The Country Living Spring Fair arrives at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh from 14 to 17 April and makers from across the Highlands will be selling their work at the popular event.

Highland Arts, which is run by Highland Councils Exhibitions Service, and who promote and market Highland visual artists locally, nationally and internationally, will have a stand at the Fair for the first time.

Their stand (G81) combines work by Highland makers, as well as makers who are currently participating in the Highland craft residencies and work from the 13 Hands crafts exhibition.
 

Visitors to the Fair will be able to buy jewellery by Lindsey Bain, Astrid Shearer and Lucy Woodley, who also creates decorative tableware inspired by the sea using silver, gold, slate and sandblasted glass.   There will be glass pods by glass artist Brodie Nairn who recently established the GLASSTORM studio in Nairn along with Nichola Burns after returning to Scotland following a decade making glass in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany.

Three ceramicists are taking part, David and Penny Woodley and Orkney based David Holmes.  Woodturner Angus Clyne will be selling a range of vessels and there will be pieces by Caroline Dear who uses the plants around her to create simple forms with resonance.

There is an abundance of textiles on the stand.  Woven textiles inspired by the forest by Linda Soos, handwoven scarves in natural fibres: merino wool, kid mohair, cashmere and silk by Kirstie Thornber, Harris Tweed home furnishings from handprinted cushion covers to patchwork quilts by Hilary de Vries, hand woven bags and scarves by Tongue based Rachel Skene and accessories using Tweed, velvets, silks with hand sewn beading and embroidery by Karen Livingstone.
 

Other makers invited to take part in the stand include jeweller Gilly Langton and sculptor and basketmaker Tim Johnson, both of whom were selected by school pupils to take part in the 2005 schools residencies.  There is also a chance to see work by a few of the makers who were involved in the 13 Hands exhibition with jewellery by Dot Sim, metal sculptures by Rachel Higgins, a tapestry by Sally Greaves Lord and baskets by Suzie Thompson.

In addition to the Highland Arts stand, the Applied Arts Scotland stand (H75B) showcases over 20 makers from around Scotland including four from the Highlands. Elaine Clark from Strone in Argyll has designed a collection of one off pendants from glass, Laura West of the Isle of Skye Bindery is selling a range of hand bound books, Alan Freestone, also based on the Isle of Skye has made a selection of hand decorated ceramic dishes and Nairn based Veronica Newman has created a range of handthrown porcelain bowls and vases with carved rims. 

A selection of basketmakers from the Highlands, including Inverness based Bryce Reynard,  will also be selling their work on the Scottish Basketmakers Circle stand (G8) where there will be demonstrations every day showing basketweaving, birch bark weaving and chair caning.

For more information about the Country Living Spring Fair and tickets visit www.countrylivingfair.com/Scotland/page.cfm

© Tina Rose, 2005