» Listings for 2018

1. Spring Fling Open Studio 26-28 May 2018

   Posted on 11:00am Thursday 3rd May 2018

   I can hardly believe it's time for my annual Open Studio again but here we are!  I'll be in Kirkbean Village Hall close to my village of Carsethorn, here in Dumfries and Galloway from the 26th to the 28th May from 10.30am - 5.30pm each day.  

   

   On the Saturday I'll be open until 8pm and your welcome to come along and have a glass of wine and some cheese in the evening. I'm delighted this year to have lots of new paintings and prints on a coastal village theme as well as lots of animal paintings too. 

   

   Oh and I'll have plenty of beautiful new clocks, bags, placemats and coasters and keyrings! All made in the UK.

   

   I hope to see lots of you there it's always such a pleasure for Jack and I to meet so many of you. The village hall committee will be serving soup, sandwiches and plenty of tea and cake to keep you all going through the day. My open studio is part of Spring Fling Open Studio routes and you can find out more about all the other studios and see the brochure here.

2. Tick! Tock! Telling the time gets colourful!

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 12th Apr 2018

   I'm delighted to announce the arrival of a selection of 20 colourful picture clocks.             Who would have thought that telling the time so could be so much fun! It's been very hard to chose which designs would work the best but hopefully there will be a clock that suits everyone.

   The best thing too is that you can chose whether you like a round clock...

   Or a square clock...which ever takes your fancy.  They cost £25 each and are made in Britain as a collaboration with the lovely people at Smith Taylor.

   Head over to my shop to see the full selection.

3. Scottish Wildcat Action Partnership

   Posted on 10:00am Tuesday 2nd Jan 2018

   I'm delighted to announce a new partnership with Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA).

   One of my paintings is a piece featuring a charming Scottish wildcat sitting in a bed of flowers.

   

   The SWA team were struck by the painting’s personality and colour.  Following a conversation with them I decided to donate a percentage of the sales profits from wildcat greeting card packs and prints to support the work of Scottish Wildcat Action. 

   

   SWA is partnership involving more than 20 organisations and its five year project aims to save the critically endangered Scottish wildcat from extinction. It is led by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and is working to protect the species in five Wildcat Priority Areas – Northern Strathspey; Morvern; Strathpeffer; Angus Glens, and Strathbogie.

   The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Partners include the Royal Zoological Society for Scotland (RZSS); Scottish Natural Heritage; Scottish Wildlife Trust; Forestry Commission Scotland; National Museums Scotland; Cairngorm National Park Authority, and the Scottish Government.

   

   I am delighted to be working with Scottish Wildcat Action to help support our iconic Highland tigers, which teeter on the brink of extinction.

   I have also supported Scottish badgers and have worked in the past with RSPB so nature conservation and wildlife are very close to my heart. If I can help in some small way through my art, to highlight the plight of the Scottish wildcat, then that is fantastic.”

   Dr Roo Campbell, the priorities area manager for SWA, said: “When we first saw Ailsa’s painting of the Scottish wildcat we all loved it.

   “It is brilliant that Ailsa has offered to support the project by highlighting the perilous position the Scottish wildcat finds itself in and we are so grateful she has decided to go even further and donate to the project through sales from her wildcat cards.”

   Ailsa’s work captures the daily comings and goings of village life and regularly features wildlife.  It has seen her garner a sizeable following through her social media channels.