An exhibition featuring more than 230 pieces will highlight the creativity of artists and makers from all across Perth and Kinross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The POS <\/em>Festival Showcase <\/em>is a chance to see examples of work by most of the 120 participants in this year\u2019s Perthshire Open Studios Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The free exhibition, in the Barn Gallery at The Bield, Blackruthven, from 2-11 September, incudes everything from painting, original prints and photography through to ceramics, jewellery and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among those taking part is Babs Pease, whose studio is a converted cow barn on a small farm near Rumbling Bridge, whose beautiful nature-inspired artwork has been chosen to promote the showcase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Others will include landscape painter Libby Scott (pictured) and ceramicist Ceri White.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Libby, from Stanley, is one of the many artists inspired by the region\u2019s environment \u2013 in her case the land and skyscapes of northern Highland Perthshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a fascination that developed while she was working as an off-road driving instructor and after she inherited her 98-year-old grandmother\u2019s painting set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said: \u201cWhen I was working I noticed the sheer drama of the weather, and all the panoramic views, and increasingly spent time drawing and painting the places I saw.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerthshire is quite astonishing, it has just about everything, from lochs and rivers to mountains and wide open spaces. And each of the seasons is spectacular in it\u2019s own way. That\u2019s partly because it\u2019s Big Tree Country, and we are heading towards autumn when the colours will be absolutely astounding.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Visitors to the Bield will see a set of four small paintings that reflect Libby\u2019s interest in the power and drama of the weather as it sweeps through the landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ceri, from Dunning, will be showing three pedestal pots at the exhibition \u2013 and will also be welcoming visitors to her studio in Perth during the POS Festival, which runs from 6-11 September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said: \u201cThe showcase is a great opportunity for people to see work by lots of Perthshire artists and makers all in one place \u2013 and often inspires them to visit particular studios during the festival.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve been taking part in the open studios since it started and I love it. People come and chat \u2013 and I can impart my enthusiasm. And you really get to see their perceptions change and develop as they discover all about everything that goes into creating hand-made work.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cathy Wagstaff, who will be exhibiting at The Bield, has been selected as this year\u2019s POS \u201cemerging artist\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her latest work depicts the gentle Scottish springtime, from evening light reflected in the River Tay, to the clouds and colours of the golden hour drifting across the valley giving you a sense of freedom and wide-open space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There will also be the chance to see paintings by Kinross landscape artist Nichol Wheatley (whose accomplishments include working for Oscar-winning film designers) and by Jonathan Sainsbury, a Scottish wildlife and landscape artist whose pictures hang in public and private collections worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heather Budge-Reid, Chair of POS, said: \u201cThe showcase is a fantastic way for us to highlight and celebrate the scale and breadth of the creative talent of beautiful Perthshire in all its glory and to offer a foretaste of what you can enjoy during the festival.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can come along and enjoy it as a fabulous exhibition in its own right, or to help you decide which studios you want to go out and visit.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you miss the festival there is now the year-round Perthshire Creative Trail with a searchable website with artists and galleries places to visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The trail features 15 galleries and 32 artists\u2019 studios (including 17 in the Perth Creative Exchange) allowing people to meet artists, visit galleries, discover walks and distilleries whatever the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n