Odie's Digital Bay* is a small, informal group of "cottage industry", creative
individuals
who enjoy creating art and hand-crafts. They work in traditional mediums such
as painting,
craft-work, woodworking and stained glass. They also produce works in the
digital, film/video,
and photographic realms as well. I conceived of this approach several years
ago when doing freelance
in the video and photographic fields. I realised that many creative people
often found themselves working
together in a very creative, high-enegry, and fast paced environment which
allowed their "juices to flow",
yet when the job was finished, they took off in several different directions
in pursuit of the next job/paycheck.
Often they would never see or hear from each other again. The cooperative skills
and comeraderie they had enjoyed so
briefly was gone. The "fruits" of their working relationships were short-lived
and static, created once, and likely without
forthcoming sequels. Whatever the "art form" they had collaberated on, that
particular chemistry would not be again!
To their loss, and perhaps to the public's as well! I realised then that some
sort of dynamic, cooperative group
was needed that would allow all of these folks to stay in touch, frequently
work together, but still meet their
freelance and financial obligations.
Hence was born the McGrath Visual Group; parent organisation to Odie's Digital Bay.
* (We've taken part of our name in loving memory of our beloved, furry, four-footed pup, Orson (Odie Bear), a gentle giant. Ten years of his companionship was not nearly enough.)