I have recently completed a matching pair of websites for partners Catharine Davison and Robbie Bushe. These two artists are both brilliant … but very different, with Catharine drawing her inspiration from landscape, developing the majority of her work on location, all bundled up in multiple layers to ward off the Scottish winds, and Robbie delving deep into his memories and imagination to bring us fantastical stories involving people, buildings ‘and the occasional Dalek as a cathartic exposition of barriers to opportunities.’
Though I have known these two for a few years now, having worked with them during my time with the Society of Scottish Artists and Visual Arts Scotland, our relationships certainly seemed to develop and grow during this collaborative process. I thoroughly enjoyed working with them, both as a team and as individuals on their own websites.
Though the sites are a matching pair, the originality of their individual styles of work keeps them unique. Content is king!
I sincerely hope that the two of them will come for an artist residency at Studio Faire once we are up and running. The Lot-et-Garonne in South West France is oozing with things that will inspire them both. For Catharine, there’s an abundance of huge views speckled with chateaus, turreted stone houses, poplar trees and fields brimming with flowering garlic, maize and, of course, sunflowers. For Robbie, there’s the old town of Nérac with wooden strutted medieval buildings dotted along the side of the Baïse River and the Saturday market presenting characters GALORE! I would love to see what they come up with.
Pictured (top) is Catharine Davison’s ‘London Road’ and below, dressed and ready and drawing from Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh.
Please read her wonderful testimonial:
I got to know Julia Douglas through her work with the SSA and also from chatting to her-artist to artist at exhibitions. She came across as being very clear headed, practical and professional – and good fun too. Robbie Bushe suggested that we make a joint pledge to their ‘Studio Faire’ crowdfunding campaign, in return for her mastery designing a pair of websites. Robbie, being technology minded, embraced the opportunity and merrily spent hours organising his photographs….ta daaa a lovely new website. I on the other hand am less inclined towards technology and when my turn came was not at all prepared or motivated. Julia from a magic far-away place managed to nurture my techno spirit into action…it was at times for me quite challenging and although she never said as such, I am sure she felt my pain. Slowly but surely through email, with clear direction, realistic deadlines and an abundance of patience Julia has designed and delivered a new lovely spanking clean and dandy website.
The distance was never an issue…and by the end of the job I felt like I knew Julia better than I did when she lived in Edinburgh. Who says long distance relationships never last!
CATHARINE DAVISON
CATHARINE DAVISON
www.catharinedavison.uk
ROBBIE BUSHE
www.robbiebushe.com
See testimonial from Robbie Bushe here