23 of Scotland’s top makers invited to showcase their talent at Origin 2007

Twenty three of Scotland’s talented craft makers will join over 300 designer-makers in London next month to showcase their work to an international audience of buyers, curators and craft collectors at Origin: The London Craft Fair.

Eight of the Scottish based makers will be exhibiting at the event for the first time and will receive support from the Scottish Arts Council to attend the event, as part of the organisation’s commitment to supporting artists in Scotland to fulfil their creative and business potential.

Among the first time exhibitors are glass artists Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns who run Glasstorm, a contemporary glass studio and Gallery in Tain where they use their knowledge of Scandinavian and Italian glass making techniques to make limited edition production pieces, individual one off glass art works, installations and public art works.

Commenting on being selected to exhibit at this year’s event Nichola Burns of Glasstorm said: ‘After only fairly recently moving back to the UK and setting up our glassblowing studio in 2005 we are fully aware of the impact potential that the Origin show could have in raising our profile in the UK market and creating new opportunities.

‘We are delighted to in some way represent the very best of Scottish and in particular Highland craft and we think it is important that Scottish based makers promote the buoyancy in the Scottish craft and art market on a national and international level’.

Other Scottish makers attending the event include artist and basketmaker Lizzie Farey who received Grand Designs Magazine’s ‘Best in Show’ rosette at last year’s Origin and designer Johanna Basford whose unique hand printed wallpapers have been featured in Elle Decoration magazine, The Guardian and as part of the DKNY and Wallpaper New Designers Showcase in the company’s flagship Bond Street Store during London Fashion Week in 2005.

Origin is a new contemporary event showcasing some of the finest handmade contemporary craft and applied arts which was launched last year to replace the Chelsea Craft Fair.  The inaugural event attracted over 22,000 visitors to London’s Somerset House.

Helen Bennett, Head of Crafts at the Scottish Arts Council said: ‘Origin, which attracts an international audience, is one of the highlights of the crafts calendar. Given the quality of contemporary craftwork produced here it is a pleasure, but not a surprise that once again there is a strong Scottish presence at the show. We are particularly glad to have been able assist the 8 Scottish makers selected to exhibit for for the first time to take advantage of this significant opportunity to test the market and develop their contacts.’

The Scottish based makers selected to attend this year’s event are:

Maker	Based	Discipline
Johanna Basford	Dundee	Interior textiles and rugs
*Brodie Nairn (Glasstorm)	Tain	Glass
*Nichola Burns (Glasstorm)
Sarah Campbell (Mogwaii Designs)	Oban	Textiles
Shimara Carlow	Castle Douglas	Silver
*Jeong-Eun Lee (Eedal)	Dundee	Knitwear
Lizzie Farey	Galloway	Basketmaker
Emma Gale	Dunfermline	Precious jewellery
*Yvonne Gilhooly	Gourock	Precious jewellery
Grace Girvan	Edinburgh	Precious jewellery
*Sarah Hutchison	Edinburgh	Silver
Jiyeon Hyun	Edinburgh	Silver
*Sarah Keay	Broughty Ferry	Non-precious jewellery
*Emma Kinnell	Glasgow	Precious jewellery
Hannah Louise Lamb	Edinburgh	Precious jewellery
Alison Macleod	Glasgow	Precious jewellery
Fiona McIntosh (Tessuti)	Edinburgh	Fashion textiles & accessories
Craig Mitchell	Edinburgh	Sculptural ceramics
Kaz Robertson	Edinburgh	Non-precious jewellery
Dot Sim	Tayport	Precious jewellery
Tait&Style	Orkney	Fashion textiles & accessories
Andrea Walsh	Edinburgh	Sculptural ceramics
*Andrea Williamson	Whalsay	Interior textiles and rugs

* First time exhibitors who have received support from the Scottish Arts Council to attend,

Notes to editors

Contact email(s)

media.office@scottisharts.org.uk

Issued by: Scottish Arts Council