Slush Poppy is a zine I have been making since 2018. It usually covers art, music and anything that interests me and my friends. Artlink has asked me to make a special issue for them to help document the 5th Exit festival.
Here it is!
Welcome to Slush Poppy Presents 5th Exit! The event was inspired by the art gang based out of Howden Park Centre who meet every week to share ideas, listen to music, drink coffee and make art. It was a lot of work and we hope this zine will give you a glimpse of some of the highlights.
Why do we call ourselves 5th Exit, you wonder? When picking a name we thought of what people think about West Lothian. “It’s nothing but roundabouts!” is the common jibe. For some reason outsiders are surprised when they find out how much creativity comes out of West Lothian. This art gang’s aim is to be a new turn, to somewhere fun, free and exciting, somewhere weird and full of imagination.
out new to
Peter Johnstone
Cousin Kenny perform at he closing event
Stove and cups made with Nick Evans
PETER: How long have you been coming to Artlink?
URSZULA: About 3 years.
Were you always arty and making stuff?
No I haven’t actually, I have been making things, some practical things. In my previous school I really hated art; there seemed to be an expectation you had to be good at it, and if you weren’t good at it you weren’t an artist. You had to be good at painting; that really put me off. I wasn’t good in the way they were expecting me to be. But I always liked art, and always like ceramics but I just thought I wouldn’t get to do it. Artlink just gave me the opportunity to feel I could do it.
What was the first thing you made?
The first thing I made was actually a slip mould, then I moved onto different types of moulds such as silicon and alginate moulds. That kind of stuff. That was the first thing.
What sort of influences do you have, what artists are you influenced by?
I don’t have one artist I’m influenced by. I think there are a lot of amazing artists, photographers and musicians and I think rather than sticking to one person and one style I try different things out and see what happens.
Is there a genre you like?
It changes; depends really.
Tell me about the ceramics you made for the tea ceremony. Was that your idea to make that?
Yes and no … I think there was a general idea to do a nature walk about plants and we wanted people to come back and just sit and chat over a cup of tea. That’s when we came up with the idea of a stove and made it into a ceremony.
Who were you collaborating with?
The stove I made with Nick Evans. He has a studio in Glasgow; he does a lot of moulding and plaster work, so together we came up with the design and put it together.
It seems like fun is a big part of what you do; there is humour to it, like the tea ceremony, it’s like an experiment to bring people together. Yes definitely, so basically, because in the past I didn’t want to do art because it wasn’t fun, and I wasn’t good at it. I think it’s important to just experiment and see what happens. Then you just . …I don’t think there is any point in trying to be very specific or very rigid about it because you can’t really get far, you just need to let it be … yeah.
And it seems that tortoise thing was fun. That was kind of a quirky thing to get your tortoise plate. Tell me about your tortoise plate? So, she has quite an amazing shell. It’s got beautiful colours and amazing patterns. She also has scales on her legs so I thought it would make a really simple pattern on a plate. I just wanted to see what it would turn out like so I pressed her into the clay … turned out quite good.
So I’m going to ask a couple of questions. What skills would you like to learn? And is there something else that you want to learn? I think for now I want to focus on ceramics and working on the wheel and getting better at it. I think probably with time I will get fed up with it and want to try something different. I think for now throwing on the wheel in ceramics.
Are you working on anything you’re excited about, any ceramics that are exciting you just now?
I would like to make more Terra plates.
What are Terra plates? The tortoise plates.
The tortoise plates! Oh, right, your tortoise is called Terra. Yeah.
I’d buy one.
So yeah I think just practicing and getting better at throwing. I feel like my work is sometimes a bit sloppy, that I’m not very good at it. So I would like to be a bit more refined at the actual ceramics.
Very wise … think that’s us. Alright.
At Nick Evans’s studio working on the stove
How long have you been coming to Artlink? When was the start of the pandemic?
2020
About this time in 2020. This time of the year.
What sort of art were you doing when you came to Artlink
Everything …I’ve done screenprinting, sculpture stuff like masks, dabbled in things like music, just everything really. If I think about it, I’ve probably tried it.
What kind of influences do you have? Is there somebody that you’ve watched, an artist that has impressed you?
I did like Salvador Dali when I was at school, and enough that I even got a lobster phone. But there wasn’t really anyone else who has influenced me that much. Other things like film and how film portrays stuff, like for example Robocop and the world that it portrayed and how it looked. That appeals to me. I guess I like black humour, dark humour. I don’t like horror but [I like] Clive Barker and the sort of worlds he creates.
You’ve been creating a lot of masks recently. How did that happen?
I owned a head armature that I bought for £100 and I didn’t want it sitting in my room. I was into Cosplay and it really just came from that, a mask is pretty simple to make and it looks impressive.
And what about the pieces you made for 5th Exit?
The mushroom things were something I made quite quickly.
They were really good. They were ok. I didn’t think they were great. It was a case of ‘I can make these quick’ and mushrooms are kinda cool.
So what’s the next project, you’re still making masks, you’re making armour, some sort of Samurai armour, is that still on the cards? For now I’m focusing on the masks. I’ve got one I want to do in a Venetian style, like really ornate-looking and combining it with a different style of armour, maybe with layering paper mache up and lacquering it. But I also think it would look good with a traditional Scottish dress, like a kilt. I think that would work well. I want to explore that.
What was your highlight of the 5th Exit exhibition?
Em ... not sure. I did like seeing William and Urszula and how much they were involved in it, just from knowing them and what it means to be involved, just seeing how much they could put out and the attention they got was really good.
So it’s nice to work with other creative people?
Yeah … I mean I like seeing other people getting a sense of some notice and all of that … yeah.
You’ve done all sorts of stuff. What other skills would you like to learn? Is there something like metalwork, sewing … If you could do anything at Artlink what would you do?
I think the sharing of skills I have is what I enjoy most about Artlink. most aboutStewart wearing one of his mushroom masks A sketch for a mask
I don’t know; usually if I want to do something I will figure out a way and I’ll do it. Which is why I’ve ended up where I am at. I don’t know. I just feel being part of Artlink, sharing stuff and passing on skills, helping other people learn how to make something. Like with ceramics and mould making, that’s a skill I learnt from the sessions but I am at the point I can share those skills with other people coming to Artlink. I think the sharing of skills I have is what I enjoy most about Artlink. Being able to do that more would be what I want from the art sessions.
Cool … nice one. That’s enough I think. Still … I managed not to be too negative.
Nah … I think you were really good. (ha ha ha)
Images from Stewart’s sketchbooks
Alligator Man
I’ve been drawing characters as far back as I can remember. I take my inspiration from my passion for comics, B-movies and graphic novels. Peter asked me to contribute some of my character creations to give you a flavour of what I do. Some of these characters also inspire some of my model-making figures which I have created over the past couple of years, one of those being my Big Foot character, originally made using monster clay and finished off in glow-in-the-dark silicone plastic.
Beach Horrors
Bishop Fish
PETER How long have you guys been coming to Artlink?
ANDY Almost 5 years.
MIKEY Yeah, about 4 or 5 years.
A You must be coming here as long as we have?
P I reckon so.
A I’m sure you were part of the original team?
P I remember it was Dyo who got a group of us into Artlink.
M I came along a bit later than you guys. Dyo’s like, ‘I think I’ve got something on that I think you might like’. I came along and loved it.
P I think it’s good because it’s sort of like … you’re sort of respected, you’re not treated like some mental health groups.
A I wasn’t talking to anybody, wasn’t leaving the house, couldn’t travel on my own. Now I’m loving it, meeting people; it’s done good things for me.
P Yeah?
A Definitely.
P I’m the same, it’s done a lot for me.
M Definitely … it’s something to look forward to.
A Another thing I benefited from; I learned how to use a sewing machine.
P Yeah, I remember that. What have you made?
A All sorts, face masks with Anna, pillows, cushions with Dorothy and the hoodie as well with Anna and Dorothy.
P You did the hoodie? That was your idea?
A That was mine. I like fashion.
M We like designing stuff from our drawings and music we listen to. I like music, listening to music in the studio.
P Yeah it’s a good place, a good time to listen to music
A Yeah yeah definitely.
P I kinda got into hip hop because of you guys…
M I’ve even listened to new stuff because of you Andy.
A Think that’s us.
P Think that’s us.
A Aye.
PETER When did you first get involved with Artlink?
BROXBURN UNITED Leigh contacted Artlink in 2018 and we were involved in art and music workshops here. And then of course in April just gone there we did those couple of workshops as part of your exhibition.
What did you think of the workshops? Yeah, first time I’d ever done anything like that. I loved it but the girls were brilliant. They really helped me.
That’s ok. It’s good to have someone to show you the ropes.
I felt it really relaxing, actually therapeutic using this new material not thinking about anything else other than what you’re making.
What did you make?
We started off simple, making small plate moulds onto building coil pots with the rolls of clay and then some glazing. You seem like a really tight group who meet up regularly but if you were to make something to leave behind … say in 5 years time...
(SPONTANEOUS UPROARIOUS LAUGHTER)
Ha ha ha! Well, that’s something we can’t guarantee we will be around to see!!
Well if you could leave something behind what would you like to be remembered by? Well, we started this group. We’ve carried it on every week. So I suppose something to remember us by. A legacy I suppose.
Well, maybe when you meet up again at Artlink sessions you could all work and collaborate on a piece that gets to stay here. That sounds like a possibility.
With the help of a musical collaboration set up through Artlink’s Culture Collective project, musician & writer Pete Boggan and I wrote two new songs which would be performed at the closing gig of 5th Exit. Once a week for a few weeks we would sit and drink coffee, talk about our weekends and songs would generate from those discussions. One song “Deep Cuts’’ was about trying to gather information about an ex by listening to their Spotify playlists. Another was called “Eye of the Terrapin” and was about watching Rocky films with my wee brother. At the end of our writing stint we hired a studio where we recorded the songs. My long term musical collaborator Luiza Lucuta was luckily back from Romania so was able to play drums on the tracks. RJ from Abstract Dancers kindly added his synth skills with Pete Boggan on bass guitar and Arion - whose studio we used - played saxophone. It was a really fun session and I think that comes through when you listen to the finished recordings. Hope you enjoy them.
PETER
IN CONVERSATION WITH
PETER: What was the first record you ever bought William?
WILLIAM: It’s very hard to remember. I don’t remember the first record I ever bought but I do remember the first style of records I ever bought. I got into trance and hard house, some funky house.
Did you play anywhere?
It started off in my bedroom, practicing my DJing. I had a couple of places, a couple of shops, a club in Falkirk, I had a couple of shots at a pub as well. I lost touch with it a bit though. They’re all gone now. I used to go to Bathgate, that’s gone.
What got you into DJing?
Em ... the lifestyle, the ambience, the people. I just loved clubbing. I don’t go now. I’ve no one to go with really.
Where did you buy your records?
Edinburgh. Em … HMV on Princes Street down the stairs sold records, FOPP for my disco ones, the one on the corner of Cockburn Street just by the train station [Avalanche].
I used to get obsessed with it. Anytime I got paid, I got money, walked to the train station at Pumpherston, got my records, came home and played them all the time.
Did you enjoy playing the records here?
I still like DJing.
Do you like sharing music with people?
Sharing?
Yeah … sharing.
Yeah I just like DJing in general, I just like playing my turntables. I’ve been trying to make music for a long time, just getting to grips with it, computer wise that is.
I think records will last longer than CDs.
I had crates upon crates of records, my entire bedroom consisted of a bed, turntable and literally the rest of the room was records. I got frustrated with mixing and got rid of most of them. Clubbing … It wasn’t really dancing for me. But this tune Luv 4 Luv by Robin S. That put in a memory of being young, feels like a club earthy sort of thing.
So your sister said ‘You wanna learn how to DJ you got to learn how to dance?’
I know they like R&B and all of that was basically what I remember.
Reminds you of your sister?
My sisters are younger but that’s what I remember of that song.
That’s a nice memory.
Yeah … this one [music is playing in the background]. I like this one. It’s Louise Carver - I’d Say Yes. It’s a really good one, kinda sad too. Sometimes you just remember it for some reason. I dunno … it’s not a chart topper, [but] it’s a chart topper to me, it’s a memorable record and its not been in the public [eye] really.
I’m glad I have music in my life otherwise I’d have a hard time … ha ha.
I can’t remember exactly what magazine it was, maybe Sound on Sound mag but I phoned the guys up and said . …cause it was about DJing, learning to DJ. It was lessons in Edinburgh, behind the Castle … Red Dog Music. They did the lessons down the stairs and during the break, for some reason the guy liked me and he offered me a job playing music. Unfortunately I had to stop going to the group. I became unwell. I didn’t even get to finish up the lessons in the group. I had to abandon it.
What type of music were you playing at that time? Funky house.
Maybe we could get some lessons going here since we have the decks here.
I’d be up for that.
I was asked to curate the closing night of 5th Exit. I racked my brains for who I should ask to perform. I settled on myself and my friend Ryan Morcombe performing as Beat Johnstone, The Abstract Dancers from Paisley, and local band Cousin Kenny. It was exciting putting the show together wondering who would turn up. Every week myself and Ryan would practice in his kitchen, me singing, him playing all manner of keyboards. We don’t perform often with the event being our second performance of this new set up and with several new songs to play for the first time. The hall we used didn’t have much character so the Leylines art gang put pink gels on the lights which soon became the theme of the decor, giving a Miami Vice sort of aesthetic. We added several pink inflatable sofas and flamingos and a spray painted mural of palm trees behind the stage painted by the Gang.
It was exciting bringing my friends from the musical side of my life together with the more visual art side finally meeting. Ryan and I played first as Beat Johnstone in our white overalls bought for this gig. The music we created in Ryan’s kitchen sounded amazing coming through the speakers and it was nice to see the audience dancing to our tunes.
BEAT JOHNSTONE
COUSIN KENNY
Next up were The Abstract Dancers, in full make up looking like they were from whatever planet Ziggy Stardust arrived from. Their set culminated in lead singer RJ White jumping off the stage, lying in one of the pink sofas and batting an inflatable shark about in the air.
Cousin Kenny closed the show sticking with the Miami Vice theme playing their new EP which is full of interesting rhythmic 80s-sounding keyboards and as always funny and heartfelt lyrics.
It was a lovely night and it was so nice to see people of different ages and backgrounds coming together to listen to an eclectic mix of music that wouldn’t normally be performing in Livingston.
RJ, The Abstract Dancers
