Its about time I wrote down this review, after all I have
been telling everyone about it, talking about it and carrying the hype of my
local fame about it everywhere!
In case you don’t know, the Big Burns Supper (http://2014.bigburnssupper.com)
is an amazing local festival organised by my new wonderfully creative friends,
directed by an extremely talented individual and his band of merry men, women
and young people. It brings together a collection of theatre, dramatised
performances, singing, comedy, cabaret, kids shows…the lot!
This year I was involved again from a creative point of view
but with much more responsibility for the delivery of collaborative and
individual projects. This year I was pleased to be involved as an ‘Artist’ and
was extremely proud of my Artist Pass. Previously I have helped out with
copious amounts of machine sewing for costumes, but this year I was
commissioned! Me! COMMISSIONED! For my artistic input, innit! Believe that!
So I worked on a project called Occupy: bringing various
different activities into the town centre that reflected how towns were
occupied in the past. I hung washing in the High Street. I made recycled sheep
(the heads and coats were recycled from last year’s opening show) but I made
the wee sheep bodies and the wee (remember to roll your
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr’s) tartan coats.
I created three standing pictures for people to poke their heads
through and be photographed as Rabbie Burns, Jean Armour or a wee mouse. The
pictures were printed for us at a local company but I designed and created the
very brightly coloured frames and made all of the structures, including the wee
haggis sand bags which held them in place.
I also decorated a car. There were three in the showcase,
one painted tartan by Alice, one covered in whitewash with 3D clay Scottish
words and a mini art exhibition inside it by Steven and then there was mine.
Covered in the local rag, with good news stories and all things Burns related
stuck on the top layer for all to read. I took pictures of local people’s
navels for filling the windows. Think laterally about the festival and the
output of news….Car-naval-News! I think I was the only person who got this tangent
link. But it amused me. And that is all I cared.
The cars were placed in random high visibility spots around
the town. Mine was outside the coach and horses pub on the white sands. I was
very pleased with the final result.
And so were the local press apparently (more to do with the
Courier title being plastered all over the back bumper I suspect) Courier? Well
it was a car after all! So there I was, back at the day job the following week
when I got a call from the press. The next day, I jumped into action, drove to
the yard where the car had been returned to and stood under the bonnet, over
the bonnet, under the car and beside the car while the photographer took
pictures of me and my piece of art. I was in the free local paper that Friday,
tipped as ‘Local Artist’. I was most amused and a little bit proud. My friends
saw the opportunity to take the mickey, calling me a piss artist more like. I
don’t know why.
So BBS 2014 was good for me. It was my first official public
recognition of being an artist. And my first commissioned piece of art. It was
the first time I had experienced people talking about my work in the street and
the first time I had seen my work on other people’s social networking pages.
It was also the first year that I actually got to experience
the festivities myself.
Although I have been living in Dumfries for a number of years, I had yet to experience the delights on offer from the Big Burns Supper. But this year! This year I enjoyed the Home Coming Carnival, both from being involved in getting it on the road, to walking the route with all the participants. The energy of all involved from the movers and shakers to the lantern makers. It was great to see so many smiles and so much dancing, prancing and waving about!
Over the weekend I watched dramatised performances,
musicians, a magic show, a one man and then a one woman show, a choir
performance and the most spectacular show of all, Le Haggis Cabaret, set in the
divine and sumptuous Speigle tent. Not only did I get to see so much, I got to
see so many talented people. I was truly awe struck by the amount of performers
that I knew, who had hidden talents displayed for all to enjoy. The amount of
people contributing behind the scenes, the people who had returned to or were
visiting Dumfries, especially to take part in BBS. The vibe around the town was
electric and the range of things to do so eclectic. It made my heart swell with
pride for my community. I floated around for the closing events on the Sunday,
enjoying the flow and ebb of different people, in different venues. Climaxing
with everyone at the Speigle tent for the closing ceremony. By then, warm from
beer and enlivened by other peoples inspiring performances, we whooped and
cheered everyone to the very end until we were thrown from the belly of the
festival.
I have a lot to be grateful to Big Burns Supper for, besides
all the incredible shows and wonderful people. I am grateful for the
opportunity to work side by side with people far more creative and impressive
than myself. Every day I was enthused and inspired. I found inner belief that I
am exactly where I am meant to be. I have carried that forward every day since.
Moving forward with my creative ventures, loving what that brings to my life,
the stimulation, motivation and wonder I have found. So much fun on so many
levels.
So a BIG FAT THANKYOU to the Big Burns Supper.
