be said to be the poncy sort of title that conceptual artists are fond of (you may suspect that I don't like conceptual art). But the title has been proposed for two solid reasons, even if one is quite cynical.Without ever visiting one of our exhibitions, the Scottish Arts Council has apparently classed them as "trade shows", based on two criteria. One is that we pay for the show ourselves and the other is that our shows don't have themes. But since we can't get SAC to help fund the exhibitions because we fund the exhibitions, logically the only action we can take to overcome their syllogistic reasoning is to give our shows a theme.
"Arboreal Inspiration" might not inspire every cabinetmaker, but at least half of all those I have ever met seem to go nuts at the sight of exceptional grain and unusual timber colouring. At least one SFMA member chooses his own trees to be converted into timber. Not caring that much about wood puts me in a minority. But I love the beauty of trees.
They feature as images in my furniture as stained glass, beaten copper, or painted panels. And I aspire to owe a painting by Jack Frame. So, by adopting the theme Arboreal Inspiration, the plan is to include perhaps a dozen or more artists or craftsfolk whose work is clearly inspired by trees alongside our furniture. Feel free to email with enquiries or suggestions.