A prop designer who has worked on Outlander and a former nurse whose paintings are portals into other world – just two of the unusual artists and makers taking part in this year’s Spring Fling open studios weekend.
Hannah Thomson, in Portpatrick, and Cathy Van Hoppe, in Eskdalemuir, are just two of the 111 participants from every part of Dumfries and Galloway welcoming the public into their studios between 23 and 25 May.
Others include Frances Ross whose FLOCK project – a display of 1,000 pottery birds made by local schoolchildren and Daniel Lacey, furniture-maker in Langholm.
Hannah, originally from Kirkmichael in Ayrshire and who also teaches art and design at Stranraer Academy, is one of the many Spring Fling exhibitors with a background every bit as interesting as her art.
Indeed, anyone who watches the Outlander prequel series Blood of my Blood, will see a china tea set she was asked to create for the show.
Speaking about her ceramics Hannah said: “This is very much a new direction for me, but there are so many elements of my past work and career that are informing my practice.
“And just like in my past work, there’s a huge amount of experimentation.
“As a prop maker I might have been asked to make seaweed for sea-soaked castle dungeon or adornments for a Cherokee warrior’s horse – like I did for Outlander – and that means you have to be inventive and test the behaviour of materials and see how they work together.
“When people come to my studio they will see I have a playful approach where I have combined natural materials with newly made ceramics.”
Spring Fling visitors will see everything from hand-carved beads and bowls to lampshades and vases – the pieces are often intertwined with natural materials like raffia, driftwood and leather.
Hannah, who still works as a prop maker, has been part of the teams on a multitude of TV shows and big screen movies including Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, Maleficent and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Hannah’s is one of 19 studios on the Blue Route which covers the far west of Dumfries and Galloway – Spring Fling has six colour-coded routes visitors can follow and which cover different parts of this large rural region.
Cathy is one of 14 Spring Fling artists in the far east, in communities including Moffat and Langholm.
Her beautiful and highly details illustrations conjure up the kinds of worlds, characters and creatures you would expect to find in classic fairy tales and much-loved children’s books – bringing to mind everything from Wind in the Willows and Narnia to Beatrix Potter.
Originally from Australia, she spent a great deal of time in the Isle of Wight playing make-believe games in the walled garden of grandparents’ home.
She said: “I used to love books like The Wind in the Willows as a child, and I have always loved the places and characters you find in stories.
“In my art I love to create the landscape of fairytales. They are portals to another world that anyone can enter.”
This year Spring Fling visitors can also enjoy a trip to a walled garden – at Barwhillanty Estate, Parton, near Castle Douglas.
This will be the venue for FLOCK, a remarkable art project led by ceramicist Frances Ross, which has seen more than 1,000 primary and secondary pupils from 45 schools across the area each create a pottery bird.
The creations range from garden regulars like finches and robins to fantastical ones, such as a phoenix.
It’s also a special occasion for the at Barwhillanty Estate, which will be using Spring Fling as the launch for its new pavilion – and visitors can book it for a special pizza night where they can enjoy great food while looking at FLOCK.
Maria Yerburgh, estate owner, said: “The Flock exhibition marks the unveiling of our beautiful new venue, The Pavilion in the Walled Garden.
“We are excited to invite Spring Fling visitors to experience this unique space for events and celebrations as well as the launch of the first of our Supper Clubs, when we will be firing up the pizza oven with Mr Pook.”
Frances, from Sorbie, will also be showing her own work at the estate for Spring Fling.
The two other ceramicists who worked with her on Flock are also taking part in the open studios weekend. They are Clare Dawdry, whose studio is in Kirkpatrick Durham, and Ruth Jones who is in Moniaive.
For those who love fine furniture, there will be the chance to see the work of the award-winning Daniel Lacey, in Langholm. Daniel specialises in handcrafted, bespoke commissions made from locally and ethically harvested timber.
Visitors will also be able to see the work of Miles-Moore Ceramics, also exhibiting at Buccleuch Mills, who describe their work as an exploration of the meaning, role and place of the vessel in everyday and ceremonial life.
- For full details of all 111 studios see the map and interactive studios at https://www.spring-fling.co.uk.
Ends
Notes for editors
Follow us on social media @spring_fling
About Spring Fling
- The weekend is a chance to explore a beautiful rural region, with participating studios from Langholm in the east to Portpatrick and the Mull of Galloway in the west.
- Spring Fling visitors have the option of following a series of six colour-coded routes which take them round studios in different parts of the region.
- Bus tours are available, giving people the chance to let someone else do the driving – and reducing carbon emissions.
- Standard opening times are 10am to 5.30pm, but many studios have special evening openings as well.
About Upland
Vision
- Creating a sustainable, innovative and inclusive visual arts and crafts sector in Dumfries and Galloway.
Mission
- To provide leadership in the visual art and craft sector regionally, collaborating with the cultural sector across Dumfries and Galloway and beyond.
- To raise the profile of the visual art and craft sector of our rural area in a national and international context and build meaningful partnerships to support this.
- To listen to local visual artists and makers and respond by providing relevant support and act as a collective voice to advocate on their behalf.
- To support the engagement of a wide diversity of audiences in visual art and craft and initiate opportunities that promote inclusive, meaningful participation.
- To produce and facilitate ambitious creative projects that are innovative and experimental in approach.
Aims
- To produce and deliver festivals, events, and experimental projects of the highest quality that are rooted in place and far reaching in scope.
- To nurture the development of artistic excellence so that it thrives and grows
- To inspire and engage a diverse range of people to celebrate, participate in and be supportive of visual art and craft practice.
- To raise the profile of visual artists and makers locally, nationally and internationally fulfilling a crucial role in the culture, economy and tourism of Dumfries and Galloway.
- To actively work to reduce our impact on the climate and environment and embed positive climate action in our work.
Its funders are Creative Scotland, D&G Council, The Holywood Trust, ASWT, Barfill.
For media information contact Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299 or at Mjhshelley@hotmail.co.uk or call Upland on 01387 213 218.