tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37513555141560537932024-03-13T14:51:41.517+00:00Applied Arts Scotland'by makers for makers'
Applied Arts Scotland’s primary objective is to enable free communication amongst those involved in the applied arts. AAS is a registered charity (SC022604) run by crafts people for both crafts people and those interested in craft.applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-33751646292790201412014-06-18T00:41:00.001+01:002014-06-18T00:46:07.701+01:00We need your views - complete our survey<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;">Applied Arts Scotland (AAS) was set up to give a voice to the professional needs of the crafts sector. AAS has a voluntary Board made up of professional makers living and working in Scotland. We are considering a variety of opportunities to develop and support the sector, including discussion forums, events, encouraging collaboration, and professional development activities such as intern and apprenticeships and the development of accredited standards.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: normal;">To represent, develop and deliver on behalf of the professional makers in Scotland we need your views and invite you to take part in this short survey </span><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AppliedArtsScotland" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">www.surveymonkey.com/s/AppliedArtsScotland</a>. <span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: normal;">The survey closes on 23 June. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you</span><span style="line-height: normal;"> for your input.</span></span></div>
applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-10322928733213003062014-05-14T10:55:00.000+01:002014-06-18T00:43:36.081+01:00Applied Arts Scotland & Fife Cultural Trust training event<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Convince Me. The Art of Making Compelling Applications</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Kinghorn Station Studio & Gallery, <span class="adr"><span class="street-address">Station Rd, </span><span class="locality">KY3 9RA</span></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">5-8pm, 23rd June 2014</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What does it take to make a great application? Come along and hear from makers who have done it themselves and can offer valuable insights and helpful tips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a professional development event brought to you by <a href="http://appliedartsscotland.blogspot.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Applied Arts Scotland</a> in partnership with <a href="http://www.fifedirect.org.uk/minisites/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&siteID=0212E896-A666-9FF5-1C0ACA561C9699DE&pageid=0228E3FC-DFBD-059E-C46C2CA88C157685" target="_blank">Fife Cultural Trust.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This free event is aimed at professional makers living or working in Fife who want to make successful applications for funding, exhibitions, residencies or other projects. We will hear from experienced artists working in ceramics, painting, printmaking and textiles- details below of the speakers. There will also be time for networking, and a chance to ask the speakers questions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Fiona Thompson</span> is a ceramic artist based in Edinburgh, where she combines her practice with running Cyan Clayworks- a social enterprise and teaching facility. She is also Treasurer for Applied Arts Scotland. She will first talk briefly about AAS, and will then talk about her own experiences of making applications within the context of some of the projects she has been involved in. <a href="http://www.fionathompsonceramics.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;">www.fionathompsonceramics.co.uk</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Lynette Gray</span> is an established artist and tutor, and runs the studio and gallery at Kinghorn Station. She specialises in painting and offers a variety of regular courses from the studio. During her presentation she will talk about how she combines her creative practice with running a successful gallery and teaching space. <a href="http://www.kinghorngallery.co.uk/" style="text-decoration: none;">www.kinghorngallery.co.uk/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Claire Heminsley</span> has been a practicing artist since the mid-1980s. Her work is diverse and crosses disciplines- with its basis in drawing, it includes textiles and printmaking. She will talk about a variety of her projects, and her experience of both making and receiving applications.<a href="http://www.incahoots.org.uk/index.html" style="text-decoration: none;">www.incahoots.org.uk/index.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to book:</span> please visit <a href="http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/convince-me-the-art-of-making-compelling-applications-tickets-10243680123?aff=es2&rank=1">http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/convince-me-the-art-of-making-compelling-applications-tickets-10243680123?aff=es2&rank=1</a></span></div>
<span style="color: navy; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-39202076264105171822014-01-31T13:32:00.003+00:002014-03-06T14:12:07.391+00:00Applied Arts Scotland and Craft Scotland training events<h2>
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<b><sup><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Your Brand And Online Selling</span></span></sup></b></h3>
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<b>What does your work
mean to you and how do you present this to other people?- February 27<sup>th</sup></b></div>
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In telling your story a customer can form an important
emotional connection with your work that transforms them from being a viewer
into an engager and buyer. How can branding and social media help tell your
story to an online audience? Isn’t part of the bond formed between the handmade
product and the customer partly to do with the tangible connection formed by being
able to fully experience the product and get to know the maker? <b><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></b></div>
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The first of our training events will aim to uncover how
branding, social media and selling online can all work together in making your
work more accessible and easier to experience online. Our team of industry professionals
and makers will go through each of these topics in detail and hope to inform
and educate makers on how best to sell online. What works and what doesn’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So come along to our event in Edinburgh on Thursday 27<sup>th
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how to tell and sell your story.<b> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Our Edinburgh event will be hosted by <a href="http://www.holmstudio.com/" target="_blank">Will Levi Marshall</a>, Artist, Designer, Collaborator and AAS Board Member.<o:p></o:p></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/gilesetherington" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">Giles Etherington</span></a> </span>- </b>Owner
and Creative Director of Brand Satellite<b>, </b><o:p></o:p><br />
<b><br /></b><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.texthouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Jules Horne</a></b></span> - copywriter at Texthouse, arts advocate at Creative Arts Business Network (CABN),</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.pooka.pro/service/website-design-branding/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;">Marcus Wilson</span></a> -</b>Web
guru extraordinaire for the creative and cultural sector, </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.alisonmacleod.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">Alison Macleod</span></a> </span>- </b>Glasgow based Jeweller,<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://yoke-shop.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Mark <u>McConnel</u></a></b></span><b><a href="http://yoke-shop.myshopify.com/" target="_blank"> </a>- </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">C<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">reative director and owner of home and gift label YOKE.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.tartanweek.com/shop/" target="_blank"><b>Magnus Orr</b></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"> - Co- founder of NY Tartan Week.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/your-brand-and-online-selling-tickets-10144062163?ref=ebtnebtckt" target="_blank"><img alt=" Book tickets here for the Edinburgh event" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvWhP19_Gj83A0jkinxoLWhR2U-Q1LCp-bh4senDc9kpoc1mv1Hp9i9jLgbzvkpMNWOXqmd6QfWGOoXln3fvHmaWFExopA1RZrEdQck-UBfk1nIAt92rSnXOMSVRYe9aZiH4rrbi0ieEw/s1600/GAYFIELD+LOGO+300+dpi.jpg" height="138" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Click on the logos above and below to go to straight to Eventbrite and book tickets</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/your-brand-and-social-media-tickets-10163424075?ref=ebtnebtckt" target="_blank"><img alt="Book tickets here for the Inverness event" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuyHTOkpGS4XtwuI0agKFZ5bWF3irQfsKL-YGGrW7oAL1-nckMGKgdfm8nXPlzdxrxueV8aYRi9HsBKdU8b7tmeGkHJpaNsZ1xzXSxv317DF2OVJdwxcFvfoRGUmaMSaBkGk42t4fWnhc/s1600/Emergents_logo-resized.jpg" height="83" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>Your Brand and Social
Media</b></span></h3>
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<b>Are you tweeting
tastic or just a little chicken? – Inverness 13<sup>th</sup> March<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You’ve been in your studio all day. You send the occasional
tweet out in to the ether and at most hope that some kind soul will get back to
you to tell you your work is amazing. Is this social media? Is it really doing
anything to enhance business or is it just an ego boost? It can feel indulgent
to spend time tweeting, Facebooking and instagramming your work but what
valuable input does it have to your business, if any? <o:p></o:p></div>
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This event will focus on the importance of social media in
telling your story and selling your brand. Together with Craft Scotland and
Emergents we have put together a fabulous line up of industry professionals and
makers to come and talk to you about their experiences and share what social
media has done for them and the growth of their business.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This half day training event will take place in Inverness on
13<sup>th</sup> March and for just £15 you could be there. So don’t delay book
it and tweet about it today!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Our Inverness event will be hosted by<a href="http://www.patbat.com/" target="_blank"> Patricia Niemann</a>, Jeweller, Goldsmith, Designer and AAS Board Member.</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://www.melaniemuir.com/Asset.asp?AssetID=11992&AKey=2B7TAE5R" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;"><b><u>Melanie Muir - </u></b></span> </a>Jeweller and PR and Marketing expert<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.craftscotland.org/about-us/our-team/juliaossenbruegge.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;"><b>Julia Ossenbruegge</b></span></a> - Online Marketing Manager, Craft Scotland,</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://hilarygrant.co.uk/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;">Hilary Grant</span></a><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>–</b> Orkney based Knitwear
designer</div>
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For more information and booking forms for each of these
events please visit the Craft Scotland website - . <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are limited numbers for each of these events so book
now to avoid disappointment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.craftscotland.org/craft-news/news-article.html?applied-arts-scotland-craft-scotland-training-for-makers---tickets-available-now&document_id=1681" target="_blank"><img alt=" AAS and Craft Scotland Training events" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSW0lFkPRM6erljq9v_2FI86XGU9ynHK1DDFGHxq65GPtNhjUWeZXtYDUZAClaXywGSREmRHMnG4HAfZj90-PVFU82n-9QxRiW5j9QH3jYvgpkCqPMX-TS4gb-FXDiis_jPI1XTy1gc8u_/s1600/craft+scotland.jpg" /></a></div>
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applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-14948495206555836862013-12-21T17:52:00.000+00:002013-12-21T18:55:39.206+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy4_LvmLdS7fvji5HSVByiiGNsYe2ifAEAllucXyt0BuoW_sL8X9_fGXnJmKRQ7QG1o1Ufe4z372vzfn4uHlTWrsKliXPBpCWGDMJivIW9Rl3gKSekIp93Ejpq3Ygrq8cvXj2RIdjDmGk/s1600/AAS+CS+logo+strip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy4_LvmLdS7fvji5HSVByiiGNsYe2ifAEAllucXyt0BuoW_sL8X9_fGXnJmKRQ7QG1o1Ufe4z372vzfn4uHlTWrsKliXPBpCWGDMJivIW9Rl3gKSekIp93Ejpq3Ygrq8cvXj2RIdjDmGk/s400/AAS+CS+logo+strip.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Hold the Date: Improve your branding, online sales and social media skills</b></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Applied Arts Scotland and <a href="http://www.craftscotland.org/" target="_blank">Craft Scotland</a> are working in partnership to deliver training sessions on branding, online selling and social media to inspire makers to make the most of their brand and online presence. Two training events are currently being planned for February/March 2014. Both events will feature a selection of talks from enthusiastic makers and sessions with industry professionals working to support the sector.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The first of these events will be held in Edinburgh at <a href="http://www.whitespace11.com/" target="_blank">Whitespace</a> in association with Gayfield Creative Spaces on Thursday 27th February, our second event will take place in Inverness in association with <a href="http://emergents.co.uk/" target="_blank">Emergents</a> on Thursday 13th March. We want to embrace digital technology in both of these events to provide online resources that can be accessed by makers across Scotland. Keep an eye out on our website for further announcements.</span></span><br />
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applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-59879373384089182732013-12-16T12:38:00.000+00:002013-12-21T17:50:59.877+00:00AAS anno 2013; a review and looking forward!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last time this year, a call out was made for the new AAS Board members and some weeks later Bryony, Tom and myself sat down and selected the new Board, which was appointed in January 2013. A lot has happened in what now seems like both a short time ago and a long year...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During the Spring and Summer, the AAS put on a <b>Roadshow</b>, in partnership with the Scottish Artists Union (SAU) and others in venues across Scotland. We were in Glasgow at the Lighthouse, the Big Cat Textile Centre in Newburgh, at the GoNorth event in Inverness, at Heart of Hawick with CABN, at Glenrothes with FCAC, at the SAU AGM in Edinburgh and coming up for our last event - delayed from October for various practical reasons - at the Stove in Dumfries on 21st January 2014. We had the chance to meet lots of makers and talk to you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AAS has also been busy behind the scenes making connections and doing lots of talking. The results of these have been some exciting projects coming up;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AAS was
successful in securing £5,000 <b>AmbITion</b>
funding. The AmbITion fund was very
much put together to invest and train the AAS Board in new digital technology and thus reduce need
for face-to-face meetings as well as put an infrastructure in place to enable
AAS to have a stronger and sustainable online presence and reach out to more
people, in remote places. This will be happening in early 2014 and we will keep you posted on its development and what this might mean for you as a maker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AAS has also been working on delivering some training events for makers on marketing/digital skills in partnership with <b>Craft Scotland</b> as we very much believe, whislt some excellent training is being delivered across Scotland, that this ought to be accessible for all so we are striving to making this <u>accessible to all, at any time</u>. The AmbITion funding will help us to work towards that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The above partnership with Craft Scotland is the result of our ongoing dialogue with key partners in the craft sector. Craft Scotland have also formally offered AAS a place on the <b>Craft Bench</b>, which we are delighted about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AAS has also been invited by Duncan of Jordanstone to be involved with
the organisation of the <b>Craft Festival
Scotland 2014</b>. This will be a nationwide week of events and exhibitions across Scotland. We are awaiting the outcome of the funding application. Fingers crossed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AAS is still looking into the possibility of <b>apprenticeships</b> and attended the recent Building a Creative summit organised by CCSkills. We would like to develop this further but need have been busy with other projects so we hope we can develop, going into 2014 and beyond. AAS has already been talking to potential partners of how to develop this....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not a
mean achievement for a year's work of this Board! But, a few Board members are stepping down and we are looking for some <b>new people to join the Board.</b> So if you are keen to learn some new skills, make new connections, expand your network... get involved!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The current political climate in Scotland, with the funding directives from Creative Scotland, very much favour grass roots lead initiatives, in collaboration with key partners. The AAS charitable structure offers lots of advantages. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So,
if there any projects you are keen to <b>get involved</b> in, or would like to <b>join the Board</b>, please let us know at info@appliedartsscotland.org.uk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking
forward to hearing from you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Meanwhile, on behalf of the Board, may I wish you all a delightful festive season and a creative splendid 2014!</span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chair</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">16/12/13</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-83805702404058405792013-05-30T20:11:00.000+01:002013-12-21T17:51:14.882+00:00Roadshow: Inverness and Hawick coming up! <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next week our Board member jeweller and goldsmith Patty Niemann will speak at the third Roadshow venue at the <a href="http://gonorthfestival.co.uk/festival-programme" target="_blank">GoNorth</a> event, for which you can book <a href="http://beingvisiblefashionandcraftsgonorth2013.eventbrite.co.uk/#" target="_blank">here</a>; only a few spaces left! It looks like an incredible line up of speakers and events, organised by Hi-Arts, as one of their last events.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
On Tuesday we had our second Roadshow event. This time we received a very warm welcome at the delightful <a href="http://textilecentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Big Cat Textile Centre</a>. The centre is lead by the artist Jeanette Sendler who gave an inspiring talk about her work and how to lose your 'soul' when running a creative business. Kirsty Thomas from <a href="http://www.lovelypigeon.com/" target="_blank">Lovely Pigeon </a> also spoke how she kept her focus on her design lead business and how she is managing her brand followed by a talk by Chair Inge Panneels and her diverse glass practice at i<a href="http://www.idagos.co.uk/" target="_blank">dagos</a>. This event was supported by the Fife Cultural Trust</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
The fourth event in the Roadshow will be held on Tuesday 18th June at Heart of Hawick. This networking event will follow an afternoon workshop on 'Approaching Galleries and How to Cost Work' by <a href="http://www.culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk/website/" target="_blank">Cultural Enterprise Office</a> organised by <a href="http://www.cabn.info/" target="_blank">CABN</a>, for which you can book here: <a href="http://cabn.info/training-business-advice/approaching-galleries-and-pricing-work.html" target="_blank">http://cabn.info/training-business-advice/approaching-galleries-and-pricing-work.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
AAS will host the networking event in the evening; another collaboration with the <a href="http://www.sau.org.uk/" target="_blank">Scottish Artist Union</a> with speaker artist Andrew Mackenzie, for which you can book here: <a href="http://networkingeventformakersandartists.eventbrite.co.uk/">http://networkingeventformakersandartists.eventbrite.co.uk</a>. </span><br />
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We hope to see you at one of these events. More dates to follow!</span>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-78876667498682917032013-05-24T00:00:00.000+01:002013-12-21T18:01:21.042+00:00AAS Roadshow: The Craft of Making event at the Lighthouse with SAU<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">On Wednesday this week this week, we had our first Roadshow event; 'The Craft of Making' event which was held at the Lighthouse, with a talk packed with information by the <a href="http://www.sau.org.uk/document/document.php" target="_blank">SAU</a> and a delightful talk by Fi Scott from <a href="http://makeworks.co.uk/" style="color: #666666;">MakeWorks</a>.<br /><br />Following on the topics of the AAS talk; here are some links as promised;<br /><br />1. Applied Arts Scotland is conducting a survey to gauge the need/demand for the development of a Craft apprenticeship; this is in dialogue with CCSkills and other partners. If you are interested in either taking on an apprenctice and want to know more, or be involved in a pilot scheme, or know of someone who is, it would be really useful to complete the survey and do get in touch;<br /><span style="color: #0f90ba; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5L3LRWT" target="_blank">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5L3LRWT</a></span></span><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5L3LRWT" style="background-color: white; color: #0f90ba; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">2. Applied Arts Scotland has set up a Scottish petition to show support for the sector in light of the recent DCMS changes; <a href="https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/department-of-culture-media-and-sport-dcms-stop-the-removal-of-craft-as-a-category" style="color: #666666;">https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/department-of-culture-media-and-sport-dcms-stop-the-removal-of-craft-as-a-category</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, if you would like to know more about our upcoming plans and membership scheme, please send us an email with 'I'm Interested" in the subject line to info@appliedartsscotland.org.uk (for spamming reasons there is no direct link to this email so please copy and paste; thanks).<br /><br />We are of course also on the blogspot Applied Arts Scotland<br />on Twitter @AppliedArtsScot<br />and the non-profit organisation Facebook page AppliedArtsScotland<br /><br />Thanks and keep in touch.<br /><br />from the team of the day: Inge, Bryony and Emma<br /><br />and the rest of the AAS team</span></span>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-13369213259822363072013-05-13T23:15:00.001+01:002013-05-14T20:37:10.630+01:00<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Applied Arts Scotland has been busy planning a series of events to come and talk to you about we think we should be doing and what we are working on just now, but also to come and hear what you would like see happen... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The bookings for the first two Roadshow events are coming in thick and fast (Glasgow 22nd May - Newburgh 28th May) and we are pleased to announce the details for a third Roadshow event on 5th June in Inverness; for bookings details see here (<a href="http://beingvisiblefashionandcraftsgonorth2013-estw.eventbrite.co.uk/">http://beingvisiblefashionandcraftsgonorth2013-estw.eventbrite.co.uk</a>)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We hope to see you!</span></div>
applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-76157717445645354732013-05-08T23:11:00.002+01:002013-05-14T20:49:59.912+01:00<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Update Applied Arts Scotland spring 2013</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Board has met twice now and has been busy putting a structure in place that will allow us to develop long term projects and establish a network across Scotland and the UK to represent makers and develop opportunities.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So what does that mean?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have renewed, built on and expanded on a network of Ambassadors and key partner organisations in Scotland and the UK. We are already using this network to be able to deliver a Roadshow of events; some coming up near you!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first event is in partnership with <a href="http://www.thelighthouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Lighthouse</a> in Glasgow on Wednesday 22 May and the <a href="http://www.sau.org.uk/" target="_blank">Scottish Artists Union (SAU)</a>, with whom we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding; <b>you can book a FREE place for the “The Craft of Making” event</b> <a href="http://thecraftofmaking-eac2.eventbrite.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>: Fi Scott will be talking about <a href="http://makeworks.co.uk/" target="_blank">her upcoming Tour of Scotland</a> visiting 180 artisans and small manufacturers followed by a (paying) <a href="http://www.thelighthouse.co.uk/create/event/pecha-kucha-17-maklab" target="_blank">Pecha Kucha</a> event with <a href="http://maklab.co.uk/" target="_blank">MAKlab</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second event will be held in collaboration with the <a href="http://www.fifedirect.org.uk/minisites/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&siteID=0212E896-A666-9FF5-1C0ACA561C9699DE&pageid=0228E3FC-DFBD-059E-C46C2CA88C157685" target="_blank">Fife Cultural Trust</a> Newburgh on Tuesday 28th May at the <a href="http://textilecentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Big Cat Textile Centre</a> with talks by textile artistJeannette Sendler, Kirsty Thomas form <a href="http://www.lovelypigeon.com/" target="_blank">LovelyPigeon</a> and glass maker and AAS Chair <a href="http://www.idagos.co.uk/" target="_blank">Inge Panneels</a>. <b>You can book tickets for this FREE “Selling your work, not you soul”</b> <a href="http://sellingyourworknotyoursoul.eventbrite.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are more events planned in Hawick (June), Inverness (June), Dumfries (August), Edinburgh (September) with more details to follow. We will be using the Roadshow not only to entertain you and provide excellent networking opportunities but also to gather feedback from you about issues you care about and stuff you may like to see happen? We will talk about our future plans, the membership model we are developing and what that means for you, and some info on the preliminary research into apprenticeships…</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As some of you may be aware, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has proposed to remove the category craft from its accounting methods. The Crafts Council’s research <a href="http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/files/professional-development/Craft_in_an_Age_of_Change.pdf" target="_blank">'Craft in an Age of Change'</a> estimates that the majority of the 23,000 craft businesses, of which 88% are sole-traders, will be under the VAT threshold and thus invisible in the methodology the DCMS propose to use to count the creative industries. AAS fears ‘that what does not get counted does not count’. Whilst the proposed changes are a devolved issue, we feel strongly that the removal of the term Crafts will have a detrimental effect on the sector as a whole as individual businesses will be put in categories outside of government data on creative industries and therefore the voice of 23,000 craft businesses will no longer be heard.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After consultation with makers and the maker organisations, AAS has organised a <a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/department-of-culture-media-and-sport-dcms-stop-the-removal-of-craft-as-a-category" target="_blank">petition</a>, which we hope you will all sign in support of grassroots support by the sector. AAS will feedback the results and comments back to the Crafts Council and partner organisations, who are negotiating on on behalf of the Craft sector with the DCMS.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For more information please see: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/about-us/press-room/view/2013/dcms-classification-review?from=%2Fabout-us%2Fpress-room%2F" target="_blank"> www.craftscouncil.org.uk/about-us/press-room/view/2013/dcms-classification-review?from=%2Fabout-us%2Fpress-room%2F</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2013/may/07/crafts-creative-industries-dcms">www.guardian.co.uk/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2013/may/07/crafts-creative-industries-dcms</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/department-of-media-culture-and-sport-dcms-stop-the-removal-of-craft-as-a-category?">www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/department-of-media-culture-and-sport-dcms-stop-the-removal-of-craft-as-a-category?</a></span></div>
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applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-29885434505422235152013-02-21T17:54:00.001+00:002013-05-14T20:29:59.768+01:00Blog posts and news<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apologies if you have been checking out our blog lately and have found some unsavoury content. One of our guest bloggers' account has been hacked and spam content, some of which was offensive had been posted. All content has now been deleted and I hope we have resolved the issue of the hacking!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
On a positive note, we have just received news that AAS has been awarded £1,500 from a Trust Fund which will go towards developing the new AAS plans for 2013/14.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
As you know all our Board are giving their time for free, but it helps to have a fighting fund to pay for expenses.</span><br />
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We are currently working on a Roadshow plan with a partner organisation, more of which more very soon.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Meanwhile research continues in the development of an apprenticeship scheme, also in partnership. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, or ideas you think are useful in this scoping research around apprenticeships we would love to hear from you,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
The AAS Board will meet again on 19th March to flesh out these plans.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We hope to be able to give you more concrete details later in the month.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Inge</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">on behalf of the Board</span>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-2164935889321476882013-01-21T11:36:00.001+00:002013-05-14T22:13:08.738+01:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yesterday we met to select six makers from a strong list of thirteen submissions, each with impeccable credentials but could only opt in six so we spent a good few hours discussing the merits of each candidate and ensuring that the nine people selected not only represented a good calibre of maker, each excellent in their field but also represented <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">all geographical areas of Scotland, covered all the demographics and a variety of experience as well as gender.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So the Board now consists of nine people, covering the subjects of glass, furniture making, jewellery, textiles, ceramics, guilding;</span></div>
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<ol>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.aamosdesigns.com/" target="_blank">Emma Blair</a>, textiles, 7 years of trading, based in Shetland</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Joanne-Garner-Jewellery/125452437465960" target="_blank">Joanne Garner</a>, jewellery, 5 years of trading, based in Edinburgh</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.katywest.co.uk/" target="_blank">Katy West</a>, ceramics, 12 years of trading, based in Glasgow </span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.lynwood.org.uk/" target="_blank">Nancy Chinnery</a>, gilder, 30 years of trading, based in Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.holmstudio.com/" target="_blank">Will Levi Marshall</a>, ceramics, 20 years of trading, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.patbat.com/" target="_blank">Patty Niemann</a>, jewellery/glass, 12 years of trading, based in Lybster, Caithness</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.thomashawson.com/" target="_blank">Tom Hawson</a>, furniture maker, 15 years of trading, based in Jedburgh, Scottish Borders</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.bryonyknox.com/" target="_blank">Bryony Knox</a>, silversmith, 13 years of trading, based in Edinburgh</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.idagos.co.uk/" target="_blank">Inge Panneels,</a> glass maker, 14 years of trading, based in Lilliesleaf, Scottish Borders</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The nine makers gathered on the Board covers a great wealth of experience in terms of not just making, but marketing, networking, lecturing, publishing, curating, and Board experience and will be great platform from which to start the planning of the course of AAS and to develop the outline of events and activities with our key partners across Scotland. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have invited the other 7 makers who were not opted onto the Board, to join our network of Ambassadors, more of which later...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So thank you to all who took the time, and courage, to apply and we very much look forward to working with you all, in whatever capacity. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Inge</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tom</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bryony</span></div>
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applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-64372575330985976002013-01-18T08:57:00.000+00:002013-01-18T08:57:35.016+00:00May we wish you all and delightful, creative and prosperous 2013!<br />
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As you may know, Applied Arts Scotland is going through a new phase and in December 2012 we launched the call for new members to join the current Applied Arts Scotland Board, the deadline for which is today. A good selection of excellent makers has already applied and more are anticipated to send in their forms today. If you have applied and have NOT received a confirmation email, could you please email appliedartsscotland@gmail.com as soon as possible? Thanks.<br />
<br />
However, as it seems some of the call outs were lost in the Christmas pandemonium, we have had a few requests for applications in the last few days so have extended the deadline till Saturday night. The selection of the six new additional Board members will happen on Sunday so we should be able to announce the new full Board later in the week; watch this space.<br />
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We are looking forward to a new development of AAS and with the energy of the new Board, to propel us forward to develop a new programme of events for 2013/14 in collaboration with our key partners and with support of our Ambassadors. I don't know about you, but we are very excited and hopeful for 2013.<br />
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<br />
Inge<br />
Tom<br />
Bryonyapplied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-73911211871274285042012-12-18T09:57:00.002+00:002012-12-18T10:05:37.381+00:00<b>Applied Arts Scotland seeks new Board Members.</b><br />
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Applied Arts Board members and their Advisory Board have been planning the next phase of AAS for 2013/14.
Our first mission is to recruit a new Board as some Board members are standing down and we are seeking six more Board members to join us and are keen to see
representation in additional disciplines and other geographical areas to ensure a true sectoral representation and cross section of contemporary craft practice in Scotland.The Board will decide the course of Applied Arts Scotland, informed by wider sector opinion, and will work in tandem with the Advisory Board, representing partner organisations, ambassadors and advocates.
Below is an outline of our Mission Statement and of the expectations and role of a Board member. I hope the language does not put you off; we tried very heard to make it as accessible as possible whilst still maintaining the key points we want and need to put across as a charitable organisation, which is governed by <a href="http://www.oscr.org.uk/">OSCR</a><br />
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<b>Mission Statement</b><br />
Applied Arts Scotland was set up as a charity in 1994 to develop public appreciation of the applied arts in society for the benefit of the public in Scotland. The organisation seeks to meet this key objective by supporting the crafts people, designer makers and applied artists who work professionally in Scotland in the following keys ways<br />
• By having an organisation that is run by makers for makers in order to give an authentic, collective, professional voice to the needs, attitudes and aspirations of the sector in Scotland<br />
• By co-ordinating, co-operating and collaborating with a range of support organisations and statutory bodies who have an interest in and responsibility for the applied arts sector<br />
• By creating regular networking opportunities and conferences to allow makers to meet and exchange ideas<br />
• By supporting ongoing professional development in the sector by means of training and mentoring<br />
• By collecting and disseminating information on all matters in connection with applied arts in order to generate a bank of specific data for use in the support of the sector<br />
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<b>Criteria for Board Member Selection</b><br />
•In order to be eligible for Board appointment you must first have a standard membership agreed by the current Board. This is a separate application form, which must be completed at the time of application for Board appointment.<br />
• Selection of Board members will be made by the current Applied Arts Scotland membership – the 3 existing Board members, in consultation with the Advisory Board.<br />
• You must be a professional craft practitioner living or working in Scotland
• You do not need to have any previous experience in running an arts organisation, but must have enthusiasm and a determination to work for the benefit of the Scottish craft sector<br />
•As the current Board are planning to have representation from as many disciplines and geographical areas of Scotland as possible, the final selection will be based on achieving a representative mix rather than reaching a predetermined quota of disciplines.<br />
• On appointment all Board members will serve in their role until the next AGM when all Board Members shall retire from office - but shall then be eligible for re-election<br />
• The post is not remunerated other than reasonable out of pocket expenses when undertaking organisational business that has been approved by the Board.<br />
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<b>Role and Responsibilities</b><br />
• Board Members will be expected to attend up to 4 meetings per annum either in person or by internet/conference call. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.<br />
• Board members are expected to undertake to promote and encourage membership of the organisation from their local craft community<br />
• Board Members will be responsible for selecting members from applications received<br />
• Board Members will be responsible for keeping an up to date register of all members.<br />
• Board members are responsible for ensuring all organisational activity complies with its constitution and its charitable objects as approved by OSCR<br />
• Board members must retire if they cease to become members of the organisation or become employees of the organisation.<br />
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<b>Other Benefits</b><br />
• You will help inform opinion, form strategy and develop opportunities for the Scottish craft sector<br />
• You will make key contacts within Scotland and the broader UK and International craft community<br />
• You will gain valuable experience in managing an arts organisation with charitable status<br />
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If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.<br />
We look forward to meeting the new Board in 2013.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile rests me to wish you a delightful festive season and a great start to 2013.<br />
With warm wishes,<br />
<br />
Inge Panneels<br />
chairapplied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-3345123590340802742012-10-17T23:23:00.000+01:002012-10-17T23:23:20.116+01:00AAS will be working closely with the SAU to highlight and improve makers issues. There is currently an SAU putting forward a <a href="http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/creative-scotland-to-implement-policies-to-improve-conditions-of-artists-and-makers?utm_campaign=petition_creator_email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition">petition </a>for Creative Scotland;
If you feel like it, please add your name.
applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-53764493008093613212012-10-04T20:25:00.000+01:002012-10-04T20:25:16.238+01:00A new phase...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-sCkvYH9OM5NbRLkFEiW_3HS8f9ZJPPXQy1LfX9fbQqYou51DZWdovgOduiXe7sUfUb4zpHGiq8VEYT2rkApyhGEMjV_aTdsjaPupcvESTe6QbAdbg0Trwcnn8uOw87m8eXJp_fgXvCN/s1600/seedling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="241" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-sCkvYH9OM5NbRLkFEiW_3HS8f9ZJPPXQy1LfX9fbQqYou51DZWdovgOduiXe7sUfUb4zpHGiq8VEYT2rkApyhGEMjV_aTdsjaPupcvESTe6QbAdbg0Trwcnn8uOw87m8eXJp_fgXvCN/s320/seedling.jpg" /></a></div>
Applied Arts has been active online over the last few years through this blog mainly and through email campaigns.
AAS is now going through a new phase again. Alison Macleod, who has kept Applied Arts Scotland going over the last few years has taken on new roles in life so we thank her profoundly for all her hard work.
Firstly, I would like to introduce myself as the new Chair of Applied Arts Scotland. My name is Inge Panneels and I have been an active maker for over 15 years now, working with the medium of glass, working to commission and selling through galleries. I have also been active in several organisations over the years; was a founding member of the Design-Ed makers collective in Edinburgh which ran for 10 years, and involved with the Scottish Artist Union. I am more recently involved with CABN, the Creative Business Network in the Scottish Borders and have been teaching professional practice to undergraduate students at the University of Sunderland, National Glass Centre.
Upon taking over from Alison, I have started to pull together a network of people who can make the new phase of AAS happen. Our ambition is to create a conduit
The last entry on this blog asked for your help in establishing what the sector needs through short survey. Thank you to all of you took part. A staggering 83.7% of respondents indicated they would like to have face to face networking opportunities.
So, the new phase of AAS will try to deliver those in partnership with many of the key organisations in the sector, but more on that later!
We now also have a new email address on which you can contact us; appliedartsscotland@gmail.com
Meanwhile, please visit our newly established Facebook Page (applied arts scotland) and also find us on Twitter (appliedartsscotland), where we hope we can build on our community and expand on our collective connections to build a platform for makers, by makers!applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-24713594702564217982012-03-05T17:11:00.001+00:002013-05-14T21:39:05.293+01:00Applied Arts Scotland needs your HELP!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y_L9qaiz604xuGgpJgj0EN26f3TZkt21Dhgz7jVAmHtXicwF4iR54nHgbNJJx82_DJxbr5zww6jpRgNinaHUtR70I3d43kFaXMAeKTHFAoON0OA1IGqtP_nDegrYqzuGoDG-MXranlxy/s1600/logo-AAS+med.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y_L9qaiz604xuGgpJgj0EN26f3TZkt21Dhgz7jVAmHtXicwF4iR54nHgbNJJx82_DJxbr5zww6jpRgNinaHUtR70I3d43kFaXMAeKTHFAoON0OA1IGqtP_nDegrYqzuGoDG-MXranlxy/s320/logo-AAS+med.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716462254588151490" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 70px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Applied Arts Scotland’s primary objective has always been to enable free communication amongst those involved in craft. With the event of social networking is the necessity for face to face get togethers over? Help Applied Arts Scotland determine its future by answering these 5 simple questions... <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S98P5CS">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S98P5CS</a>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-12807709301428084442010-08-23T09:04:00.002+01:002010-08-23T09:08:17.833+01:00Guest Blogger Tina Rose of Rio Magazine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx1Gh_J3Bor9D83tYwDqn6u9IqqGFCuXjIH03f-oFkDhf1n5LbrzV_tEUoExZlOYklLGcENRbSjzJUZmDSUDgylFviDn_Y_HLwtYmDUKQMKSQ2UkUtZOC-_bYaiUF1LNZexv8rtrK_OkK/s1600/Small+cover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx1Gh_J3Bor9D83tYwDqn6u9IqqGFCuXjIH03f-oFkDhf1n5LbrzV_tEUoExZlOYklLGcENRbSjzJUZmDSUDgylFviDn_Y_HLwtYmDUKQMKSQ2UkUtZOC-_bYaiUF1LNZexv8rtrK_OkK/s320/Small+cover.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508514001537996866" /></a><br />Spreading the Word<br /><br />I was sitting on a train on a Saturday morning writing an article for Rio magazine and a woman sitting next to me suddenly said “I don’t want to appear rude, and I don’t usually do this, but I was reading over your shoulder, and that exhibition sounds really interesting, I wish I could go and see it.” And this shows exactly why I started Rio magazine.<br /><br />Craft is really hard to find, and misunderstood, and research by the Crafts Council has shown that the major barriers for buyers is that they don’t know where to find craft or know much about it. Rio spreads the word about where to find it, see it, buy it, and why you want to do so. It is the only free magazine about craft in the UK, possibly the world (I suspect this makes me either innovative or very mad!) and it covers craft in a lively interesting way. <br /><br />The leading magazine about craft in the UK is Crafts magazine, and 78% of readers are connected to the industry. If we want to build craft audiences then we need to start communicating with people outside of the sector, and talk about it in an attractive way so they can discover why craft is so exciting and fascinating.<br /><br />The recession is leading to more wholesale selling, and while open studios are unmissable events, there has to be a strong retail market and opportunities for exhibitions so people can see and buy craft. Makers want opportunities to exhibit, and need to sell work to survive financially, and the shops and galleries who have craft exhibitions and sell quality craft, need support so they can continue in business. Too often lovely shops selling craft go out of business simply because there weren’t enough people buying from them. If we don’t communicate and reach new people there will be even fewer exhibitions and shops so the sector will be even weaker.<br /><br />The response to Rio has been amazing; we have a growing reader club, RioPlus, and subscribers, and it has been welcomed by shops and galleries where copies are quickly picked up by visitors. It disappears just as quickly in all the coffee shops, hairdressers and other outlets where it can also be found. People love it and it is inspiring them to buy and visit exhibitions.<br /><br />Why print? Because we can reach people who never dreamt of searching on Google for ‘craft’. Why Rio? I wanted a name that didn’t act as a barrier to readers; there are lots of magazines with a name that doesn’t say what it’s about (however, Rio stands for Really Interesting Objects, so craft is still there!) Why do it? Because I love writing about craft and want to tell people about all the amazing things people are creating and where they can see and buy them.<br /><br />The August issue is digital (didn’t want to add to the paper mountain during the Edinburgh Festival!) so you can find it on our website – www.riomagazine.co.uk – it’s slightly smaller than usual, but still packed with information. Take a look – and let me know what you think! And if you know someone else who might like to read it, please tell them about it and spread the word.applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-27527306866719124722010-03-15T12:07:00.002+00:002010-03-15T12:11:55.307+00:00Sign up and Make Craft Count<a href="http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/craftmatters/"></a><br /><br />Go to http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/craftmatters/applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-19829588315310050932010-01-31T22:32:00.001+00:002010-01-31T22:38:30.759+00:00What is Craft to You? - Victoria and Albert MuseumAn interesting question, quite keen to see how people respond<br /><br /><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/contemporary/crafts/your_views/index.php?start=12&show=12&postSearch=&category=">What is Craft to You? - Victoria and Albert Museum</a>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-384430586492576302010-01-14T15:29:00.003+00:002010-01-14T15:56:44.659+00:00Future Goals<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoK-08syYTA_hpUFw1l7PrBc1LvYZrMq00QKBjVF28gfsln8N66ZZHnG71rJnmzOQz-q27ZHCJMFOZ7J1Gc3kE2fynvJN6eR4tvkI0RMW9H9vglqIPS8yi2xUrGt_uqlnYqXZ8mNeVGMs/s1600-h/Future+Goals.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoK-08syYTA_hpUFw1l7PrBc1LvYZrMq00QKBjVF28gfsln8N66ZZHnG71rJnmzOQz-q27ZHCJMFOZ7J1Gc3kE2fynvJN6eR4tvkI0RMW9H9vglqIPS8yi2xUrGt_uqlnYqXZ8mNeVGMs/s200/Future+Goals.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426624715073391650" /></a><br />This time of year, with its slight lull in between Christmas and Hogmanay, and the cold days of January, many of us designer makers are looking to the year ahead. Goal setting and deciding which shows to apply for. What galleries to aim to be in. What new ranges or techniques to explore etc.<br /> But do we ever make time to look back at the past year and congratulate ourselves on a wonderful piece of work, or dare to work out why a certain show was a flop?<br />Reviewing your year and a small smile at surviving it, is so important. Especially when so many small businesses have faltered after such a recession hit year as this.<br /><br />I am sure that most of us have moulded and twisted our idea of our own creative businesses in the last 18 months. Faced with a sudden drop in my usual market, I had to diversify, doing different ranges, corporate commissions and started teaching for the first time. Being a sole trader and totally in charge of our business is probably our greatest asset in financially hard times as we are so flexible!<br /><br />As designer makers who are usually sole traders, we are often working in a studio alone. So who do we get our feedback/ praise/ criticism from?<br />When I started up in business ten years ago, I had the free use of a business advisor for my first year. It was invaluable. I made the most of the action plans I set myself, and was always determined to show that I had achieved something concrete before my next meeting with the advisor. I even wrote press releases, followed them through and had images in the papers!<br /> Maybe it was partly due to being fresh and eager with my new business, but I am sure that a large part of this effort was because I had someone else to bounce ideas off and to show what I had achieved during the past month.<br /><br />When the use of this business advisor ran out I looked elsewhere. The Cultural Enterprise Office are a good resource. So was my friend and jeweller, whom I shared a studio with for my first few years. Also my husband, who seems little interested in the business side of my work but has a canny and critical eye when in comes to my designs or actual pieces. It is often hard to hear at first, but he is usually spot on. Annoyingly! But ten years on, I could not tell you the last time I even attempted to write a press release or sat down to make a realistic marketing plan. Who can I turn to for that extra boost and advice?<br /><br />Our best resource is each other. Who else knows the market/ shows/ design trends so well? Some of us share studios with other designer/ makers and some work on their own, but I think that all of us find it hard to take time out from the daily rush of running a business to take stock. Can we make time and space to ask each other for constructive criticism or to take a step back and look at another’s business, and give advice. Could we set up an informal swap shop of ideas and advice? Or a monthly get together to ask each others opinions? It could be invaluable.applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-77381135104590189762009-09-22T09:22:00.003+01:002009-09-22T09:46:04.469+01:00Business Blues<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3zXprlABZ7ny5YL7baaljgbuZ7AvZ1lAFtVwR7acAt9Z1s7LlElMTNs1ThXXCLtvtpIUbyxALICVvPi6-Zkw5Hx2Kl5pnmages9VFHTKeWV7W5ji7WC8WZkn1CjzYALOulHmFi2AoxS0/s1600-h/sketch+book+114.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3zXprlABZ7ny5YL7baaljgbuZ7AvZ1lAFtVwR7acAt9Z1s7LlElMTNs1ThXXCLtvtpIUbyxALICVvPi6-Zkw5Hx2Kl5pnmages9VFHTKeWV7W5ji7WC8WZkn1CjzYALOulHmFi2AoxS0/s200/sketch+book+114.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384210262105173122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiKWXP5FES-faoqbqhZuCVJJZczZpxFkq16OLP1xYlzZ-qkEbe7Op1Wf4zyrJACeFYq1-W_fRErWln0L_-pYne03TmHhLu-L2lGaLSijw3wKpety76Ofbuxrat3GQL7kLVIFOuoqkIAeO/s1600-h/pen+pot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiKWXP5FES-faoqbqhZuCVJJZczZpxFkq16OLP1xYlzZ-qkEbe7Op1Wf4zyrJACeFYq1-W_fRErWln0L_-pYne03TmHhLu-L2lGaLSijw3wKpety76Ofbuxrat3GQL7kLVIFOuoqkIAeO/s200/pen+pot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384210033589873378" /></a><br />Many people, outside the professional craft world, see what we do as a gentle, highly enjoyable and stress-free lifestyle choice. Occasionally this might be true but usually my reality is far from it. <br /><br />How I would love to spend my time sitting around dreaming up fabulous, fresh, new creations! However, for me designing new work is squeezed between doing my tax return and scrabbling around the dusty studio floor looking for the tiniest of things that I have lost (not very glamorous, I know). Most days I am in a constant whirl of balancing the different elements of running a business, because that is what has taken over in my case; the business. There was a stage when the business aspect played second fiddle to my needs as an artist, there are times (like now) when I become a little production line of smaller pieces for the impending Christmas rush. Eight years ago as an idealistic art student I don’t think I fully appreciated the balancing act that I now find myself embroiled in. <br /><br />Perhaps most other people are just better at dealing with lots of things at once? Or do they struggle with this balance too? I know that there are grants out there which help to sustain makers through larger projects and so take the strain away from the money making side of things. But I suppose that emails would still need to be replied, invoice’s made, payment’s chased, suppliers argued with etc etc…… <br /><br />Don’t get me wrong, I am at my happiest when I am in my studio creating an extravagant new piece. The problem is the constraints place on my time by the demands of keeping on top of the mundane and everyday tasks involved in the running of a business and, currently, I am not sure how to remedy that.applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-24884390965242950112009-08-11T20:36:00.021+01:002009-08-13T21:36:58.365+01:00Craft and the Internet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://talkcraftytome.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/handmade_nation.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 465px; height: 309px;" src="http://talkcraftytome.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/handmade_nation.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here you are, sitting at a computer, reading about craft on the internet. You can't feel it's texture or temperature, walk around it to look at the back or lift it up to feel it's weight. You cant even smell it. It's all on a screen. So why are you here then? The internet has opened doors to all kinds of communities. We investigate it to find others we can relate to - those which inspire us – and it has grown to become all about sharing and contributing. But what does this mean for contemporary craft makers? <br /><br />The rise of personalised blogs and websites may be encouraging individuals to become more creative with the net and in turn inspiring people to turn to crafts and produce amateur, home and hand-made art and objects. Websites such as Etsy have really brought the growing DIY ethic to the forefront. <a href=" http://www.etsy.com"> http://www.etsy.com</a> Etsy was established in 2005 and it's mission is to ' enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.' The Etsy community spans the globe with buyers and sellers coming from more than 150 countries - Etsy sellers number in the hundreds of thousands <br /><br />For Matthew Stinchcomb, a spokesman for Etsy where many crafters show and sell their wares, this is one of the factors that has encouraged huge numbers of people to plunge in and have a go themselves. <br />"It's easier for people to be artists nowadays, you do not need to be able to draw. You can use Photoshop or software like that," he said. "You do not need to spend six years as an apprentice." <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kdLZ29Mk35dIVAMrJizsh4wmh3VTgw9d_vGSHTNxlIu4g_ePacurCkmJFvraiE_M2mP70vHX11myUtxmg9BwhAV34dIlXziYBXOy7emqtn0ww4rSEmH7VGOz1TMxH6PRu5dKL6rl56w4/s400/gone_crafting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kdLZ29Mk35dIVAMrJizsh4wmh3VTgw9d_vGSHTNxlIu4g_ePacurCkmJFvraiE_M2mP70vHX11myUtxmg9BwhAV34dIlXziYBXOy7emqtn0ww4rSEmH7VGOz1TMxH6PRu5dKL6rl56w4/s400/gone_crafting.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Craft really is the new cool on the net. Just look at growing groups such as the Craft Mafia where they proclaim themselves as the 'newest addition to the craft family' and are 'crafters on a mission to promote craft and creativity'. <a href="http://www.glasgowcraftmafia.com/"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.glasgowcraftmafia.com/"></a><br /><br />The Craft Mafia members produce a range of handmade products such as jewellery, homewares, art, stationery and fashion and interior accessories and sell them from their respective websites, Etsy shops and at Craft Mafia Markets. 'We want to show you an alternative to the high street, which often fails to deliver the quality, unique handmade products that shoppers long for.'<br /><br />Times are tough for everyone and the growth in the number of customers contacting artists directly once they have seen their work in exhibitions might understandably make galleries a little twitchy. Direct client contact can have both positive and negative aspects for the maker. Dealing with lengthy enquiries over e-mail can be frustrating when they come to nothing and difficult customers can really sap your time. This is when we realise what galleries are for. Conversely, meeting with your customers can have various benefits – no commission is taken, you can gain valuable feedback and the customer also feels they have a more interesting buying experience when they commission a piece directly from the artist.<br /><br />I personally have a website but I do not have an e-commerce section on it. My work is not batch produced and I feel that people really need to hold it and in the case of jewellery, try it on. I have heard conflicting opinions about selling websites - Are these sites viable and successful or are they just too complicated and mean more time away from the studio for the maker?<br /><br />Looking at the growth of 'crafting' on the net makes me pose some questions:<br /><br />Is e-commerce really applicable to the specific needs of selling and purchasing craft?<br /><br />How should we curate and critically comment on the digitally connected crafts?<br /><br />What implications does all this have for "fine craft", and how does it change the culture of consuming such craft?<br /><br />How should we as professional makers regard the democratic rise of DIY creativity?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://jewelrymaking.craftgossip.com/files/2009/02/glasgowcm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 724px; height: 1024px;" src="http://jewelrymaking.craftgossip.com/files/2009/02/glasgowcm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-51303696647812712772009-06-21T12:29:00.002+01:002009-06-21T12:33:53.359+01:00Collect at the Saatchi Gallery<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr_z-pkVz9McZkJ-fkFiNpHevBgbkXwRFLViTQPbSwHwe-0bVHdwr5LEnFS_97vfZFiaMa25KBBTFQjQknWJncL5-X8iMUKU7LEMX9Crw2NVB76tDcggzonGXqOe629kZAZkOPLydlklX/s1600-h/Eat+Me+Keep+Me+Rebecca+Wilson_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr_z-pkVz9McZkJ-fkFiNpHevBgbkXwRFLViTQPbSwHwe-0bVHdwr5LEnFS_97vfZFiaMa25KBBTFQjQknWJncL5-X8iMUKU7LEMX9Crw2NVB76tDcggzonGXqOe629kZAZkOPLydlklX/s320/Eat+Me+Keep+Me+Rebecca+Wilson_500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349742557379428498" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZS9wtoKFvnjhCR7IV9PjNeFxqdhC07gVBJy-cWpZOCEmqUZZva2vmE3tIqBdtdEQZA9XF70zxgLB8QB76X2o-WOCT0-duVokzxsNj63RmY9HIhcvi6qOD0XBvII4KZRnCP5GyKblSNS4y/s1600-h/IMG_0137_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZS9wtoKFvnjhCR7IV9PjNeFxqdhC07gVBJy-cWpZOCEmqUZZva2vmE3tIqBdtdEQZA9XF70zxgLB8QB76X2o-WOCT0-duVokzxsNj63RmY9HIhcvi6qOD0XBvII4KZRnCP5GyKblSNS4y/s320/IMG_0137_500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349742559582510882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv7bEoQWcVpU7luw2PPaK5GeJ95BA4IqAmb400VuL8iGm613ozitlMiLkdaJs93uOYDHMa7bWzXBAxntA-6wa0iCR1viMePYBcZCqEKgdXhafDXkPzLO0vK4EpqH90_V2x1B-_Xh45gmv/s1600-h/Geoffrey+Mann_Flight+Take+Off_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv7bEoQWcVpU7luw2PPaK5GeJ95BA4IqAmb400VuL8iGm613ozitlMiLkdaJs93uOYDHMa7bWzXBAxntA-6wa0iCR1viMePYBcZCqEKgdXhafDXkPzLO0vK4EpqH90_V2x1B-_Xh45gmv/s320/Geoffrey+Mann_Flight+Take+Off_500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349742553626769970" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzlNBzXmD6ObTVGHpLMZEHyWyopy8dvs-NKCs7h_l0GvOuLraQvlyM25i4MPv5DmDz-UDZFxBSHz8KOw3g0G1Wk4lzky4ZMimKrzFoqsvc7hg5B7-94b1LxWgwXzNsVCzhwQpzvZEp1st/s1600-h/Argus+II+by+Anna+S+King+_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzlNBzXmD6ObTVGHpLMZEHyWyopy8dvs-NKCs7h_l0GvOuLraQvlyM25i4MPv5DmDz-UDZFxBSHz8KOw3g0G1Wk4lzky4ZMimKrzFoqsvc7hg5B7-94b1LxWgwXzNsVCzhwQpzvZEp1st/s320/Argus+II+by+Anna+S+King+_500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349742550123880050" /></a><br />Having been held in the V & A for it’s first 5 years Collect moved to the Saatchi Gallery in London this year and an exciting and interesting event it was. <br /><br />Collect was set up by the Crafts Council to promote and sell contemporary craftwork to private collectors and curators of public collections - it’s like the craft version of Frieze, the contemporary visual art fair. Galleries have to apply to have a stand there and the gallery /organisations, and also the work they intend to show, are all vetted by a selection panel. Work shown has a to have minimum price of £500 and prices went up to in excess of £35,000, so serious collectors only! craftscotland was successful in it’s application to be there for the second year running this year and I was working on the stand which was very interesting -I’ve previously been to Collect as a curator/collector so it was quite an insight to see it from the other side of the fence, so to speak! <br /><br />There was a big difference in atmosphere between the Saatchi and the V & A - the stands in the V & A were smaller (or seemed to be) and, as there were 3 rows of stands in each gallery, you could always see a number of stands from any point so it was easy to be distracted by something else catching your eye across the space. In the Saatchi Gallery there were 12 rooms across 3 floors and each stand had wide space in front of it which made it less crowded for the visitors and gave the work room to breath and be seen at it’s best. <br /><br />The craftscotland stand showed the work of 11 Scottish makers who had applied to take part and had been selected by a panel of experts (before having to get through the Crafts Council/ Saatchi selection panel as well). 12 other Scottish makers were also represented on other stands -The Scottish Gallery, Bishoplands Trust, Contemporary Applied Arts, Electrum and Lesley Craze Gallery - an impressive showing for a small country! We were thrilled when Geoffrey Mann’s Flight Take-off was nominated for an Art Fund award on the opening day -it didn’t win one but it was great to hear that a Jacqueline Ryan necklace on the Scottish Gallery stand had won one and was going to Aberdeen Art Gallery.<br /><br />Over 10,000 people attended Collect over the 3 days and it was fascinating to talk to the private collectors about who they had in their collections. Although there is obviously a recession on, there is definitely still money around though I do think people are playing safer in how and where they spend it - it seemed to me that the more established galleries still did well as their track record adds to the value of the piece to the collector - provenance is important. All the makers we showed on the stand had their admirers and we had many compliments on how the stand looked this year - well done, Tina Rose! <br /><br />An extraordinary amount of work and preparation goes into an event like Collect -you watch crates of work being heaved around the galleries then being opened and work from all over the world being unpacked, positioned, dusted and labelled then everyone disappears returning calmly in their finery to promote and sell the work giving no sign that they have just spent 2 days doing hard physical labour in a constant state of panic in case you‘re not ready in time - impressive!<br /><br />It remains to be seen whether Collect will be in the Saatchi Gallery again next year - I do think it attracted a slightly different audience this year with more of the type of people who attend contemporary fine art events rather than craft -interesting to know how many converts were made.applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-54900314515496109272009-05-28T22:45:00.004+01:002009-05-28T23:07:50.493+01:00Hard times are times to get creative<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqfzqn8zFeff-K63pWQR51-iFHOWKv2ODz2C48X_-WaU7Y-IvH_NwbwP-Dd5Cy9PaVoObiRVw4MCQq0jo2nJSM5TlAOy8yehcNPDZcKzdoXVLZ64d3yALx96NEcLgNUNqBrGrqtg1QhLe/s1600-h/blog+5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: undefinedpx; height: undefinedpx;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqfzqn8zFeff-K63pWQR51-iFHOWKv2ODz2C48X_-WaU7Y-IvH_NwbwP-Dd5Cy9PaVoObiRVw4MCQq0jo2nJSM5TlAOy8yehcNPDZcKzdoXVLZ64d3yALx96NEcLgNUNqBrGrqtg1QhLe/s320/blog+5.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996993544605522" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Y-vKP-PyI9OiAkQ2j7X1cO8FxgF51SKXlUultZY5BCff_N2htV2ibaw0WbWCNWjJR99K28Anu-hNLruZmaDRLCijPgN9vHujyfqS-mtZdJTlE2e8oS2_l7JNMRNC041sROjgU3KcU5BE/s1600-h/blog+4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: undefinedpx; height: undefinedpx;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Y-vKP-PyI9OiAkQ2j7X1cO8FxgF51SKXlUultZY5BCff_N2htV2ibaw0WbWCNWjJR99K28Anu-hNLruZmaDRLCijPgN9vHujyfqS-mtZdJTlE2e8oS2_l7JNMRNC041sROjgU3KcU5BE/s320/blog+4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996983205275762" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-644JOIRfcibeE9U5msUdwvgJ9HsElyBRc8pO8GsWBUeYV9TmK05PgFZIjt1-ejyrJHvvidaaUXh7KHBzFFtYoPG2YaBG_gugVXh3oemH8KHGFcxJia-yDtmb0rCHePpVLqYldjS5BoGB/s1600-h/blog+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: undefinedpx; height: undefinedpx;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-644JOIRfcibeE9U5msUdwvgJ9HsElyBRc8pO8GsWBUeYV9TmK05PgFZIjt1-ejyrJHvvidaaUXh7KHBzFFtYoPG2YaBG_gugVXh3oemH8KHGFcxJia-yDtmb0rCHePpVLqYldjS5BoGB/s320/blog+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996980138201362" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D1w2SFkP85BsX7ol92K0N9HVyWUux7LGQidXajFb55AuPIIjwdAmMH9mUTi7c4v2VI8G3fVEKIsbiqoN_bgb1uZVMzNlC0uXl5I-hM-FRwGsoQnlzKx7D26cFuZesZ225wVSCEjPD953/s1600-h/blog+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: undefinedpx; height: undefinedpx;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D1w2SFkP85BsX7ol92K0N9HVyWUux7LGQidXajFb55AuPIIjwdAmMH9mUTi7c4v2VI8G3fVEKIsbiqoN_bgb1uZVMzNlC0uXl5I-hM-FRwGsoQnlzKx7D26cFuZesZ225wVSCEjPD953/s320/blog+1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996975715362626" /></a><br />No matter what the specialism, we artists are suffering along with all small businesses right now, in these economically challenging times. <br />It’s not all doom and gloom though. We might be worried about banks, slow markets or cash flow problems, but as this unpredictability is also good for focusing the mind, it’s worth taking the time to think creatively and explore new opportunities.<br />What better time, for instance, than to get involved in educational workshops or apply for residencies within primary and secondary schools.<br />It was after my experience gained in a residency at the Glasgow School of Art I knew that in addition to setting up my business as a studio jeweller, I also wanted to work with students and young people.<br />Seven years on and I am still continuing to develop my experience in the two separate but complimentary areas.<br />Residencies provide an invaluable experience for everyone involved.<br />Working with young people, from primary age through to secondary school and on to student level, has not only been enormously enjoyable but it has also given me a new perspective on my work and how I run my business. <br />Young people keep your ideas fresh, they question your work, which is hugely valuable, as it can help you reasses your work and develop new ideas.<br />Throughout each residency I have undertaken, the ultimate aim I had set myself was to promote the crafts. I wanted to change the notion that many young people have, that art means painting - and craft means a tacky object in a tourist shop.<br />I wanted to modernise the view of artists, by demonstrating the diversity of their work, their roles in the community and their contribution to society in general.<br />Once they see how a professional artist works, hopefully young people will not only develop a greater appreciation but also consider a career in the art, design and craft world. <br />What they will definitely have gained however, is an eye to look at objects, everyday life, and the world in general, differently.<br />Being involved in residencies also provides a great opportunity to produce a new body of work, or introduce and develop new techniques and materials. Through this route, I have been able to have my own solo show, in addition to other exhibitions, and also to work with 18ct gold alongside my plastics.<br />Of course, working for local authorities or other organisations in this way, also helps to provide you with a regular income. Although it is mainly seasonal, this income can help to support your studio work in quiter times, such as over the summer.<br /><br />If you are interested in getting involved, my advice would be to look on the <a href="http://www.scottisharts.org.uk">Scottish Arts Council</a> and <a href="http://www.craftscotland.org/">Craft Scotland</a> websites, where residencies are advertised. Also approach your local council education departments, where you will find cultural co-ordinators and Arts Link Officers who are always looking for new artists to provide workshops, projects and residencies. Many councils have a bank of artists - where your details are kept on record for future projects.applied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751355514156053793.post-74060322820900003562009-03-20T10:35:00.007+00:002009-03-20T10:58:20.698+00:00The Children vs. Business Balancing Act.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYJLIe7tm7KsMAUGfHisLLEC1HApnOYUngSC_q6ss-QuymP7BJtXP0BuPsDFeXyFvVq8SU4TK80XIkdzwOY9BCRH7OwCnc6UFxIyxuJLjkk-7KSya4jhKldBYOtmMYN16GSw5HqDNdKDP/s1600-h/playpen+in+workshop+1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYJLIe7tm7KsMAUGfHisLLEC1HApnOYUngSC_q6ss-QuymP7BJtXP0BuPsDFeXyFvVq8SU4TK80XIkdzwOY9BCRH7OwCnc6UFxIyxuJLjkk-7KSya4jhKldBYOtmMYN16GSw5HqDNdKDP/s320/playpen+in+workshop+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315218798023014546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRU_qYoH3qbWnOVyCQIwb8bjg4COLg2IAGcaw6qUFsYRNZGyXhifTCkUt6oEvB76odyUOQ6jo70OkwtbSXbOldcWR1geO-wGItvGHDBpdtwjydaE-HlCVCMBris471W_xRnbwXQU3aJh-/s1600-h/W+in+the+workshop.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRU_qYoH3qbWnOVyCQIwb8bjg4COLg2IAGcaw6qUFsYRNZGyXhifTCkUt6oEvB76odyUOQ6jo70OkwtbSXbOldcWR1geO-wGItvGHDBpdtwjydaE-HlCVCMBris471W_xRnbwXQU3aJh-/s320/W+in+the+workshop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315218524797869426" /></a><br />The piece below is a very personal way of trying to solve the child and work problem. Every child and every design discipline brings its own new problems. But it is a problem that many of us designer/ makers will have to solve and it would be wonderful to hear if anyone else has any top tips or ideas.<br /><br />Like many other designer makers I left college, set up a workshop and have slowly built up a business over the last ten years or so, when, bang, the biological clock could not be ignored any longer! <br /><br />Realising that spending all the time I wanted in the workshop and pulling all-nighters before deadlines, may possibly become a thing of the past once a baby was on the scene- I had a wee think. How does one juggle work and family? Up until now my business had been my baby- a bit of a cliché, but sadly true! I could spend all time and focus on my silversmithing, nurturing a tiny business and seeing it change and grow.<br /><br />Should I outsource more work? Was there enough work or money in the business to employ someone else? Should I try and a find more steady income such as teaching? Should I change my techniques from very noisy constant hammering and using a blow- torch to some thing a bit more child friendly!<br /><br /> I tried to be very grown-up and sensible and had started to adjust my working methods to more batch production and even trained up a part-time employee in the year or so before we had our son. I hoped that I would be able to keep the gallery/ trade fair side of my metalwork business flowing by employing someone to make the batch production pieces, whilst I could waltz in, when motherhood allowed, and concentrate on the one- off, fun commissions. Not to be.<br />In the year I actually became pregnant the sales plummeted for my batch production work and the large silver pieces, which only I could produce, started to do really well. There went my grand plan!<br /><br />Once pregnant, luck was definitely on my side as I had a huge amount of energy, combined with a bizarrely busy year of commissions and Goldsmiths Fair. I probably had the most productive year in the last ten years. I suppose that I also was terrified of saying no to anything, for fear of never working again once the baby was here.<br /><br />Wonderful William was born. Work and the world of silver was very far from my thoughts. The statutory maternity pay for the self-employed, of £100 per week helped things tick along and we enjoyed time with our baby. <br /><br />By the time William was four months old I was back in the workshop. Much earlier than I had wanted or expected, but a big commission had turned up. I was curious to see how this juggling baby and work was going to pan out- and I was already getting itchy fingers. All other mothers I knew were taking at least 6 or 9 months off work- but they also had the added bonus of a much larger maternity pay from their employers. I also realised that my job was a labour of love, a huge part of what made my head tick. I needed to get back to making, in a very ad hoc, part-time way , to keep me sane.<br /><br />So with no family to baby sit, William started to come into the workshop with me. My vague theory was that I would start as I meant to go on and hoped that he would just think that playing in a play-pen in the corner of a metal workshop was totally normal. After all he had probably got used to the sound of hammering during his 9months in the womb! Again I was very lucky to have such an amenable son, (well so far, he is only 2!) and I frantically hammered away for the magic two hours he slept in his pushchair down the hall. My husband was also self- employed, and together we juggled our days and our boy.<br />Some how we managed to get through the run up to Goldsmiths’ Fair. It nearly killed us but we did it.<br /> I was amazed and happy that I had managed to carry on working, juggling and bringing William into the workshop with me, but I was either partly ignoring him or never really concentrating on the work. I tried to separate days into William days or workshop days, but running your own business has a nasty habit of popping up at the least convenient moments.<br />When Goldsmiths’ Fair came round again, I knew that there had to be some changes. I really wanted to exhibit again, and felt that even if it was the only thing I worked towards in a year, it was still better to show my face than not at all.<br />How was I going to find or afford a form of childcare for a couple of days a week?<br />A fellow Edinburgh jeweller was in a similar predicament in the run up to Origin and we started a toddler swap! I looked after her son and mine for one day a week, whilst she went to the workshop and visa versa. It has been a wonderful time, our children getting to know one another, we can chat about work and life, be flexible for each other- and it is free!<br /> I also found out that Working tax credits would pay 80% of nursery fees if my husband and me were both low-earners but worked over 16 hours a week. So William started at nursery two days a week. Finally I had three whole days to solidly work and the rest of the week I could devote to family. I found that it also helped with the times that’ business thoughts’ or ‘emails to be done’ popped into my head when I was with William. I just told myself that they would be dealt with on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday or in the evenings.<br /><br />Of course nothing is so cut and dried and my husband is invaluable in the run up to deadlines and many evening are filled up with paperwork and emails. But it seems to work after a fashion. It will always change anyway, as William grows up or more children come along, but I feel that as self-employed designer/ makers we are a very lucky breed. It is not everyone that has a job which allows them to juggle two great loves in their life and have the flexibility to change when they see things do or do not work.<br /><br />Bryonyapplied arts scotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04088989012705541666noreply@blogger.com0