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.

SF 2010 Photo Shoot

On a sunny afternoon this week you may, if you were lucky have caught sight of this gathering in Kirkpatrick Durham village. This year Juliet and Alan who live in the village have organised Spring Fling tours with a difference, they are offering tours over the weekend from the comfort of a motorcycle side car. To help promote this with the help of Dumfries and Galloway Life Phil McMenemy, Hazel Campbell and Spring Fling's own Rhiannon Batten got into the 1950's swing for a photo shoot with DG Life photographer Phil Rigby, pictured below.

The sidecars will each take one passenger and the tours have no set charge but donations are being given to the National Autistic Society and the Greek Cat Welfare Society. For more information contact Alan on 07887 821613.

Look out for the results of the afternoon photo session in the June issue of Dumfries and Galloway Life out in early May. Thanks to all involved, including Lochside Theatre for helping with the props.

Success for Spring Flingers

These happy Spring Fling artists were photographed outside the Royal Scottish Academy building on the Mound in Edinburgh, last Thursday night, 18th March. They were attending a Salon Evening organised by the Friends of the RSA to publicise the work of exhibitors.

From left to right, they are- Jennifer Watt, Silvana MacLean, Patti Lean, Denise Zygadlo, Gill Shreeve, Bella Green and Dougie Muego. Not present, but also exhibiting, were-Hazel Campbell, and Sam, Nancy and John Chinnery.

All these artists were successful in having their work selected for the recent annual exhibitions of premier Scottish Arts Societies held at the RSA. Their work was shown at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours, the Scottish Society of Artists or Visual Arts Scotland exhibitions.

Fierce competition comes from artists from all over Scotland for places at these prestige
shows. It is a mark of the quality of the work produced in Dumfries and Galloway and by Spring Fling artists that so many successful artists were selected from within this region.

Well done to all!

Launch Event

Guest of Honour Alex Fergusson MSP and Spring Fling Chair Natalie Vardey


The well-attended Spring Fling brochure launch and taster exhibition opening event (held at Gracefield Arts centre, in Dumfries, on 12 March) was hailed a massive success by members of the Spring Fling committee. Special thanks must go to staff at Gracefield for the care and skill shown in hanging the collection of works on display - no mean feat!
Following nibbles and pink fizz, visitors and contributors perused the collection of works made by artists and makers participating in this year’s Spring Fling weekend, taking in six rooms of displays and soaking up the atmosphere of the launch experience.
Spring Fling Chair, Natalie Vardey, cordially welcomed everyone to the event and introduced Alex Fergusson, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and MSP, as guest of honour. Mr Fergusson spoke of his interest in and respect for the work of the region’s artists and makers and the contribution they make to the cultural diversity of the region (as well as to the region’s economy and tourist industry). Mr Fergusson also relayed personal experiences of his own and his family’s experience of enjoying Spring Fling first-hand.
For those who missed the launch, don’t panic! There’s still time to catch the taster exhibition, which will be running at Gracefield until 8 May. A second taster exhibition will also be running at Stranraer Museum from 24 April to 5 May and we hope to include some images of the Stranraer launch at a slightly later date (to which all are invited, incidentally, at 2pm on 24 April)…

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 Brochure 2010

Here it is! The Spring Fling 2010 brochure has arrived with us. Participants can collect their copies to distribute later this week when they deliver their work for the Gracefield and Stranraer Taster exhibitions.
In these images of the brochure in production you see Peter who oversaw the printing of this years brochure at Stewart's in Livingston. Start to finish a massive 30 hours but a beautiful job very well done as I am sure you will agree.

Pop into Gracefield for a copy if you are near or visit the website to download a digital copy.

www.spring-fling.co.uk