DAVID SWIFT, artist and toymaker. A Brief History.
BORN: London 27/08/1955 near Heathrow Airport…and I have always loved to travel!
EDUCATED: 1973-78 University of Edinburgh.
DEGREE: M.A. (hons) Fine Art.
HONOURS SPECIALISM. Early Renaissance in Italy.
MASTERS THESIS: Pleasure Palaces- Popular Art in England.
POST-GRADUATE STUDIES: 1978-79 Ecole Jacques Lecoq (mime) Paris. Ecole Nationale du Cirque (clown), Paris.
LANGUAGES: English (very good), Italian and French (not bad), Japanese (good start).
SELECTED AWARDS.
1978. Scottish Arts Council Mime Scholarship.
1981 & 1986. Northern Arts Travel Award.
1983. Crafts Council New Craftsman Award.
1993. British Council Travel Award.
1996 University of Dundee research Award
2000 Scottish Arts Council Crafts Bursary.
2000-2 Wingate Scholarship to study puppetry techniques in Sicily and Japan as therapeutic techniques.
2001. Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Award
2002. Sasakawa Foundation Award for Autistic Children project.
2003. Scott Award for NHS Hospital Research Project in India and Scotland.
2004-6 Creative Scotland Award to explore and develop film animation.
RESIDENCIES.
1986-88 St.Martins University, Carlisle, UK (met Lynne!)
1990 Waikato Polytechnic, New Zealand.
1993 Fremantle Arts Centre, Australia.
1997-2007. Lynebank Special Needs Hospital, Scotland.
TEACHING.
1988-93. Newcastle College of Art, Department of Interior Design.
1991. Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, lecture tour of New Zealand.
1993. British Council lecture tour of Australia.
1993-2003, University of Dundee, School of Design.
2004. Visiting Lecturer Shanghai, Wuxi and Nanjing Universities, China.
2005. ‘Pecha-Kucha’ event, The Lighthouse Design centre, Glasgow, Scotland.
2006. ‘Shakespeare’s Dolls’. Lecture. Museo Internazionale delle Marionette (MIMAP), Palermo.
2009. ‘SHIFT’, guest speaker at event for professional artists organized by Art Connections UK.
2010-11. Creative Arts Workshops for new Units at Lynebank Hospital, Scotland.
2011. Shelley's Paper Boats ‘Notte Bianca’ Firenze. Children’s Workshop at the Canottiere, Canoe Club on the Arno.
2011. Marionette Solidal. Workshop for professionals who work with disabled children, MIMAP.
2015 Children's workshop Art District 798 Beijing. Skype teaching from our kitchen.
2015 Workshop with drama students. Artefusa, Catania.
2016 Workshop for deaf artists Atulyakala Denmark, Copenhagen.
2017 Stories in Transit. Multi-disciplinary project run by University of London working with young unaccompanied migrants in Palermo
2017-2018 Il Giardino dei Venti. Creative arts project working with young unaccompanied migrants in Marsala- beach sculpture, papier mache figures, ceramics and masks. Small-scale, focused and suprisingly effective! Ongoing.
2017-2018. Il Sentiero del Sorriso. Scuola elementare, Chiusi della Verna. Project with 15 local children to heighten awareness of the ancient path that runs past our house, and create a new attraction in the village. We made a giant 3D map, flying books, ceramic animals and a set of signs to be placed along the path. Next we will create story-telling totems at selected locations along the path- the Owl Tree, the Dragon Bridge, the Lake of the Magic Eagle and Romeo's Barn, the water-diviner of St.Francis.
2018-2024 EU projects in local schools.
2019.Il Giardino dei Venti Associazione created in Marsala.
ART AND HEALTH PROJECTS 1986 – 2012
LYNEBANK HOSPITAL, Dunfermline, Scotland. Developed and managed an innovative award-winning creative arts programme for people with learning disabilities and special needs. Multi-media approach using 2D and 3D techniques using dance, music, drama, puppetry and papier mache sculpture. Projects culminated in large-scale colourful carnival events.
ROSEHILL SPECIAL SCHOOL, Whitehaven, UK. Swimming pool mural created by and for disabled children.
MARSH MILL, Blackpool,UK. Wind Garden- kinetic sculptures using recycled materials created by local schools including special unit for disabled children.
ORKNEY ISLANDS, Scotland. Animated film made jointly by 3 schools including autistic children.
BURNLEY CHILDRENS LIBRARY, UK. Dioramas using recycled boxes made by local children integrated with special schools.
FORTHVIEW DAY HOSPITAL, Scotland. Wall panels and textiles using reminiscence imagery produced by people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
NINEWELLS HOSPITAL, Dundee, Scotland. Design and Decoration of Children’s Treatment Room and Waiting Area.
YORKHILL HOSPITAL, Glasgow, Scotland. Design and decoration of Consultation Rooms for problem families.
MIE ART CENTER, Japan. Workshops with autistic children and their families.
ADAMSON HOSPITAL, Scotland. Corridor design and mural decoration.
PATHWAY CENTRE, ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND, Scotland. Sensory projects for visually-impaired.
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, Edinburgh, Scotland. ‘Boat of Dreams’ workshops with local special schools as part of Wych Elm Project.
MUSEO INTERNAZIONALE DELLE MARIONETTE, Palermo. EU Project with autistic children using non-verbal techniques and ice cream
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS.
1982 Third Eye Centre, Glasgow.
1984 Leinster Fine Art, London.
1985 Chicago Art Fair.
1986 Artsite, Bath, UK.
1986 Crafts Council Shop@ V&A Museum, London.
1987 Anatol Orient, London.
1990 Contemporary Applied Art, London.
1992 Oxford Gallery, UK.
2000-3 Artistic Toys, Munich, Germany.
2001 Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
2005 Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
2009 Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.
2010 Palazzo Ferretti, Cortona.
2016 Tandem, Florence. 3 couples showed work in Lynne's curator friend's very charming apartment in Sant'Ambrogio district.
MAJOR COMMISSIONS.
1990 National Garden Festival- play sculptures
1992 V&A Museum of Childhood, London. Wooden angels.
1993 Historic Scotland- diorama for Edinburgh Castle.
1994 Burnley Children’s Library- interior design.
1996 Scottish Book Trust- mobile library decoration.
1997 Grand Theatre, Blackpool- painted theatre curtain.
2002 Arts and Business Scotland- wooden trophies.
2003 Japan Contemporary Toy Museum, Kobe, Japan- automata.
2010 Child in the City, UNICEF conference, Firenze- play area for TLF .
2011 Hackfall Woods, Ripon, UK- geo-art cache little wooden follies.
SPECIAL SKILLS.
29 years experience working with different community groups in UK, Japan and Italy, particularly adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems, and autistic children. Good at communicating with people and ‘bridge-building’ and creating a positive group spirit. I make nice souffles too.
PASTIMES.
Collecting more books than I’ll ever read, growing old roses, visiting grand cafes and circuses. Travel of course!
BORN: London 27/08/1955 near Heathrow Airport…and I have always loved to travel!
EDUCATED: 1973-78 University of Edinburgh.
DEGREE: M.A. (hons) Fine Art.
HONOURS SPECIALISM. Early Renaissance in Italy.
MASTERS THESIS: Pleasure Palaces- Popular Art in England.
POST-GRADUATE STUDIES: 1978-79 Ecole Jacques Lecoq (mime) Paris. Ecole Nationale du Cirque (clown), Paris.
LANGUAGES: English (very good), Italian and French (not bad), Japanese (good start).
SELECTED AWARDS.
1978. Scottish Arts Council Mime Scholarship.
1981 & 1986. Northern Arts Travel Award.
1983. Crafts Council New Craftsman Award.
1993. British Council Travel Award.
1996 University of Dundee research Award
2000 Scottish Arts Council Crafts Bursary.
2000-2 Wingate Scholarship to study puppetry techniques in Sicily and Japan as therapeutic techniques.
2001. Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Award
2002. Sasakawa Foundation Award for Autistic Children project.
2003. Scott Award for NHS Hospital Research Project in India and Scotland.
2004-6 Creative Scotland Award to explore and develop film animation.
RESIDENCIES.
1986-88 St.Martins University, Carlisle, UK (met Lynne!)
1990 Waikato Polytechnic, New Zealand.
1993 Fremantle Arts Centre, Australia.
1997-2007. Lynebank Special Needs Hospital, Scotland.
TEACHING.
1988-93. Newcastle College of Art, Department of Interior Design.
1991. Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, lecture tour of New Zealand.
1993. British Council lecture tour of Australia.
1993-2003, University of Dundee, School of Design.
2004. Visiting Lecturer Shanghai, Wuxi and Nanjing Universities, China.
2005. ‘Pecha-Kucha’ event, The Lighthouse Design centre, Glasgow, Scotland.
2006. ‘Shakespeare’s Dolls’. Lecture. Museo Internazionale delle Marionette (MIMAP), Palermo.
2009. ‘SHIFT’, guest speaker at event for professional artists organized by Art Connections UK.
2010-11. Creative Arts Workshops for new Units at Lynebank Hospital, Scotland.
2011. Shelley's Paper Boats ‘Notte Bianca’ Firenze. Children’s Workshop at the Canottiere, Canoe Club on the Arno.
2011. Marionette Solidal. Workshop for professionals who work with disabled children, MIMAP.
2015 Children's workshop Art District 798 Beijing. Skype teaching from our kitchen.
2015 Workshop with drama students. Artefusa, Catania.
2016 Workshop for deaf artists Atulyakala Denmark, Copenhagen.
2017 Stories in Transit. Multi-disciplinary project run by University of London working with young unaccompanied migrants in Palermo
2017-2018 Il Giardino dei Venti. Creative arts project working with young unaccompanied migrants in Marsala- beach sculpture, papier mache figures, ceramics and masks. Small-scale, focused and suprisingly effective! Ongoing.
2017-2018. Il Sentiero del Sorriso. Scuola elementare, Chiusi della Verna. Project with 15 local children to heighten awareness of the ancient path that runs past our house, and create a new attraction in the village. We made a giant 3D map, flying books, ceramic animals and a set of signs to be placed along the path. Next we will create story-telling totems at selected locations along the path- the Owl Tree, the Dragon Bridge, the Lake of the Magic Eagle and Romeo's Barn, the water-diviner of St.Francis.
2018-2024 EU projects in local schools.
2019.Il Giardino dei Venti Associazione created in Marsala.
ART AND HEALTH PROJECTS 1986 – 2012
LYNEBANK HOSPITAL, Dunfermline, Scotland. Developed and managed an innovative award-winning creative arts programme for people with learning disabilities and special needs. Multi-media approach using 2D and 3D techniques using dance, music, drama, puppetry and papier mache sculpture. Projects culminated in large-scale colourful carnival events.
ROSEHILL SPECIAL SCHOOL, Whitehaven, UK. Swimming pool mural created by and for disabled children.
MARSH MILL, Blackpool,UK. Wind Garden- kinetic sculptures using recycled materials created by local schools including special unit for disabled children.
ORKNEY ISLANDS, Scotland. Animated film made jointly by 3 schools including autistic children.
BURNLEY CHILDRENS LIBRARY, UK. Dioramas using recycled boxes made by local children integrated with special schools.
FORTHVIEW DAY HOSPITAL, Scotland. Wall panels and textiles using reminiscence imagery produced by people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
NINEWELLS HOSPITAL, Dundee, Scotland. Design and Decoration of Children’s Treatment Room and Waiting Area.
YORKHILL HOSPITAL, Glasgow, Scotland. Design and decoration of Consultation Rooms for problem families.
MIE ART CENTER, Japan. Workshops with autistic children and their families.
ADAMSON HOSPITAL, Scotland. Corridor design and mural decoration.
PATHWAY CENTRE, ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND, Scotland. Sensory projects for visually-impaired.
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, Edinburgh, Scotland. ‘Boat of Dreams’ workshops with local special schools as part of Wych Elm Project.
MUSEO INTERNAZIONALE DELLE MARIONETTE, Palermo. EU Project with autistic children using non-verbal techniques and ice cream
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS.
1982 Third Eye Centre, Glasgow.
1984 Leinster Fine Art, London.
1985 Chicago Art Fair.
1986 Artsite, Bath, UK.
1986 Crafts Council Shop@ V&A Museum, London.
1987 Anatol Orient, London.
1990 Contemporary Applied Art, London.
1992 Oxford Gallery, UK.
2000-3 Artistic Toys, Munich, Germany.
2001 Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
2005 Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
2009 Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.
2010 Palazzo Ferretti, Cortona.
2016 Tandem, Florence. 3 couples showed work in Lynne's curator friend's very charming apartment in Sant'Ambrogio district.
MAJOR COMMISSIONS.
1990 National Garden Festival- play sculptures
1992 V&A Museum of Childhood, London. Wooden angels.
1993 Historic Scotland- diorama for Edinburgh Castle.
1994 Burnley Children’s Library- interior design.
1996 Scottish Book Trust- mobile library decoration.
1997 Grand Theatre, Blackpool- painted theatre curtain.
2002 Arts and Business Scotland- wooden trophies.
2003 Japan Contemporary Toy Museum, Kobe, Japan- automata.
2010 Child in the City, UNICEF conference, Firenze- play area for TLF .
2011 Hackfall Woods, Ripon, UK- geo-art cache little wooden follies.
SPECIAL SKILLS.
29 years experience working with different community groups in UK, Japan and Italy, particularly adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems, and autistic children. Good at communicating with people and ‘bridge-building’ and creating a positive group spirit. I make nice souffles too.
PASTIMES.
Collecting more books than I’ll ever read, growing old roses, visiting grand cafes and circuses. Travel of course!
