• Graham Elstone.
    Artist,
    Creative educator,
    Technical and Production.

    Time is of the essence...

     

    I work as an artist, creative educator and project/technical Manager, regionally, Nationally and Internationally. Although much of the creative work involves the use of technology a mixed medium approach is always employed resulting in installation work, performance and a fusion of artforms.

    My background in theatre and performance has transferred to installation, visual arts and the creation of works using projection or moving image, often in public spaces.

    The link between mediums is under-pinned by the content of the work and the communication the artwork has with its audience.

    I have particular interests in interactivity, participation, and social/public involvement in the creation of artwork. This often leads me to create works that engage on a variety of levels and for a wide demographic of audience.

    My creative work, or group work with Low Brow Trash and Engagement Party, has been exhibited widely across the UK, including Nottingham Contemporary (Sound Tardis), Arnolfini (Bristol, 1/800 and TAG), Format Photography Festival, (Derby, It's Good to Smash pt1) and a variety of 'pop-up' spaces such as disused shops (MYGO exhibition for example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc-OAyOPyxA&list=FLR5H8zl71ZDhGTaLhq0TRlg&index=14).

    My most recent works include Edge To The Big Sky, an interactive sculpture designed for a heritage site in Lincolnshire, The Circle Squared, an interactive audio/visual experience created in a geodesic dome structure, and can be shown in or outdoor at events, festivals and galleries and window projection/interactive work Press Hear, created for a window/shop front.

    Collaborative projects or relationships are key to many creative projects and I have worked under the guise of Low Brow Trash (1/800, TAG, Gossip, For Amusement Only, Mwahahaha, The Mooderator) and in artists groups such as The Engagement Party (MYGO, Digital Stage).

    I have often utilised performance in my projects; live work with Lee and Dawes, Stark, Low Brow White Trash and Dogs in Honey has complimented work in film, installation and interactive performance.

     

    I have created and delivered educational projects across a multitude of environments and with diverse groups; ipad work with older generations in care settings to working with students at Nottingham Trent University. I have often devised my own eduction projects with external funding, but have worked with Arts Council, Ignite Futures and the Youth Justice Board to create and deliver projects.

     

    Project management and technical management includes work for International artist Ray Lee, Lightwaves (Salford, The Lowry/Media City), City Arts (Nottingham), Now Festival, Islington International, Barclays New Stages and Japanese dancer Suburo Teshigawara.

    Most of my technical and production work is with artists or creative organisations as the projects tend to be bespoke and therefore offer greater challenges and creative input.

     

     

  • Artist.

    Installation, mixed media, film, animation, performance.

    ODE TO...

    INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION FOR LIGHTEVENTS/FESTIVALS.

    ODE TO... is an interactive audio visual installation designed for Lightnight events and festivals. The work funded by Arts Council through Lightnight Nottingham 2023, is a celebration of the busker, someone who presents and entertains on the street for the enjoyment of passers by. The work co cretaed with Thomas Hall is available for events.

    without asking questions
    interactive audio/video installation 2022.

    LIGHTNIGHT, INDOOR OR OUTDOOR PRESENTATION.
    Interactive art installation. Interact with audio and visuals through touch tech. 'Without Asking Questions' commissioned for Lightnight events, challenges authority and quotes voices that encourage the right for people to ask questions about those in 'charge'. Created using Bare Conductive, Mad Mapper and Spectrum.

    The elder tree.
    interactive commission for writing east midlands.

    The Elder Tree was a project that worked with older generations and writers/poets to create an audio history of memories, thoughts and opinions. Commissioned by Writing East Midlands, I created a sculptural work that was interactive and once touched in specific areas triggered audio samples from the workshop programme.

    4 INTERACTIVE ARTWORKS, USING TOUCH BASED AUDIO INTERACTION.

    WINDOW DISPLAYS, 3D SCULPTURAL WORKS AND WALL MOUNTED ARTWORKS.

    This film shows four ways in which I have created artworks using touch audio interaction. By using conductive paint and sound boards the surface window/glass or perspex becomes touch sensitive and interactive. Projects vary from small bespoke works like the wall mounted artwork made working with older generations in residential care settings to large scale interactive window works, public facing and audio interactive, so that audience/viewer can touch parts of the window to trigger the audio samples. Work created since 2016. Window displays for City Arts, Nottingham using touch audio alongside moving image work and installation.

    edge to the big sky.

    interactive audio sculpture, moulton mill, lincs'

    Edge to the Big Sky is a commissioned sculptural work that incorporates interactive touch audio sensors. The design is based on a period of research working with the windmill, collecting visual material and audio samples. The top surface and symbols are interactive, when touched they play music, spoken word, or sound effects/recordings. The structure is based on the shape and size of a mill wheel and includes visual material from photos, drawings and manipulation in Photoshop/Illustrator (created in collaboration with artist Sarah Manton).

    The work was commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council, artsNK, Lincolnshire Heritage 2018.

    The Circle Squared.
    Lightnight, Nottingham, Spark Festival, Leicester 2017.
    An interactive audio visual experience in a geodesic dome structure.

    Supported by funding from Arts Council England, The Circle Squared is an interactive sound sculpture complimented by moving image and set in a large geodesic dome structure.
    The Circle Squared is an interactive installation inspired by the circular arc of stories, including folklore, wonder tales and myths, how they can be perceived by a contemporary audience, how the past relates to modern stories and in turn form new and equally enthralling tales. The creative work involves touch interactive shapes, producing sounds, accompanied by still and moving image visuals to create an encapsulating experience for the audience.
    The project is suitable for indoor (large space) or outdoor and presented at festivals, arts events, galleries and bespoke spaces.
    Shows in 2017 include Nottingham Lightnight, Spark Festival Leicester and Bulwell Festival.
    The artwork is available for bookings for 2018 onwards.

    It's Good to Smash pt1.

    FORMAT PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL.

    Selected by Format International Photography Festival. It's Good to Smash Pt1 takes images of destruction, labels them (A Moment of Madness, for example) and asks the audience to try to remake the image. A near impossible task, and possibly futile yet consuming and attempts to reflect our need to pull apart and then try to re-build. Whether it be a riot, regeneration or neglect, we are often having to re-build where sometimes the task and the pieces are hard to reassemble.

    'Graham Elstone has had made three 1,000-piece jigsaws of windows smashed in riots in Nottingham. You can sit at a table and help reassemble the shattered panes.

    Elstone’s little installation is a good example of one of Format’s core values: this is accessible stuff, but it goes a long way'. Format Photography Festival, Financial Times review.

     

    Lightnight - Trilogy of Deeds.
    Three bespoke works for window spaces, Nottingham.

    Trilogy of Deeds involves three specific window spaces of varying shapes and sizes. Each space has its own specially commissioned projection. Seen from the outside of each building and projected from within the images liven up a building either disused or dark during nighttime hours. The work was commissioned for Lightnight Nottingham 2015, but has many possible outcomes for other spaces and buildings.

  • Creative Education.

    Installation, mixed media, film, animation, photo image, apps, sound and music.

    Overview of education projects.

    It is difficult to find an area of creative education I have not engaged with.
    Schools, Primary and Secondary, Youth Groups, Youth Justice sector, F.E., University, young people and adults with learning difficulties, older generations are all catered for.
    Projects include being a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University - Media Creatives Course, delivering creative ipad sessions for older generations in care home/hospice settings, work alongside University of Nottingham researching the sence of touch, and animation project with students with learning challenges.

    Specific example; PressHear.

    Six interactive 'eye' artworks created by young people from six Nottingham schools. The project funded by Arts Council, worked with 12 pupils from each school to devise a visual artwork that reflected their view of the world. Each group selected a theme; for example the environment or wild life, then created visual images and sound samples that allowed for interactivity when displayed in venues including Broadway Media Centre and Nottingham Council House. The works were returned for display at each school.

    Specific example; Castle Maze.

    I was engaged by Castle Primary school in Northampton to work with groups of combined ages pupils to encourage creative thinking. They wanted to enhance teamwork, creative enterprise and communication amongst the pupils. After meeting and running sessions with the groups we devised three strands that the groups could deliver to all the other students in the school. We produced a creative 'treasure hunt' using UV pens and lights, a creative assault course full of challenges and tasks and finally, taking up half the hall, an actual maze made from 250 cardboard boxes with its own lighting and soundtrack. Over three days the school pupils led the sessions to their peers and staff.
    Overall the project was deemed a great success and the school staff and pupils benefitted from my involvement.

  • Technical and Production Management.

    Outdoor events, unusual spaces, touring work.

    chorus by ray lee - large scale sound installation.

    My Technical/Production skills and experience is very varied, most recent jobs include work for Lightwaves, Salford working with The Lowry, Media City/BBC, Nottingham Puppet Festival, First Art , Nottinghamshire and Photo London at Somerset House. Previous work; managing events for World Event Young Artists (Cultural Olympiad), Game City (Nottingham), Barclays New Stages, Nott Dance, Now Festival, and Islington International Festival.

    I work with individual artists and companies on touring work including Ray Lee, Invisible Forces (sound/audio installations), UK and International (Croatia, Romania, France, U.S., Hong Kong, Korea for example).

    Previously I have worked with renowned Japanese dancer Suburo Teshigawara as a technical and stage manager for European touring shows including Paris, Berlin, Lyon, Helsinki and London.

    Working in this area of creativity has developed my understanding of PA/sound, lighting, projections and staging and to the creation of Risk Assessments, compiling information for SAG (Safety Advisory Groups) and managing logistics, staff and budgets.

    I have specific interests in working with artists on bespoke projects, projects in unusual spaces ( dis-used buildings, shops, caves, a boat yard, factories, public squares, for example) and projects that interact directly with the public.

    For all my projects I hold 10 million PLI, and produce Risk Assessments for all activities.

    MAKING OF THINGS...

    Maker of bespoke items, objects, devices, displays for arts events, galleries, museums, education, individuals and a multitude of other orgs.

  • Video examples.

    The following are examples of my own creative work and work within education settings.

    Sound Tardis - audio/visual installation Nottingham Contemporary and Backlit Gallery 2013/14.

    Sound Tardis - an audio/visual installation.
    Working in collaboration with The Cutting Room, Sound Tardis was devised as an environment that explored sound and audio. Consisting of a large room, externally the four sides of the room are projection surfaces showing movement in a variety of ways, sound waves, animated drawings, images from nature. Internally the room becomes an audio environment; small hanging speakers from a grid relay sounds, some recognisable some abstract.
    Sounds were created in workshops with young people recoding sounds around them or found sounds, similar to the work of the Foley artist in film/TV.

    Killing Time - filmic version of live 1-1 performance - Hatch 2012.

    Killing Time was devised as a live performance for the one to one Hatch Festival, Nottingham and Leicester.
    Drawing on our fears of a changing world, extremism, media hype and our own sometimes confusing consumerist culture, Killing Time put the single audience member face to face with a madman and a pointless unachievable task, whilst engaging in conversation to 'kill time'.
    ' It’s absorbing, tense and eccentric; another stimulating simulation amongst Elstone’s repertoire'. - Leftlion.

     

    Film work with young people.

    Film making is often a popular choice for young people making creative decisions. Often the projects are specific to a theme or idea. This particular work with young people focused on the negatives of alcohol. I would work with a group throughout the project, allowing them to shape the production, create storyboards, scripts, to act and film. The young people would also be involved in the final edits and post production.
    I pursue an over arching creative experience for groups and really on an arts approach rather than purely technical.

    Work with young people, animation and film.

    Many projects involve a mixed media approach; film and animation, installation, still image work, sound and music.
    Clients include; Leicester City Council, Stoke Regent Theatre, Rutland College, Erewash Borough Council, Gedling Borough Council, Ignite Futures, Lakeenders at Lakeside (Adults with learning difficulties), Ipad engAGE (Arts Council funded work with older generations in care/hospice), Nottingham Playhouse and many schools and youth groups.

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  • Contact.

    Lowbrowtrashgraham@yahoo.com
    07768048113

    grahamelstone

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