One To Watch

Spring Fling selection panelists, Washington Garcia Gallery, have been named one of The List's "Hot 100" Scottish people or organisations to watch.

One of Glasgow's most impressive contemporary art operations expanded this year, basing itself in Eastvale Place and hosting a series of exhibitions by emerging and established artists. Highlights included Use History Autonome, the first solo exhibition at Washington Garcia by sculptor Nick Evans, a former GSA student; the first Scottish exhibition by London film artists Shezad Dawood and a new body of work by Mark Briggs, winner of the Washington Garcia Residency 2009.

Spring Fling Christmas Party 2009

Huge thanks to the main schemers and organisers of the Spring Fling Christmas party who were Hazel Campbell and Lizzie Farey pictured here during the preparation last friday afternoon. Held in Rhonehouse village hall all members of SFOS were invited to bring a pot luck Indian meal and meet other members and Gracefield Arts Team staff.

Good food, a good quiz - all SF questions of course, and a great guess the crafts person that was the baby in the picture competition, an A5 piece of art work swap and great company. How much better can it be? Lizzie Farey, on behalf of the village hall committee offers "especial thanks for the very generous donation towards our Village Hall roof repairs and new lighting. A brilliant example of Spring Fling's impact on local communities!"

To Rhonehouse Village Hall we say thank you for having us.

Spring Fling 2010 Accomodation

Room 2.

Ed Baxter one of the Spring Fling 2010 participants who will be showing at Studio 61, and Jane offer superior B&B at Bank House, Thornhill. Bank House in situated in a central position in Thornhill, with 3 letting rooms. These are individually decorated and styled for your comfort where you will be treated to the luxury of a high quality breakfast served in the privacy of your room. Please see....http://www.bankhousethornhill.co.uk/

"Dodge" photography

Ed will be exhibiting photography and paintings at his studio in Bank House.

"Hurricane Hamish over Hightae" Acrylic on canvas

This coming friday, the 27th November from 3pm till 7pm, saturday from 11am till 5pm and sunday from 10am till 5pm there is an exhibition and sale of work by three Spring Fling Open Studios Association members Phil McMenemy, photographer, Hannah McAndrew slipware potter and Amanda Simmons, glass artist. This will be held in Phil's gallery at Woodbank House, Laurieston, near Castle Douglas. Drinks and nibbles on the friday. All are welcome to visit and browse the work and chat to the artists and makers.

MMV Art Painting Course.

Painting The Nude.

A two day life painting course led by Dougie Muego DA
at Gracefield Art Studios in Dumfries.
Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th November from 9.30 – 4.30 each day.
The cost is £85/£75 concession and places are limited, so please book early to secure a place. Contact Dougie on 01387 279888 to book. Please make cheques payable to MMV Art Limited. In the event of insufficient numbers, cheques will be returned.

This is an opportunity to try life painting in a small group with appropriate support or a chance to revisit it for the more experienced.
The model will pose from 10.00 – 12.30 and from 1.30 – 4pm with an hour for lunch and short rest breaks.

Dougie studied drawing and painting at Glasgow School of Art and has long experience of working from the figure. Morning coffee is included. Morning coffee is included - participants can buy lunch in the Gracefield cafe or bring their own if preferred.

Public Art Commission Call for Submissions

Spring Fling 2010 Public Art Commission, £4,500

Deadline for proposals: Monday 23 November 2009

Spring Fling , Scotland ’s premier open studios event, will take place across Dumfries and Galloway from 29 to 31 May 2010. As part of the event, the organisers are looking to commission a one-off public art work, ideally involving sound and/ or light.

Further details of the brief will be available next week on the website www.spring-fling.co.uk.

To register interest, or request a copy of the brief contact Colin Tennant, Visual Arts Officer for Dumfries & Galloway:01387 262084 or email: colin.tennant@dumgal.gov.

Urgent Announcement for Spring Fling 2010 Applications

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to a change in the application system this year, and the launch of an online application facility, some people seem to have genuinely missed the deadline for applying to Spring Fling 2010. The committee has, therefore, decided to extend the deadline from today (Thursday 1 October) until 9am on Monday 12 October. Applications can either be made online at www.spring-fling.co.uk or by post (to request an application form by post please contact Rhiannon Batten or Colin Tennant at Gracefield Arts Centre, on 01387 262084).

Spring Fling Residency Launch

Photograph copyright Angus Bremner

Sarah Jackets and Chris Helson launched their residency at Wigtown Booktown last friday night and it runs until Sunday October 4th.
For the launch the festival’s artists in residence invite you to join them in The Hut where they are showing two extraordinary video works. Helson and Jacket’s Wigtown residency begins with Mordechai Vanunu’s banned performance of “I Am Your Spy”, mailed out of Israel hidden in a hollowed-out copy of Hunter S Thompson’s Kingdom of Fear. Then we get to The Heart of the Matter as Graham Greene’s assistant spy answers a theological question.

Photograph copyright Angus Bremner

Call into Wigtown to visit the rest of the fabulous festival and call in on the first Wigtown Book Festival Spring Fling Artists in residence.

Spring Fling Artists at Wigtown Book Town

Spring Fling Artists in Residence.

Chris Helson and Sarah Jackets are at The Hut at Reading Lasses.

This year Wigtown Book Festival are delighted to welcome their first artists in residence, a collaboration with Scotland 's premier art and craft open studio event, Spring Fling. During the festival multimedia artists Chris Helson and Sarah Jackets will be creating work to be shown during the final three days. They plan an intriguing residency and invite you to the Hut to explore ideas and enter "The Exchange Library of Significant Books". Launch Saturday 26 September 7pm; Exchange Library or Significant Books, 2-5pm daily. Installation 2-4 October 11am-6pm.

Spring Fling artists Wigtown bound

Heralding an exciting new collaboration between two of the biggest arts events in southwest Scotland, it was announced this week that Dumfries and Galloway-based multimedia artists Sarah Jackets and Chris Helson have been selected for a Spring Fling artists' residency project which will take place in Wigtown, Scotland's National Book Town, for 12 days in the lead-up to and during Wigtown Book Festival 2009.

Spring Fling, the annual artists open studios weekend, takes place every May bank holiday weekend across the region (next year’s event will take place from 29 to 31 May). Wigtown Book Festival, which takes place from 25 September to 4 October this year, has grown into one of the autumn's best-loved arts gatherings. With potential for much connection between the audiences of both events, it is hoped that the artists’ residency project will help enhance this relationship and prompt visitors from outside the region to return to Dumfries and Galloway more often.
The 12-day residency will culminate in a new piece of work to be shown during the final weekend of the Wigtown Book Festival 2009, in an open studios-style environment in the Hut at Reading Lasses bookshop. The results of this will then be shown in Wigtown during Spring Fling 2010.

The selected artists, who are based in Carsluith, have been working together on a number of arts projects for the past seven years and are interested in exploring the construction of spaces and peoples’ relationships to those spaces.

“It's a fascinating residency and we are very much looking forward to engaging with the people of Wigtown, Spring Fling and Wigtown Book Festival," said Chris.


For more information about Wigtown Book Festival, please visit http://www.wigtownbookfestival.com/.For more information about Spring Fling, or to sign up for a brochure for next year’s event when it becomes available, please visit http://www.spring-fling.co.uk/.

Residency Opportunity at Wigtown Book Festival

Spring Fling Artist Residency Programme at Wigtown Book Festival 2009

Deadline for Applications: 9am on Wednesday 1 July 2009

Spring Fling Open Studios invites applications for an artist residency at Wigtown Book Festival from 23 September to 4 October 2009. The artist will then be expected to present their artwork in Wigtown during Spring Fling 2010 (29 to 31 May). This means that the residency guarantees participation in Spring Fling 2010 for the successful artist.

Spring Fling is the most successful open studios event of its kind in Scotland and a major tourist event in Dumfries and Galloway (www.spring-fling.co.uk).
A decade ago Wigtown became Scotland's National Book Town. Since then this tiny town has been transformed into a distinguished literary capital, while its book festival has grown into one of the autumn's biggest national arts gatherings (www.wigtownbookfestival.com).

The residency is an opportunity for an artist based in Dumfries and Galloway to live and work in Wigtown for 12 days in the lead-up to and during Wigtown Book Festival 2009 and to create artwork inspired by the town and/ or the Wigtown Book Festival. For more information visit: www.spring-fling.co.uk or email colin.tennant@dumgal.gov.uk.

On your bike

Above are the hardy souls on the Spring Fling bike ride on the first day of Spring Fling. There were 17, inc myself, from the KM rally at Barnsoul. There would have been at least 6 or 12 more if the weather had been kinder. Much interest from the Rally folk; the weekend organiser even cancelled his own ride to come with us.

Visited Rodney Holland (27), Ruth Jones (25), Silvana McClean (24), Robert Leighton (28) and finished with Jason Shackleton and Lucianne Lassalle (29). About 35 miles Barnsoul back to Barnsoul. Packed the The Green Tea Room (Moniave) for lunch - too cold for the tables outside unfortunately. Much favourable comment especially Rodney Hollands's inpressive long wooden chain. On a bike you don't tend to buy much on the day (especially chain saw carvings!) but many took cards & notes for a return 'visit'.

We (the local CTC Group) have organised this SF ride for the past 2 years; last year Eskdale and the one before around Dalbeattie, Palnackie & Rhonehouse. Numbers this year were greatly boosted by attendees from the KM Barnsoul rally, but with publicity we could get more out locally.

It was a good day, despite the poor weather.

Regards
Mike Gray

More from Studio 17

"Just a quick note to say how much Catriona and I enjoyed our Spring Fling! We had over 160 people through during the weekend, and it was a really good experience. Some of the best bits though was just folk coming in and talking about their memories, telling stories." Jean Aitken (sharing with Catriona Taylor in Studio 17). More about this studio experience here.

Getting Ready Collection from the Orange Route

It was a busy year preparing for Spring Fling this time around and here are the pictures to prove it....

Heather Blanchard at Studio 8.............

Diane McBain at Studio 10, the Wee Byre Studio....

Margeret Walty at Studio 6....."This one's me trying to finish an Alphabet commision for Hong Kong while also trying to reach my target of 40 paintings for Spring Fling; the mood at the moment is rabbit in headlights!" The second picture is 'Orchid Dragon'.

Lucianne Lassalle Clay Modelling Workshops

New workshop In July!

Study the Model in Clay
Workshop with Lucianne Lassalle
17th, 18th, 19th, July
10.00 - 4.00

Cost : £150 for Tutoring, life model and lunch
Modelling stands & tools provided
Clay £10 a bag (you can bring your own if you wish)

At: Wallaceton Village Hall
Wallaceton, Dunscore Dumfries

To book please send a cheque to Lassalle Art & Design Ltd.
Laurieston house pottery, Wallaceton, Dunscore, Dumfries DG2 0TG

To be sure of a place book ASAP!
There are a couple of spaces still available for the August 19th - 23rd class contact me for details 01387 820472

The workshops will be focused, creative and intensive, for students to gain a good working understanding of the human form, Looking at basic structure and proportion, we will work directly in clay, making clay sketches from the model and then working on a longer pose for more in depth study. There will be flexibility for students who wish to move from direct representational interpretation to creating their own expressive or abstracted interpretation of the human form.

Please check my website for future courses www.luciannelassalle.co.uk/workshops.htm

Lucianne was exhibiting at Studio 29 on the Blue route

From Studio 22 on the blue route

Post Spring fling report from Kathleen Woods, painter at Studio 22 on the Blue route....


I had the best Spring Fling ever.

Approx 350 visitors came up Shinnel Glen over the three days and it was lovely being able to discuss the work with them. They were all lovely people and knowing that they were there especially to see the Open Studios was a great thrill. Happily the sun shone on Sunday and Monday so the garden was well used too. My daughter Diane helped make the teas and coffees and didn’t stop baking for two days so that was also a huge success.

I had been working hard with a big help from a friend to get the garden more than tidied up for the weekend and put the finishing touches to it on the Friday. I absolutely love it and after being here for four years it now feels like home.

All in all it really gave me the incentive to keep doing what I love. Painting.

From Studio 21. . .

Sculptor Jennifer Watt from Studio 21 on the Blue Route sent these lovely images from the weekend to the Spring Fling blog.

Doesn't this sum up the feeling at the end of the Spring Fling weekend! Thanks Jennifer.

Report from Studio 57

Every time local papers mention me in connection with Spring Fling they put me down as a ceramicist so sometimes I get highly technical questions I can't begin to answer I must let them know I'm a crazy mixed up medium - hopper for next year.

Anyway had about 226 visitors, several returnees from previous years which is always good, and those who did wash up at my doors were very engaged with what was going on. The door didn't blow off as in a previous weekend, and some lucky punters raided the rhubarb patch, and got to sample home-made rhubarb and ginger hooch, but that's another story.

I felt the level of commitment from visitors was very high. That's all I'll shut up now,all best wishes, Kate Anderson

PS Did anyone spot Bertie in Kate's garden?

From Studio 17. . .

Our byre at studio 17 on the Green route has been open this weekend for Spring Fling's first collaboration between an artist (my friend Catriona Taylor) and a poet (me). The idea for the installation was sparked by poems I wrote after I found a love letter tucked into the stones of the byre. Catriona and I researched the lives of the bothymen, who travelled from farm to farm as itinerant, seasonal workers. These were people who left very little trace - there is little documentary evidence of who they were - often their lives were not even recorded by the census.
Catriona made an amazing installation inside our haybarn, a flickering, candlelit space, where great translucent canvases swing in space, and the lives of the bothymen are captured in a series of simple wooden boxes, lined in shreds and layers of wallpaper, etched with their graffiti. Words from my poems and from the love letter are worked into prints and even painted faintly on the battered limewashed walls of the barn.
Catriona’s family and mine all turned to and helped, and had great fun (even trying to put up a gazebo in tipping rain while clearing up the preview party and bottle feeding the abandoned lamb just as the first visitors arrived - early). And it's made us clear up the garden, which probably wouldn't have happened, so thanks Spring Fling!
We've been inundated with lovely people visiting, talking and sharing ideas - thank you all!

From Jean Atkin

Post Spring Fling Pictures from Studio 1

Gill Shreeve at Studio 1 on the Orange Route has sent us the photographs taken over the weekend and says:
"My visitor figures over the 3 days were 143 - need to attract another artist/maker to Moffat area to create more of a cluster.
The positive side is that I was able to talk at length with everyone who wished to. I had Greek, Italian and German visitors to my studio as well as from Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Ayrshire, Edinburgh and Glasgow, an ex professional punk band lead singer and a composer and viola player with the BBC Symphony Orchestra!"

During the event. . .

Studio 50 in the sun, willow weaving demonstrations with Lizzie Farey.

Studio 59, Kay Ribbens' fabulous hats being tried out and bought by visitors today.

Naomi Lethbridge's Preparations

Naomi Lethbridge doing her preparations for the weekends events. Pop in to Studio 11 on the Orange route to see how she has been getting on and what she has on display at her studio this year.

Qucik last minute pre Fling thoughts.

Hazel Campbell Studio 49 on the Red Route

Radio stars of Spring Fling have included:

21 May – Colin Tennant of Gracefield Arts Centre talking to Bruce McKenzie on West Sound.
22 May - Radio Scotland interview with Natalie Vardey.
Radio Scotland interview (Macauley & Co) with Hazel Campbell.
22 May - South West Sound Friday news bulletins interview with Hazel Campbell.

A huge thank you to them for telling the world about this fabulous weekend that is on our doorstep.


Studio 50 has some of Lizzie Farey's art in the woods, watch out along the drive on the approach to studio 50 on the Red Route to see some willow in the woods.

We have had the sad news that Steven Higginson studio 13 on the green route won’t be able to make it this weekend, as he has been taken ill. Spring Fling wish him a speedy recovery and are very grateful to his brother for stepping into the breach and helping to show Steven’s work in his absence

Finally for the time being though do email your pictures of the weekend to us if you are participant or visitor as we would love to show them on the blog, Robert Leighton in Studio 28 on the blue route would like to emphasize that all Spring Flingers are welcome to use our garden for picnics or just to take time out, he has a large garden ( approx 4 acres) with lots of space to relax, even a small lochen but he advises parents to keep their children supervised especially by the water.

MMV Art Current Exhibition

Dougie and Morag Muego, studio 16 on the green route, have an exhibition currently running at Hullabaloo Restaurant in, Dumfries this goes until the 2nd June. Dougie is showing six paintings of Mediterranean fishing boats there, which he specially made for that show. There are new ideas in these paintings, which are richer and more concentrated than those at his recent show at Kirkcudbright. It enabled him to push his ideas about colour a bit further. The paintings have a cheerful look to them and were made after visits to the south of France in 2007 and 2008. The boats come from the ports of Nice and Villefranche and some from fishing harbours on the Italian Riviera.

Morag is showing paintings on themes related to ideas, feelings, memories and relationships. Her “landscapes” are landscapes of the mind, pictorial maps which chart unseen and intangible worlds.
She uses a vocabulary of favourite motifs placed against strong colour fields and uses the subtlety and richness of oil colours to create mood and atmosphere in them.

McGill Duncan Gallery supports Spring Fling

Before we opened the Gallery in 2007 we enjoyed touring round the region visiting all the Open Studios for Spring Fling. There were so many delightful surprises down country lanes and farm tracks. We have lived in Galloway for over thirty years but Spring Fling gave us the chance to explore the region in an entirely different way. The studio trails often took us to unexplored corners. We both have fond memories of driving along the Solway coast through Rockcliffe on a particularly hot and sunny Spring Fling weekend, eating ice cream, chatting to artists, buying art and genuinely feeling at the end of the day like we had been on a holiday. The reality was we hadn’t ventured more than a few miles from our house!

Last year was a very different experience. It certainly didn’t feel like a holiday as it was our first year being open as a Gallery during Spring Fling. It was a very busy weekend for us in Castle Douglas and what was fantastic about it was the fact that we got so many visitors from far and wide who appreciated our gallery and loved the art that we had for sale.

Some of our most memorable ‘Spring Fling’ customers were from Vancouver, Canada. If we remember correctly they had heard about Spring Fling through an article about artist Lizzie Farey and her work with willow in ‘Homes and Antiques Magazine’. Reading the article made them book a holiday in the region to coincide with Spring Fling. They arrived at the gallery by bus as they hadn’t hired a car and we gave them directions to Rhonehouse. We went through the maps in the Spring Fling brochure and told them they could walk to Lizzie’s studio via Hazel Campbell’s studio.

Rebecca Callis porcelain jugs.

Another couple from London came at the end of the day to collect their art purchases from us and their car was quite literally packed with all their finds from their tour round the Spring Fling studios, there were bits of willow sticking out the parcels in the back of their car! They had had a fabulous day complete with a cream tea in Gatehouse and were going back to London with happy memories of Galloway and many treasures for their home.
This year we are showing work by painters David Sinclair and Jonathan Mitchell with Porcelain tableware by Rebecca Callis, along with work by many of our regular gallery artists. We are also selling tickets for the ‘Spring Fling Ceilidh’ which promises to be a great night out in Castle Douglas!

Zoe Blamire

Kate Anderson has been. . .

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation

. . . completing two little screens in hand-painted ceramic and smalti, (a temperamental material!) . I took a break to re-visit The Garden of Cosmic Speculation on Sunday while the sun shone, and then back to work on Monday cleaning and preparing a local historic floor to be returned to after Spring Fling and restored in places. A hectic but interesting week!

Portrack.

You can visit Kate at Studio 57 on the Red Route of the Spring Fling this very weekend coming!

The Myth of Place