Gavin Thorogood explored both traditional and digital approaches to drawing during his residency at Highgreen, developing a practice that combined paper-based work with computer-generated composites and time-based media. He extended the language of drawing into moving image, using digital techniques to amplify the charged sense of foreboding already present in his work. Influences ranged from early 1980s computer graphics to low-budget cult films, creating a distinctive visual language that fused analogue and digital sensibilities.
In collaboration with VARC, Gavin shaped the project The Spirit of Tarset, bringing together two musicians and composers, James Wyness and Luke Daniels, to create the soundtrack for his moving image sequence Hybrid. This work was presented as part of The Spirit of Tarset performances at Queens Hall Arts Centre and Tarset Village Hall in July 2007, and was later shown alongside his drawings at his end-of-residency exhibition, Terra Incognita, at Highgreen in September.
Community engagement formed a central part of Gavin’s residency. Early in the year, he led two successful life-drawing days at Tarset Village Hall, followed by a drawing session in Byrness at the invitation of the Byrness Village Community Arts and Crafts Group. Links with the Royal College of Art facilitated a visit from Len Massey, Head of Drawing at the RCA, accompanied by musician and poet colleagues. Together they led an esemplastic session, a ‘draw live sound’ workshop, which Len has established as a regular feature at the RCA. The event was well attended by local residents as well as students from the region’s colleges and universities, including a group from Newcastle University’s Fine Art Department, who had stayed overnight to participate in the workshops.
In July, Gavin welcomed a group from Bill Quay Community Farm in Gateshead, including staff, adult volunteers and young people, for a day of walking, observing, and drawing in and around Highgreen. These sessions encouraged participants to engage with the landscape through the lens of both careful observation and imaginative response, reflecting Gavin’s interest in the interplay between environment and perception.
Throughout his residency, Gavin’s practice combined meticulous attention to form with innovative use of technology, while his engagement with local communities and visiting students ensured that his work was both experienced and understood in dialogue with others. His end of residency exhibition and public performances offered a compelling synthesis of drawing, digital media, and sound, leaving a lasting impression on both the landscape and the people of Tarset.
