The online access to unique handmade creations on the Perthshire Artisans website, a Smart Village set up and run by GrowBiz Scotland, is wonderful. But it’s still fabulous to see the products and meet the artists and makers in person as well.
In May there's an opportunity to do just that.
The Creative Spring Market & Open Studios on Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 May, at The Perth Creative Exchange, includes artists based in the building and Perthshire Artisans, and promises a fun and creative day out. It’s free to visit, so drop by anytime between 10am-4pm on both days.
The following Artisans are taking part:
Sheila Roberts
Working from her Comrie-based garden studio, Sheila’s designs are made through soft etchings using layers of techniques working with metal, acid, wax, paper and finally ink—a complicated and fascinating process involving many layers and stages. Sheila’s childhood was spent in Ghana surrounded by African art, which continues to fuel her imagination and inspires her bold designs. Her love of nature and wildlife also feature throughout her collection of prints. See her work here.
Jane Drysdale
Jane is a glass artist who creates hand crafted kiln formed glass artworks from her studio near Crieff, producing a range of pieces which can be functional or purely decorative. She uses a variety of glass, often coloured with glass powders and enamels, sometimes using metal inclusions for embellishment. Her favoured choice is the hand-rolled Bullseye glass, chosen for its purity and consistency. See her work here.
Shonagh Moore
Shonagh is a jewellery artist creating wire-wrapped gemstone jewellery pieces, window and wall hangings for the home. Her work includes both everyday and statement pieces, featuring natural stones and wire work, designed to lift your spirits. The jewellery Shonagh creates is inspired by nature, from the gemstones hidden deep below the surface of the the earth, to the beautiful Scottish landscapes that evoke creativity and design, all completed and framed by her detailed wire work. See her work here.
Jon Bishop
Jon is the illustrator behind the hand-drawn creations brand, The Grey Earl. He creates illustrations for picture books, greetings cards and also stand-alone illustrations available to purchase as prints. Jon’s considered use of colour across his work is key to his aesthetic. Although not shy to introduce colour, his work features a slightly muted palette bringing an imagined and hazy dream-like feeling to his creations. See his work here.
Diana Law
Diana is a contemporary jeweller whose pieces are the epitome of everyday elegance. Creating collections using silver and cast resin, her work features beautiful fluid simplistic clean lines and uncomplicated characteristics. Sources of inspiration often come from the natural world, from the flora and fauna found in her garden surrounding her workshop, the freedom of movement and flight of birds, to the visual textures of the sea, waves and clouds. See her work here.
Daniel van Vuuren
Daniel designs and handcrafts a range of beautifully made, high quality leather products. He specialises in working with vegetable tanned leather, a particularly thick and durable material. The strong natural colours combined with visible hand stitching and, where appropriate, solid brass buckles and clasps, create long-lasting products which are both classic and luxurious in style. Daniel’s collection of work includes bags, journal covers, aprons and smaller items including belts, wallets and key rings. See his work here.
Mairi Urquhart
Mairi is a glass artist who works on painted, stained and fused glass projects, all incredible mediums showcasing her genuine obsession with colour. She loves creating a variety of unique pieces in all shapes and sizes including homewares, gifts, and jewellery. All her work is hand crafted in a cosy studio shop in the village of Comrie in Perthshire. For Mairi, the joy of working with glass comes with creating unique and often surprising finishes, with the constant possibility of happy accidents. See her work here.
Katy Galbraith
As an artist, Katy uses the medium of mosaic to express her creativity. Her sustainable practice is both inspired by and incorporates any number of recycled and salvaged materials, including china and glass. Katy’s mosaic artworks can be both decorative (pictorial or sculptural) or functional (mirrors, table tops splashbacks), but whatever their use, they are all created through her passion to encompass her strong eco/zero waste ethics within her process. See her work here.
Dave Hunt (Saturday only)
Dave is a photographic artist with a passion and love for vintage analogue photography. His work includes working with film, various alternative printing techniques and also the wet plate collodion process from the 1850’s for both fine art and portrait commissions. His work often asks a question, tells a story or inspires an emotion or reaction. As well as creating images, he runs courses in both digital and analogue photography. See his work here.
Ceri White
Ceramicist Ceri White will soon be joining Perthshire Artisans. Ceri’s studio is at the Perth Creative Exchange so you’ll also get a chance to see her work in person at the Creative Spring Market. Her playful, colourful and distinctive ceramics feature a contemporary take on retro motifs and are joyful items to have in your home.