We are extInked is launched at the Manchester Museum!

Friday 8th July saw the launch of We are extInked at the Manchester Museum, it was a great evening and we would like to thank you all for joining us to celebrate the current achievements and future successes of the project, exhibition and the national tour.

To see photographs of the evening please visit the extInked website. All Photography by Jimmy Edmondson.

Still Time

For those who were unable to attend do not worry, you have plenty of time to visit the exhibition which is open at the Manchester Museum until 13/11/2011.

Big Saturday

We are excited to announce that extInked will be the theme for the Manchester Museum’s Big Saturday event in September.

Date: Saturday 24th September 2011

Time: 11.00am - 4.00pm

Location: The Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL

Booking: Most activities will be drop-in, some may need to be booked on the day.

Cost: most of the activities will be free however some may cost up to £1.50.

Age: All ages are welcome.

Further details of the days activities will be announced over the coming weeks via the Musuem's website.

Artwork for Sale

extInked Drawings

A number of original extInked artworks by Jai Redman are still available to purchase at our online shop. Beautifully executed in pen and ink, many of these drawings have featured in our current exhibition or will feature at future venues. We can offer you the opportunity to reserve a particular drawing for collection as the exhibition closes, whilst some drawings are available for collection straight away.

extInked Almanac

The extInked Almanac is now available for purchase from our online shop. Priced at £20, each copy is signed by the artist and is one of only 100 copies produced in conjunction with the We are extInked tour. For your chance to own a limited edition, signed copy please visit the UHC online shop or email kate@uhc.org.uk.

Further Information

extInked/We are extInked

W: www.extinked.org.uk

B: extinked.blogspot.com

T: @extinked

E: kate@uhc.org.uk

Ultimate Holding Company

A: Ultimate Holding Company, Hotspur House, 2 Gloucester Street, Manchester, M1 5QR

W: www.uhc.org.uk

B: uhcblog.blogspot.com

T: @Ult_Holding_Co

E: mail@uhc.org.uk

The Manchester Museum

A: The Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL

W: www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

T: @mcrmuseum

E: museum@manchester.ac.uk

We are extInked is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and MIRIAD.

'We are extInked' launches tonight at the Manchester Museum

Come and join us this evening as we celebrate the launch of We are extInked at the Manchester Museum.

This exhibition documents extInked, a unique arts and ecology project which began in 2009 as a response to species loss in the UK.

We are extInked brings together the original pen and ink drawings, documentary footage of the tattooing process and extraordinary photographic portraits of the ambassadors created on a rare 19th century camera by Anatomy Projects. The work will be shown alongside rare specimens from The Manchester Museum collections and documentation of the progress of the 100 volunteer ambassadors as they work to protect and advocate for their species.

The exhibition opens to the public on July 9^th 2011 and will be situated alongside the new 'Living Worlds' Gallery, which explores the connections between all living things, including us, and shows how we can all shape the future by the choices we make.

We are extInked launch:

Friday 8th July 2011 -

6.00 - 8.00pm

(Speeches at 6.30pm)

The Manchester Museum

The University of Manchester

Oxford Road

Manchester

M13 9PL

For more information on how to get to the museum please click here.

For more information about the extInked project and the We are extInked tour please click here.

One exhibition down four to go...

Spiderweb Cup & Saucer, Eleanor Morgan.

Into the Wild, an exhibition at Smiths Row Contemporary Art Gallery in the beautiful historic market town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk came to a close this weekend. The exhibition explored notions around wilderness and asked audiences to consider; what is wild?

Ultimate Holding Company were invited to exhibit artwork from the extInked project, alongside work from seven other artists which included, Sam Bakewell, Beatriz de Costa, Eleanor Morgan, Lee Patterson, Laura Pullig, Matthew Smith and Chiz Turnross.

Elegy Rue Paean, Sam Bakewell.

Smiths Row also ran a series of events and educational activities that ran alongside the exhibition and included:

Talk: Dragonflies - Masters of the Air

Adrian Parr from the British Dragonfly Society hosted an afternoon talk in the gallery about the wonder of dragonflies which was followed by a guided walk around the local area identifying local dragonfly hotspots!

The British Dragonfly Society

W: www.british-dragonflies.org.uk

Talk: Marine Conservation & the Native Oyster

Elizabeth Allen, Ambassador for the Native Oyster.

Elizabeth Allen hosted a lunchtime talk about her involvement with the extInked project and her role as the Ambassador for the Native Oyster, she also offered us an inspirational insight into the work of conservation charity Fauna and Flora International.

Fauna and Flora International

W: www.fauna-flora.org

T: @FaunaFloraInt

Images of the exhibition can be found on the extInked website or by clicking here.

Congratulations to Nick Dixon, Ambassador for the Western Capercaillie!

Congratulations to Nick Dixon, Ambassador for the Western Capercaillie and friends for another successful year supporting the plight of this wonderful species. With over £550.00 raised over the last two years through kind donations from members of the Friends of Capercaille, Manchester Branch Conservation Support Group. This group was set up by Nick in 2010 in affiliation with the RSPB (The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), it looks like this species will be able to get the vital support it desperately needs.

***extInked exhibition announcement***

Go Into the Wild with extInked...

We are delighted to announce that extInked will be featured in the forthcoming exhibition Into the Wild at Smiths Row Contemporary Arts and Crafts Gallery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Opening Saturday 14th May 2011, Into the Wild will showcase a collection of work from eight artists and collectives exploring with the wilderness around us and our relationship with the infinite flora and fauna within it.

Directly inspired by the beautiful rural surroundings of Suffolk, Into the Wild aims to alert visitors to the seemingly invisible wildlife around us everyday and the idea that 'wilderness' is closer than it might at first seem. Nature adapts and reclaims environment whether urban, office or park bench....there is wonder and enchantment in the smallest spider or invertebrate.

The artists will offer audiences an insight in to this wonderful world....

Ultimate Holding Company

Ultimate Holding Company will present extInked as a body of work documenting the story of the unique arts and ecology project from its inception in 2009 through to the current work of the one hundred ambassadors.

Laura Pullig

Laura Pullig’s Responsive Flower. Her use of technology seeks to re-enchant and reflect nature back at us.

Beatriz da Costa

Beatriz da Costa has created a downloadable phone application which will allow audiences to identify the habitat of endangered species from wherever their location in the UK.

Lee Patterson

Lee Pattersons’ sonic recordings reveal the sounds of the wilderness which normally cannot be heard by the human ear. Patterson is currently working in residence at Flatford Mill, carrying out field studies by the Norfolk Broads to produce a new work for the show.

Eleanor Morgan

The technical wonder of Eleanor Morgan’s Spiderweb Cup and Saucer is testimony to the artist’s curiosity at our human relationship with animals.

Sam Bakewell

Another highly intricate work in the show is parian-ware sculpture by Sam Bakewell, this work pays homage to the endangered honey bee.

Chiz Turnross

Chiz Turnross’ fevered painting of countless birds creates a colourful flock within the Gallery.

Matthew Smith

A panorama continues through the work of Matthew Smith and his series of drawings entitled British Wildlife depicting mammals, birds and trees which are silhouetted against a gloomy sky.

For more information about the exhibition please click here.

Bee Roads creating a buzzzzzzzzzzz!

The latest Plan Bee initiative by our friends at Buglife (The Invertebrate Conservation Trust) is to create Bee Roads by planting corridors of rare wildflowers to encourage wild bees, honeybees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths. To read the full article please click here.

Numbers Up!

It has been reported that there has been a significant and steady increase in the numbers of Capercaillie located in woodland managed by Forestry Commission Scotland. To read the full BBC article please click here.

Photograph: Nick Dixon, extInked Ambassador and the Western Capercaillie tattoo.