Edible Spring Fling

From Spring Fling

From paintings made with pomegranates and coffee to huge stone pears – Spring Fling marks the Year of Food and Drink

An abstract painting created using tea, coffee, liqueurs, fruit and mustard powder has gone on show in an exhibition inspired by Scottish food and drink.

Spring Show: Art, Food & Drink, has just opened at the McGill Duncan Gallery in Castle Douglas and runs until 23 April. It also features giant stone pears and pictures made from kitchen garden herbs and petals among an abundance of paintings, jewellery, woodwork, photography and ceramics. The theme for the exhibition, which takes place in Scotland’s national food town, was specially chosen as part of the celebrations for Scotland’s 2015 Year of Food and Drink.

Around 90 artists and makers, mostly from Dumfries and Galloway, were invited to submit pieces inspired by the edible for the show, which acts as a taster for the Spring Fling visual art and craft open studios weekend in May.

Painter Annirose Ansbro decided to take the theme literally for her own work entitled Drool. “I thought it would be fun to take the food and drink theme all the way, so I scoured the kitchen for ingredients I could use as well as conventional paint. “In the end I used a pomegranate, a tangerine, sloe gin, melon liqueur, orange squash, herbal teas and fresh coffee. The smell of the painting was absolutely wonderful.”

In the gallery garden are three huge stone pears made by sculptor Max Nowell. The distinctive drystone sculptures Max makes have been commissioned for gardens and landscapes all over the UK.

Suzanne Stuart Davies had been wondering what to contribute when she arrived home from the shops one day. She said: “I had bought the veg for a ratatouille and shoved it in a bowl – then I suddenly thought ‘that’s just right’.” Normally a landscape artist working in oils, the experience has led her to create a whole series of still life watercolours.

Another of those taking part is Jennie Ashmore who uses leaves, plants and flowers – often edible – to make intricate pictures.

Spring Show: Art, Food & Drink has also led to collaboration, like the one between Clare Dawdry who has made hand-thrown bowls that nestle in slender woven willow baskets by Geoff Forrest.

Leah Black, Spring Fling Director, said: “The artists really warmed to the food and drink theme and came up with some amazingly imaginative ideas. There really is something to suit every taste. “It’s great to be able to have such a lovely food and drink themed exhibition in Scotland’s food town for the national year of food and drink.”

Welcoming the Spring Fling Newbies of 2015

From Spring Fling

Spring Fling is welcoming a fresh crop of 23 new exhibitors to Scotland’s premier contemporary visual art and craft open studios event.

They range from sculptors, photographers, painters and jewellers to a theatrical prop creator and a violin maker who manufactures his own varnish using resin from local bee hives. Between them they offer the chance to see an amazing variety of highly skilled work – decorative, functional, intriguing, delightful and sometimes challenging.

Among the exhibitors to watch out for is Kate Knott who specialises in figurative paintings with curious narratives. She said: “Whether it’s vintage oddities, fascinating faces or curious animals, I enjoy discovering the best way to represent them. My paintings can feel quite romantic with considered colour palettes and a loose painterly style.” There is also Steven Burnie who loves the landscape of Dumfries and Galloway and said: “I work from the landscape to create paintings and drawings that detail the character of the region. My recent work has been informed by the changing light of the Solway Firth and the surrounding landscape.”

Jamie McLennan with a Vaughan Trower violin

Vaughan Trower, started instrument making when one daughter took up the harp and the other the violin. He said: “Violin making is technical and creative. Each musician and instrument needs to be carefully suited to the other. “I source the tonewoods from a sawmill in Mittenwald, Germany, where I select each piece. I make my own varnish to finish the instruments, this includes propolis from hives at John Mellis, local beekeeper in Dumfries & Galloway, this produces a rich golden varnish and is a distinguishing feature of my instruments.”

Edward Howat has made props for The National Theatre of Scotland, Tron Theatre and many others. Commissions have included dragons, prosthetic masks, aliens and 10 bionic eyes which moved and glowed blue.

Alien prop by Edward Howat

Leah Black, Spring Fling Director, said: “One of the ways Spring Fling stays fresh is to invite new artists to exhibit and 2015 is no exception with 23 out of 94 never having taken part before. “We are delighted to represent a hugely diverse and varied new group, a mix of established and emerging talent; from Vaughan's violins, to Edward's sculpted costumes and props, through to five new photographers, and three new installation artists. “We know that Spring Fling visitors like equally to see familiar faces and to be surprised and challenged by the work of new artists, and we hope that this will attract some new audiences to Dumfries and Galloway in 2015.”

The other new exhibitors are Annirose Ansbro, Anupa Gardner, Barry Young, Beth Watson, Davy Brown, Diana de Gruyther, Eric Pye, Evelyn Gray, Holly Goldsworthy, Kirstin Pilling, Laura Hudson Mackay, Laurie Campbell, Michael Pell, Michal Sur, Morven Browne, Natalie McIlroy, Sarah Stewart, Sarah Tew and Terri Campbell.

E-Course on Bookbinding and Paper Art

From Rachel Hazell

Get Creative Online This Spring!
Sign up to PaperLove: a five-week e-course on Bookbinding and Paper Art.

PaperLove was developed by bookbinder and paper artist Rachel Hazell to enable everyone, no matter where they live, to develop their skills and creativity through the medium of paper. All that’s required is your imagination and wi-fi.

The course unfolds over five weeks and includes step-by-step instruction on the creation of over 20 paper projects using easily available resources. From origami to collage, there is plenty of opportunity to develop your own interests while being encouraged to discover new ones.

Every PaperLove course has its own private community on Facebook where you can share ideas and photographs and enjoy interacting with other course participants from around the world.

Each week has a theme: Paper, Collage, Words, Books, and Mail. Rachel provides plenty of inspiration to help you find the creative ideas and techniques to design and make your projects.

The next e-course starts on 23 March 2015. To find out more and to register to take part in the PaperLove e-course visit Rachel's website here 

Opportunities from Craft Scotland

From Craft Scotland

Craft Scotland are currently offering a number of opportunities for Scottish-based makers, including open applications to sell work at the prestigious SOFA exposition (the world’s premier Sculptural Objects and Functional Art Fair) in Chicago 2015, and our 2015 Summer Show at White Stuff in Edinburgh.

We are also looking for venues, organisations or groups of makers who would be interested in hosting a Meet Your Maker event for 2015/16, and have some upcoming tourism training for makers looking to break into the tourism industry.


SOFA Chicago: We are delighted to announce our participation at SOFA Chicago 2015. The Sculpture Objects Functional Art + Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. We invite applications from makers producing design-led statement pieces to take part in this prestigious event. Full details here

Craft Scotland's Summer Show 2014, more online here

Summer Show: We are delighted to be hosting our annual Summer Show once again in White Stuff, George Street, Edinburgh. We would like to invite makers to apply to exhibit and sell at our Summer Show 2015, to be held from 07 to 30 August 2015, during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Full details here

Meet Your Maker Hosts: Craft Scotland invites applications from venues, groups or organisations to host a Meet Your Maker event.

Meet Your Maker is part of Craft Scotland's flagship campaign to connect craft makers at work with the public. It's a campaign that aims to showcase the skill, design and quality of Scotland's talented makers. It creates opportunities for our makers and builds new audiences for their work. Full details here

Craft Tourism training: Craft Scotland invites makers who would like to explore opportunities in the tourism industry to register their interest in taking part in a 'How to work with the Travel Trade' seminar. More details here 

 

Yarn Bombers take on DG Council

From BBC News

Colourful knitting left on a cycle path was "littering" and it will be removed, according to Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Dumfries was "yarn-bombed" on Tuesday night by a group known as the "Bollard and Chicane Protection Authority. They left knitted and crocheted items on bollards and railings.

In a blog post, the group said: "This is a town with some nice cycle paths but far too many invisible bollards (and chicanes)." They said they were designed to be seen in all light conditions. A reflective thread ensured they were visible at night.

But the local authority has condemned the move. A spokesman said: "If the positioning of bollards and other street furniture is an issue for people, they should raise the matter with the council directly. However colourful the yarn may be, it is littering and will be removed as part of ongoing maintenance."

However, a later statement seemed to soften that stance. "We appreciate arts and crafts in the region and this is certainly a very colourful way to draw attention to an issue," it said. "If the group contact the council we would be happy to listen to their thoughts."

Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards 2014-15 - Round 2

From CABN Borders

The second round of the South of Scotland Visual Artists and Craft Makers Awards are open for applications

Dumfries & Galloway Council, Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of Arts in partnership with Creative Scotland are running a combined Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards Scheme 2014-2015.  The scheme is for individual artists and makers living and working in the Scottish Borders or Dumfries and Galloway. Artists and makers are eligible to apply for awards towards the cost of developing their creative practice.  Applicants must be able to demonstrate a commitment to their work – whether they are at an early or established stage of their practice - and to advancing their skills and ideas.  The intention is that the fund will have a significant impact on applicants creative activity, and take their practice forward.

FUNDS AVAILABLE:

 

Individual awards between £500 and £1,500 are available, which will assist artists and makers to develop and extend their own personal practice. Applicants are advised to request the appropriate amount required for the project, rather than automatically apply for the maximum grant available.  The Awards Panel reserves the right to offer an amount different to that requested.

Applicants can apply for up to 90% of the total cost of their project. The applicant must fund a minimum of 10% of the project funds. Successful applicants will receive 85% of the awarded grant on signed acceptance of their contract. The final 15% of the grant will only be paid upon completion and receipt of an Evaluation Form at the end of their project.

DEADLINE: 

• 5pm Monday, 2^nd March 2015  

For full details go to the CABN website here

Open Call: Material Culture with Kalopsia Collective

From Kalopsia Collective

Textiles practice has born descriptions such as craft and even ‘women’s work’, while art forms such as painting and sculpture have overtaken textiles in terms of prestige within the world of art. And yet, beyond traditional art, the high fashion industry is a beacon of wealth and status. But with the rise of technology and globalisation and with textile production occurring en masse though cheap labour and new machinery we beg to question where do textiles fit into our modern culture?
- How do we value their worth and the worth of material in our culture. 

We are welcoming works from all disciplines, and are not restricted to textiles. Furthermore, we want to push the boundaries of textiles as a medium so contemporary and adventurous textile pieces will be very well received.

This will be an exhibition that evokes and answers questions but which also provokes thoughts and discussions on the place of material within our history and our even more importantly, our culture.

Download the submission form here or contact us at info@kalopsia.co.uk or call 07925843290

The deadline is 28 January 2015 at 14:00.

Craft Scotland hits the Road

From Craft Scotland

At the start of next year Craft Scotland will be back on the road to deliver a series of roadshows across Scotland. Following the success of last year’s SOFA roadshows and feedback from attendees, we plan to share information on all of our opportunities available to makers in 2015. We also want to use these roadshows as an occasion to listen to you, the makers, on how we can help you take advantage of these opportunities.

We are delivering the roadshows in five locations around Scotland to reach out to makers all across the country. The roadshows will take place towards the end of January and early February in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Dumfries & Galloway and Inverness. Keep an eye on our website for more information. Confirmed dates are below:

Edinburgh – Gayfield Creative Spaces – 15 January 2015, 2 to 5pm

Glasgow – The Whisky Bond, 20 January 2015, 2 to 5pm

Dundee – DCA, Dundee – 23 January 2015, 2 to 5pm

Dumfries & Galloway – CatStrand, New Galloway – 27 January 2015, 2 to 5pm

Inverness – Eden Court, Inverness – 09 February 2015, 11am to 1pm

At the start of the session you will hear from us about our projects and planned activities for the year ahead, including SOFA Chicago 2015, our Summer Show, Meet Your Maker programme and our website developments. Following a short tea break and networking opportunity we will split into small discussion groups to get input and feedback.

These events are free but places are limited so please book in advance here.

For more information feel free to contact us via email or phone or visit our website here

The Hunt is on for Britain's Best Potter

From Adam Simons at Love Productions

Love Productions, the makers of BBC1's ‘The Great British Bake Off’ are currently in production with an exciting new programme for BBC2 about pottery.  

“Britain’s Best Potter” (working title) is a nationwide talent search - aimed at experienced amateurs to early career potters - that will test all the different aspects of the craft. It’s for those who aspire to become a full-time professional; those looking to take the next step up in their pottery practice or those who simply want to show the nation their work!

SEDA Award for A' the Airts launches new Sanquhar Knitting project

From A the Airts

A’ the Airts has launched a major new knitting initiative thanks to an award from Santander Bank. With the money, we hope support a long-term project to produce high-quality knitwear using the traditional, distinctive Sanquhar patterns - two-colour geometric designs that date back to the 17th century. Upper Nithsdale Arts and Crafts Community Initiative won £10,000 in the bank’s Social Enterprise Development Awards (SEDA) which are given to social enterprises and trading charities to grow their businesses, thus improving the local community both economically and socially.

Until now, the few existing people in the town who produce items in the Sanquhar pattern haven’t been able to meet the huge demand for the knitwear. This generous award has been used to purchase new electronic knitting machines, accessories, laptops and design software, and will support a knitwear supervisor/quality controller. The project has initially been set up next door to A’ the Airts, in a small shop at 14 High Street, Sanquhar, which was purchased earlier this year with a grant from the Scottish Land Fund. It opened its door to the public on 1st November , the same day that A’ the Airts hosted Glasgow University’s ‘Knitting in the Round: Sanquhar Knitting Workshop’, a major event organised by the university’s Department of History.

Five enthusiastic knitters – Elma Clark, Kate Sloan, Sheila Crompton, Jean Ramsay and Ruth Hanson – have already been recruited onto the project and are starting to create a range of Sanquhar pattern hats, scarves and other items that are being sold in our shop. We want to attract more local people to participate in the project, especially young knitters. Through this community enterprise we will not only be increasing production of the knitwear, but enhancing the range of items available by developing new designs. We are ultimately trying to resurrect a dying “cottage industry” which will provide income for our community arts centre and for the knitters of Sanquhar. There is already a world-wide interest in the Sanquhar pattern, and once the production of knitwear increases, we hope to introduce on-line sales, opening up an already-established global market. We have had many customers from across the UK, Germany, Australia, the USA and Japan, and a recently published Japanese book on traditional Scottish knitting devoted over 60 pages of text and photographs to the town of Sanquhar and its historic gloves and knitwear. The flexibility of the new design software means we can also handle special orders and personalised garments. In the near future, additional support may be available from Santander to fund an internship for a recent graduate in knitwear design, who would work alongside the local knitters to enhance and modernise the range of Sanquhar pattern designs. A ‘Sanquhar Brand’ is also being developed for genuine articles knitted in and around the town, which should guarantee quality control and protect the local provenance of the pattern.

Elma Clark demonstrates one of the new knitting machines and electronic design software.

However, the much sought-after Sanquhar gloves can only be hand-knitted, and are usually made to order to customers’ requirements. We would also like to develop a high-end market for the gloves and help protect their heritage by passing on the highly-specialised knitting skills to a younger generation. This is a major initiative, not just for Sanquhar, but for Dumfries and Galloway. It has the potential to create jobs and bring other long-term benefits to the local area, as well as contributing to the thriving tourism industry in Southwest Scotland.

Modern Heritage Craft Opportunity with Spring Fling

From Rebecca at Spring Fling

It would be great if you could spread the word about this opportunity for 15-25 year olds in D&G. 

We ran the pilot in 2014 with Ian Cameron-Smith and Godfrey Smith and next year we're delighted to have Amanda Simmons and Shona Guthrie on board. 

What is the project?

A chance for two groups of young people to be tutored intensively for 10 days by a professional craft maker, to learn heritage craft skills, and to make at least one contemporary functional object which will be exhibited as part of Spring Fling 2015.

Snowdrops from Shona Guthrie

What is heritage craft, a craft maker, and what do you mean by a contemporary functional object?

Craft makers work with their hands and using tools, machinery and technology to make (usually) wearable or usable objects such as jewellery, clothes, shoes, furniture, pots, bowls and hats. They use materials such as metal, wood, glass, plastic, fabric, leather and clay. Some makers use traditional techniques and machinery, some use cutting edge new technology, and may use a combination. 

Dahlia Universe Duo large vessels by Amanda Simmons

The full information can be found on our website here

Modern Heritage Craft 2014 from Spring Fling on Vimeo.

Friday Night at Lochdougan

From Hannah McAndrew

This weekend, starting on Friday 14th November Doug Fitch and I are hosting an evening of art and craft in our Galloway workshop with a series of films about each of our guests being shown from 7pm. Doors open at 6 and so please do come and join us for some mulled wine and beautiful Galloway art and fine craft. 

We have the super talented Amanda Simmons, glass artist of international reputation (traveling back from SOFA Chicago as I type), and Hazel Campbell, creator of bold, loose and vigorous paintings describing the Galloway landscape. What with these two and our our own pots we hope there will be something to interest everyone.

Please find the poster attached to this email. Many thanks and we hope to see you there,

Best wishes from 

Amanda, Doug, Hazel and Hannah

Selected Symposium: Making Connection

From Lizzie Cowan at Dovecot Studios

Selected Symposium: Making Connections will address the fast evolving nature of craft practices in the 21st century that uses Selected as a backdrop to discuss Scotland's new craft. This engaging symposium invites makers and attendees to question how craft practice connects to new forms of consumption, the rise of the creative city, digital process and hybrid practices.

Chair Mike Press (Programme Director, Design and Craft, DJCAD)

Conversation Mike Press | James Donald | Angus Ross | Laura Spring

Speaker Sarah Drummond (Snook)

Thought Pods Polly Collins | Jessica Howarth | Anaïs Paulard | Naomi Mcintosh

Selected Symposium: Making Connections

Monday 1 December 2014 12pm-7pm

£15 student/senior | £20 general admission

Includes lunch on arrival, refreshments and wine at the close of the event

 Full details about the event on the Dovecot studios website here

They can also book online directly at Eventbrite here

Project Art Lockerbie's 4th Birthday Bash

From Heather Andrews at Project Art Lockerbie

We at Project Art Gallery in Lockerbie, a co-operative of around 20 artists, and started as a pop-up shop, to be open for 10 weeks. So successful was the venture, that we are still open 4 years later, and that calls for a celebration.

 

That means everyone is invited to our 4th birthday party on Saturday 15th November, 10am – 4pm

. Join us for a glass of wine (or a cuppa), birthday cake, and more. There will be a jewellery-making table, and a prize draw to win a £50 gallery voucher. (All purchases between now and2pm Nov 15th qualify for an entry to the prize draw). D&G Life plan to be there.

Thistles by Martine Berlemont

We offer great value, individually created art work, beautiful photography and design-led hand-crafted gifts.

Project Art Gallery, 53 High St, Lockerbie, DG11 2JH  (opposite the sheep)

Have a look at their website here

Enchanted Christmas @ Whitehouse Gallery

From Lynne at Whitehouse Gallery

8TH NOVEMBER – 31ST DECEMBER

The Whitehouse Gallery is feeling all festive this year with the opening of ‘Enchanted Christmas’ which will run from 8th November through to 31st December. All are welcome to attend the preview opening from 11am on Saturday 8th November, and enjoy a glass of bubbly and complementary chocolates. Not only will there be the usual mix of high quality Fine Art on the walls, an equal emphasis has been placed upon the Applied Art & Craft this year. The gallery will be a treasure trove of original gift ideas to suit every pocket.

Fiona Miller. Little Winter House.

There are a few new Fine Artists to the gallery for this exhibition, including Jane McCance, a Glasgow School of Art graduate whose atmospheric semi abstract landscapes and still life paintings are quiet, reflective works which Jane describes as being ‘concerned with the themes of memory, loss and renewal’.

Rona Lee & Patricia Sadler will be showing some of their beautiful still life work in this exhibition. Both artists’ flower studies are alive with colour, each with their own undeniable style but both searching for an emotional response through their work.

Julie Barnes figurative paintings are bold in composition and rich in colour, using gold, silver and bronze leaf to enhance applied oils and acrylics, in turn giving her paintings a rich texture and luminosity.

Este Macleod’s paintings are playful and usually contain a narrative. Her background as a textile designer is evident in her paintings, which range from landscape and still life through to more design and narrative fantasy artworks featuring bold flowers and birds.

An interesting collection of work will be on show from local artist Helen Acklam, whose recent travels to the Orkney Islands have sparked inspiration to produce a series of paintings, bookwork and mixed media sculpture.

Returning Fine Artists include Grace McDonald Cameron, Stewart Lammie and Peter Tudhope with their unique, powerful interpretations of the Scottish landscape, ranging from the more traditional through to the semi abstract. Fiona Millar will also have some of her extremely popular work on show, depicting landscape and still life studies in her own unequivocal style. Kirkcudbright based artist Margaret S Milligan was the best seller of last Christmas, and returns with a collection of her endearing still-life oil paintings.

We are excited to introduce some new makers to the gallery for this exhibition, including Kim Steeden who creates exquisite framed driftwood pictures depicting harbour and seaside scenes. Kim’s work will sit well with work from existing exhibitor Cheryl Smith, whose 3d and framed driftwood work is also combined with Scottish textiles to make her gorgeous work unique.

We have two new jewellers joining Susanna Hanl, who is returning with a collection of her beautiful handmade jewellery in silver, gold and precious and semi/precious stones. Miya Hayes is a contemporary designer whose silver work is largely influenced by nature, and Lisa Rothwell Young whose work is characterised by colour and texture and often accentuated with gemstones.

We are introducing a new basket maker to the gallery. Geoff Forrest works with willow to create traditional basket work, as well as pursuing a more contemporary style of work, often incorporating different materials to create beautiful works of art.

Textiles are a-plenty this Christmas, with four textile artists giving us collections of their work. We have a collection of framed textile pictures from Kate Buchanan, with subject matters ranging from beaches and landscapes to the more quirky and fun. Joining Kate are regular exhibitors Jo Gallant, with a new collection of her handmade cushions, as well as felt work by Rachel Morley and Heather Potten.

There will also be a selection of framed and 3d glass work by Niki Crew, framed illustrative porcelain pictures by Wendy Kershaw, new sculpture by Michael Lythgoe, ceramic sculpture by Helen Kemp, Paul Jenkins & Urpu Sellar and ceramics by Debbie Barber & Karen McPhail. Ongoing work will also be on show including furniture, sculpture, glass, forged ironwork, ceramics, artist prints, cards, books and much more.

In keeping with the theme of Christmas, we will also have some very festive handcrafted Christmas decorations, including glass decorations by Jo Newman and ceramic decorations by Shirley Vauvelle.

Don’t forget, you can spread the cost of most items in the gallery between £100 - £2000 INTEREST FREE with OWN ART. Please ask us about this.

For more information, contact us on info@whitehousegallery.com or 01557 330223

Modern Heritage Craft with Spring Fling

From Spring Fling

Modern Heritage Craft 2014 from Spring Fling on Vimeo.

Lockerbie Old School Project Craft Fair

From Gill Devlin

We are a local community group who started out with the vision of rescuing a beautiful  large, old Victorian school in Lockerbie for public, business and cultural  use.

We are holding a Craft Fair in Lockerbie to engage with our community and also show some potential uses for a community hub in supporting small local businesses in the future. We would hope to have workshop, shared office  and exhibiting/teaching  space for craftspeople .

We would be grateful if you would display our poster and would welcome anyone wishing to come and join us to find out about our project or  if they wish  to sell their work .We are charging £5 per table to cover our costs. If anyone is interested , they can email me via the contacts on the poster.

Together. Exhibition at Designs Gallery

From Designs Gallery

‘Together’
An exhibition of slipware pottery by Hannah McAndrew & Doug Fitch
Designs Gallery Castle Douglas
11th October – 8th November 2014

Designs Gallery will be hosting the first joint exhibition north of the Border of work by slipware potters, Doug Fitch and Hannah McAndrew starting Saturday 11th October. It is a collection of their best and most recent work on which they have both worked extremely hard, producing a range of functional and beautiful pots.

Alex McErlain, retired head of Ceramics at Manchester Metropolitan University, film maker, potter and writer will be opening the exhibition with a short talk at 11am on Saturday morning. Doug and Hannah will both be there to discuss their work and Designs would invite anyone interested in contemporary ceramics to come along to the gallery.

These two potters draw their influence from the ancient tradition of country pottery that is part of the folk heritage of Britain. Although its roots are firmly set within tradition, their work is not simply pastiche. Their pots are produced with the finest of traditional craft skills, but embrace contemporary style, which makes their pieces, very much of our time.

Both are long established potters with international reputations, having travelled with and exhibited their work in Japan and throughout the USA. Last year they became partners in life and business and next year are to become formally joined, when they marry in Corsock, Galloway. Fitch and McAndrew currently spend their time travelling between the workshops they now share in Devon and Galloway.

It was a passion for clay and slips and fire that originally brought Hannah McAndrew to south west Scotland. After discovering clay and ceramics at university in Manchester, she moved to Galloway to work as apprentice to Jason Shackleton. Whilst working with Jason she was introduced to the ancient techniques of slip trailing and sgraffito and fell in love with these traditional earthenware pottery skills.

Doug Fitch has spent the last 20 years working in Devon using the same techniques to produce predominantly large jugs which draw influence from the work of the medieval potters of England and the subsequent tradition of slip decorated country pottery, that was prevalent in this country until the early twentieth century. Thrown in red earthenware, pots are decorated using coloured slips and rich honey glazes. The decoration is trailed on to the surface of the pot while the slipped surface is still glistening wet. The freshly applied slip looks much like cream or melted chocolate good enough to eat! Doug says of his work, “I’ve been making pots for most of my life. It’s a strange thing, to be excited by something as simple as a brown clay jug and I can’t explain it, but it seems that it happens to some people; it just gets under your skin.”

Exhibition runs from 11th October – 8th November at Designs Gallery – opening times Mon-Sat 9.30-5pm.

What's On this month at Cut the Mustard

From Cut the Mustard

Painter Gwen Adair's exhibition is on at present and runs until 24th October. Full of vibrant, colourful works featuring Victorian bathers and still life.

Langholm and Eskdale's first open studio's event is on Sat and Sun the 4th and 5th October, 10am - 5pm. A list of participants and a map can be found here

We have a few places available on Geoff Forrest's basket weaving class on Sat 11th October, £59 per person, please get in touch for more information or to book.

Our Christmas affordable art exhibition starts on Sat 1st November and runs until 10th January. The majority of pieces will be under £200 with plenty of smaller craft and gift items in the under £30 category - perfect for Christmas presents.

Lisa is now taking orders for Christmas, so if you'd like to commission something perfect for your loved one, please get in touch with her. A list of Lisa's classes and workshops for the remainder or 2014 and 2015 can be found on our website here

Etched stone set stacking rings from Lisa Rothwell

Interested in a family portrait as a Christmas gift? Contact Barry, online here. Barry also provides images (print and web ready) for businesses, accommodation providers, artists etc.