{ Perthshire Open Studios } Gill Hunt, Wildgrass Studio, venue 99

It's now only twenty two days until Perthshire Open Studios kicks off.  Artists and crafts people across Perthshire are beginning, just beginning, to get a slight case of, to quote King Julian from the film Madagascar (Yes I have watched it far more times than is necessary, or indeed probably healthy!) "the heebie-d jeebies"!

 

Nombre trois (French and I'm now going to have to use a translator to get any further with this idea!) in the Perthshire Open Studios, Green Route-ers series is..............Gill Hunt, Wild grass Studio, venue 99!

I love the beauty and delicacy of her Faerie Ballet work and how her work has caused me to look at nature in a very different way.  Rather than being captivated only by the huge landscapes in front of me I often find myself being swallowed up in the petals and leaves at my feet.



- Please give a brief bio of your business.  What is your background? How did you begin as an artist? 

Dave Hunt and I run our business of Wildgrass together. We both have a background of working in Broadcast TV on the artistic technical side. So we have both spent many years working with images. Both Dave and I have are creative and photography has given us a way to express our creativity. Dave started a number of years before me and watching his journey gave me the courage to start my own. I have always been terrified of the technical side of cameras and have run away from them because of this - but Dave changed all that and taught me what I needed to know to get started. I have the 'eye' for which I am very grateful - I believe this is something you are born with, and unlike learning techniques, the 'eye' can't be taught. 

We got into printing because it gives you far more control over presentation than allowing a company to do the printing for you and the same with framing. Getting our work framed was expensive with long waiting times and often we were unhappy with the work. So we invested in some good printers and also in the necessary framing equipment and a good quality mount cutter.  Gradually we found ourselves doing printing and framing for other people and thus our business at Wildgrass Studio developed. Dave also does tailor-made photographic courses and I do the odd Facebook one to one courses - I am a FB lover :)

- Have you taken part in Perthshire Open Studios before?

We went along to the first ever meeting of POS. This was a meeting to discuss if POS was feasible and who wanted to be on the pioneering committee. Dave volunteered.  The rest is history - POS was born and had a very successful first year. I joined in year two and have been doing all the admin for POS ever since. I did the first two years on a voluntary basis and was also on an advertising sub-committee in year two. However as the job of admin developed it became very time consuming and it was decided that a post of Admin would be created along with a small salary  . . . I was offered the post - but had to stand down from the committee. I miss being on the committee - but love the admin job which has evolved even more and this year I found myself heavily involved with up-loading artists details to the web amongst other things :)

I am most looking to meeting people and seeing their reactions and listening to their feedback about my work and indeed Dave's work.

 - What artwork will you be displaying over the week? 

I launched my Faerie Ballet during Fortingall Art where it was very successful - I will be featuring this in POS and also introducing my Disturbia work. My Faerie Ballet is now on my website - but I am undecided as when I want to put my Disturbia work on my website. I have completely re-vamped my website and removed a lot of my older work as I have moved on and am developing new work. I will also be featuring my Aluminium prints of my Faerie Ballet :)

 

- Explain your creative process. What journey do you take from idea to final product?

Eeeeek tricky one. My process is experimenting and taking many photographs and I have over the years developed my own style. My Faerie Ballet started four years ago and has been developed over the last four years. I saw something in a shoot four years ago and then spent the next three years developing it - because it is flora based I have to wait each year for the right conditions. Disturbia made its appearance two years ago and has been developed alongside my Faerie Ballet. The conditions this year did not allow for any additional shooting for Disturbia.
I don't keep notebooks as such - I keep it all in my head - but I am getting to the point where there is so much going on I do need to write it all down.

- What or who are you most inspired by?

I am most inspired by nature. I also find listening to music really energises and works for me. I have recently discovered Mumford and Sons and find their music emotionally electrifying and I use these feelings to develop my images. So where ever I am - Mumford and Sons are with me . . . :) they will never know - but thank you guys :) 

Here are all of Gills contact details, I hope that you get the chance to go and see her work.

Gillian Hunt ARPS www.westerlix.com this is our rental cottage and we are also looking to offer artist retreat breaks.

www.photographybygillianhunt.com this is my own website.

www.wildgrass.co.uk is our printing and framing business. We are also planning on printing and selling other artists work alongside our own.

All images Copyright Gillian Hunt 2013