But, we’ve got something exciting to tell you! If you missed out, you can hear the recording of DLDown’s slot if you want to download it.

Interested? Click on the link below or copy & paste into your internet browser…

http://www.archive.org/details/dldown2009-04-13.TheArtofJoy.flac16

Happy Days! Thanks DLDown!

We have a tendency to critique things and, yet, I reckon that people’s interaction with art can achieve a million invisible things that we’ll never see or know. So what did we set out to achieve and did we do it?

1) We recognised that there is a lot of bad news out there. We wanted to inhabit a physical space and create a sanctuary. A place where people might encounter some joy through art, through space, through workshops, through music, through conversation, through random acts of kindness.

2) We wanted to encourage and affirm people who are trying to explore and convey what they are learning in life through creative arts. We just wanted to recognise the good in those things and spur people on in continuing in their various forms of creativity. If Christians are involved in those arenas then surely something of the joy and wrestling of life should emerge and, maybe, that demonstrates authenticity and relevance to those who would never darken the doors of a church? If non-Christians are also involved, then hopefully it shows our belief in them as people and in what they create and what they have to say too.

3) We wanted to raise some money that we could just give away to the Grassmarket Mission who support the marginalised and vulnerable of this great city we call home and love so much.

I am hugely encouraged that a small group of people caught a little vision of what this could look like and ran with it. We all have different backgrounds and skills and certainly aren’t all involved in “the arts”. Yet, everyone got stuck in and we worked as a team. I’m really proud of what we achieved and, yet, I don’t want to inflate our role or become full of pride. I’m just grateful for what I have experienced through it all. Some of the conversations I have had and the joy I have felt will stick with me for a long time. The ability to encorage, bless and affirm a whole bunch of people has been an honour.

Where do we go with this next? I don’t know, but as a group we are looking closely at the whole idea of what we are terming missional expressions – actively living out loud what we believe in the ways we are wired. In some shape or form trying to be a faith community without walls and barriers – bringing joy and good news in the places where people are at. I have a strong feeling that, whilst it may not necessarily look the same, this is not the end…

So, say something useful.

Don’t say that sequence is not important

and that you live and move in slow motion.”

From “Son Of Everyone” by calamateur.

As our little experiment in facilitating a creative arts project nears an end we were treated to a truly special evening of music and comedy on Monday night. Personally, it is one of those nights I will cherish and hold onto and remember with a huge sense of delight for years to come.

As well as the music, there was just joy in the little, seemingly invisible, things. The happiness of just being able to buy some drinks for people I have held dearer than they know for most of my days in Edinburgh, the conversations and funny little connections of realising that somebody knows somebody who knows someone and the recognition of what a small world it is. The sense of bringing together people from different ages and stages in life and different backgrounds and being captivated as the songs and stories unfolded. To witness authenticity rather than religion. I’ve been chuckling to myself in recent days observing in real life some of the observations noted in Fiona Stewart’s stand up comedy slot.

A huge indebtedness is owed to everyone who gave up time and energy so willingly. It was a joy to see DLDown for my first time. The variation of arrangements and the noteworthy delivery of a Lies Damned Lies number accapella and the looped arrangements of “Icarus” were highlights for me.

As for Calamateur, I’d gladly pay money to see them play live every night of the week – so it was a huge pleasure to witness their set in a space where everyone was attentive.

If you were there and enjoyed the music (or if you weren’t but are intrigued), then you can download music at DLDown’s website or at calamateur’s site. You can also download the exceptional “Jesus Is For Losers” album for free here. There is an option to donate and I would strongly encourage you to do so given that this is essentially a livelihood – in exchange you’ll get some additional tracks and remixes that are worth having.

Thanks to everyone who has shown me something of the joy of art and the art of joy this past little while.

If you’ve not managed to see the art exhibition yet, then you can still do so by visiting the Bistro at The Lot, 2-4 Grassmarket, Edinburgh between now and Sunday afternoon. 30% of any sales proceeds from artwork will go directly to the Grassmarket Mission.

DLDown (Jo Wilson with Fiona Earle here)

Calamateur

To quote from one attendee who tweeted the following on his return home from the gig last night

Just got back from an amazing gig- DLDown on top form as always but, listen closely people… calamateur are the next big thing.

I can’t disagree with that, because I wholeheartedly agree! Thanks to everyone who helped out – The Lot, Euan the sound guy, Fiona Stewart for being our MC and comedienne, DLDown, Calamateur plus everyone who came and bought tickets!

THANK YOU!!

The idea? To spread joy in our community (whether that be in church, your neighbourhood, your gym, your school, university, college or workplace…) by doing fun or silly things that make people smile or by simple random acts of kindness.

Each day we’ve been posting an idea on how you can do this on our Twitter Feed (@theartofjoy ).

I used to be part of a rota from my old church in Aberdeen that opened up a lunch kitchen on a Sunday afternoon in Aberdeen Cyrenians Summer Street project. We started it on discovering that there were no food services for the homeless over weekends in Aberdeen, and decided that rather than stay in church every Sunday morning to sing songs and listen to sermons, we would join the church for the first half hour of the 10.30 worship service, meet in the foyer at 11 a.m. and walk up to Summer Street together, cook and serve lunch and chat with the people that came in to get food and socialise. 

We heard so many heartbreaking stories, met some incredible people and just were humbled by the amazing work that the Cyrenians do. We felt it was a privilege to be a part of it. 

Likewise, being part of something not to dissimilar tonight at the Grassmarket Mission was humbling, fun and exhausting (probably because I came straight from work!!). Over 100 people came in during the evening. 

I say wholeheartedly that raising funds to keep this project going and help start new projects within it is so very worthwhile. 

Do you love art? Can you spare some cash to purchase some art for your home, office, or to give as a gift to an individual or organisation? 

Please, please consider going down to the check out the art exhibition at The Lot Bistro, and if you see something you love, remember 30% of the money is going straight to an excellent cause that does and will continue to make a difference in people’s lives. And someone (maybe even you!) will get to enjoy someone’s art skills for a long time to come too.

Calamateur and DLDown live Upstairs at The Lot, Grassmarket, Edinburgh from 7.30pm on Monday 13th April.  Stand up comedy also provided by Fiona Stewart.  Tickets available on the night at £5 per head. Over 14’s only.

“…nothing short of brilliantly absorbing…” – Is This Music?

“…stunning… a work of beauty…what took Snow Patrol’s 3 albums and 4 people to accomplish, Calamateur’s Andrew Howie manages straight off with songs of desolate beauty underpinned with a savage hope…” – John Earls, Planet Sound

“…the aim is true and the heart is strong in this beautiful little record. 4/5.” – The List

“…providing one of those moments where your head says nothing really out of the ordinary happening here but your heart suggests otherwise, trembling as if touched by something altogether magical….” – Losing Today

Let us bring some joy at the end of your Easter weekend. 

See you there!

Next Tuesday morning Jenny Jenkins will be hosting a therapeutic art workshop at the Lot, called ‘Reflecting on Joy’.  We still have a few spaces available so if this sounds like something you might be interested in please come along.  (Perhaps leave us a message here to let us know we should expect you!).  The workshop is completely free, and after chatting with Jenny this afternoon about her plans I can tell you it should be a playful, creative and reflective hour and a half!  I’m really excited to be taking part in it.  You don’t need to be wildly artistic to take part, just willing to get involved and engage with the workshop.  Jenny’s a lovely warm person, so we’ll all be in safe hands.

It has got me thinking though, about the double-edged nature of joy.  Is joy merely a happy feeling, or is it something more?  Do we need to experience pain or loss to appreciate joy?  Can we find joy even in suffering?  It’ll be good to explore some of these questions on Tuesday.

(‘Reflecting on Joy’, Tuesday 7th April 10.30 – 12noon, Upstairs function room, The Lot, 4-6 Grassmarket, Edinburgh)

I’m also buzzing with anticipation for next Wednesday evening, when Kathy and I will be hosting (and by that we mean sitting and chatting with anyone who comes) a ‘Knitter Natter’ evening in the Bistro at The Lot.  I really enjoy knitting and crochet, although I’m wildly unskilled at both of them.  Perhaps next Wednesday I might actually get a project finished…I’m terrible for falling in love with a new yarn, a new pattern (which often it will later transpire is way beyond my abilities, but what the heck) and getting stuck in, to then get distracted or lose heart.  Being with some like-minded people, who no doubt will encompass all skill levels from beginners to pros, will I’m sure be the spur and inspiration I need to see my current projects to completion.  Best of all, the Bistro is such a lovely venue, if nothing else the ambience and (I’m sure) the company will make for a lovely evening.  Kathy is a great knitter, by the way, in case you’re wondering why such a duffer like me is involved – we’re a great partnership of skill, patience (Kathy), enthusiasm and creativity (both of us).

But if you come along and I’m nattering more than knitting (or perhaps crocheting) please give me a gentle poke with a knitting needle and remind me what I said here about being there to learn and be inspired. 

(‘Knitter Natter’ with Kathy & Vicky, Wednesday 8th April 8 – 9.30pm, The Bistro, The Lot, 4-6 Grassmarket, Edinburgh)

And all that is just next week!  On Easter Monday we of course have our big closing event.  More on that later…

There was some initial nervousness about whether anyone would come at all, but the place became really busy really quickly.  They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so here’s some photos for you to get a flavour of the evening (and if you were there, try to spot yourself!)

Those 3 on the left of the pictures are some of the little collective behind The Art of Joy.  Note the smiles of slight disbelief that People Have Arrived!

We were delighted to have Thomas Dean and Andrew Thomas along to play.  It really added to the atmosphere of the evening, and they each managed to somehow make themselves heard above the hubbub of voices. 

As the evening went on it just got busier and busier, and better and better.  At the point that the photo above was taken I was basically jammed into a corner in the upper section of the bistro and figured I may as well take some photos since it seemed like I might be stuck there for a while…

So, many thanks are due:

• to The Lot, who are hosting our exhibition and allowed us to ‘take over’ the Bistro for an evening to kick things off.  It’s a fantastic venue, and the staff were brilliant. 
• to Thomas and Andrew, for their musical contributions
• to the contributing artists, without whom the walls would be very bare…
• to Penny and Jenny who masterminded the exhibition and kept us all on the right tracks.
• to Caroline, who brought along her lovely handmade cards to sell and added to the whole evening with her presence
• to the dozens and dozens of people who turned up to get the exhibition off to such a cracking start (don’t forget to buy some of the work guys!)
• to the Mystery Person who very generously paid for the venue hire for the night.  Whoever you are, we appreciate it so much. 
• thanks one and all and to the One and All…

Join us at The Lot Bistro 4-6 Grassmarket (just next door to Dancebase), Edinburgh. Anytime between 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

Entry is FREE

If you get there quick enough there’ll be a complimentary glass of wine for you to sip on as you peruse the work of some of the artists that are exhibiting, and some nibbles too.

Some of the artists will be there, and we hope that if you are interested in buying any of the artwork for sale we can pass on the artist’s contact details. 

I was in The Lot today, and I had to say I was really impressed. It looks really good and so very colourful. I hope that there’s something for everyone there. Thank you artists! Your work is great!!

Remember, 30% of the sale will go directly to The Grassmarket Mission

Caroline (also known as ‘Laurie’s Mum’) will be selling some of her handmade cards and jewellery. As her daughter I’m generally her worst critic. She’ll show me something she’s made, and will not hesitate to say ‘I don’t like that’ or ‘it would be better if....’ if that’s what I think. But I do think her cards are really brilliant, and that she could charge more for them – they are very reasonably priced (in my opinion) considering the work and time she takes making them.

Better go to bed, so ‘tomorrow’ (ie later today) comes quicker. 

Seriously, it’s like Christmas Eve!

Hope to see you at The Lot tonight…!