With one successful weekend already under their belts, the artists of the East Neuk of Fife will open their studio doors on Saturday and Sunday to continue their celebration of the return to an in-person event.
Chairperson of the East Neuk Open Studios group, Phillipa Mitchell, is delighted that she and her fellow creatives are able to share their work with the public once more; “It’s so lovely for the artists to be back to our old format of opening our own spaces for the East Neuk Open Studios this summer, after three long years of closure,” she enthuses “This offers visitors a unique look at the workspaces of the artists as well as meeting them and discussing their work.
“We are all looking forward to opening on Saturday and Sunday for our second weekend. There are also two group spaces – Crail Town Hall and Ardross Farm Shop – where you’ll find half a dozen artists exhibiting together.”
Phillipa will be showing her own paintings at her studio in Crail over the weekend. The artist enjoys working in watercolours en plein air and oil paints in her studio, she produces beautiful landscapes and paintings of birds and other wildlife.
This year will be the twentieth East Neuk Open Studios and the group is also transforming from an ‘ad hoc’ organisation to a, “more formal structure that will allow us to explore new avenues for promoting the arts in the Easy Neuk of Fife. We hope to inspire more people to be creative and join us in our summer and winter exhibitions, and to take part in social, information and discussion events for artists.”
“Artworks are of course offered for sale, so there is a huge variety of items that can be bought to adorn home or office – or to wear. We are sure there is something to appeal to everybody, so please come to visit, view, and chat with our artists about their work.”
The chance to visit artists in their creative environment brings an experience that a trip to a gallery just can’t provide. ENOS stalwart and ceramics artist Wayne Galloway has certainly embraced this aspect of the event, as he explains: “It was good to return to our summer open studios format. Visitors to my studio in Crail were able to enjoy watching ‘Naked Raku’ demonstrations. I use horsehair from Kilconquhar Stables and collect feathers to decorate my pots.
“Visitors really enjoyed seeing – and smelling – the firings! A few even brought pet hair which I will use to decorate pots. One visitor said it was the ‘highlight of my weekend’. I’m planning to do more demonstrations this weekend between 11 and 11.30am and 3 and 3.30pm. All welcome.”
New to ENOS, is painter Jennifer Cooper who joined the group last year. Her first involvement was with the collective exhibition at the Bowhouse but she is looking forward to her first true Open Studio weekends.
“I joined the group last year as I had never exhibited my painting before and I had decided that it was time to take the plunge!” she says. “I graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone in 2017 and had not given time to my art since. Lockdown and the pandemic gave me the time to explore painting again.
“The East Neuk Open Studios is a supportive group and provides a relaxed and encouraging environment to show your work. As a younger member I have valued the experience and advice from the group,” adds Jennifer.
“This year at the Crail Town Hall there are six of us, offering a mix of different art from jewellery to paintings, lion heads to mermaids. It’s great as you get a good mix of visitors and it allows people to discover us who might not have made it to our personal studios.”
Conversation