craftscotland craftfocus - world-class work by designer makers based in Scotland
Welcome to craftfocus - an online exhibition space showing world-class work by designer makers based in Scotland.
craftfocus panel members curated four exhibitions in 2006/7. These online exhibitions led to an offline display, which was held in Scotland in 2006. We hope that this initiative will entice visitors into the world of craft, increase the income and profile of the featured makers, and cultivate new and existing buyers.
To request images for publication please contact us.
craftfocus Panel and Selection Procedure
A panel selected by the Scottish crafts community curates craftfocus - selecting new or recent work related to a particular exhibition theme. The panel selects work based on quality and maker achievement, but those nominated must also be living and working in Scotland and meet our definition of craft.
Each panel member makes up to five general nominations and writes why they nominated each maker in relation to the theme and criteria. We contact the nominated makers, obtain images if we don't have them on file, and then the shortlist with images and the reasons for nomination is sent to the panel. They assign a score to each nominated maker, with a maximum of the top 10 makers making up the final show.
The panel members were selected via an email sent by craftscotland to 100 members of the Scottish crafts community. Thirty names were put forward as potential craftfocus panel members. We invited these people to a meeting, and those who attended make up the current panel. If you would like to be notified when the panel is changing, with a view to taking part, please email enquiries at craftscotland dot org
Hazel Hughson
Hazel specialised in tapestry and jewellery at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1975 she returned to Shetland to establish the Shetland Workshop Gallery, and worked in textile design for 25 years. Given an opportunity in 2002 to change direction, she is currently Indigenous Craft Development Officer for the Shetland Arts Trust - developing contemporary indigenous craft in Shetland.
Hazel Raee
Since 1990 Hazel has worked professionally in craft and design. She moved to Skye in 2001 to curate a permanent collection of material concerning the foundation of British mountaineering. In 2005 Hazel took up a post at An Tuireann Arts Centre, where the craft gallery provides a hub for the best of contemporary craft on the West Coast of Scotland.
Carol Sinclair
Carol Sinclair is a ceramics graduate of Grays School of Art, and has run her own practice for the past 15 years. In the last five years she has also been a business adviser with Business Gateway, and more recently with the Cultural Enterprise Office. Carol is a Director of Applied Arts Scotland and a Board member of Creative and Cultural Skills.
Mary Smith
Mary ran a knitwear business in the 1970s on Shetland. In the 1980s she moved to Edinburgh where she managed a shop, and was Exhibitions Officer at the Scottish Craft Centre. For the past 12 years she has worked as Visual Arts Co-ordinator for Shetland Arts Trust, and is in charge of Bonhoga Gallery. Mary is a Director of Applied Arts Scotland and sits on the Board of craftscotland.
Shannon Tofts
Having been surrounded by the arts from an early age, I have developed an empathy for the arts, crafts and makers. This is my passion, and has become central to my expertise. I work for a number of arts-based agencies and makers, as well as corporate and design agencies. Every commission is treated with the same passion and energy, but the most essential part for me is to always have a clear point of view which is expressed through my work.
Helen Voce
Helen has worked and studied in craft and design since 1995. As Craft Development Officer in Dumfries & Galloway, she is currently employed on the Art & Craft Sector Trade Development Project. Helen also works freelance as a Lecturer and Exhibition Designer/Technician for a textile school. Following undergraduate studies in three-dimensional design, and a postgraduate in the History of Design at Royal College of Art, Helen was previously employed by the Crafts Council.
Rose Watban
Rose Watban has worked with contemporary collections at the National Museums of Scotland as Curator of Modern Ceramics & Glass from 1995-2004. She is presently Curator of Applied Art & Design, where part of her remit is to develop the contemporary craft collection. Rose has curated and co curated a number of exhibitions and permanent galleries, and has sat on selection panels for internal and external exhibitions. She is currently the NMS representative for The Cutting Edge, a project to create a touring exhibition of the best of Scotland’s contemporary makers.