Marion Smith, Sculptor

For the first six months of 2006 I undertook a residency based at Donaldson’s College, Edinburgh, Scotland’s National School for the deaf and speech and language impaired pupils.

The residency was co-ordinated by Donaldson’s Partnership Project and supported by the Scottish Arts Council. The Department of Creative Industries at Forth Valley College, Falkirk led the partnership and there were two other educational partners involved – Donaldson’s College and Linlithgow Academy. The idea was to create links between Donaldson’s and the environment where the school was going to relocate in 2007.

During the residency I split my time between teaching and designing artwork for the new school. The design was informed by working directly with pupils at Donaldson’s College and beginning to learn British Sign Language. The sculpture can be clearly defined and described using sign language and complements the architecture of Donaldson’s College Linlithgow. I was supported by jmarchitects who provided access to their drawings and interacted throughout the design process, the result is an artwork, which is thoroughly integrated into the fabric of the building.