East Neuk Open Studio Weekends

Not many would describe the East Neuk as the artistic centre of Fife, but in this unassuming collection of small seaside towns there’s a surprising abundance of art: so much so that the artists residing in the area have got together to organise a series of open studio days to show off their wares. The most impressive factor is the sheer number of artists involved; over 30 practitioners will be opening their doors for the two weekends, and the official blurb assures us that the artists “will always be present and happy to talk to visitors”. Don’t get confused however; this is not one single large studio event. All the artists involved live and work in the area, and each are opening their own individual studio spaces for the occasion. And while it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet a great deal of artists and see their work and where they make it, it does mean that to visit more than a handful of artists’ studios in a day you should be prepared to do a fair bit of travelling. A car is almost essential to get from quaint seaside town to quaint seaside town, as the studios are spread all the way along from Cambo to Upper Largo.

Anyone who has visited the extremely popular Pittenweem Arts Festival over the past few years will no doubt see more than a few familiar faces, and, much like the festival, there is a great variety of work on offer including ceramics, jewellery, pottery, painting, illustration and even some art weaving. Practitioners of particular note include Jill Calder - based in Cellardyke - illustrator and lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, whose illustrations have appeared in the New Yorker (amongst other publications) and Tim Cockburn, a painter of wonderfully characterised and humorous scenes that are becoming ubiquitous. In Arncroach is the particularly interesting studio of Ian and Hilke MacIntyre, which comes complete with printing press, a rare opportunity to see how these intriguing works of art are actually produced. St. Monans plays host to, among others, Duncan Macleod and his impressive land and seascapes, and Carol Paterson with some amazingly colourful, dynamic and inventive semi-abstract paintings and computer generated prints. And in Upper Largo, Marina Yedigaroff boasts of being able to paint on any surface.

Sure, it requires a bit of effort to get to, but it’s a great opportunity to actually witness that culture does exist well beyond the central belt, and to not only talk directly with artists, but also to see exactly how they make their work.

For more information, maps and directions visit http://www.eastneukopenstudios.org or e-mail: eastneukstudios@yahoo.co.uk