Saturday at Stranraer

A great turn out at Stranraer Museum this last saturday for the opening of the Spring Fling Taster Exhibition there. Our very warm thanks go to all those who took the time to attend and of course special thanks to our special guest Marion Brewis, Lord-Lieutenant for Wigtown who took a collection of excitable artists quite in her stride. Thanks also to Ken Pearson of Ken Pearson Photography who provided the photograph above and also one for the local press.

Stranraer Taster Exhibition Launch

Saturday April 24th sees the launch of the Spring Fling Taster Exhibition at Stranraer Museum. We Spring Fling members would like to invite all participants, supporters and all those interested in the event to join us from 2pm for the launch of this exhibition which will be opened, we are very pleased to say, by Marion Brewis, the Lord-Lieutenant for Wigtown.
Do feel free to call into Stranraer Museum which is in The Old Town Hall, George Street, Stranraer to meet some of the artists and craftspeople involved in this years Spring Fling, to partake in strawberries and pink fizz and to browse some of the work produced by this region's many talented artists and craftspeople.

Spring Fling 2010 Taster Opening

This coming Friday, March 12th from 4pm till 7pm Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries will be hosting the launch of Spring Fling 2010 with the opening of the Taster Exhibition to be held there until 8th May. We are very pleased to say that the guest of honour at the event will be Alex Fergusson MSP and Presiding Officer for the Scottish Parliament.

This is a great opportunity for participants in this years event to get together before the weekend itself and of course to see a taste of what will be on offer at the studios over the Spring Fling weekend. Every participant in this year's event has submitted work to the exhibition so if you are planning to visit some studios over the weekend this is an ideal opportunity to see what takes your fancy and start to plan your route. The beautiful new brochure will be available at the opening on Friday so if you haven't already got your copy do come along and collect one. It is very different from previous years and I think you will all agree does Dumfries and Galloway proud.

Spring Fling 2009 Launch

Here is Mike Russell MSP, Minister for Culture opening the 2009 Spring Fling Taster exhibition at Gracefield Arts Centre last friday. He announced his intention to visit studios over the weekend saying "The map in the programme confirms the reality of Spring Fling. It is a remarkably rich programme which gives access to some of the best artists and craftspeople in Scotland in their own studios – and, of course, to their diverse but very exciting work. Dumfries and Galloway has a wonderfully wide offering in terms of the arts and the open weekend makes it all easily available. Don't miss the chance to take part in this ever-growing annual event."

As a committee we were very proud that Mike Russel was willing and able to launch this year's Spring Fling and we hope that all participants and supporters are too. Do call into Gracefield to see the show if you can, or to the Stranraer Museum when it moves to that venue in April. More details on that to come.

In the image above some of your committee resplendent in the colours of their respective Spring Fling routes. From the left Maggie Savage, Natalie Vardey (Studio 55, Red Route), Kay Ribbens (Studio 59, Yellow Route), Bella Green (Studio 2, Orange Route), Kate Anderson (Studio 57, Red Route), Hazel Campbell (Studio 49, Red Route) and Andy Priestman.
What's that I hear you cry? I missed out some of the committee members' studio numbers? Actually a number of the committee are members of the Spring Fling Open Studios Association but this year are not involved in opening their own studios over the Spring Fling weekend. They are still however dedicated to Spring Fling and in keeping the Spring Fling Scotland's premier annual art and craft open studios event and for this we are all very grateful.

Minister for Culture to help launch Spring Fling 2009

This is an invitation to the preview of the Spring Fling 2009 Exhibition and the official launch of the Spring Fling 2009 brochure at Gracefield Arts Centre, 2 - 4pm Friday March 20th. Pink fizz and strawberries. We are delighted that Mike Russell MSP, Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, is able to come and join us.

Please flag this up in your diaries and try and come. This will be a good opportunity to get together before May, break the ice for new participants and pass on any tips, and to meet and greet press and all our guests

PLEASE would this year's participants come wearing the colour of your route. This will be a great way for guests and press (and newcomers) to identify you and will be visually really stunning if everyone complies. It is in our best interests to make an impact in everything we do and we envisage a sea of brightly coloured folk, quaffing pink fizz, creating a buzz and generally being fab ambassadors of the event.

We all hope that as many participants, old and new, will be there. Please support the committee, Gracefield, and the Arts team in this. We could not have got this far without them.

This week Spring Fling has been mostly. . .

LAMINATING!!!

Bella was hard at work all day sorting, counting and laying out all the brochures and leaflets that Spring Fling participants require for their own mailing lists and marketing schemes and then adding to those piles the necessary car parking signs, studio number and arrow signs along with the instructions for where signs can and cannot be attached come the weekend of May 23rd to 25th.

Last week Amanda was on sole laminating duty, today Hazel and Hannah finished that job, the laminators are now being allowed a well earned holiday. This is all being done so early so that participants will be able to collect their signage and brochures and leaflets this coming Thursday and Friday when they bring in their work for the Taster Exhibition. It certainly makes us realise yet again just how organised and forward thinking the Art and Craft Development Officers based at Gracefield have been for the last 7 years.

The Spring Fling Taster Exhibition opens at Gracefield Arts Centre on Saturday 21st March for any of you that would like a snap shot of the delights that will be on offer at Spring Fling Weekend as all the participants will be represented.