Tag Archives: commissioned artist

Transforming Front Lounge

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I was asked to help Front Lounge a Hilltown based charity to transform the facade of their three units by using artwork. I created a coherent look that capture their ethos and makes a positive mark on the Hilltown.

I did this by transformation the window with colour and artwork with their young people, redecorated the building facade and added six new artwork using the existing street furniture.

Before and After

(Top photo by Grant at PPG Photography)

Window Design

I developed seven bespoke workshops to help the The Adventures of the Little People Group (aged 5 – 12) to create ideas for the five windows, tailoring each session from the young people’s interests, encouraged collaboration and imagination. Workshops themed around looking at what adventures the young people wanted to go on, what they’d like to do when they’re older and  places around the world they’d like to visit.

I used different techniques to engage them: painting, drawing, mark-making, mood boards and collage.  Their imagination and creativity went from space, sunflowers, moths, racing cars to lions! It was amazing to see their imaginations come to life! For those who couldn’t attend in person, I created a template and prompt questions to get them involved. 

Windows feature a medley of imagery and patterns from the children artworks and some mini silhouettes of some of the people bouncing, spinning, looking and discovering as they go on adventures amongst the artwork.  Huge thanks to Grant from PPG Photography for the photo session with the young people and workers capturing all their energy!

(Photos above by Grant at PPG Photography)

“Having local children support the transformation with vibrant colour has been significant, instilling a deep sense of pride in everyone who uses the space. It now mirrors the energy and spirit of Front Lounge, and marks a bold step forward as we evolve into a dedicated learning centre. Most importantly, this transformation has changed how the wider community sees and engages with the building, helping to make Hilltown a more vibrant place to live, work, and connect.” Chika Inatimi, Project Leader, Front Lounge.

Paintwork

The exteriors was quite dilapidated, revealing the layers of history through the flaky paintwork.  With each shop being a different colour.  I tested different concepts that would allow the window artwork to pop and bring the units together as one.

Hanging Signage

Part of my vision was to have artwork in the public art hanging signs originally created in 2010 by David Wilson, you can see more about the original work here

I developed a concept for viewing as you go UP the hill and DOWN the hill. I wanted to capture their vision as an organisation very much rooted here with big ambition to help people thrive.

Down the Hill: You can see the river Tay as you go down the hill and wanted to create a concept linked with sailing and journeys. Linking to your own journey of learning and development of practical skills of fishermen knots and mixing of decorative stitches linking to the fashion and textile elements of Front Lounge. Handmade bunting linking to the textile roots and importance of celebration. Rooted here in Dundee with the river Tay with all the rivers leading to the seas and oceans all over the world echoing the charities motto “Life is Big: Be All You Can Be” (photos by Grant at PPG Photography)

Up the Hill: As HQ is on the Hilltown the Law is an iconic sight, so as you walk up the hill it’s rooted here in Dundee with lots of birds, starting to fly, all the routes and journeys then soaring up high in the sky.  Linking with the support, learning, practicing to reach your potential. (photos by Grant at PPG Photography)

Interior

Fox maximum impact I was keen to bring use colour and light that transform the inside  as the light moves during the day and included this in the window design concept. 

“By using the translucent vinyl on the windows, we affecting how the space looks like inside with the sun leave a rainbow off colours inside.  This changes through the day and adds a bit of magic!” Chika Inatimi, Project Leader, Front Lounge.

Impact

This project has wider benefits to the people and organisation involved, it has transformed a dilated building and added a breath of fresh air to the area.  

“The workshop is about half way up the hill. Folk regularly stop there to take a breather when hiking up the hill. So by transforming the physical building we are transforming how people will interact with the physical landscape. Transforming the built environment, and positively impact the lives of those who interact with the building/s both inside and out. Front Lounge like to turn creativity into a power to change lives and build confidence. One of charity’s motto is Life is Big: Be All You Can Be, and that thinking has come through loud and clear on our new windows! In the process I think we have transformed a small area of the Hilltown for the wider community to enjoy. “ Chika Inatimi, Project Leader, Front Lounge.

Thanks

Thanks to Chika, Amy and Kerry-Lee for supporting this project. Thanks to the young people for all their enthusiasm and creativity!    Thanks to local business Boyle Decorators completing the paintwork and Robertson Sign on the window vinyl and fabrication and installation of the artwork in the hanging signs.

“This project certainly makes me smile from the colour, the imagery a whole medley of imagination and inspiration, a joy to be part of,  I loved going on a journey with the young people! It’s been a lovely project to be part of and seeing the supportive and caring organisation with big ambitions, that felt so aligned in the work I’m doing. ” Louise Kirby

Front Lounge

Front Lounge are an amazing charity doing great things, find more out here.

Louise Kirby Creative Practice

I love transforming spaces public spaces through art and design and this one brought my creative facilitation, collaboration, design, project management into play. 

I am visual artist and designer that enhances experiences and placemaking that support positive wellbeing. My work is about connection and seeing the positives, I want people to thrive and positively experience this amazing world.

My designs have a range of applications from applied artwork to colourful pocket parks, corridor artwork for healthcare settings, colourful crossings and ground graphics in the streets, decorative steel gates in parks, interior and exterior environmental graphics and murals.  I hope my artwork brings joy to site specific places within the public realm and concept to the people and spark something within them. You can see more of my projects on my website

Wetland Wonders Active Travel Public Artwork

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Wetlands Wonders are a series of seven decorative ground artworks created as part of the Perth Transport Futures infrastructure project. 

I was one of five Scottish artists commissioned to create artwork that would punctuate the active travel route. My aim was to have pausing points along the wetland area that encouraged curiosity. 

Zooming in and highlighting different aspects of the abundance of nature in the area. ‘Wetland Wonders’ is inspired by the harmony and richness of the natural environment, reflecting the vibrant habitats teeming with wildlife and plantlife that the new wetlands area aims to attract.

Consultation and Research

Through creative consultation workshops and conversations with Apple Tree Nursery in Perth and families at the site office, I gained valuable insights that directly shaped my thinking and the imagery.  

The children loved exploring maps and imagining animals and their journeys, chatting about where they might go, what they might eat, and who they might meet along the way.  They had fun creating textures and footprints, sparking conversations about animal clues and habitats – flowers, ladybirds, dragonflies, snails, heron, butterflies, moths, worms, centipedes, bats, frogs and toads. Their ideas were endless and some good random things in there too! (I didn’t manage to squeeze in the bear!) The consultation sparked so much creativity I could’ve made a hundred artworks on so many different themes! With all this input, plus research data into local wildlife, planting schemes, and site visits, I began to develop the designs through a mix sketching, collaging and slowly building a cohesive plan that would tie it all together to create the final designs.

“Louise led the children on a journey of creativity and discovery using open-ended questions to explore the children’s ideas and interests. The children enjoyed the freedom to mark make and imagine themselves as different animals and insects by imitating them while moving around the garden and were encouraged to create their own stories, pathways and patterns using their animal or insect of choice on paper. The children thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the session. Louise was incredibly engaging with the children and the team. From stamping with ink to movement and exploring outdoors, chalk drawing to jumping like a frog,  story telling of bears and ducks to bug hunting under logs“ Jo Machray, Appletree Nursery Director

Development

Abundance

Filled with  ox-eye daisies, common knapweed, elder, marsh marigold, cows parsley, loosestrife, field scabious part of the planting scheme all encouraging pollinators, ladybirds and butterflies.   I had an interest in looking closely at the oxeye daisy floret texture and created patterns and repeated elements. A full bloom abundance medley!

Wetland

Patterns and movement of the water encapsulating the activity of the wetland waterlife – frogs looking and catching flying bugs, heron standing still and flying off, dragonflies playing.

Journeys

Clues of footprints following the trails leading to worms, moths, slugs, snails, frogs, centipedes,  and slaters.   I had lots of fun creating the colourful trails with the broken mosaic tiles.

Blooming

With clues of footprints of ladybirds and snails dancing in circles and trails hinting at the next piece.

Collective Nouns

I had a lot of fun with the zooming in on nature and love all the collective nouns. I played with creating multiples of the animals to enhance the feeling of abundance with a pattern feel and encouraging you to look closer. Creating a Lovelyness of Ladybirds, Knot of Toads, Colony of Bats. featuring common pipistrelle bats flying and catching bugs over the wetlands and I enjoyed creating patterns to suggest echolocation, to spark curiosity of what might be there at night.

The trencadis (broken tile effect) was to add more texture around the pops of colour, pattern and imagery. I had a ‘smashing time’ doing this!

Combination of skills

This commission gave me the chance to bring together a whole mix of my skills, from delivering engaging consultation workshops, to developing concepts, refining designs, planning and turning a vision into reality. It also gave my brain a good work out using Pi (π!) to work out surface areas and project management skills.

Winning this type of large scale outdoor artwork commission allows me to create artwork that feels so aligned to me and my values – thriving, wellbeing, connection, highlighting the positives in life! 

Group Effort

There are so many people to thank who helped bring everything together. Nichol Wheatley for his expertise and guidance throughout the project. My fantastic freelance team supporting the prep and installation — huge thanks to the amazing Rio for her can-do attitude and problem-solving, Theresa and Pamela for getting properly stuck in and Jonathan for delivering the pieces and Sam for working on the files with me.

Thanks also to the BAM Nuttall team for the groundwork and Sarah for her brilliant coordination. Grateful to Mark for the tiles, Katie for the cosy blankets and Jean Oudney for the feedback on the bat concept. And of course, a big thank you to all the children from Apple Tree Nursery and the families who took part in the site office consultation. Your input and enthusiasm were so valuable.

I have a strong interest in supporting wellbeing and I truly believe that artwork can play a role in encouraging people to get out and about. It was lovely to hear cyclists telling me “they’re going to bring their grandkids”, this is exactly the kind of response that makes what I do count. Art and design installations can be a gentle invitation to explore, to play and to connect with a place in a new way. I hope these pieces encourage more people to slow down, notice the beauty in the everyday and enjoy the amazing world we have right on our doorstep.

Thanks to the commission funded by Perth & Kinross Council, BAM Nuttal and Cross Tay Links, and Nichol Wheatley for the initial works to include artwork in this large scale infrastructure project. The other pieces include: The Living Bench, by artist Louise McVey, The Souterrain project, led by artist Kate Robinson, Two mural projects by Shona Hardie, Stone carved bench, by artist Lucinda Wilkinson. Wetland Wonders project, by artist Louise Kirby.

You can read more about my projects on my website.