{ Perthshire Open Studios } Katy Galbraith, The Bothy in the Garden, venue 89
Perthshire Open Studios is beginning to loom, somewhere, just out of sight, almost on the horizon! This year I'm venue 93 on the Green Route, which follows the A85 west from Perth all the way to Tyndrum and includes 21 fantastic venues. I'm really looking forward to taking part again this year and I've put together a whole series of interviews with fellow Green Route-erers!
There are some fantastic, wonderful and just all round lovely people who open up their studios and workshops over the course of the 10 days and the ONLY drawback to taking part is that I can't get round and see everyone else's work and have a chat with them all!
Kicking off the series is the lovely Katy Galbraith, The Bothy in the Garden, venue 89.
Please
give a brief bio of your business. What is your background?
How did you begin as an artist?
I
wish I had gone to art college after school, but followed a different path
instead – following poorly judged (imo) parental advice. Having dabbled in
various medium as a hobby over the years, I discovered mosaic about 12 years
ago, and was hooked.
I
was taught by a friend, Jan Kilpatrick of Wild Tiles, who used to live in the
area. My first project was a table top for the garden – as my husband and I at
first couldn’t decide on what table to have, but agreed on mosaic – nothing like
being ambitious! When Jan moved away from the area, we started to run mosaic
classes using my B&B as the venue… so over the years, I have been able to
tap into her expertise, and sometimes she in to mine.
I
took the plunge a about five years ago and started selling and being more
pro-active in promoting myself. I have done a lot of soul searching over the
last few years, and have realised that for me, being deemed ‘an artist’ is very
important, and that I want to be represented in quality galleries or ‘craft’
outlets.
Have
you taken part in Perthshire Open Studios before?
This will be my fourth year. The first two years I did
it on my own. 9 days is a long stretch to always be in attendance, especially
as I have other commitments with the B&B! So last year, I invited some
friends to join me. Our work complements each other, and by sharing my workshop
space, it brings in a different mix of visitors.
What are you most looking forward to about the event?
I do enjoy seeing people
appreciate the mosaics around my garden, but the downside is that i have to get
my (large) garden in order first!
What artwork will you be displaying over the week?
I have a variety of mirrors and smaller mosaics on
display, made from my usual mix of recycled materials. I will also have the
mosaic which i was working on last year (Moulin Rouge). This piece was created
for a mosaic exhibition hosted by the British Association of Modern Mosaics in
London.
I will also have a large, and complicated, mosaic
entitled 'Scapes", which was the winning piece in an exhibition last
year.
I also have some photo books
of past projects. My latest book includes photographs of a bathroom mosaic
which came as a result of visit during Perthshire Open Studios 2011. (photo to
follow).
During this year's POS, in
anticipation of me having my own exhibition in April 2014, I will be working on
some sculptural pieces, which will be suitable for the outdoors.
Explain your creative process. What journey do you take from idea to final product?
As
mentioned above, i am a passionate recycler, and love the use of mixed materials
in creating a mosaic, and feel that it is an important part of my work to
illustrate the reuse of materials. It is often the receipt of a broken plate or
cup that stimulates a new thought process and resulting mosaic; the colour or
the texture of the item have a part to play.
In
terms of subjects, I love flowers and gardens, so many of my pieces are floral
representations… though occasionally other ideas do pop into my head at
times. I
do have scrapbooks and mosaic books, but have recently started storing images on
Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/katycrieff/)
categorised by plants, birds, hearts etc). I don't really use sketchbooks, as i
am not so good at drawing. Mosaic is more about blocks of colour and rhythm of
the pieces, more akin to appliqué than painting.
What or
who are you most inspired by?
Klimt
and Tiffany, again it is more to do with the blocks of colour &
rhythms.
For writing and outlook on life, Barbara
Kingsolver – novelist and essayist. She writes about various social issues, and
has a strong environmental commitment. Her work has been consistantly good, and
inspires a change in our own lives. The message that you get is that you can
live a good and fulfilled life, be considerate to your neighbours, have sound
social and environmental ethics and still achieve what you want out of
life.
And
for music, Natasha Atlas! i can shimmy around my workshop any day.
Here are all of Katy's contact details, I hope some of you get the chance to pop in and see her work!
Katy Galbraith
01764 655721
B&B: www.galvelmore.co.uk
Mosaic: www.katygalbraith.co.uk
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/katycrieff/
All images and designs Copyright Katy Galbraith 2013.
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