link to Ann Shaw's blog on the recent Bridge of Allan Arts and Crafts Festival.
As a fairly recently graduated 'mature student' of 2+ years I can relate to Ann's comments. Technology can and will have so much impact on the art world. I also live in hope I'll eventually be able to speak from one soapbox rather the multi channel facebook, flickr, blog, email,etc etc approach that's happening now and that I'll at least get some use out of my newly acquired hard-drive before I totally 'reach for the cloud's!"
Ultimately, as a participating Artist in Saturday's Bridge of Allan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Festival, I believe you can't beat face to face interaction between art practitioners, art and audience. From what I could see and personally experienced, Saturday was a resounding success, due to both the efforts of the organisers, the artists' and ultimately the visitors' thirst to experience and interact with something that never be truly replicated virtually. I relish the opportunity to participate in future events with the Forth Valley Open Studios, the Bridge of Allan event and other events such as the Little Birds Market and Byres Road Makers Market as this is where I think there is a genuine revival and appreciation of the skill and craftmanship of original art which, for sometime, has been lost within the mass production throwaway culture of the last few decades.
