Perthshire Open Studios 2015
The countdown to this years Perthshire Open Studios is on and there are only 5 weeks to go!
5th - 13th September 2015
Treasured
I've been taking part in the Create and Thrive #CTMonthInTheLife challenge over on Instagram during August. I've really enjoyed the challenge of representing aspects of me, my work and business in a single photo and getting into the habit of taking photos again!
The prompt for Saturdays photo was "Treasured.....anything that you treasure and has helped bring you where you are today".
Wow, what a toughie! So many things whirled through my mind, my boys, my family and friends, my dog, my favourite tools, my most treasured possessions (too many to list!)
Inspiration finally struck when I was standing at the launch party of this years Perthshire Open Studios watching the fabulous film by Dave Hunt and I realised that my Treasured thing, the thing that more than anything else has helped bring me to where I am today, is not a "thing" it's an event. An un-holdable, temporary, fleeting, wonderful, inspiring thing called Perthshire Open Studios!
Although it only takes place annually for 10 days in September it's effect on me, my work and my business has been transformational!
This year will be the third year I've taken part in POS and when I sent off my application form for the very first time I'd only been selling my work for about 6 months. I had no real "body of work" (up until then I'd only sold personalised paper cuts for wedding gifts) to the extent that I had to design a paper cut to photograph as the image for use in the POS brochure! The birdie in a tree I came up with has gone on to be one of my most popular card designs. I didn't even really have a clear idea of what I was going to exhibit, except that it would be made of paper! paper cuts? cards? paper clay bowls? paper jewellery? layered paper maps? paper Christmas ornaments and decorations? I'm not sure if I was full of confidence or just delusional, but it's amazing how a looming deadline, panic and the idea of failure sharpen and focus the mind!
Taking part in Perthshire Open Studios pushed me way out of my comfort zone, mostly because it made me put my work in front of people and what did I get in return? It gave me a local group of fellow artists and craftspeople, working by yourself can be a lonely business sometimes! Confidence, in myself and in my work, the kind that can only be found by showing your work and chatting about it with over 100 visitors! A wide and varied (mostly!) new audience for my work many of whom have gone on to be loyal customers. It also gave me a much clearer idea of what I wanted to make and where I wanted my business to be, it gave me the push I needed to get where I am today.
So a huge thank you to the Perthshire Open Studios committee who devote hours and hours of their time (unpaid) to organise and run the event. Thank you to the other artists and craftspeople who open their studios and make the event what it is and lastly a big thank you to the lovely visitors who come to visit us all because with out you it would just be 220+ people sitting, by themselves, in studios and sheds all over Perthshire!
So a huge thank you to the Perthshire Open Studios committee who devote hours and hours of their time (unpaid) to organise and run the event. Thank you to the other artists and craftspeople who open their studios and make the event what it is and lastly a big thank you to the lovely visitors who come to visit us all because with out you it would just be 220+ people sitting, by themselves, in studios and sheds all over Perthshire!
And here is the fabulous video that sparked the whole realisation off!
Perthshire Artists at Work from Dave Hunt on Vimeo.
{ this moment } Perthshire Open Studios is looming!
Starting to get the bombsite in order for all you lovely visitors!
{ Perthshire Open Studios } Annette Forsyth, venue 89, The bothy in the garden
Next up in the Perthshire Open Studios, Green Route-erers series is Annette Forsyth, venue 89, The bothy in the garden.
Annette's photographs are all so varied and stunning, an extra incentive (as if you needed it!) to visit venue 89!
My photography business has essentially grown out of a love of nature. Born in Germany, I became interested in photography when I was at university, studying Biology and Geography to become a teacher. I bought my first film SLR and taught myself the basics of photography.
The field-trips
really inspired me and filled me with the urge to capture the beautiful moments
around me. In those days I took mainly slides and probably bored my friends
rigid with long slide shows. I took a year out of uni to work as an assistant
teacher in Scotland, where I became infatuated both with the Scottish landscape
and my husband. Back in Germany I finished my studies and started work as a
teacher. During that time photography was an important hobby for me. When our
two kids arrived, many of my interests took a back seat for a few years. I
stopped working as a teacher and we built up a walking business, which is still
our main business. In 2000 we moved to Scotland. When my kids were a bit older
my love of photography was rekindled and at the start of 2011 it had got to the
point that I decided to take the plunge and become a nature photographer.
Thankfully I got a lot of encouragement from friends and family. Things have developed very quickly and I now sell my images in several shops and I have been to a good number of craft fairs. Several of my images have appeared in magazines, including a couple of front covers in the Scottish Mountaineer. All this is very exciting and I am very much looking forward to growing my fledgling business.
I will have my images for sale as hand-made greeting cards and mounted prints in various sizes. There will also be some framed prints for sale. In terms of new work and subject matter I had an incredibly cold and windy, but very productive trip to Assynt in March and I will be exhibiting some of those images. Another good trip took me to Harris in May. It was still cold there and spring was biding its time, but fortunately there was some good light. Apart from that I have a lot of new macro and close-up work. Well and then there are also a lot of Puffin and seabird images from previous trips to Lunga.
-Explain your creative process. What journey do you take from idea to final product?
-What or who are you most inspired by?
Annette's photographs are all so varied and stunning, an extra incentive (as if you needed it!) to visit venue 89!
-Please give a brief bio of your business. What is your background? How did you begin as an
artist?
My photography business has essentially grown out of a love of nature. Born in Germany, I became interested in photography when I was at university, studying Biology and Geography to become a teacher. I bought my first film SLR and taught myself the basics of photography.
The field-trips
really inspired me and filled me with the urge to capture the beautiful moments
around me. In those days I took mainly slides and probably bored my friends
rigid with long slide shows. I took a year out of uni to work as an assistant
teacher in Scotland, where I became infatuated both with the Scottish landscape
and my husband. Back in Germany I finished my studies and started work as a
teacher. During that time photography was an important hobby for me. When our
two kids arrived, many of my interests took a back seat for a few years. I
stopped working as a teacher and we built up a walking business, which is still
our main business. In 2000 we moved to Scotland. When my kids were a bit older
my love of photography was rekindled and at the start of 2011 it had got to the
point that I decided to take the plunge and become a nature photographer. Thankfully I got a lot of encouragement from friends and family. Things have developed very quickly and I now sell my images in several shops and I have been to a good number of craft fairs. Several of my images have appeared in magazines, including a couple of front covers in the Scottish Mountaineer. All this is very exciting and I am very much looking forward to growing my fledgling business.
-Have you taken part in Perthshire Open Studios before?
This is my second time taking part in Open
Studios and I am really looking forward to it!
Last year was just the right time for me to go for the Open Studios. I teamed up with my friends Katy Galbraith, Anna Olson and Christine Forsyth and exhibited in the Bothy in the Garden. Doing it together with friends was a lot less daunting and worked very well in terms of footfall, manning the space, filling it with work, providing a bit of variety and just generally proved to be a lot of fun. I loved meeting all the people who came to visit last year and getting their feedback about my work. It was a big effort, but it was great to see it all come together and to have so much of my work on display.
Needless to say we have teamed up again this year.
Another aspect of the Open Studios I really enjoy is meeting and connecting with so many other artists. I find it utterly inspiring to see so many people following their passion.
Last year was just the right time for me to go for the Open Studios. I teamed up with my friends Katy Galbraith, Anna Olson and Christine Forsyth and exhibited in the Bothy in the Garden. Doing it together with friends was a lot less daunting and worked very well in terms of footfall, manning the space, filling it with work, providing a bit of variety and just generally proved to be a lot of fun. I loved meeting all the people who came to visit last year and getting their feedback about my work. It was a big effort, but it was great to see it all come together and to have so much of my work on display.
Needless to say we have teamed up again this year.
Another aspect of the Open Studios I really enjoy is meeting and connecting with so many other artists. I find it utterly inspiring to see so many people following their passion.
-What artwork will you be displaying over
the week?
I will have my images for sale as hand-made greeting cards and mounted prints in various sizes. There will also be some framed prints for sale. In terms of new work and subject matter I had an incredibly cold and windy, but very productive trip to Assynt in March and I will be exhibiting some of those images. Another good trip took me to Harris in May. It was still cold there and spring was biding its time, but fortunately there was some good light. Apart from that I have a lot of new macro and close-up work. Well and then there are also a lot of Puffin and seabird images from previous trips to Lunga.
-Explain your creative process. What journey do you take from idea to final product?
I am very lucky as our walking business
takes me to many beautiful and remote corners of Scotland and I get the chance
to spend a lot of time outdoors. My work
can be roughly split into landscape, macro and wildlife images and I have a
different approach to all three.
My macro work is probably my most planned. I have a big garden and avidly watch what is coming into bloom.
When the light is right I am out there taking images, rather than weeding as I most definitely should. I take most of my macro work over spring and summer, whereas for the rest of the year my landscape work has the upper hand.
My landscape images are a bit of a mixture. Sometimes I go out with specific images and locations in mind, sometimes the light prompts me out and sometimes, especially when climbing new Munros I take my camera and tripod not knowing what to expect, just seizing the moment.
My macro work is probably my most planned. I have a big garden and avidly watch what is coming into bloom.
When the light is right I am out there taking images, rather than weeding as I most definitely should. I take most of my macro work over spring and summer, whereas for the rest of the year my landscape work has the upper hand.
My landscape images are a bit of a mixture. Sometimes I go out with specific images and locations in mind, sometimes the light prompts me out and sometimes, especially when climbing new Munros I take my camera and tripod not knowing what to expect, just seizing the moment.
When it comes to my wildlife images I am more of an opportunist and I
admittedly don’t sit for hours waiting for a certain animal to appear. I take
my hat off to those who do! I enjoy
taking images of insects and birds and any encounter with wild mammals makes my
day.
-What or who are you most inspired by?
My inspiration mostly comes from nature itself
and both the biologist and the geographer in me are always vying for attention.
I am fascinated by minute detail, patterns, shapes and by how beautiful light
can transform a simple flower or view into something truly extraordinary that
takes my breath away. The challenge as a photographer is to capture that moment
in a way that can evoke a similar emotional response in the viewer – not an
easy thing to achieve.
Looking at the work of other unknown and famous photographers has also been a great inspiration and gives me a lot to aspire to.
Looking at the work of other unknown and famous photographers has also been a great inspiration and gives me a lot to aspire to.
- What are your contact details, website address and any
other links you would like included.
In an ideal world there would be a blog, but I am not quite there yet
In an ideal world there would be a blog, but I am not quite there yet
All images are copyright of Annette Forsyth, 2013.
A huge thank you to Annette for her patience, she sent her interview to me THREE weeks ago and I've only now, finally, managed to get it on here!
A huge thank you to Annette for her patience, she sent her interview to me THREE weeks ago and I've only now, finally, managed to get it on here!
I'm a film star!!
Only 90 days until Christmas....apparently....I've not actually counted!
I do have Christmas card designs and a few other goodies, and they will be available....soon. Just need to get cutting and screen printing!!
During Perthshire Open Studios I had a visit from the brilliant Genie and Phil from Ivy Cottage Industries. They filmed me paper cutting and blethering about my designs and have made this lovely little film! My boys are sooo impressed that mummy was on the "pooter"!!
I do have Christmas card designs and a few other goodies, and they will be available....soon. Just need to get cutting and screen printing!!
During Perthshire Open Studios I had a visit from the brilliant Genie and Phil from Ivy Cottage Industries. They filmed me paper cutting and blethering about my designs and have made this lovely little film! My boys are sooo impressed that mummy was on the "pooter"!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
A big, huge, mahoosive THANK YOU to all of you lovely people who popped into see me during Perthshire Open Studios, without you it would have been........well..... just me sitting in my studio! It was great to meet you all and have a blether.
I am now going to have a REALLY hot bath......with a bottle of wine!
I am now going to have a REALLY hot bath......with a bottle of wine!
Fab Friday!
I can't believe that it's the last weekend of Open Studios already, the week seems to have flown by.
As this was the first year I've taken part I really didn't know what to expect. How many people were going to turn up and was anyone was going to buy anything?
Grow old, original paper cut......
off to a new home.
My home, original paper cut.........
off to a new home.
Birdie, original paper cut.........
off to a new home!
My greatest expectations have been far surpassed on ALL counts! I've had a steady stream of visitors every day, all of them have been lovely (I'd love any of them to pop in and see me......anytime!) I've had quite a few commissions and I'm delighted with what I've sold!
Open Studios has arrived!
I've had an absolutely fantastic opening weekend to Perthshire Open Studios! It's surpassed all my expectations. I've had lots of really lovely visitors, had some interesting chats, sold some work and just generally had a fab time! The past few weeks have been really busy, filled with lots of hard work and late nights but NOW it feels really worthwhile!
Everyone has been really interested in how I design and then actually cut out my paper cuts and it's been fun discussing my work and where I get inspiration from.
The Open Studio event runs until the 9th September and I'm open 10-5 every day and 10-7 on Saturday, so do pop in and visit me, venue 70, green route!
Tuesdays' sneaky peek!
We were away this weekend for a well earned break on our boat, which we keep in Tarbert, Loch Fyne. The weather was good. Dry and pretty sunny all weekend........but it was a bit windy! Well, too windy to think about sailing with two wobbly small people! We just "caravan-ed it", didn't go sailing, hung out, rowed round the bay in the dingy, ate ice creams and sweeties and walked!
It's recharged my batteries after the battle to get my studio emptied and decorated and I'm raring to go!
I thought I'd show you what I'm working on at the moment and how I go about making a papercut.......
Here it is about 1/3 cut out, with a few more scribbles and "re-thinks"! I tend to keep revising the design right up until it's cut out, changing the position of leaves and where they connect, adding more hearts or birds......
It's recharged my batteries after the battle to get my studio emptied and decorated and I'm raring to go!
I thought I'd show you what I'm working on at the moment and how I go about making a papercut.......
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| Grow old with me papercut, initial design sketch. |
This is the initial design sketch for "Grow old with me", complete with a few "re-thinks"! I draw each leaf in outline only, not showing the detail that I'll cut out, and don't show the thickness of each branch.....mainly out of laziness!
 |
| Grow old with me, 1/3 cut out, right side.
|
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| Grow old with me, 1/3 cut out, wrong side. |
This is the back of the cut. It's much easier to see how it'll look without all my scrawls! I use white paper and draw the paper cut as it'll be seen, the right way round. Then after I've cut the whole picture out I spray paint it. Some other papercutting artists use coloured paper and draw the cut on the reverse of the paper, back to front.
 |
| New paint delivery! |
This is the range of colours that I'll use to paint the paper cuts on show for Perthshire Open Studios (note the chubby 11 month old hands desperately trying to pull the cans out of the box!)
Costa del.......Pittenweem!
I had a brilliant day with some friends on Friday at the Pittenween Arts Festival. It was a glorious, sunny day and the whole of the East Neuk looked gorgeous. It's the first year that I've been to the Arts Festival and I'll definately be back! I've put together a board on Pinterest of my bestest favourites!!
We saw some fantastic work and in no particular order of fabulousness, loved the work by Anita Hutchison, Susie Lacome, Hilke MacIntyre, Susan McGill, Dot Sim, Weft Textile Studio and Workshop (actually a shop on the quay side SO, SO, SO, worth a visit anytime!), Frances Wilson (couldn't find a website for her, but this is a link to a profile of her AND it's got photos of her stunningly beautiful, gorgeous, fabulously lovely porcelain. I can't tell you how much I'd love to own some of this.......but I fear it would not mix well with two small boys. Well MY boys anyway!!) Alison Midson at The Backgate Gallery (sadly no photos of her linocuts, they are lovely!) Heather Cunningham. I think I've exhaused my vocabulary of "lovely" adjectives!
My preparations for Perthshire Open Studios are now well underway. Just as well because it's only 3 and a bit weeks until it starts! I'm excited, nervous and terrified all in equal measure! I've almost finished painting the studio and I can't believe how much better it looks. It's been on the "to do" list for at least 3 years but other "more essential" things kept overtaking it. I'll post some before and after photies when it's all done.
My preparations for Perthshire Open Studios are now well underway. Just as well because it's only 3 and a bit weeks until it starts! I'm excited, nervous and terrified all in equal measure! I've almost finished painting the studio and I can't believe how much better it looks. It's been on the "to do" list for at least 3 years but other "more essential" things kept overtaking it. I'll post some before and after photies when it's all done.
Paint-y, paint-y, sand-y, sand-y!
I've managed to get the studio emptied (mostly!) and the ceiling has had a coat of paint. Now I'm doing the boring bit.....sanding all the skirtings, door frames, the door and around the window. It'll all get done eventually but it's sooooo dull!
On a slightly more exciting note I also managed to get these two paper cuts finished, framed up and off to their new homes.
Sorry for the slightly duff quality of the photos.....but it was late!
Right......back to the sanding. My consolation is that I'll soon be putting everything back in the studio.
On a slightly more exciting note I also managed to get these two paper cuts finished, framed up and off to their new homes.
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| This day I will marry my best friend Doris & John 6th August 2011 |
 |
| One day like this, a variation on the happily ever after cut. |
Right......back to the sanding. My consolation is that I'll soon be putting everything back in the studio.
Busy, biz, biz!
I've had a busy few weeks with a very, very full order book, which is fantastic; but as Open Studios looms closer I've decided that I'm going to close my order book at the end of July until the begining of September. This should give me time to complete all my orders, sort out my studio and concentrate on cutting some new designs.
........Sorting out my studio is shorthand for remove everything, give it a long overdue paint and organise it!
........Studio is shorthand for the room where I take up one corner and the rest contains a piano, various chairs, toys and other detritus!
Here's a photie of my wee corner......eeerrrr nice and tidy!
Here's a sneeky peek of a paper cut inspired by a quote from Christopher Columbus, this is the initial drawing of the design. The next stage in the process is to have a trial cut out to see how it all works and tweek the design a bit if necessary!
........Sorting out my studio is shorthand for remove everything, give it a long overdue paint and organise it!
........Studio is shorthand for the room where I take up one corner and the rest contains a piano, various chairs, toys and other detritus!
Here's a photie of my wee corner......eeerrrr nice and tidy!
Here's a sneeky peek of a paper cut inspired by a quote from Christopher Columbus, this is the initial drawing of the design. The next stage in the process is to have a trial cut out to see how it all works and tweek the design a bit if necessary!
To bee or not to bee!
If you're a likerer of my Facebook page you'll know about the saga of my bees swarming! Well there was a not soo happy outcome for the old queen and her devoted entourage....involving a hoover! Unfortunately I just couldn't get the queen out of the coomb space in our attic and soo after 4 days, numerous attempt at removing them, countless stings and sweary words, I had resort to the hoover and get them out. I feel really awful about it; they all toil away selflessly producing honey.....most of which I steal from them and I repay them by splatting them in the hoover! So I now have any extra hive which is empty! I may get some more bees from a friend of mine so fingercrossed for a slightly happier outcome!
You'll notice, as if my magic, a gallery tab has appeared at the top of the page! It takes you to my Flickr page where I keep photies of ALL my paper cuts, I've got a whole set of Happily Ever After cuts! I've really enjoyed looking at them as a set and seeing all their differences!
In between mass murdering bees, doing the run of the mill housewifey things and a huge number (well...sort of!) of Happily Ever After cuts, I've been working on some sketches for a series of paper cuts for Perthshire Open Studios. Photos will follow......maybe!
You'll notice, as if my magic, a gallery tab has appeared at the top of the page! It takes you to my Flickr page where I keep photies of ALL my paper cuts, I've got a whole set of Happily Ever After cuts! I've really enjoyed looking at them as a set and seeing all their differences!
In between mass murdering bees, doing the run of the mill housewifey things and a huge number (well...sort of!) of Happily Ever After cuts, I've been working on some sketches for a series of paper cuts for Perthshire Open Studios. Photos will follow......maybe!
Hello....I'm still here...I think!
Errrrrrr, well I'm not sure what's happened to May or most of June......it seems to have flown past in a blur of birthdays, gardening and paper cutting with a few sunny days thrown in for good measure!
Fear not though, I've been busy cutting away, making happily ever after cuts and they've been winging their way to new homes far and wide, from London to Florida! I think that I'll do a photo montage of all the cuts I've done, just so I don't bore you with a huge list of photos!
This week's highlight will be J's 3rd birthday on Sunday. It's going to be a weekend full of cake, ice cream and fizzy juice, with both sets of grandparents visiting on different days! I haven't got a clue where the last three years have gone, it just seems like yesterday we brought a tiny bundle home, I'm sure I'll still be saying that when he's 30!
I thought I'd share this new design that I've FINALLY found some time to make! It's been bobbling around in my head for months and been doodled in my sketch book for almost as long.....here is Deep in a wood, carved on a tree - a customised wedding congratulations card and it's available from Folksy and Etsy.
I am taking part in Perthshire Open Studios this year, which takes place in September and as this blog will be listed in the brochure I'm going to try double hard to post a bit more regularly! I attended a marketing workshop organised by the committee and run by Cultural Enterprise Scotland and met lots of fellow artists, it was really great to put faces and voices to people I'm in touch with on Facebook or who I know by reputation! I'm really excited about taking part in Open Studios and I've been sketching away with some new designs and I'm hoping to try my hand at making some screen prints of them!
Instead of leaving you with an Etsy treasury I've put together a Folksy finds board on Pinterest around the theme of British summer, tell me what you think.......enjoy!
Fear not though, I've been busy cutting away, making happily ever after cuts and they've been winging their way to new homes far and wide, from London to Florida! I think that I'll do a photo montage of all the cuts I've done, just so I don't bore you with a huge list of photos!
This week's highlight will be J's 3rd birthday on Sunday. It's going to be a weekend full of cake, ice cream and fizzy juice, with both sets of grandparents visiting on different days! I haven't got a clue where the last three years have gone, it just seems like yesterday we brought a tiny bundle home, I'm sure I'll still be saying that when he's 30!
I thought I'd share this new design that I've FINALLY found some time to make! It's been bobbling around in my head for months and been doodled in my sketch book for almost as long.....here is Deep in a wood, carved on a tree - a customised wedding congratulations card and it's available from Folksy and Etsy.
I am taking part in Perthshire Open Studios this year, which takes place in September and as this blog will be listed in the brochure I'm going to try double hard to post a bit more regularly! I attended a marketing workshop organised by the committee and run by Cultural Enterprise Scotland and met lots of fellow artists, it was really great to put faces and voices to people I'm in touch with on Facebook or who I know by reputation! I'm really excited about taking part in Open Studios and I've been sketching away with some new designs and I'm hoping to try my hand at making some screen prints of them!
Instead of leaving you with an Etsy treasury I've put together a Folksy finds board on Pinterest around the theme of British summer, tell me what you think.......enjoy!