Creative Thursday: Kate Tough

This week's Creative Thursday interview is with writer Kate Tough.

SSH: Where in the Southside do you call home?

KT: I live ‘deep south’ where the edge of Clarkston becomes countryside. Out in all weathers cycling, walking and running on farm roads equates to a lot of poems about cows and horses.

SSH: Tell us a bit about your Creative Practice.

KT: I write long fiction, short fiction, poetry and lyrics. Long fiction is where you learn what you’re made of. Short pieces are where you have all the fun (a ridiculous generalisation! Sorry). There are two main ways I work with language. One is to reach for and represent the absolute truth of a thing (a moment, an interaction, a character’s experience); the other is to collect and arrange ‘found’ bits of writing, offering them as meaningful. (You can read Kate's writing at katetough.com)

SSH: What's your favourite piece of work?

KT: At the moment, I’m using a printers’ manual from 1825 as a source of ‘found’ material. Its original owner cut out newspaper articles and tucked them between the pages too, so the book is a trove and a joy.

In 2011, I worked with a group of fiery, fragile young women (from the Ayrshire care system) who were unaware they had any talent. We teased it out over two months. I appreciate that they were brave enough to have a go; arriving at a slightly better relationship with themselves and the world.

SSH: What's next?

KT: Norwich became a UNESCO City of Literature last year and I’m part of a literary collaboration to celebrate its status. In May, I’ll be running new-writer activities at the MarginsFestival in Banchory.

SSH: Where do you go for inspiration?
KT: Few things are reliably, flawlessly perfect but many things have a streak of it if you catch them at the right moment, like Sunny Govan Radio (turn it up Govan!). Beautifully non-BBC, non-commercial, with a spectrum of voices and sounds. I prefer creativity I can’t predict (format is wearyingly dominant in cultural output). A recent, unexpected arts encounter was the rapper Ar Droops on theGlad stage. He takes Scottish rap in a new direction with prism-ic intelligence, terrific wit and a charming routine where he runs out of breath while reciting.

SSH: What advice do you wish you'd known?

KT: For me, the point is… not to know something before you’re ready to know it. Nor to beat yourself up for not having known it. The point is to appreciate and embrace the opportunities to learn when they come along. Take the learning that’s on offer, do it with grace, and respect others’ learning journeys (a.k.a. lives).

SSH: What's you top pick for Southside hangout?

KT: Has to be the Glad Café dunnit? Where the Shawlands renaissance coheres into a physical space, responsive to / riffing with its clientele. It’s a gorgeous entity – I think God runs it (or is a silent partner). The southside takes the torch from the West End, which had a good run but needs a few years to return from the wilderness and rediscover its soul.

A close second is the back bar of the IvoryHotel – draw the curtain, light the candles, bring in a few poets and sink into the leather for the most relaxed, sublime poetry night in Glasgow 

SSH: Who's your favourite Southsider Creative?

KT: Spoiled for choice on this... I’ll pick Alison Irvine, who commemorated the Red Road flats in her stunningly accomplished debut novel This Road is Red.

SSH: If money was no object what would you change about the Southside?

KT: Surely we could resurrect a bus route that crosses from Kilmarnock Road through to Clarkston Road? That would be a life-changer.

Take a Walk on the Southside

Pollokshields Heritage has just announced the launch of its new Heritage Trails around this unique garden suburb. Trail One looks at ‘The Villas of Pollokshields’ which lie to the West of the suburb and Trail Two looks at ‘The Tenements of Pollokshields which lie to the East. The walks highlight key buildings, features,

details and notable former residents. The Trail leaflets give a good guide to people wandering through the leafy avenues and handsome tenement lined streets of Pollokshields which is always a great place for a nosy round.

The third leaflet is a guide to the story of the area dubbed Glasgow’s Garden Suburb. It celebrates the Maxwell family - the landowners who had the vision for a grand garden suburb to the south of the city centre and then saw it through three generations of the family, the master planners the family employed to draw up their vision, the developers who invested in the suburb and the architects whose designs they commissioned. It also celebrates those who then built the buildings and the craftsmen and artisans who forged the details that still delight us today.

Pollokshields Heritage will host the official launch of the leaflets on Sunday 3rd March 2013 at Pollokshields Burgh Hall with a guided walk through the Avenues leaving from the Burgh Halls at 2.00pm (weather permitting) and followed by afternoon tea from 3 to 4.30pm at the Burgh Hall. As places are limited anyone

wishing to participate should contact secretary@pollokshieldsheritage.org.

More information about Pollokshields Heritage here.

(All photographs ©Roger Millar)

Rachel Adams @ Tramway

Tramway 5 - front gallery, until 24 March

"For her exhibition at Tramway, Rachel Adams has created an installation of new sculptural works that extends her exploration of the relationship between science fiction, classical sculptural motifs and decorative craft techniques.

Adams joins the aesthetics of sci-fi with an awareness of how certain materials and forms have a specific cultural identity and place within time, particularly craft techniques such as tie dye, macramé and crochet.

The methods employed by TV programmes of the 1970s to produce an “alien” environment are presented as symptomatic of a larger cultural shift, one marked by a growing distrust of the ceaseless progression of technological advancements that defined the preceding decade."

For more information click here

Run Urban

We've been meaning to write a post about Run Urban since they first opened a couple of years ago. Little independent specialist shops are what we really love and though I'm not a runner myself, runner friends have said that its a great place to get new shoes etc. The owner Mark is a very friendly chap and really seems to know his stuff, his very passionate enthusiasm for running almost made me get my trainers dug out. Its a small shop on Cathcart Road, but its seems well stocked. I really like the giant map on one wall which seems to be a left over element from a travel agents that was there several businesses earlier but survives to this day. Cathcart Road has a few interesting independents and we hope to get over and write some more about them over the next few months. Suggestions for places to visit are very welcome.

Run Urban sponsor one of the races the Southside Six which takes places towards the end of the year through six of the southsides parks and is growing in popularity for both participants and spectators. With the Commonwealth Games coming up, now is the time to get into some running it seems. Speaking of which, I didn't realise what a big scene the running group world is in Glasgow but from chatting with Mark it seems rather huge, from the starter groups helping you build up to do you first 5k to the larger more established groups who organise competitive races. Again its something we'll have to try and find time to write a post on some day.

RunUrban Ltd

1035 Cathcart Road

Glasgow

G42 9XJ

Govanhill Baths Board Game Night

The guys at the Govanhill Baths continue to put on really unusual wee events which help make the Southside just that little bit quirky and fun. Here's their latest.

"The next Board Games night organised and created by our volunteers is on Monday (18 Feb) next from 1730 until 1930. An enthusiastic group of games players came to the first session last week and a grand time was had by all. Already boasting of victorious performances at Snakes and Ladders and Scrabble echo around the baths......In fact a challenge has been issued to all-comers to topple the Snakes and Ladders from the top spot. Light refreshments provided with a nice cuppa. Entrance limited to those 17 and over. Its different - do come along! Cannot resist it - you will not be bored!"

Glasgow Film Festival and other film news

The brilliant Southside Festival will be back in a couple of months but to tide you over until then, here's a little selection of Southside related Film news.

Firstly this week sees the return of the Glasgow Film Festival and they are extending out of the City Centre this year with two films being shown south of the river. The two films in question are:

In Search of Blind Joe Death: The Saga of John Fahey (pictured above)

The unique, guitar finger-picking sound of John Fahey influenced a range of musicians – from Pete Townshend (who calls him the folk equivalent of William Burroughs or Charles Bukowski) to Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Chris Funk of The Decemberists. This documentary recounts the dynamic life of the eccentric guitarist, who transcended blues traditions, melding them with both world and classical forms. Featuring talking heads along with archive footage of performances and interviews, this film creates a vivid portrait of a true guitar pioneer. (This is a partnered showing with the Southside Festival's ongoing Film club, more news of which next week.)

Following the screening will be a short solo set from folk guitarist Alasdair Roberts. 

The Glad Café / Tuesday 19 February (20.00)

The Black Pirate

Appearing without the benefit of CGI or 3D, swashbuckling silent screen star Douglas Fairbanks Sr created some of the most spectacular stunt sequences in movie history. 

An athletic, devil-me-care spirit, he found one of his best roles in The Black Pirate, a rip-roaring tale of adventure on the high seas. Determined to avenge the death of his father at the hands of scurvy pirates, incognito nobleman Fairbanks secretly joins their numbers. Along the way there is action aplenty with sword fights, death-defying escapes and the chance to rescue a beautiful princess. All in a day’s work for Doug. An early Technicolor gem for thrill-seekers of all ages. 

Pollokshaws Burgh Hall / Sunday 24 February (19.30) 

Southsidebased Hot Tap Media have been in touch with two extra film related bits of news.

One they are having a prop sale from their upcoming movie Not Another Happy Ending directed by Southside John McKay which you can get more info about here and two they are looking for a Community Co-ordinator to work with them and are interested in speaking to Southsiders.

Have a Butchers at this

With the scandal going around about what exactly is being put into Supermarket ready meals we thought it was a good time to pull together a list of the best Butchers in the Southside. So let's here your suggestions, where do you go to get your sausages, steaks, burgers and mince etc?