01/04/10 <> First Embark show for 2010




Embark: Ferry Art 2010

Growing up in Switzerland, a landlocked country, the sea was always something special for me. I only knew it from family holidays and pictures. That is why, when I arrived in Plymouth, a city intimately linked with the sea, I decided to do a project on people who have a connection with the ocean. This developed into a larger body of work called ?Companion for Life?.

These ten pictures are a small part of that project, where I spent 24 hours on the trawler ?Silver Star? with the crew from Scotland, fishing for Sea Bass. Brian, James, Billy and Singh have fished for a few years in the waters off Plymouth. Brian is the owner of the Silver Star, he sits behind the wheel, while the rest of the crew are maintaining the boat, cooking dinner, reading and watching TV. At night when the crew is sleeping, Brian searches for the fish school with sonar. When he detects one he shouts down to wake up the crew. Within minutes everyone is in waterproof clothes on the deck, preparing to shoot the net. When the last buoy is in the water, they wait alongside for the fish to swim into the net. After the sunrise they start to bring in the net. It is a dangerous job, especially when the sea is rough and the wind strong.

These images give a brief glimpse into the life of the deep sea fishermen of the UK; a world that is in rapid decline, and one that is of significance to many who live along the coast of Britain.

Fabio Blaser was born in Switzerland, and came to the UK to study photography at the University of Plymouth. With a passion for documentary practice Fabio is prolific in his production, with many self published books to his name.

. For more information about the artist or the work contact: info@fotonow.org

28/03/10 <> Embark Selection




The artists for Embark 2010 have been selected as: Fabio Blaser, Amy Albright, Toby Coulson, Aidan Rumble, Alice Carfrae, Haddow and Lucy Hill...

11/03/10 <> Carmen




FOTONOW residency (in partnership with University Plymouth Press)

FOTONOW are delighted to reveal that Romanian artist Carmen Dobre has joined them in Plymouth on a six week residency. Carmen is currently completing her MA in photography at Leiden University (Netherlands) and will be developing a new series of work in the South West that will lead towards a publication available in the Autumn (co-published with Plymouth University Press). For more information about Carmen's work or the residency please contact FOTONOW on info@fotonow.org.

20/02/10 <> Embark call for Artists




For the fourth year in succession Embark: Ferry Art is looking for seven emerging artists to exhibit on a monthly basis on-board the King Harry Ferry.

Artists' work (existing or realising new material) should address contemporary issues that are pertinent within the region; environmental, social and economical. Proposals should be no more than 300-words and should outline how artists? practice would relate visually and conceptually in this rural setting - outlining how the work will engage with an audience of over 500 passengers each day that might not normally visit a traditional gallery space.

The final work should be effectively reproduced in two-dimensional print form as shows will be printed onto a foamex panel for use in frames on-board ferry; suggested art forms would include lens-based imagery, digital works, documentation of performance / installation works etc.

University College Falmouth and Fotonow hopes that the venue will continue to provide a valuable platform to exhibit early career artists and raise awareness of issues that are being explored within each artist?s practice. Final artworks will also appear on all Fal River Links services as postcards advertising the main King Harry Ferry shows. The project is keen to support emerging graduate artists and so would continue to welcome submissions from alumni.

Selected artists will also be invited to run an art-workshop within the community during their exhibition; allowing local schools, young people and the wider community to engage further with the project. This will be optional and Fotonow and University College Falmouth will offer assistance to artists with less experience running such sessions.

Work Required:

> Exhibition Proposal (300 words)
> Artist CV
> CD with 10 images (JPG) of works proposed for showing (although final show may consist of new works if time and commission fee allows)

Send to: EMBARK SUBMISSION, Fotonow, King Harry Ferry, Feock, Nr Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6QJ
Deadline: 12th March 2010
Artist Fee: £200 (additional fees for delivery of workshop sessions)

08/02/10 <> Birmingham






In February Jon Blyth, Tim Mills and Matthew Pontin of FOTONOW travelled up to Birmingham for Daniel Meadows seminar exploring his personal photographic archive and its transfer to Bimingham Central Library managed by Pete James (Head of Photographs) and his team. The session was led by Pete James and Val William's and explored the work of Meadows and issues around contemporary practice and managing past work, FOTONOW were pleased to present at the session which also offered a meeting with photographer John Myers and a superb glimpse at his series 'Middle England'.

10/02/10 <> Arts Council supports Embark




Arts Council England have supported Olly Udy to curate the Embark series for 2010. This year will include 7 new artists work on the King Harry Ferry as well as artist residencies. Look out for the artists Call, coming soon...

30/01/10 <> The Hoe in Winter

25/01/10 <> Mills in Holland

03/10/09 <> Photography Workshops for Creative Expression




FOTONOW have been delivering a number of workshop for Creative Expression as part of 'CAN Do' (Carers Activity Network Project) which involves offering Saturday workshops for brothers and sisters of disabled children in East Cornwall between 7 and 17 years old. Sessions enable young people to learn new creative skills and enjoying meeting new people and FOTONOW sessins have included working at Eden Project and form their studio space in Liskead. For more information about the project contact: info@creativeexpression.org.uk

(01/10/09) Embark: Ferry Art <> October Show




Throughout October the series Edge of Day by artist Jane Townshend can be viewed aboard the King Harry Ferry. Townshend, who has recently completed an MA in Authorial Illustration at University College Falmouth, explores the notion of landscape - the way in which the familiar and fixed shape of a place is transformed by the quality of changing light and season. Edge of Day offers drawings from a series made in Penzance at nightfall, in the spring and early autumn of this year. In part an expression of love for the town and growing out of the simple pleasure of observational drawing, the pieces extend beyond these origins in terms of emotional resonance. Made during the 'between' times of half-light and at the seasonal turning points of the year, the drawings balance the intimacy of lighted windows and doorways with a sense of silence and loneliness, the viewer placed always at the margin as observer. The 2009 programme of Embark: Ferry Art shows is curated by FOTONOW and can be viewed when using the King Harry Ferry service. The exhibitions are supported by King Harry Ferry, University College Falmouth and the Sign Shop Penryn.

04/10/09 - Devonport Heritage Trail




Recently FOTONOW have been shortlisted (from fifty-five applications) down to the last six in their bid to work as artist in developing a future Devonport Heritage Trail. Plans will be refined this months and pitched at a final panel on October the 1st.

01/10/09 - Embark: Ferry Art




Throughout September on-board the King Harry Ferry artist Georgina Maxwell 'Plastic Planet Blues' by Georgina Maxwell. Maxwell?s art practice focuses on the environmental catastrophe of marine plastic pollution, highlighting the silent suffering of cetaceans and other marine wildlife and their struggle for survival within a desensitized plastic-addicted society.

more info here

28/09/09 - Creative Expressions workshop at Eden Project


Teaching photography at Eden for Creative Expressions working with siblings of disabled children, cyanotype printing and digital photography sessions

01/09/09 - Mentoring for RiO (Real Ideas Organisation)


The FOTONOW team continue to deliver creative mentoring work with RiO to mentor to support their clients in exploring work in photography and the creative industries or by facilitating their clients to become self-employed. Each client is mentored over a number of sessions and enabled with the technical support and experience to learn the skills they need to move forwards with employment or to identify the educational training required for return to work. RiO?s work has economic, social and environmental goals and as a CIC they invest all the profits back into developing their work with young people; providing them with the opportunity and support to make change happen using their own ideas, energy and ability.

04/09/09 - Greenman Festival 2009




Cyanotypes drying at the greenman festival in Brecon

12/08/09 - FOTONOW Van




FOTONOW team welcomed the arrival of their LDV Pilot van which shall be motoring around the South West over the coming months supporting the delivery of various projects and education work.