Wednesday 3 August 2011

Kirkcudbright Arts and Crafts Trail - Part 3

This is the last of the blogs on the Arts and Crafts trail this year. I think I've been to every venue that was open and marked in the booklet (they go up to 75). There was an unmarked venue just a couple of doors along from me that I only heard about after it was all over, so I'm not going to quibble over that one.

What's going on at the castle?



It's just that Repunzel letting her hair down again.


For the last two days the Maverick Angels ( find them here ) toured the town giving impromptu tunes on street corners and in pubs. Here they are planted outside Greengate stirring up an few jigs in the High Street. On Monday evening the gave a Ceilidh in the Royal Hotel which was a fine way to round of the whole weekend.


Inside Greengate, Pauline Saul paints these distinctive fish as well as cat, and other things. Hand made cards, finger puppets, allsorts.


This year she's made a giant fish - instantly recognisable as one of her's.


Round by the museum, Peter Dowden had been sculpting all week for the symposium. For the week end he had a few of his pieces out on display.


And the piece he is currently working on.


Also for the symposium, Andy Breen has managed to get his sculpture from the front of the gallery to Greengate gardens, where it's nice and quiet and has numerous biting insects taking an interest in him.


The scallop shell sitting on top of it is a bit of a give away.


I have at last managed to see his finished piece from last year - it's Billy Marshall. Somebody's put a crown on his head - fitting perhaps as he was know as a gypsy king.


The furthest point on the trail would have to be the Ellenbank nurseries, where they have this delightful walled garden (I didn't know it was there).


Ruthie Redden and Jean Redden had found a home for the weekend in the basement of Rhubarb (purveyors of nice things). She'd brought along a whole crowd of her Moon Gazey Hares.


As well as these tiny birds. She's branched out into foxes, owls and witches too.


There were of course plenty of her paintings and cards.


Near the edge of town is the studio of Jane Gibson who is a particularly fine miniature painter.



Here she is working on a squirrel.


She also does a large number of normal sized paintings.


Jane's kitchen had been taken over by the ladies of the Lockerbie sugar craft guild. After much debate, they decided that this rose was probably made by Addie Clarkson.


  They were all involved in making this piece



A special mention must go to my niece Hazel Laurie and her piano teacher Mary Mann who kept the Broughton House piano going for four or five hours every day with solo and duet playing.


10 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely sculptures, and those moon gazing hares are so cute! Rapunzel needs to grow here hair a wee bit more I think...

Michael (Light-In-A-Box) said...

Truly amazing artists! Those miniture paintings are incredible!
Actually every single piece of work is incredible! Rapunzel must have a heck of a time washing her hair! And imagine trying to comb it?

Ruthie Redden said...

Lol, what a suprise to be reading and see some familiar pieces here, thank you so much for the mention. Also thank you for the wonderful job you have done in covering the trail, especially as I didn't get to see so very much in "real" life.

Colin said...

Rapunzel is still gazing out of the castle window waiting for her prince to arrive ,,,,,Sandy, gather up thy steed

Sandy's witterings said...

Thank you all for your comments - I managed to get this blog to post in my absence, while I got myself back offshore

Juliet, Perhaps my next year Rapunzel will have grown the extra few feet to get to the ground.

Michael, The miniatures are rather something - still, Jane tells me, they have great trouble getting the people at the Royal Academy in Edinburgh to take them seriously (it's an improvement though on a few years ago when they were just banned)

Ruthie - Glad you enjoyed the coverage - hope you managed to escape on Monday to see a little more for yourself.

Colin - Thanks for this and your other comments. I should think my steed should cause an uproar at the castle gates - perhaps that's the plan. I do have an Historic Scotland pass so I could just wander in unhindered for the rescue.

Shundo said...

I'm glad people are still doing miniatures, and the hares were very sweet as well. If you get that steed going, I want to see a picture of it afterwards!

Poppy (aka Val) said...

What a wealth of talent!! Great to see everything, like some of the others I am drawn towards the miniatures and the moon gazing hares are wonderful. I agree Rapunzel needs to grow her hair a bit longer, but she is great too!

Jane B. G said...

Thanks Sandy,
So glad visitors to Venue 39 were happy with what they saw! The Sugarcraft ladies did well in my 'wee 'kitchen and Sue didn't get too cold in the gazebo outside doing her wonderful felt making and spinning. Hope we can do it again next year?
If anyone is in London between 11th and 23rd October '11 please pop in to see The Royal Society of Miniature Painters Sculptors and Gravers at the Mall Galleries. My collection of 6 will be on show too !! Jane B. Gibson RMS

Anonymous said...

Rapunzel,Rapunzel, let down your hair extensions!

Sandy's witterings said...

Thanks for popping in Jane - I hope your pictures go down well in London.