GLEAM – Talent Development

McKeown and his production company Wild Strawberry Interactive Multimedia Limited have been creating interactive computer projects since 1995 for Channel 4 Schools, Granada, West Ham FC, Routeledge and Oxford University Press and several large-scale projected light works since 2003. Wild Strawberry has a studio and workshop facility in Shrewsbury and is able to stage large scale multi projector sound and light works from in house equipment. Past projects include temporary and permanent lightworks or Blackpool Illuminations, York Minster Cathedral, Nottingham Castle, Liverpool Metropolitan and Liverpool Anglican Cathedrals, Shrewsbury Abbey, Snibston Mining Museum and Saltwell Park, along with works shown in the USA, Australia and Turkey McKeown has an extensive background in software and physical interface design, sensor control and interactive control. He has a passion for liquid oils, kaleidoscopes, stained glass, cathedrals, derelict and left field spaces, machine noise, industrial and avant-garde music and has just completed a series of multi projector immersive light and sound installations for the Black Country Living Museum in the West Midlands (UK) and is currently working on water jet projection screen installations, and completing work on the new recording studio control room. Seren Birtles is a local artist currently studying foundation Art and Design at the Arts University Bournemouth. She started creating installation work for her A-Levels and her projection mapping piece called ‘BIRDS’ was presented during Light Up Poole 2018. Key themes to Seren’s work are her experience and relationship to the environment. She explores this through installations as well as creating sculptures and drawings that the audience is able to touch and hold. We have commissioned Seren to create a new projection mapping piece called ‘Eyrie’, an intertwining nest of plastic and light. Andy will work with Seren to develop this immersive indoor piece using moving projections and four projectors. Sandie Elkin is from Christchurch and runs the Dorset based Funky Little Choir, she also provides singing lessons as a Peripatetic teacher in Bournemouth based schools and runs work-based choirs. Sandie is a songwriter/composer specialising in electronic sounds. Andy will be mentoring Sandie during our ‘Digital Ripples’ project in partnership with SoundStorm Music Education Agency. Together we have commissioned Sandy to sculpt a ‘breadcrumb’ trail of sounds with a group of students from Carter School and compose a new electronica soundtrack which will be played during the festival along Poole Quay.