A WIGTOWNSHIRE artist who paints wonky houses is looking forward to her Spring Fling debut next month.
Amanda Hayler is one of 15 new participants in the popular arts event, which will this year have a record-breaking 104 studios taking part.
Her caravan base, which was specially converted by her husband, is located in Stranraer.
She moved there in 2021 and has shown her work, mostly in watercolour and pen, in local exhibitions.
Art has always been a part of Amanda’s life, but it was a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in 2012, aged 47, that led her to pursue art as a form of therapy.
She said: “I wanted a way to work through the anger, sadness and sense of grief that I felt. Art did that, it was something for me – art gave me a reason to live.”
Her pieces are full of colour, joy and life – whether it’s the joyous higgledy-piggledy houses, or lovely scenes inspired by the area’s landscapes and coastlines.
Other new additions to the line up include Scott McFarlane, a Borgue – painter inspired by his local environment; Portpatrick printmaker Sarah Ross-Thompson; and Timothy Westley, a Newton Stewart blade-maker, who creates chef knives from recycled waste.
Joanna Jones, from organisers Upland, said: “It’s great to be able to welcome so many new artists and makers to Spring Fling, and to have studios taking part all the way from Moffat to Stranraer.
“The range of work is quite remarkable and offer visitors an incredible choice of places to visit, people to meet and art to discover.”
- Pic by Colin Hattersley
