Mike McCartney
Case study - mounting and framing
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How to introduce Mike McCartney? Poet, author, singer, member of the Scaffold (then known as Mike McGear,) brother of a Beatle but most notably a celebrated photographer.
Mike has had his work exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery London and his ‘Mike McCartney’s Liverpool Life’ exhibition was seen in Liverpool, Canada and finally at the world famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. In 2005 Mike was invited to capture intimate backstage photographs of the Live8 event in Hyde Park, which resulted, one year later in ‘Mike McCartney’s Live8 Coolpix’ hard back book raising funds for the Band Aid Trust. |
I received an enquiry from Northern Lights organiser Mike Merritt in Summer 2007. Having seen my own work displayed locally, Mike wanted to discuss the possibility of me mounting and framing the photographs for the exhibition. I was happy to take on the commission, mounting and framing sixteen colour images using conservation grade materials and a classic black frame. The event was a huge success with enquiries coming in from the States and beyond resulting in several photographs being reserved before the exhibition had actually opened.
“Kevin Arrowsmith is the best framer in the Highlands"
In Spring 2008 I had a further enquiry. Mike McCartney had been commissioned by the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (an offshoot of Highlands and Islands Enterprise) to undertake a photographic study of the North Highlands, representing life in the remotest part of the UK. I was pleased to accept the work of mounting and framing a further thirty one A3+ prints using a double mount and a complimentary frame of natural timber stained in charcoal black.
The images were an interesting mix of classic ‘Far North’ landscape, portraits of the characters who contribute in making the region such a fascinating place to live, and some interesting abstract images.
The work was challenging. Images in portrait and landscape orientation and with slight variance in proportion needed to be prepared in such a way that they just ‘looked right’ when exhibited as a collection. The work was completed by September which nicely took care of Summer 2008 !
“Mike McCartney’s North Highlands” exhibition was officially opened at the Scottish Parliament January, 27th 2009. I was delighted to attend the event which included speeches by MSP Jamie Stone and then Environment Minister Mike Russell. McCartney’s keynote speech was humorous, touching on his history in the music business and the week he had spent shooting the images on display.
“A big thank you to Kevin Arrowsmith for undertaking the framing of my photographs and making them look so fantastic tonight”
Subsequently, a book of the images has been produced with forwards by Prince Charles, Billy Connolly, and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. The exhibition went on to feature in ‘The Year of Homecoming’ celebrations
The exhibition of framed prints has since been toured the States including The Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio.