Happy 20th Anniversary to Fortingall Art Exhibition, and congratulations to the dedicated team working behind the scenes to bring us this joyous event.
This prestigious creative annual event, held every summer since 2004 in the Highland Perthshire village of Fortingall, was set up and is still run by local artists. Opening Saturday 20 July, and with free entry, the exhibition is open daily from 10-6pm, and runs until Sunday 4 August.
When you visit you'll find paintings, jewellery, photography, sculpture, ceramics, glass and bespoke furniture, all in a stunning rural setting. 8 of the Perthshire Artisans are among the 34 exhibiting artists and you can enjoy seeing more of their work at this event.
Another star of the show is the venue itself, a unique 'arts and crafts' building, the Molteno Hall is as distinctive and delightful to see as the exhibition. There's more... the village of Fortingall is famed for it's ancient yew tree, thought to be the oldest living tree in Europe. For these two weeks every year, the rural village of Fortingall punches well above it's weight and is a fabulous day out.
Molteno Hall, Fortingall. Image credit: www.fortingallart.co.uk
We caught up with a few of the Perthshire Artisans taking part to hear their thoughts on what it means to be part of this much anticipated event.
2024 is mosaic artist Katy Galbraith's first time exhibiting at Fortingall who says:
"I am really excited to be a part of this group exhibition, which has such a good reputation. It has prompted me to make some new pieces, still bringing together my signature birds and flowers made from upcycled materials. It will also introduce me to some different artists in different mediums, which is always exciting."
Katy Galbraith Sabrin Miller
Wildlife artists, oil painter Sabrin Miller and pastel artist Lynsey Isles, both joined Fortingall last year and both really enjoyed the experience. Lynsey says she was:
"Absolutely blown away with how well the event is supported and loved by both the community and tourists. The Molteno Hall looks fabulous with the diverse array of creatives work under the beautiful scissor oak beams. I have been made to feel so welcome. I have loved it so much that I am now involved in the committee which I have very much enjoyed being a part of."
For Sabrin, it was a very proud moment being accepted as an exhibitor, which also came with a real sense of achievement, knowing that her work would be showcased as never before. She says:
"I knew it was going to be something special, knowing I'd be there among a diverse range of artists and our work would draw in visitors from far and wide in this highly respected event. I enjoyed the great buzz of enthusiasm in the lead up to the exhibition and the feeling of pride in everyone involved. It was lovely to chat with other artists and feel at home with our work all under one roof. My first year's experience as an exhibitor went well with a lot of positive feedback so I'm now very much looking forward to my second year of exhibiting and to being part of the 20th Anniversary celebrations."
Lynsey Isles Dave Hunt
Painter and photographer Dave Hunt has been exhibiting at Fortingall for 15 years and has enjoyed getting to know regular fellow exhibitors and seeing the event develop from being a 1 week exhibition into the 2 week event we enjoy today. Fortingall Art has always been an extremely popular event returning strong income for both the event and its artists, in part due to the diversity and high level of creative work, a testimony to the process of selection of new member artists. Dave says:
"The community around the artists and organisers has always been incredibly strong and has lead to many new relationships over the years, not just as fellow artists but as local friends. The popularity and success of the event is something that always amazes me for a small village hall event tucked away in a quiet and remote corner of Highland Perthshire.
For me personally it’s been a great event to show new often experimental work. In more recent years I moved from showing digitally produced fine art photographic artwork to vintage analogue artwork, something that sat comfortably alongside the many another mediums being exhibited.
Last year I ‘came out’ as a painter with what for me has been a significant shift in creative style. As a long term member of Fortingall Art, several other artists that knew my photographic work commented that they could see my artistic voice in my new work, something that helps validate me as an artist."
Have a read of the profile pages of the 8 Artisans exhibiting at Fortingall ahead of a visit, to find out a bit more about how they create and their inspirations.
Cathy Wagstaff - painting
Dave Hunt – paintings and photography
Jenny Charles – ceramics
Katy Galbraith – mosaics
Lynn Shilp – glass
Lynsey Isles – painting
Sabrin Miller – painting
Sheila Roberts – engraving
Fortingall Village. Image credit: www.fortingallart.co.uk
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