Ruby Pester is a visual and social artist living and working in Glasgow, Scotland. She has been creating work collaboratively across Scotland and internationally since 2008 and is one half of the collaborative artist duo Pester & Rossi. Her practice derives from visual art and leads to creating live art, sculpture, installation and public interventions in response to people and places. Ruby embraces a collective working approach, hosting public events and workshops, often working with young people to create art that explores and activates collective experiences of play, making and civic celebration.
Ruby leads the Rural Connections programme. In 2023 this was titled ‘On The Table‘ and participants created all the parts needed to make a community meal. From printing table cloths to growing the ingredients, designing and making the ceramic crockery to designing the menu, participants curated the meal and invited local people to join. In 2024, the programme is titled ‘Radical Acts of Plork‘ and will use textiles, stained glass, and basketry.
Ruby Pester is a visual and social artist living and working in Glasgow, Scotland. She has been creating work collaboratively across Scotland and internationally since 2008 and is one half of the collaborative artist duo Pester & Rossi. Her practice derives from visual art and leads to creating live art, sculpture, installation and public interventions in response to people and places. Ruby embraces a collective working approach, hosting public events and workshops, often working with young people to create art that explores and activates collective experiences of play, making and civic celebration.
Ruby leads the Rural Connections programme. In 2023 this was titled ‘On The Table‘ and participants created all the parts needed to make a community meal. From printing table cloths to growing the ingredients, designing and making the ceramic crockery to designing the menu, participants curated the meal and invited local people to join. In 2024, the programme is titled ‘Radical Acts of Plork‘ and will use textiles, stained glass, and basketry.
Jek McAllister is an artist, facilitator, gardener, and cook based in Dundee. Jek graduated from DJCAD BA Fine Art in 2019 and has since completed an NC in Horticulture. Currently working at Ninewells Community Garden as Community Engagement Facilitator, her day to day practice is and always has been concerned with with creating fun circumstances for people to come together, hang out and experience or learn something (often around food). Jek has run Wooosh Gallery, Dundee’s most haunted car park based gallery that is open 24/7, alongside fellow graduates Jamie Donald and Finlay Hall since 2019.
Jek leads ‘Alternative (art) School‘, a project we deliver in partnership with Madras College to support people aged 13-18 years who feel excluded from mainstream education.
Jek McAllister is an artist, facilitator, gardener, and cook based in Dundee. Jek graduated from DJCAD BA Fine Art in 2019 and has since completed an NC in Horticulture. Currently working at Ninewells Community Garden as Community Engagement Facilitator, her day to day practice is and always has been concerned with with creating fun circumstances for people to come together, hang out and experience or learn something (often around food). Jek has run Wooosh Gallery, Dundee’s most haunted car park based gallery that is open 24/7, alongside fellow graduates Jamie Donald and Finlay Hall since 2019.
Jek leads ‘Alternative (art) School‘, a project we deliver in partnership with Madras College to support people aged 13-18 years who feel excluded from mainstream education.
Andy Slater is an artist living in Dundee. He received his undergraduate degree in Fine Art from Dundee University and an MA in Future Landscape Imaginaries from Newcastle University. He has been a practising artist and exhibition technician for over 20 years, working with galleries such as BALTIC and V&A, and with community projects, historic venues, and arts organisations such as, Dandelion, Auckland Castle, and NEoN. Andy has also worked in a voluntary capacity painting sets for Little Theatre, and serving on the GeneratorProjects committee, Dundee.
Andy is leading the renovation and restoration of The Gardener’s Cottage. The cottage is a self contained two-bedroom house on the estate which we will use for artist residencies and respite stays.
Andy Slater is an artist living in Dundee. He received his undergraduate degree in Fine Art from Dundee University and an MA in Future Landscape Imaginaries from Newcastle University. He has been a practising artist and exhibition technician for over 20 years, working with galleries such as BALTIC and V&A, and with community projects, historic venues, and arts organisations such as, Dandelion, Auckland Castle, and NEoN. Andy has also worked in a voluntary capacity painting sets for Little Theatre, and serving on the GeneratorProjects committee, Dundee.
Andy is leading the renovation and restoration of The Gardener’s Cottage. The cottage is a self contained two-bedroom house on the estate which we will use for artist residencies and respite stays.
Andrew French gained his trade in carpentry and joinery. In his early twenties he embarked on a foundation in Art & Design leading to attending DOJ Art College and gaining a degree in Interior & Environmental Design. Then Ganghut came calling! In the collective Andrew used a growing interest in the written word to produce works and began to write poetry and perform. Performance came in other forms; for over a decade Andrew would DJ and co-run club-nights. In this period Andrew worked for the Claverhouse Group working with unemployed young people focusing on elementary joinery skills and basic numeracy and communication. Between 2011 and 2018 Andrew worked on building sites and music venues on new works and maintenance tasks. Whilst doing contracted work in Perth Theatre Andrew accepted a job offer as Stage Carpenter & Workshop Assistant. Creatively satisfied but the urge for social emphasis to his work remained.
Andrew’s time at Forgan Arts Centre is spent working on the The Gardeners Cottage alongside lots of other tasks and activities.
Andrew French gained his trade in carpentry and joinery. In his early twenties he embarked on a foundation in Art & Design leading to attending DOJ Art College and gaining a degree in Interior & Environmental Design. Then Ganghut came calling! In the collective Andrew used a growing interest in the written word to produce works and began to write poetry and perform. Performance came in other forms; for over a decade Andrew would DJ and co-run club-nights. In this period Andrew worked for the Claverhouse Group working with unemployed young people focusing on elementary joinery skills and basic numeracy and communication. Between 2011 and 2018 Andrew worked on building sites and music venues on new works and maintenance tasks. Whilst doing contracted work in Perth Theatre Andrew accepted a job offer as Stage Carpenter & Workshop Assistant. Creatively satisfied but the urge for social emphasis to his work remained.
Andrew’s time at Forgan Arts Centre is spent working on the The Gardeners Cottage alongside lots of other tasks and activities.
Dr Rowan Lear is an artist, writer, and landworker, living in Scotland. Their doctoral research project, A Photographing Body, was a material and philosophical encounter with the bodies of those marginalised in histories and theories of photography: workers, women, children, plants, animals, and minerals. Rowan takes care of Glasgow Seed Library, a project hosted by the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Glasgow, and is a Lecturer in Photography at University of Cumbria. Across art and organising, their practice involves earthly curiosity, multispecies plotting, queer collusion, getting stuck and feeling sticky.
Rowan is a commissioned artist at Forgan Arts Centre where they are creating The Sentient Garden.
Dr Rowan Lear is an artist, writer, and landworker, living in Scotland. Their doctoral research project, A Photographing Body, was a material and philosophical encounter with the bodies of those marginalised in histories and theories of photography: workers, women, children, plants, animals, and minerals. Rowan takes care of Glasgow Seed Library, a project hosted by the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Glasgow, and is a Lecturer in Photography at University of Cumbria. Across art and organising, their practice involves earthly curiosity, multispecies plotting, queer collusion, getting stuck and feeling sticky.
Rowan is a commissioned artist at Forgan Arts Centre where they are creating The Sentient Garden.
Henri Meadows is an artist based in Dundee. Collaboration has been commonplace in his practice with artists and other disciplines. Henri received a BA in Fine Art at Newcastle University in 2011, including a semester at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München. For over a decade Henri has freelanced as an exhibition technician, in art fabrication & carpentry for museums, galleries, creative businesses and private clients. Projects undertaken across the UK & Europe.
At Forgan Arts Centre Henri has assisted the renovation of The Gardeners Cottage and exhibited a site-responsive sculpture/installation as part of the group show curated by artist in residence, Fleur Darkin.
Henri Meadows is an artist based in Dundee. Collaboration has been commonplace in his practice with artists and other disciplines. Henri received a BA in Fine Art at Newcastle University in 2011, including a semester at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München. For over a decade Henri has freelanced as an exhibition technician, in art fabrication & carpentry for museums, galleries, creative businesses and private clients. Projects undertaken across the UK & Europe.
At Forgan Arts Centre Henri has assisted the renovation of The Gardeners Cottage and exhibited a site-responsive sculpture/installation as part of the group show curated by artist in residence, Fleur Darkin.
Ardis Önnerfors (they/them) is a community worker, playworker and artist who among other things supports the programme at Rumpus Room, an arts studio for children and young people in Govanhill, Glasgow. They love facilitating opportunities for people to learn from and with each other, often centred around food, textiles and language.
Ardis is a project worker and artist designing and delivering activities as part of Radical Acts of Plork, specifically, the Queer Makers Club.
Ardis Önnerfors (they/them) is a community worker, playworker and artist who among other things supports the programme at Rumpus Room, an arts studio for children and young people in Govanhill, Glasgow. They love facilitating opportunities for people to learn from and with each other, often centred around food, textiles and language.
Ardis is a project worker and artist designing and delivering activities as part of Radical Acts of Plork, specifically, the Queer Makers Club.
Leo Valenti (he/him) is a queer participatory artist. His work involves using craftivism and DIY ethos to encourage discussion around mental health, environmental and social justice and LGBTQIA+ identities. He is in his 2nd Year studying Community Development at the University of Glasgow, and currently runs the Rumpus Queer Makers as part of his placement at Rumpus Room. The group is made up of LGBTQIA+ young people aged 12-18 who come together weekly to create art and socialise.
Leo is a project worker and artist designing and delivering activities as part of Radical Acts of Plork, specifically, the Queer Makers Club.
Leo Valenti (he/him) is a queer participatory artist. His work involves using craftivism and DIY ethos to encourage discussion around mental health, environmental and social justice and LGBTQIA+ identities. He is in his 2nd Year studying Community Development at the University of Glasgow, and currently runs the Rumpus Queer Makers as part of his placement at Rumpus Room. The group is made up of LGBTQIA+ young people aged 12-18 who come together weekly to create art and socialise.
Leo is a project worker and artist designing and delivering activities as part of Radical Acts of Plork, specifically, the Queer Makers Club.