Katy Wilson, Ewan Sinclair, Kim Moore, Kate Bonney
Katy Wilson has worked with Starcatchers for 10 years. She is a magpie for bright colours and has found her visual art background totally compatible with the things babies are attracted to. Katy likes to create new worlds and environments for people to feel good , relaxed and inspired in – often sophisticated and far from conventional baby friendly spaces – she likes to shake things up. Katy also delivers the Expecting Something project for young parents and their babies under 2.
The Production
Blue Block Studio was originally conceived as part of the Culture 2014 programme during the 2014 Commonwealth Games by Visual Artist Katy Wilson, Ewan Sinclair, Kim Moore and Kate Bonney.
The project originally came to life in response to Katy having her own children and identifying the lack of both relaxing and accessible places to be with young children that consider the needs of both parent and baby.
Blue Block Studio looks at genuine connect, interaction and play between an adult and a child valuing creative play as vital to physical and mental development. In designing the environment Katy and the team considered the needs of babies, how the space should be open, welcoming, encouraging movement, exploration and choice. At every stage in the development of Blue Block Studio each aspect has been shared, adapted and developed following input and feedback with babies and their adults.
Audience Feedback
Amazing #BBS16 pic.twitter.com/boGHHbOt22
— Emma Hay (@emmaxmas18) May 30, 2016
Press
“WHAT a difference a month, a week even, can make when you are under five. It is those degrees of developmental acumen that Starcatchers have responded to with shows running at Tramway.
In Blue Block Studio, Katy Wilson and her team have created a blissful chillout, look-listen-or-play zone for zero to two-year-olds and their parents. This is not a gather-up of toys from home: the self-contained cube is a wonderland of touchy-feely objects that lend themselves to hands-on exploration. Mirrored surfaces, over-sized soft shapes and light boxes that can spangle the walls with kaleidoscopic colours provide a calm but intriguing environment where Kim Moore’s music filters in different moods.
It’s relaxing and reassuring. As is the presence of “artist host” Becki Gerrard who brings instances of interesting textures within the grasp of tinies who can discover the joy of plasticised material or begin to assess the difference between shapes that are round, oblong or pointy. There’s no pressure to do anything than what your curiosity suggests.” MARY BRENNAN – THE HERALD (2014)
Tours
2016
Dundee Rep Theatre | Dundee 5 – 16 April, Platform | Glasgow 21 – 25 May, Imaginate Festival | Edinburgh, 30 May – 3 June
2015
Imaginate Family Fringe | May 2015
2014
Platform | Glasgow 20 – 24 May, The Postings | Fife 27 – 31 May, Carnegie Hall | Fife 3 – 7 June, Lochgelly Centre | Fife 10 – 14 June, The Brunton | East Lothian 16 – 20 June, Palace Theatre | East Ayrshire 24 – 28 June, Perth Studio | Perth 2 – 5 July, Comar | Isle of Mull 7 – 11 July, Rutherglen Town Hall | South Lanarkshire 15 – 17 July, Tramway | Glasgow 23 July – 3 August
Additional Information
Cast & Crew 2016
Kim Donohoe Artist Host
Hannah Venet Artist Host
Fiona Johnston Stage Manager
Yvonne Buskie Stage Manager
Zoe Squair Production Manager
Cast 2015
Maria Giergiel Artist Host
Katy Wilson Artist Host
Fiona Jonhston Stage Manager
Zoe Squair Production Manager
Cast 2014
Becki Gerrard Artist Host
Yvonne Buskie Stage Manager
Zoe Squair Production Manager
Creative Team
Katy Wilson Lead Artist
Ewan Sinclair Visual Artist
Kate Bonney Lighting Designer
Kim Moore Sound Designer
Geraldine Heaney Filmaker/Photographer
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