- Thornhill blacksmith’s amazing metal menagerie
- See over 80 studios across Dumfries and Galloway
A ferocious dragon and a huge cat – just two of young blacksmith Nate Robinson’s mighty metal creations that visitors to his forge will be able to admire during Spring Fling.
His garden in Thornhill is also home to steel dinosaurs, life-sized sheep made from bedsprings, and a 7.3 metre-tall eating fork – leaning casually against the side of the house as if abandoned by a forgetful giant.
The open studios weekend, which has more than 80 participants all across Dumfries and Galloway and runs from 24-26 May, is a chance to admire work by a huge variety of artists and makers in one of Scotland’s loveliest rural regions.
Nate, aged 29, will be opening up his smithy and showing people how he forges his remarkable creations – which come in an abundance of shapes and sizes.
At the small end are miniature Highland cows and cottages and at the other extreme are special commissions like the fantastic female dragon, which weighs in at 700 kgs, and is covered in over 1,000 individually hand-forged scales.
One of the other characters visitors might meet is Ailsa, Nate’s black and white cat which is the model for the three-metre metal feline which is reaching high into a tree in the garden.
Nate said: “Spring Fling should be lots of fun this year – I love creating things at a grand scale and will have plenty to look at with the dragon, dinosaurs, sheep and the cat.
“A lot of my work is specially commissioned, making just about anything people can imagine.
“A couple saw my work on social media and called me to ask if I could make them a dragon. It’s been a brilliant challenge.
“They came round to see it a little while ago, decided it’s a ‘she’ – I’m hoping she will look pretty impressive in their garden.
“And I really enjoy giving demonstrations of how I work in the forge.
“But the cat was a bit different – Ailsa loves climbing trees but isn’t very good at getting down and often has to be rescued. So, I created a cat the size of a car, with a special tunnel inside which she can easily run up and down – she loves it.”
Another of the attractions will be a giant robot arm, which Nate is planning to programme to do some very surprising tricks.
Spring Fling is divided into six suggested routes which people can easily drive around.
Nate is among eight studios on the Green Route and of which six are in Thornhill and the other two within easy reach.
Natasha Kinsella, Events and Exhibitions Development Manager for Upland CIC which runs Spring Fling, said:“Nate’s work is a great example of the variety and the talent of artists and makers you can see in Spring Fling.
“On the Green Route alone you can discover everything from ceramics, tapestry and costume to painting and jewellery. And that’s just the start, with five other routes to choose from, all packed with fascinating people, craft and contemporary art.”
David Hope-Jones, Chief Executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, added: “Spring Fling continues to be a beacon for creative tourism in the South of Scotland, and with artists like Nate opening their studio doors, visitors can experience the magic of world-class creativity right at the heart of our rural communities.
“By championing remarkable artists and makers like Nate, Spring Fling is not only showcasing the region’s creative excellence, but also helping put the South of Scotland firmly on the map as a leading destination for arts and culture.”
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Ends
Notes for editors
The full Spring Fling list
Ceramics: Andrew Priestman, Clare Dawdry, Fitch & McAndrew, Heather Armstrong, Joshua Williams, Mary Gladstone, Rebecca Woods, Ruth Elizabeth Jones, Samuel Sparrow, Frances Ross, Julian Francis, Lorna Phillips
Costume design: Alexander Rigg
Glass: Amanda J Simmons, Katy Quinn
Hand-forged knives: Chris Renshaw, Timothy Westley
Hats: Kay Ribbens
Illustration: Ailsa Black, Louisa Birdsall, Sarah Stewart, Suzi Plunkett
Jewellery: Alison Macleod, Jesse Ball, Kaz Robertson, Natalie Vardey, Sheena McMaster, Sonny Cooper
Metalwork: Adam Booth, Nathan Robinson
Mixed Media: Alison Corfield, Linda Mallett, Martha Schofield, Murray Young, Rhiannon D Dewar, Stephanie Lightbown
Painting and Drawing: Angela Lawrence, Anne Butler, Elizabeth Dagg, Elizabeth Gilbey, Gloria Newlan, Hazel Campbell, Heather Davies, Heather M Nisbet, Kate Bentley SWA, Kevan McGinty, Martin Clarkson, Michael Johnson, Scott McFarlane, Amanda Hayler, Catherine Corfield, Maggie Ayres, Mark Welland, Catherine Coulson, Julie Hollis, Sally Jennings, Suzanne Stuart Davies
Photography: Alistair Hamilton, David Quinn, Claire Cameron-Smith, Joshua Miles, Laura Boswell, Sarah Ross-Thompson, Alan Cameron, Pamela Grace
Sculpture: Kerry Samantha Boyes
Textiles: Jo Gallant, Morag Macpherson, Rebecca McLellan, Gail Kelly, Laura Derby, Yvette Phillips, Linda Ann Irving, Gyllian Thomson, Louisa Ruthven
Wood: Jane Alison Fraser, Jay Rubinstein, Daniel Lacey, Ian Cameron-Smith, Rachel Ashcroft, Mike Dixon.
About Upland
Upland CIC (Community Interest Company) supports artists and makers based in, and with connections to, the region. It delivers, events, training, networking, support and opportunities as part of a year-round programme to benefit the region, its artists, communities and economy. Upland CIC runs the annual Spring Fling contemporary visual art and craft open studios weekend in Dumfries and Galloway. It works closely with other arts bodies in the region to further-strengthen the sector. Upland is based at Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries and exists to:
- provide leadership in the visual art and craft sector regionally, collaborating with the cultural sector across Dumfries and Galloway and beyond.
- raise the profile of the visual art and craft sector of our rural area in a national and international context and build meaningful partnerships to support this.
- listen to local visual artists and makers and respond by providing relevant support and act as a collective voice to advocate on their behalf.
- support the engagement of a wide diversity of audiences in visual art and craft and initiate opportunities that promote inclusive, meaningful participation.
- produce and facilitate ambitious creative projects that are innovative and experimental in approach.
Its funders are Creative Scotland, D&G Council, The Holywood Trust, ASWT, Barfill.
For media information contact Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299 or at [email protected] or call Upland on 01387 213 218.