Winter art and craft fair returns – shop for unique Christmas gifts

Upland’s visual art and craft fair is back – giving Christmas shoppers the chance to buy beautiful handmade gifts direct from 34 superb exhibitors – this time with a new name.

Upland Made takes place at Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries on the weekend of 5 and 6 November.

Last year’s inaugural event proved highly popular, allowing people to buy bespoke, handmade jewellery, pottery, paintings, original prints, glassware and many other hand-made and individually created pieces that aren’t available in most shops.

Among the attractions this year will be:

• Pottery and ceramics from Fitch & McAndrew, Clare Dawdry, Heather Armstrong, Julian Francis, Andrew Adair, Jackie Zehnder, Josh Williams and Ruth Elizabeth Jones.
• Paintings, drawings, original prints and other visual art by Ailsa Black, Hazel Campbell, Pamela Grace, Suzanne Stuart Davies, Anne Butler, Sarah Stewart, Val Macadam, Gail Kelly, Helen Walsh, Alan Cameron, Liz Dagg, Lucy Hadley and Tricia Barna.
• Jewellery by Natalie Vardey and Jesse Ball.
• Hats, clothes, cushions, scarves and other textiles by Morag Macpherson, Jo Gallant, Laura Derby, Janet Ibbotson, Kay Ribben, Dorothy Stewart and Sue Hughes.
• Wooden mobiles, woodwork and furniture by Jay Rubinstein, Peter Smith, Daniel Lacey and Andy Philpott (including table lamps).
• Mixed media work from Jo Shennan and Ruth Hanson.

The event is being staged by Upland CIC, the Dumfries and Galloway art and craft development organisation to showcase work by Upland members and to promote local shopping initiatives.

All the artists and makers taking part are members of Upland and many of them are regular participants in the region’s open studios weekend.

Upland hopes the event will become a regular fixture in the events calendar offering shoppers the chance to buy from multiple artists and makers under one roof, a completely different experience to Upland’s flagship event, Spring Fling, which leads visitors around studios across the region.

Joanna Jones, Upland Assistant Director, said: “We are building on last year’s success with an even bigger and better winter art and craft fair. This time we are back with new branding, new exhibitors and more to offer visitors.

“It will be a great chance to enjoy a day out meeting some of our finest artists and makers, and to buy beautiful and unusual Christmas gifts that you don’t find on the High Street.”

This event is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

More information on what is on offer will be released in the coming weeks.

Details

What: Upland Made winter visual art and craft fair.

Where: Main Hall, Easterbrook Hall, The Crichton, Bankend Road, Dumfries, DG1 4TA.

When: Saturday 5 November 12 noon to 5pm and Sunday 6 November, 10am to 4pm.