{"id":853,"date":"2019-02-13T09:16:48","date_gmt":"2019-02-13T09:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cool-banzai.185-132-38-6.plesk.page\/?p=853"},"modified":"2019-02-13T09:22:27","modified_gmt":"2019-02-13T09:22:27","slug":"spring-fling-reveals-its-94-studios-for-scotlands-top-open-studios-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cool-banzai.185-132-38-6.plesk.page\/?p=853","title":{"rendered":"Spring Fling Reveals its 94 Studios for Scotland\u2019s Top Open Studios Event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A total of 94 studios have been selected to take part in this year\u2019s Spring Fling \u2013 Scotland\u2019s premier open studio weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event takes place from 25 to 27 May across the beautiful region of Dumfries and Galloway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring Fling is a much loved feature of the country\u2019s arts and cultural calendar, attracting more than 10,000 visitors a year from across Scotland, the rest of the UK and overseas \u2013 and generating over \u00a31.2 million for the regional economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a chance to meet high quality painters, original printmakers, ceramicists, jewellers and glassmakers, wood and metal workers, photographers in the places where they live and work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joanna Macaulay, <\/strong>Events and Exhibitions Manager for Upland which runs Spring Fling, said: <\/strong>\u201cWe have an amazing range of artists and makers taking part this year \u2013 really underling why Spring Fling has become such a popular and successful part of Scotland\u2019s arts scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs ever it\u2019s a chance to meet some remarkable people, visit some extraordinary homes and studios and explore one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis year Spring Fling will be more family friendly than ever and we will also be running a whole series of classes and workshops either side of the event for those who would like to learn from our artists.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many exhibitors are well known at home and abroad such as glassmaker Amanda Simmons and slipware makers Fitch and McAndrew from Corsock, award-winning wildlife artist Lisa Hooper, of Port William, as well as Kirkcudbright textile designer Morag Macpherson and willow weaver Lizzie Farey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From elsewhere in the region there are the visual artist Bea Last of Kirkgunzeon, Harry Potter book illustrator Clare Melinsky, based near Thornhill and Waterbeck husband and wife Heather and Colin Blanchard \u2013 a painter and printmaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As ever Spring Fling will be welcoming fresh talent, with 13 new faces. Some, like David Rushton in Sanquhar, who creates scale models of building interiors, or abstract painter Glenda Waterworth (one of three artists in Drummore near Stranraer), are well-established.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others are in the early stages of their careers.  In 2019 this will include Jordan Chisholm (performance artist) and Sarah Rogers (jewellery) as part of Upland\u2019s Emerge bursary scheme, which provides business and arts mentoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There will also be Jennifer Hastie (mixed media) and Heather Spicer who are benefiting from Upland\u2019s New Graduates Scheme to support people during the transition from studenthood to career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring Fling also makes space each year for artists from neighbouring regions \u2013 including Cumbria, Northern Ireland, Ayrshire and the Borders as well as Springbacks, who have connections with the region but are based elsewhere. For 2019 there will be mixed media artist Kate Mink who now lives in California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pop up exhibition is planned from 5 to 13 April at The Oven in Dumfries to give a foretaste of all that\u2019s on offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An exciting and inspiring public artwork, called the WaterOrgan, will quite literally be launched as part of the Spring Fling weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s Spring Fling is supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland\u2019s Events Directorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events for VisitScotland, said:<\/strong>\u201cEventScotland is delighted to once again be supporting Spring Fling through our Beacon Programme, with funding going towards public artwork WaterOrganand the event\u2019s studio workshops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cScotland is the perfect stage for cultural events, and it\u2019s great to see such a strong line-up this year, with artists and makers hailing from across Dumfries and Galloway and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For further details on Spring Fling please visit www.spring-fling.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ends<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notes for editors <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring Fling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n