Gina MacDonald
Mixed Media
My work is informed by the rhythms and patterns inherent in my own Hebridean heritage. I am interested in finding ways to communicate and share this intangible social and cultural history.
I have been exploring my family genealogy. Through my Gaelic ‘Slaoinadh’ (Patronymics) I have tried to find ways to communicate these sounds visually. From Gaelic sound recordings I have made sound wave images. This work led me to create a code connecting knitting stitches to the Gaelic alphabet. From these I have created several knitted works representing genealogy visually. Texture and colour are an important feature in my work. The textural qualities and sensory aspect of the work connect to traditional local materials. .
The work combines both the physical and metaphorical threads of heritage. I am now experimenting with other visual forms to show rhythm and pattern. I would like to continue fusing both traditional and contemporary ideas in my work.
01876580246 / 07783338543
sheanair@hotmail.co.uk
Web: https://ginamacdonald.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginamacdonald4/
Gallery
Videos
Gina Macdonald talks (in Gaelic) about her life and artwork. The videos are from the Island Voices / Guthan nan Eilean project
In the first part, Gina remembers her early schooldays, and a childhood in the Westford Inn. She talks about the prevalence of Gaelic and the difference in English skills between the generations. She completed her schooling in Inverness, and worked in Glasgow for a while before returning to Uist to work in a bank. Then, after retiring from that work, she returned to education to do a BA in Art, and she discusses some of the challenges entailed.
In the second part, Gina first shows some of her work from her art course, discussing local environmental and cultural influences and their interaction with memory processes. This leads on to discussing local storytelling experiences. Gina further explains how the family croft has developed, with the associated self-catering accommodation business for returning visitors, and expresses an interest in continuing to work with the active local history society.
Exhibitions