Meet the Artists

Paul Kennedy

Born in Glasgow in 1981, Paul’s talent was recognised early when at the age of twelve he won the competition to design the Edinburgh Festival Fringe poster. He went on to graduate from Edinburgh College of Art in 2004 and took the risky decision to become a full-time painter from his own studio in the Merchant City. Much of his work has been inspired by the city, depicting a narrative between the people and their surroundings. His paintings are strongly connected to experiences in his own life. Recently he has been more interested in the coast and countryside painting everything from boats and seafood to farm animals and machinery. When asked to paint a sheep at the Royal Highland Show Paul wanted to create designs that could relate to his own work as well as relate to agriculture at the same time. After looking through his paintings he decided that the best way forward for his design was to paint the sheep like he was just doing one of his everyday paintings. He decided to paint the beach in Lindisfarne in Cumbria. After many holidays to the Berwickshire coast he thought that painting Lindisfarne onto the sheep as a full canvas would work as it’s an environment where sheep are never far away. He painted the whole head and upper body blue with the picturesque beach and castle in the back ground with one of his signature boats on the lower part. This worked well as it made the sheep become it’s own environment.

Matt Vale

Matt Vale studied drawing and painting at Edinburgh College of Art graduating in 2004. Since this time Matt has exhibited work throughout Scotland and had illustrations published in zines and books. I was fascinated by the shifting influence sheep have had on the Scottish landscape and culture. My design references Chrysomallos, the golden ram from Greek mythology which is believed to be a representation of the wealth that farming brings. The image on the right side of the sheep was inspired by the waulking songs that were sung by groups of women while softening wool to be woven. The image on the left side of the sheep is an update of the arms of the Incorporation of Edinburgh Weavers including images of a beaver and a sea eagle, species that were native to Scotland, driven to extinction by humans but now reintroduced. I was inspired to use pink for the sheep by 1980’s golf wear, in particular the Nick Faldo range by Pringle.

Alasdair Couzens

"Born in Cumbria and growing up in a farming community, Als (short for Alasdair) moved north to study Biology at St. Andrews University. With a flair for creating brands, he worked as a freelance Graphic Designer and started to develop his own unique style of modern digital artwork in his spare time. Moving to Edinburgh, he now works as a full-time artist designing modern artwork of things he loves including fun animal breed prints, agricultural paintings and modern photography. With a wealth of experience working with a range of start-ups and established organisations, Als also works on a range of projects with local UK businesses. By combining creativity and a foundation in brand strategy, Als offers clients a broad range of creative services including branding, website design, video production and business advice to help them engage with customers and grow their brand.

Billy Hutchison

Billy graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2001 and currently lives and works as an Artist/Illustrator in Dundee. He took part in his first public trail in Oor Wullies BIG Bucket trial 2019 and recently in the Rocket Round Leicester trail in 2021. In 2020 and in 2022, Billy was selected to create Christmas Tree's in partnership with the V&A Dundee. Billy searches for the best way to interpret his ideas and does not limit himself to one medium, style or concept. His inspiration and ideas constantly change. During development stage of a concept, Billy tries to research the topic of his idea looking for connections/relationships which helps provide the framework for the design.

Bridget Milesi

Bridget Milesi is a visual artist & production designer recently moved to the UK from Melbourne, Australia. Her freelance artistic practice includes costume and set designs for theatre, film, dance, opera and events, as well as working across illustration, painting and sculpture. She creates pieces that are nostalgic, fun and at times pointed. Bridget holds a first-class degree in Production (Design Realisation) at the Victorian College of the Arts where she was awarded the Orloff Family Trust Scholarship. In 2021 Bridget had her first solo art exhibition at Brunswick Street Gallery: Straight From The Poolroom where she reworked scenes from iconic films and television across a number of paintings and sculptures. In 2019 Bridget featured as an emerging artist in First Commissions, A Major Australian Art Concept where her sculpture of a hedgehog formed a commentary on the unjust treatment of asylum seekers. Bridget has worked with a wide range of Australian and uk companies, including Melbourne Art Centre, Gorman, Princess Highway, Polyglot Theatre, Back to Back Theatre, The Listies and Snuff Puppets. Bridget recently completed the costume design for Victorian Opera’s A Christmas Carol and has worked for the past four years as the creative producer for Playable Streets.

Daria Zapala

Daria Zapala is a contemporary visual artist who works in painting, printmaking and multimedia. Her practice demonstrates a continued interest in the concept of semiotics, process painting and colour psychology. Many of Zapala's paintings show the desire to capture the world in concepts and pictures. Referencing animal symbolism, she evokes a shamanic journey where the spirit animal is great at slicing through chaos and confusion, allowing for new levels of healing and transformation to breakthrough. Her representation becomes a matter of creating a state of connection and understanding oneself. The artist has exhibited widely both in the UK and overseas. Her work has been featured at Embassy Gallery Edinburgh, Glasgow Art Club, Mall Galleries London, Shrine New York City USA, and Los Angeles Center for Digital Arts USA. She has worked for several arts organisations, including Glasgow Print Studio, Center for Contemporary Arts and Gallery of Modern Art.

Eilidh Geddes

Eilidh Geddes is an artist and PhD student who has been creating realistic animal portraits for over a decade. Growing up in Caithness, she began drawing at a young age and her hobby quickly grew into a thriving pet portrait business. However, with a keen interest in science, Eilidh moved to Glasgow to complete a degree in Veterinary Biosciences followed by a Masters’ degree researching sheep scab, a parasitic disease of major importance to the UK sheep industry. Having found a passion for agricultural research, Eilidh now resides in the Scottish Borders, pursuing a PhD at Moredun Research Institute investigating sustainable parasite control on Scottish hill and upland sheep farms. While at university, Eilidh continued drawing and was awarded the people’s choice award in the Jackson’s Art Portraits competition with her portrait of a Staffordshire bull terrier. Through her highly sensitive realistic style she aims to capture the unique personality of each pet. While most of Eilidh’s work features dogs and cats, she enjoys creating pieces which demonstrate her passion for Scottish agriculture. Consequently, Eilidh was thrilled to be selected to paint a sheep for ‘Flock to the Show’ to use her art to highlight issues facing Scottish agriculture.

Gillian Robb

I live on a Farm in Ayrshire and work as an Art teacher part time at a rural secondary school. The rest of the time I Farm and create Artwork. We produce beef cows, commercial sheep, laying hens and I also show Dutch Spotted Sheep. The link between Art and Farming are a huge interest to me. I have always had an awareness of the similarities of the two and looked to the rural landscape and customs as inspiration throughout my practice; from taking sheep to Glasgow School of Art to writing on the interlink between the subjects. Since then, I have immersed myself in rural life with my husband and wee girl and take inspiration from everyday life, producing drawings and linocuts. My work gives voice to the people of the rural world and highlight why it is such a timeless and special place.

Jayne Schofield

I am a full-time freelance children’s illustrator living in Lancashire with my husband, son and tabby cat Olly. After gaining a degree in Illustration I spent some time working in industry as children’s designer for companies such as Royal Doulton, Lilliput Lane and Jumpers before embarking on a freelance career. I now work from my studio which overlooks the garden where I gain lots of inspiration for my books, surface pattern designs and paintings. I have gained many years of experience working in the children’s design market and the art I produce has adorned a vast array of products in the high street including textiles, bedding, knitwear, puzzles and greeting cards. My real love lies in illustrating children’s books and I work closely with most of the top high street children’s publishers to create colourful and engaging board books, activity and picture books. I work in with both traditional and digital methods, incorporating texture and pattern to create my bright and quirky illustrations. I love to create art that makes people smile.

Julie Cully

I was brought up on a large arable farm in the south of England. Second eldest of four girls! Tomboy! On leaving school and being denied a place at Reading College of Art by my parents, I went to work on the farm instead! Driving machinery and working with my father in his workshop as he was a mechanic and I learnt a lot. I went on to agricultural college and then after decided it was time to travel. I spent 10 years roaming around the world working on different farms and ended up driving lorries for a safari company from London to Kathmandu Nepal. Wild Camping – dangerous but exciting, with 16 tourists, two driver and a lot of paperwork. I have three passions in my life, my three dogs, the countryside/agriculture and art. So when I was 44 I went back to university and finally did my art degree and loved every minute of it. I now teach in the community and I am a maker of all things arty.

Kath Pender

Kath Pender creates paintings and drawings inspired by our connection to the wild and mountainous landscapes of Scotland. Through sketching and photographing the landscape while on outdoor adventures, she creates artwork that evokes the feelings and emotions of being immersed in nature, as well as representing specific places and stories. She uses a mix of observational drawings and layers of oil paints and varnishes to get the movement and flow into her work, mixing the permanence of the rock and mountains with the ever-changing elements of weather, water and sky. Her artistic career spans over 20 years since studying at art school, and she is currently based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her artwork has grown from extensive exploration around both Scotland and also New Zealand, where she spent nearly a decade painting in wild and remote places. A well as drawing and painting for exhibitions and commissioned work, Kath also runs art workshops in stunning locations around Scotland.

Lynne Fleming

Lynne Fleming (b.1958 ), is a Scottish Artist who loves to paint.After a Foundation Year at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art she went to the Edinburgh College of Art and specialised in Glass Design and Stained Glass, embracing both her love of the meticulous and joy of colour. On graduating, she worked for Caithness Glass, designing and Copperwheel Engraving before moving to farm in Strathmore. Her paintings are of local landscapes, recalling and recording beloved images, also flowers and seascapes from the West Coast, where she returns yearly. The sky is probably her favourite thing. Oil with impasto and acrylics are mediums of choice but mixed media is enjoyed when the subject suggests it. Textures and controlled layering are paramount.

Marianne Frew

Marianne Frew is a watercolour artist based in Alyth, Perthshire. Originally from the Island of Luing in Argyll. She has a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Practice and worked in the industry for over 20 years. Then while working as Joint Event Coordinator for Alyth Creates, a festival of art, music, heritage and the outdoors, she felt inspired to return to painting and has been creating her artwork for just over 2 years. Since beginning this new journey Marianne has a passion for painting wildlife, farm animals, people and birds. Inspired by the nature and wildlife that she loves and the beautiful environments that she has been fortunate to have known throughout her life. Marianne paints full time and attends Agricultural Shows, Highland Shows and various other events to sell her original paintings, printed cards and cushions from her original artwork. Her work has been exhibited at Dunkeld Art Exhibition, Meffan Winter Exhibition and Rattray Art Festival, this year Marianne is opening her studio during Strathmore Open Studios in May and will be continuing to have stalls throughout the year.

Michael Ferns

In 2010 Michael graduated from the University of Plymouth after studying illustration. Living in Jersey, Michael volunteered for Jersey Heritage in which he took part in a variety of projects including the successful Jersey Heritage and Culture Maps guide book. Michael created the illustrations and designed the whole book, also contributing to a majority of the walks. In 2017 the publication was released and has now sold over 1000 copies. The success of the book opened up to commissions and exhibitions. From illustrating tea towels to Christmas cards, children's illustrations to house illustrations. His focus is mainly of buildings and atmospheric landscapes with inspiration from the neo romanticists of the 1940s.

Nina Houston

Nina Houston is an artist living and working from Kirriemuir in the Angus area. After studying the BA/Hons in Painting at Edinburgh College of Art and graduating in 2009, she and her husband started their wee family. Alongside being a Mum, Nina has continued to create and draw inspiration from her surroundings. Whether it be a bold oil land or seascape with chunky brushstrokes or a delicate floaty watercolour of a much-loved animal, Nina enjoys creating unique commissions for all of her customers. Colour, texture and light are all recurring themes that run throughout her work and she enjoys nothing more than creating something individual and exciting that her viewers can enjoy and be inspired by. With every piece she wants to encourage open discussion about everything artistic, and what it makes the viewer think and feel. Art is so powerful and for everyone to access which is why trails like Flock to the Show are so vital. When she is not busy completing commissions, you will often find her at local makers markets, gathering inspiration on the hills or by the water with her family.

Pam & Topaz Walker

Pam graduated from Duncan Of Jordanstone College of Art (1992) specialising in Printed textiles & fashion followed by a short period spent as a Designer and then Theatre Manager and finally opening This Little Piggy, Childrens Shoe shop which she has had for 25 years along with having 6 Children. Previously, Pam has won many awards & achievements including winning Scottish Premier Fashion Awards 1991, Jack & Irving Fashion Award 1992 and finalist in both Radio 1 Clothes Show Competition and Barcardi Rum Scottish designer of the Year 1991 and has had her textiles exhibited locally and in London & New York. Her shop has also won UK Best Childrens Independent Footwear Award & Best Marketing Award over numerous years. Topaz, Pam's middle daughter is now wanting to follow in her mums footsteps to go to Art College and pursue a career in the fashion world having completing her A level Art at Strathallan school and won The RSA Schools Art Award 2021. Topaz (19) is currently gaining valuable fashion production experience from 'up and coming' fashion brand Isolated Heroes, alongside a Kindred clothing award before she then moves onto another design studio called 'Dreamland' and finally Art College this Autumn.

Rosie Watson

Rosie Watson is an artist and illustrator living in the east coast of Scotland, creating illustrations primarly with watercolour and gouache paint, collage and digital illustrations. Rosie is mostly inspired by nature and wildlife she sees on walks around her hometown of North Berwick and Scottish Islands. She graduated from Duncan Of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Textile Design in 2017 and continued her creative journey working on exciting commissions and designing different ranges of greeting cards. Rosie uses uplifting and vibrant colours to her designs that aim to bring fun and positivity to people's lives . Her love of colour, pattern and mark-making has shaped her work. She hopes her designs encourages and inspires children and adults to connect with nature right outside their door.

Victoria Randlo

Victoria Randlo is a Glasgow based artist who takes inspiration from folktales and nature. A Textile Artist with a background in illustration, painting, community arts, large lantern puppetry and willow sculpture. She originally studied Architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone Dundee, working in the field in Central Scotland for several years before pursuing her interest in natural building and alternative living. She likes to collect traditional methods for creating things, buildings and sculpture. Anything she creates is grounded in nature with a touch of whimsy and mythology. It’s about creating another other worldly atmosphere to escape into. She uses mediums such as vintage fabrics, found & natural objects and mixed media to create sculptures, piecing them together to transport the viewer from the business of everyday life into a place of calm where her creations live a life of myth and possibility. You can find her world on instagram “@themossroom”