Yes, it’s happening (albeit online only) – my first fair of the year takes place this weekend (15th & 16th of May) at 10am!
This one is a bit different in that all the ‘stallholders’ have uploaded their work to one online gallery to make it easier for customers to browse and shop, so instead of purchasing from numerous different online shops, everything can be placed into one basket and paid for in one transaction.
I’m offering free postage on everything and there’ll be loads of lovely Scottish-made goodies from food and booze to fine art to peruse, so pop along this weekend!
Once again the passing of time has caught me by surprise and the first few months of the year have gone by in a flash; the clocks go forward next weekend and the first lambs of the year have been spotted in the fields. Both of which I am very happy about because boy, has it been a long, hard winter. I found it a real struggle this year, and for the first time I really felt my age and became pre-occupied by the somewhat unappealing reality of growing older in a cold climate. Of course, lockdown no doubt contributed to my general state of mind, as I’m sure it did for many. So this year, more than any other, I am very much looking forward to springtime!
On the upside I am very fortunate to have been kept busy recently due to stockists (old and new) ordering my work; my heart goes out to all those small independent shops and galleries who have had their doors closed for three months now – it must be such a struggle to keep going, adapt their businesses, and stay positive…so I am very grateful to still be asked to supply them with my work.
I sometimes find customer enquiries (be it private or from galleries) can lead to new ideas and ways of working.. Some of my current staple designs have had their genesis in conversations with customers, which shows it’s always good to be open to suggestions and not get too precious about your work – you never know where it might lead you!
More on that later but for now, thanks for reading x
So 2020 is finally over, and there probably aren’t many folk who won’t be sorry to see the back of it. We can only hope 2021 will be an improvement. I’d like to say a huge thank you for all the support I received during that strange and difficult year, whether it was online likes, comments, shares, reviews or purchases – it all really helped get me through it.
Top 9 HooperHart and Rudy and the Rowan Tree posts on Instagram
To kick off 2021 I’m having a little sale in my Etsy shop (10% off when you spend £20) and Folksy (10% off everything) – use the code HELLO2021 in both!
January is usually a quiet month and therefore a good opportunity to plan ahead and start new work – I’ve already got a list of things I want to get started on so watch this space!
Now that my shops have closed for the holidays, and the last of the Christmas orders have been dispatched, it’s time to concentrate on another project. Way, way back at the beginning of 2020 (another time, another world) I responded to a call out for artists to submit designs for Light the North – the latest Scotland-based sculpture trail raising funds for cancer support. As with everything else this year, the planned date for the event had to be postponed, so I put it to the back of my mind in the hope that it would happen at some point. Well, I’m delighted to say that Light the North is going ahead in March 2021 and one of my designs has been selected!
I can’t reveal any details of my design at this point but I will be posting updates over the next two weeks of my progress on social media. It’s such an exciting and worthwhile project to be involved in – over 45 fibreglass lighthouses standing 2.5 metres tall, will shine a light over the north-east, Orkney and Shetland to inspire visitors and locals to explore and engage with this beautiful region of Scotland, whilst raising funds and awareness of the vital support provided by CLAN to people affected by cancer. You can follow Light the North on social media to see all the event’s news.
Thanks for reading, and have a safe and peaceful Christmas x
December 5th & 6th sees my last online fair of the year, and what a strange year it’s been. Every maker, artist and designer who would normally make most of their income at seasonal fairs and markets has had to adapt to selling their work online rather than face to face. And it’s been a very steep learning curve for everyone involved, including the organisers of these ‘virtual’ events! There has definitely been much more work involved in preparing for an online market; with an actual market all you have to do is make the work and turn up! The virtual world requires photographs, videos, even audio recordings! Which all takes time. And then of course you spend hours packaging orders followed by repeated trips to the post office (I’m not complaining, honest)! I’m just looking forward to a time when we can all gather together, chat to customers (and other makers) and have a bit of fun again.
Anyway, I am looking forward to the Folksy Christmas Market as it’s the first online fair I’ve done as Rudy and the Rowan Tree. I’ve had a sneek peek and there is so much incredible work on there it’s ridiculous! The standard and variety of art, craft, and design is truly phenomenal, and proves we are really punching above our weight in the UK when it comes to creating beautiful products. Find me in the ‘Art’ section and the ‘Scotland’ section!
This weekend sees the launch of the UK’s first immersive virtual market experience, which I’m very excited to be a part of! Super Market Virtual opens to the public on Sunday November 22nd and ends on December 14th, with over 150 independent Scotland-based businesses taking part:
“‘Walk around’ and browse the individual stalls of over 150 independent Scottish brands across 10 categories, fill your basket, and then get it posted to your door for free. Each stall will have a personal voice message from the seller telling shoppers a bit about themselves and their brand – really bringing the marketplace to life and giving visitors a genuine ‘meet the maker’ experience.”
A unique way to shop online this Christmas and support small businesses this Christmas!
☆ THIS WEEKEND! ☆ Super excited to be taking part in Tea Green Marketplace, the first of my online markets this winter! There’s an amazing array of Scotland-based makers, artists and designers lined up so it should be ace! Join us from 10am on Oct 31st & Nov 1st, either on Facebook or Instagram or head to www.teagreen.co.uk
☆ I’ll be offering 10% off all my work for the duration of the market so keep your eyes peeled this Saturday and Sunday 👀
Well, the temperature has dipped somewhat and the nights are drawing in, which means only one thing – autumn has definitely arrived! Which normally I would not complain about, but…this year is, of course, different. On the upside we’ve had some incredible sunny days with visits to idyllic islands, days which remind you it’s good to be alive and living in a beautiful country.
There’s also been a few fun commissions to work on and some new Rudy and the Rowan Tree items I’ve been enjoying making, all of which has kept me occupied and out of trouble. This has gone some way to distract from the fact that all but one of this year’s festive events I had in my calendar have been cancelled. Some have been replaced by virtual versions on social media but there’s honestly no substitute for meeting customers and connecting with fellow makers in the flesh. However, such is the world we find ourselves in and there’s no choice but to get on with it…it won’t be as much fun but it’s better than nothing, and as I keep reminding myself, things could be worse! So let’s concentrate on the fun stuff…
Rudy and the Rowan Tree screenprints on wood – available from Folksy
I’ve been revisiting my roots and screenprinting on plywood tablets (which I found a wee stash of when I was clearing out my workroom), keeping things simple with paper cut-outs of simple shapes and seeing where it takes me…
…and it’s been a lot of fun (nice to mix things up a bit – sometimes it’s the only way to motivate yourself). It’s also helping to keep the Folksy shop stocked up and ready for the Folksy Online Festive Market on December 5th & 6th (watch my ‘Shop’ page for details). I’ve also been making lots of little affordable brooches for stocking fillers as I know not everyone can spend money on larger pieces at the moment…
I’ll be posting updates on online fairs and events as they are confirmed so watch this space! In the meantime, thanks for reading x
I don’t know about you, but I’m finding the period we’re in at the moment more of a challenge than when we were in full lockdown; normality is returning, but not necessarily the good aspects (traffic levels springs to mind), and other things are still a very long way off (cultural hubs re-opening etc)…I think I accepted and adjusted to lockdown in the knowledge that it was a temporary situation, and in a few months we would return to our old lives and move on.
Of course it’s not proving to be that straightforward, and the ‘new normal’ is a pale imitation of our old lives – another way of living which we have to accept and adjust to all over again. Thousands of people have no jobs to return to and thousands more are facing the same prospect in the coming months; tourism and culture (both a hugely vital part of the Uk economy) will struggle to recover from the effects of COVID-19 for years to come. I actually feel more anxious and pessimistic than I did 4 months ago. So, to try and gee myself up a bit I’ve decided to take part in the Artist Support Pledge.
Artist Support Pledge is “a culture and economy in support of artists and makers established and led by artist Matthew Burrows on 16th March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now a global movement of connected communities committed to an equitable and sustainable economy for artist and makers of all countries, media and ethnicities”. The concept is a simple one – when an artist/maker sells £1000 worth of their work, they pledge to spend £200 on other artists’ work. It is mostly focused around Instagram but I’ll also be posting about it on my Facebook page.
As we approach the tail-end of summer (!!!!) I would normally be starting to plan ahead for the autumn and winter’s markets and fairs, but these are very much up in the air at the moment, which is a huge concern. So I’m hoping the Artist Support Pledge will generate some sales and of course enable me to spend money on lovely things (I’ve already compiled a want list)!
Hello again! I just wanted to do a quick post to say how grateful I am for all the sales I’ve had recently, which have helped contribute £102 towards buying PPE for frontline workers in Scotland. The Masks For Scotland crowdfunder has exceeded its £200,000 so that’s fantastic news.
Wooden rainbow postcard by Rudy and the Rowan Tree
I have another little bit of fundraising to tell you about: Makers for Maggie’s run design, art and craft fairs in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in Dundee, and from May 9th-24th they are running a raffle with prizes from some very talented makers and small businesses (including myself in my guise of Rudy and the Rowan Tree) – you can buy a ticket (only £2) here (just remember to leave your email address when purchasing a ticket).
And then on the weekend of May 16th & 17th there will be an online market on the Makers for Maggie’s Facebook and Instagram pages 9am – 8pm. I’ll be selling some of my little houses with a percentage of sales going to the Maggie’s Centre in Dundee, so please have a look – it’s a great way to treat yourself and not feel guilty about it!
HooperHart 