Yahoo News More than 100 art and craft studios across Dumfries and Galloway open their doors for Spring Fling
More than 100 art and craft studios across Dumfries and Galloway will be opening their doors for Spring Fling this weekend.
And Kirkcudbright features strongly in the line-uo with a basket of makers, crafters and artists exhibiting their work.
Among them are bespoke high-quality furniture maker Ian Cameron-Smith and Sally Jennings, a painter and installation artist who will be exhibiting near Castle Douglas.
Ian is a regular Spring Fling participant and is renowned for his highly unusual work, which this year includes a white pagan wedding throne, created from wood and horned animal skulls, for the marriage of his son Connor and bride Sanni.
Ian said: “My work is very much bespoke and with a strongly organic feel about it – which is very much what the wedding throne was about, reflecting our connections to the natural world.
“I get a lot of pleasure from pushing the boundaries and thinking outwith the usual parameters to create solutions, artworks and designs that are practical as well as beautiful – it’s great fun.”
Sally is a Glasgow-based emerging artist with family connections to the region, who is taking part through Spring Fling’s New Graduate scheme.
She has a fascination with mystery, myth and ancient beliefs and has previously collaborated with scientists from Glasgow University’s School of Physics and Astronomy.
Kerry Samantha Boyes, meanwhile, will also be providing a splash of colour with what appear to be mouth-watering cakes, pies and jellies – but they are all fake.
The tasty-looking creations are in great demand from high profile customers such as Disney, Netflix, Heinz and the Guggenheim.
And this weekend Kerry is inviting the public into her Kirkcudbright studio where she works with daughter Primrose.
The duo have created the UK’s first Fake Food Store – including Victorian counters and display counters – specially for Spring Fling.
And Kerry – whose creations include ice cream cones in last year’s blockbuster Barbie movie – started her business on her kitchen table during lockdown.
She said: “I had bought a copy of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and loved the lithographs of all the dishes she made – I thought it would be fun to see if I could recreate some of them.
“Then I was looking at similar things online and thought that perhaps I could make things and sell them. I started a little online store and the orders just started to come in.
“And they were from all over the world.”
Another artist opening her studio is Balmaclellan jeweller Natalie Vardey.
Along with Borgue blacksmith James Boam, she was responsible for nearly 40 unidentified artworks that can be found on the railings along the Whitesands in Dumfries, including tumbling fish, sails and more.
Spring Fling organisers have divided the studious into six routes to make it easier to visit them.
There will also be bus tours to give visitors the chance to see studios in remote locations.
Upland assistant director, Joanna Jones, said: “Spring Fling is always an astonishing mix of contemporary art and craft from the amazing creative community that exists in Dumfries and Galloway.
“We are really looking forward to welcoming visitors from across Scotland and the rest of the UK for our largest ever event – and the opportunity to explore one of Scotland’s most beautiful regions.”
Full details can be found at www.spring-fling.co.uk
