Spring Fling Blog Moves to Website

www.spring-fling.co.uk

From now on the Spring Fling news and information will all be held on the Spring Fling website making just one place for you to visit to get all your Spring Fling related news. Pop in there and see us soon. Updated news story titles will appear in the "news" box on the left hand side of the home page with a link to the full article.
Thank you for your support and best wishes.

Deirdre Nelson Residency

The Spring Fling residency at Wigtown Book Festival is drawing to it's close this weekend. If you want to catch up on how Deirdre is getting on visit her blog or read her Tweets just follow the links.

Bea Last: Marking Time

Study from sketch book. 25 x 56cm. Pencil and wash on cartridge paper.

Gracefield Arts Centre is opening on Friday September 24th from 7 till 9pm.
The new works by Bea are inspired by the space she inhabits and journeys through and she will be showing finished work along with sketch books which show her creative process.
Bea will be "In Conversation" with Colin Tennant about her work on Thursday 7th October from 7 - 8 pm. Place for this are free but you would be highly advised to book to save disappointment. To book your place contact Gracefield Arts Centre on 01387 262084.
The exhibition is open until November 6th.

Kate Anderson Exhibition Opening

The fourth weekend in September is a busy one for Spring Fling members as at least three are having exhibition openings over the weekend. For art and craft lovers that means there is no shortage of venues to visit and fine art and craft to enjoy.

Kate Anderson, mosaic artists has been a strong member of the Spring Fling Open Studios committee for the past few years and will be much missed on her retirement this AGM.

With her background in both sculpture and painting Kate now works with both traditional and experimental techniques to interpret and realise her ideas. Do visit her exhibition at the Mill on the Fleet between September 26th when there is an exhibition opening at 2pm and the end of the exhibition on October 31st.

Pots and Paintings by Andy Priestman

The Wigtown Book Festival this year is a very busy time. If you are in the area for the festival then do make the trip out to Minniwick at Glentrool to visit the workshop and studio of Spring Fling member Andy Priestman.

This is a real gem of a place to visit and well worth the effort. Andy is a potter and abstract painter and both these strands of his work will be on display. You will also be able to see the stunning three chambered wood fired kiln that he recently rebuilt in which his pots are fired. The exhibition is on from September 25th to October 3rd.

Pots stacked in the wood fired kiln before the firing.

Deirdre Nelson in Residence at Wigtown Book Festival

Deirdre Nelson will be in residence during the Wigtown Book Festival as another collaboration between the Book Festival and Spring Fling. The festival this year runs from 24 September to 3 October 2010 http://www.wigtownbookfestival.com/ and will be showing the results of the residency in Wigtown during Spring Fling 2011 (28 to 30 May).
Selected for the Jerwood Contemporary Makers prize in 2008 Deirdre has completed residencies at Cove Park, IASKA International Artists Residency in Western Australia and St Sirius Arts Centre in Cork, Ireland.

Deirdre says that "Hand work and craftsmanship provide both direction and context in her work which is often inspired by social history, texts and place. Her textile work employs a variety of techniques and materials fusing traditional textile skills and contemporary reinterpretation through photography and digital manipulation."

The studio will be at Glaisnock Guest House, North Main Street, Wigtown and a Meet The Artist event happens at 7pm on September 25th. Hope to see you there.

Spring Fling News

Firstly watch out for the newly redesigned and revamped website for the Spring Fling, this should be live within the next week, more about that when it arrives with us.

Secondly applications for Spring Fling 2011, May 28th, 29th and 30th, will be opening shortly, this will be on the website and we are encouraging on-line applications wherever possible to help conserve funds and cut down on administration work.

Finally the residency with Wigtown Book Town and Spring Fling will this year has been awarded to textile artist Deirdre Nelson. Deirdre will be in residence during the festival in Wigtown which runs from September 24th to October 3rd. Call in and see what she is working on when you visit the Book Festival this year.

A Royal Visit

Artists and crafts people were among those invited on wednesday July 14th, to The Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries to a civic reception for HRH Queen Elizabeth and HRH Prince Philip. Natalie Vardey, jeweller and Chair of Spring Fling Open Studios and Hannah Mcandrew, potter were two of just seven people representing the creative industries. Natalie said that she was very honoured but felt a weight of responsibility to be representing the hundred members of Spring Fling Open Studios in such a small but significant group.

Pictured here at The Easterbrook Hall are Michael Lloyd - silversmith, Hannah McAndrew, Natalie Vardey and Anna Campbell - Depute Lord Lieutenant of The Stewartry.

Residency Project With Wigtown Book Town

Applications are invited from artists for a Spring Fling residency project in Dumfries & Galloway, inspired by Wigtown Book Festival (24 September to 3 October 2010). The residency will run for 12 days in the run-up to and during the festival, with the successful artist returning to Wigtown to show work produced during the residency at Spring Fling 2011 (28 to 30 May). The successful applicant will receive a fee of £2,500, to include materials and travel costs. Accommodation and studio space will be provided free of charge. The artist will also be given a free pass to Wigtown Book Festival events. For more information, or to request a copy of the brief, contact Colin Tennant, visual arts officer for Dumfries & Galloway (01387 262084 colin.tennant@dumgal.gov.uk)

Deadline for applications is 9am on Wednesday June 30th 2010.

2010 - a brief review

Hi, again

Well thats it for SpringFling for another year - the work now begins for 2011!
I sincerely hope that this years event was successful, enjoyable and fun for: all the participants, those who work tirelessly behind the scenes and most importantly for those visitors who turned up in their numbers for this years event.
News in from Calum Stirlings 'Hyporbaric Empyr' installation at Craigieburn (see images attached to blog) reports that the work was a resounding success with well over 100 visitors for the opening night of the residency. Owners of the Craigieburn gardens, Janet and Andrew Wheatcroft, thought more visitors attended the gardens than might ordinarily be expected throughout the season! A special mention also goes to Grace for her lovely Dim Sum which she lovingly prepared for attendees to go along with the wine!
Overall, a great and successful residency - congratulations and gratitude go to Calum, Janet and Andrew and those involved in the event.

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.