Why local artists value their membership to Open Studios Ayrshire

Some artists annually open their studios and have seen many visitors return to buy their artworks.

Each year they meet new visitors, who are discovering the Open Studios art trail in Ayrshire for the first time.

The commitment to the organisation of Open Studios Ayrshire comes with gratitude from fellow artists as Open Studios Ayrshire is now fully self supportive and financially sustainable. John MacDonald with the help of the publishing team has done an amazing job compiling all the imagery and other content. He has been with OSA from its conceptual year and befittingly this year he has had his wonderful abstract painting chosen for the front cover.

Margaret McDonald was also a founding member and was initially on the committee along with Bridget Hunter. These members have championed Open Studios Ayrshire helping advise new artists as they in turn joined the organisation.

Julie H Winter, also joining in the initial year soon became a staunch, hard working OSA Member, opening her studio and supporting other artists, offering her skills to the committee during her second year, eventually taking over from Irene walker as Chair of the Committee in her fourth year.

announced that after 2019, she may no longer be exhibiting with Open Studios Ayrshire. She is intending to move back to South Yorkshire to support her family and her new born grandson. However she is hoping to keep in touch with Open Studios Ayrshire members and is looking to be invited back as a visiting artist.

Julie says:‘It has been a wonderful experience creating landscapes relating to this amazing part of Scotland, I thoroughly enjoyed a year’s residency working at Culzean Castle with my OSA friends and loved being part of the supportive community of artists in Ayrshire.’ Many of the artists Julie has worked with in the past several years have gone on to develop their art careers within their own studios and as part of other ventures including the Carrick Art Trail, she wishes all previous OSA Artists well in their creative futures.

Artists who have been with the group since its second year include Julie Smith, and Dianne Gardner. During the third year productive and supportive members joined the tour de force and include Patricia Candlish, George Lockhart, Sue Howat, Jenny Brown, Astrid Weigle and Pat Kramek.

Many of these artists were on the OSA Committee.

Jenny Brown also offered her secretarial skills.

For those who are wishing to join this vibrant community of artists or visit the Open Studios Ayrshire main event running from April 26 to 29. See further information on the website at www.

openstudiosayrshire.com