Spring Fling by bicycle

Undaunted by the grey day and the rain the intrepid participants of Spring Fling cycle tour today are pictured here as they visited the studio group of Bea Last, Lizzie Farey and Hannah McAndrew at Lochdougan House today.

Happy Fling Weekend

Well here we are on the eve of Spring Fling 2010. I bet there are still a few putting finishing touches to their cleaning of workshops and displaying of their work. To all, be you the artists and craftspeople taking part or the visitors from far and wide that we are looking forward to welcoming, have a wonderful Spring Fling weekend, I hope the sun shines and you all have a great time. Hopefully there will be some mid Fling pictures and stories to tell here over the weekend and beyond. Pop back soon to see. Best wishes all!

Cream Teas in Kirkcudbright

If you are coming to Spring Fling this weekend then you might like to know about the RSABI (The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution) Cream Tea happening on the Sunday of Spring Fling (30th May) in Kirkcudbright Lesser Town Hall.
A great chance to enjoy some delicious homemade scones, local jam and cream, teas and coffees, and all for just £3 per person.
The RSABI Cream Tea is open between 2pm and 4pm, and all in aid of RSABI, Scotland ’s charity helping those who have depended on the land.

Update from Adam Booth and Hannah McAndrew

Adam Booth and Hannah McAndrew, both winners in the 2010 Craft&Design Selected Awards. You can find them at studios 43 and 21 respectively at this years Spring Fling.

Update from Andy Priestman

You can find Andy Priestman and his three chambered wood fired kiln at studio 9 in the west region of this years Spring Fling.

Update from Val Macadam

This picture of calm and tranquillity in my studio belies the chaos in pretty much ever other corner of my house, garden and head! Only a few wee jobs left to do- finishing (umpteen) drawings (I’m obviously not a Mastermind as I’ve started and not finished them), mounting, framing, hanging, typing, printing, labelling, tidying, dusting, hoovering, weeding, planting, baking…..! Lucky I’ve got help- although clearly not from my feline friends snoozing on my desk! Mind you, I am beginning to get excited!

You can find Val Macadam at Studio 36 in the south region of this years Spring Fling.

Update from Mark Ranshaw

Well, not long to go now - but pressure is good! I worked for over 25 years as a graphic designer and tight deadlines were a constant feature. I like working to them, it ratchets up the energy levels, which can have a beneficial effect on the quality of the work. I’m pleased with the way the work is going; you can always wish for more time to produce that elusive masterpiece but that’s a lifetime’s quest! The most important thing to remember is to leave time for tidying up the studio, freshening up the decor and generally making it an attractive space for Spring Flingers to visit.

You can find Mark Ranshaw at Studio 38 in the south region of this years Spring Fling.

Ceilidh Update

Preparations for the Spring Fling Hog Roast and Ceilidh are underway tonight as Rhonehouse Village Youth Group are working their creative wonders on these bright and fun strings of bunting to decorate Castle Douglas town hall with next weekend.
The ceilidh starts at 7pm, music is by the brilliant Two Left Feet, tickets are £10 which includes the hog roast or a veggie option. Tickets available from www.thebooth.co.uk

Update from Christine Smith

Are you 'ready for Spring Fling'? seems to be the most commonly asked question these days. How to answer when a little scream is going on inside. No-oh, but the question is beginning to focus my mind.
Last weekend I made a start on the major Spring Fling - Spring Clean with a good clear out of the shed to make it look less like a rubbish dump and more like a well organised store for useful bits and pieces. What looks like a back yard needs to be transformed into a self respecting courtyard displaying finished pots.

Meanwhile I still have enough work piling up for several kilns. Whether I will actually get the new bigger pieces finished or not is a matter of looking at the calendar and wondering how it happened that time started speeding up. From past experience it is also good to have a variety of work underway and at different stages, so that there is some interesting work in progress to talk about. I have to fit this in somewhere but I am not at all sure when. This all makes for a tricky Spring Fling count down, and it may just be that what will be will be and no, I will never be ready for Spring Fling, but I'm trying.

You can visit Christine Smith at studio number 33 in the south region of this years Spring Fling.

Update from Helen Hastings

Hi everyone!
I’m one of the ‘homecomer’ artists – I was the Gracefield potter more years ago than I care to recall - and I am thrilled to be sharing studio space with Bella Green at Eskdalemuir. Nowadays I live in the Scottish Borders and I make felted ‘neckscapes’ For Spring Fling I’ve been working on a new ruckled style of neckscape that that I will be calling the ‘Iapetus’ range after the ocean that disappeared some 400 million years ago when Scotland and England came together in a tectonic crunch and created the Southern Uplands.

Jobs that I have to do this week are to make, make, make and then make some more. Next week I will organize labels and display, take photographs of the best work and distribute the last of the leaflets. Final week I will be helping Bella prepare the studio. I hope you all have a great Spring Fling – artists and visitors – and I am only sorry I will not be able to visit everyone else’s studio.

You can find Helen Hastings at Studio 66 in the east region of this years Spring Fling and read more about her and her host for Spring Fling, Bella Green in Dumfries and Galloway Life's April issue.

Update from Ed Baxter

No panic all is ready ( see my nose growing )..... but about there, just waiting for the framer to finish the last 4 big prints then I can plug the gap in the wall!
I have had to be ready as I am running a photo course this week and out on the river giving casting instruction nearly all next week.. Long may it rain this weekend. This is a photograph of me loading up some software ready for my course.

You can find Ed Baxter at Studio 61 in the north region of this years Spring Fling.

Update from William Spurway

The pressure is on. Not that long to go now especially as I am teaching as well and I know I'm supposed to be clearing the studio, repainting the walls and cutting the grass, but I am caught up in a series of paintings with so many ideas and images running through my head that I simply don't want to stop!

I was lucky to receive a research grant to travel to Finland at the beginning of the year and came back with my head full of images and the bright white light of a Finnish winter. Painting delicate silver birch trees in snow are proving tricky but will be worth it if I can pull it off, dark dark firs standing proud against a blue sky add drama if I get the tone right. I've been doing some printmaking too - reflections on water, an old and ongoing interest of mine.

Been speaking with Ewan McClure who is sharing the studio with me for Spring Fling about how we are going to show our work. Will we put out our paints and sketchbooks and inspirations? I think so, but this also takes thought and organisation. Looking forward to it though - meeting regular Spring Flingers as well as welcoming new people to my studio. Roll on 29th May.

You can find William at Studio 83 in the east of the region in this year's Spring Fling.

Spring Fling Residency Launch

Glasgow-based artist Calum Stirling has drawn on his experience with sculpture, video, sound, moving image and architectural intervention to create Hypobaric Empyr, a new work to be shown during Spring Fling weekend. The work will be launched at Craigieburn at the official opening of Spring Fling 2010, from 6pm to 9pm on Friday 28 May, to which all are warmly invited. To get there take the A708 out of Moffat for around two miles (postcode DG10 9LF).

There will also be a free bus leaving Glasgow (from outside the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, G2 3JD ) on Friday 28 May at 5.45pm. This will arrive at Craigieburn Garden at approximately 6.45pm and will return to Glasgow at 11pm. If you would like to reserve a place on the bus please email allisonmgibbs@gmail.com in advance.

Apdate from Anna Wright

Bluebirds.

I am producing a collection of illustrations based on animal collective nouns, ( a flamboyance of flamingos, a gaggle of geese etc), I am also trying to sort out some new prints and cards. However I am not very good at multitasking so I am surrounded by reminder notes and telling myself to remain calm at all times.... but all great otherwise, looking forward to it - hope the sun comes out!

A Flamboyance of Flamingos

You can find Anna Wright at Studio 55 in the nother region of this year's Spring Fling.

Update from Jeremy Carlisle

Much needed painting of studio has been happening and a huge tidy up, which feels good. I can now see walls and parts of the floor which hadn't been visible for ages and how the space might work at the end of the month. Weather permitting I have been painting outside since February. Although it has been cold there have been bright clear, still days. Winter and early spring colours have a lightness and clarity that is special. When the weather is wet and wild the car becomes a mobile studio and I often head for the coast to observe and paint the unfolding drama of sea and sky.

You can visit Jeremy at studio 12 in the West region in this year's Spring Fling.

Update from Amy Winstanley

Using the fresh green colours of the May landscape to create a couple more paintings before I pack up all my hard work so far to venture southwest for Spring Fling. Looking forward to my first time at Spring Fling and as a Homecomer.

You can find Amy at Studio 81 in the East region of Spring Fling 2010.

Update from Phil McMenemy - Studio 29

'Red Reflections'

'Fragment'

'Evening Stakes'

Rhiannon and I - Spring Fling photoshoot

Hello everyone, thanks for calling in on the Spring Fling blog

Well its now mid-May - how did that happen? The early part of the year seemed to rather drag its heels but the last couple of months have absolutely flown by.
Nerves and anxieties are now definitely in full-flow, though one hopes that all the year long work that we artists put in will see us in good shape for the SF weekend. My anxieties have been given a rather unexpected and troublesome boost with the recent news that the print company I use are on a fairly lengthy shut-down due to relocation! Yikes, all my planning out of the window for my printing needs. A few deep breaths and some hasty workings out mean that everything still should be OK for the big weekend. I do hope so.
I have been busy titivating one of our outdoor storerooms to convert into a small sales gallery which I hope visitors will come and view - its neither the Tate Modern nor the National Portrait Gallery buts its ours and I think 'in keeping' with the spirit of the Spring Fling Open Studios event.
This year has seen me co-opted onto the Spring Fling committee - what an eye-opener! The work of the committee and in particular Event Co-ordinator Rhiannon is mind-boggling in its volume and challenging diversity. I congratulate you all, its been good to help out in my own small way!
The event remains high on the local media agenda and I was again lucky enough to be invited to take part in a photo-shoot to highlight the Fling by the very readable DG Life Magazine, see image above.
I do hope people can take the trouble to come and visit this years event to acknowledge all the artists work, visit wonderful Dumfries and Galloway and most importantly to meet artists, view fabulous and diverse art work and have some fun!

Finally I would like to pass on my congratulations to two of our Spring Fling artists who have receieved national acknowledgements and accclaim for their brilliant, brilliant work - Adam Booth - Studio 43, Adam won the Gold award in the Wood and Metal section of the Craft & Design Magazine Selected Awards and Hannah McAndrew - Studio 21 who won Silver for her work in the Ceramics section of the same publication. Well done and congratulations to you both!!!

Regards
phil


You can find Phil McMenemy, Studio 29 at The Gallery at Laurieston, Laurieston or by visiting his website http://www.pmcphotography.co.uk/

Update from Kathleen Woods

I have been trying to tidy up my studio and just seem to be moving things from one place to another!! I have been working on the ‘Watercolour on Velum’ pieces (one of the paintings in process to follow that through, beginning, middle and end).


Also just bought all the plants for the garden and hope the heat breaks through soon. We will have teas, coffees and home baking on offer with donations going to help with the Wallace Hall Academy Haiti Fund.

You can find Kathleen at Studio 58 in the north region of this year's Spring Fling

Update from Suzanne Stuart Davies

I'm not sure how blogs work and am struggling with 'error reports' and technical troubles with the computer after two weeks away in Assynt and Wester Ross.
So – cross with the computer when I will need to use it to sort out information – statements, labels for work and such – organising for Spring Fling starts this week.
However – lots of work ready – paintings, books and some crafty cushions - and new work arising from recent trip will hopefully be started and on show.
I have been preoccupied, even more this year, with the changes taking place in rural areas and marginal lands – my work reflects these concerns – there are fewer traditional buildings being repaired, less tin huts to admire! There will be no cattle in our surrounding fields this year – the lovely pedigree Ayrshire heifers which enjoyed the high summers pastures have given way to lonely sheep.

So the painting that is on show in the Taster exhibition at Gracefield 'just a small gathering now', while celebrating the agricultural traditions of Dumfriesshire, also indicates underlying worries about the effects of globalisation on our local landscapes.
In the very North West of Scotland, a little crofting still continues and some of the stone buildings remain with their painted roofs – and sky, sea and mountains always exhilarate! So there will be work in progress which celebrates the wilder lands of Scotland.

You can find Suzanne at Muiryhill Bothy, Studio 64 in the north region in this year's Spring Fling.

Update from Urpu Sellar

Sunday morning 9th May, I still have my morning face on.

To panic or not to panic...
The time of year when artists can be observed in their natural habitat is approaching fast. It'll soon be Spring Fling. I always get worried if things run smoothly, are on time - especially if ahead of time and I wonder what I have forgotten. So far looking good... The biggest problem will be to clear enough space to fit in some people. Ash clouds allowing, Mother will be visiting us over the Spring Fling. It was my idea. "Sure, come during the Spring Fling, it's good fun!" Well, she is fit (former Olympic swimmer ('52) I'll have you know!), very good at organising, tidying, cooking, making coffee, talking to people. She gives wonderful foot massages. She thinks she's coming for a for a holiday.

You can find Urpu at Studio 17 in the West region of this year's Spring Fling.

Update from Isabell Buenz

Like probably everybody else I am busy with getting the studio ready for the Spring Fling. The work takes up a lot of mine and my partner's time but we're hoping "The Aquarium" will look great for it's first opening to the public since we've bought it a couple of years ago. Between painting and scrubbing I manage to do some of my art work as well, mostly extending my range of paper stilettos, greeting cards and calendars for next year. I am very much looking forward to the Spring Fling event and a well deserved break afterwards.

You can find Isabell at Studio 11 in the South Region in this year's Spring Fling.

Update from Kate Anderson

I have been working hard to complete one of the projects that can be seen at Studio 14 this Spring Fling. I was commissioned by Sulwath Connections to design and make two panels for the new outdoor classroom at New Abbey Primary School, an Eco-School I have worked with before. Following several 'in school' projects about the Night Sky in partnership with writer Liz Niven and a visiting planetarium from the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, I got going on the panel. One is based on lunar activities and one on nebulae and they combine mosaic with extracts of poetry by the children. www.sulwathconnections.org

I will be showing the processes I use in several commissions including a piece to be made for an exhibition at Lichfield Cathedral next year to celebrate the 400th year of the King James Bible.

I wish everybody a wonderful Spring Fling!

You can find Kate at studio number 14 in the South region in this years Spring Fling.