10th Annual Show for the Scottish Furniture Makers
Dovecot, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT, 1-16th October
Last year saw our association at its peak. The greatest number of members. The first ever membership directory. The largest annual show yet, in Edinburgh and Glasgow. And two houses at the Inverness Housing Expo filled with our furniture.Yes, 2010 really did almost kill our association. So much work, so much stress. Indeed, one exhibitor had a heart attack while the show was in Edinburgh. So this year we thought we would make it even harder on ourselves and hire the prestigeous and expensive Dovecot gallery in Edinburgh (at the old swimming baths in Infirmary Street, see below). It may end in death(s) of committee members if chisels are allowed into the demonstration area.
If you want to find out more about this year's show, there are separate pages dedicated to various aspects of the exhibition, such as the Local Timber: Local Maker. This event will chart the chopping down and processing of elm and oak trees in Edinburgh and Glasgow and the path travelled by the dried timber to become furniture, from portable saw mill to kiln and maker's workshop. There should even be some of the final pieces of furniture on view.
Furniture exhibitions in the UK 2011
While the SFM is the largest active furniture designer-maker association in Britain, there are other groups of cabinetmakers that regularly hold exhibitions, including the Northern Contemporary Furniture Makers, the Norfolk Furniture Makers Association, and the Devon Furniture Makers Association. The largest show in the UK is not organised by a collective association but it is run by a furniture maker. The exhibition, held annually in Cheltenham, is called Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design. Although it lacks "furniture" in its title for historical reasons (the founder's husband was a sculptor), the work of just over fifty cabinetmakers makes up the bulk of the show. It is hoped that the SFM will be represented at the show in 2012. But as our own exhibitions have reached 70% of the size of the Cheltenham show, there is a palpable desire to overtake it and make oor ane yin the biggest yin.Devon Furniture Makers, "The Colour of Wood", RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon
16th - 31st July 2011
Scottish Furniture Makers, Aberdeen Arts Fair, Aberdeen Music Hall, Scotland
12th - 14th August (Friday evening only, Sat. & Sun.)
Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design, 18th annual exhibition
Thirlestaine Long Gallery, Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7LD
20th 29th August 2011
Scottish Furniture Makers, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
6th-8th September 2011
Norfolk Furniture Makers, annual exhibition
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
10th September 23rd October, 2011 (Wed Sun 11am 5pm)
Northern Contemporary Furniture Makers, 5th annual exhibition
Tennants Auction Centre, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5SG
12th 23rd September 2011
Scottish Furniture Makers, 10th annual exhibition
Dovecot, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT
Mon. 1stSun. 16th October 2011 (private viewing, Friday 30th Sept.)
Who are we?
I'm guessing that if you've reached this website you already know who we are (no, the first minister is not an enthusiastic woodworker, but Tom Cooper (left) and John Johnstone are). But if not, here's the lowdown in a nutshell.The Scottish Furniture Makers' Association is one of the largest and most diverse groups of bespoke furniture makers in Britain. The aim of the SFMA is to promote the finest in craftsmanship and design through the work of its members, and to develop a wider public awareness of contemporary furniture design in Scotland. (That's the official, public aim. The unofficial aim is to sell furniture and help prevent our poor members from becoming poorer.)
The SFMA was formally established in 2001. Still entirely run on a voluntary basis, it now has over 55 members from all over Scotland. Half exhibited at last year's annual show. The present chairman is Alan Dalgety (07952 835913). Our website (www.sfma.org.uk.) has a full directory of all our members with gallery listings for each and is the best place to find information about commissioning and to match a maker to personal requirements. Our 2010 exhibition catalogue is also a full directory of our members and can be seen online. Or come to the show and pick up a new printed 2011 directory.
Next year's show: tree enthusiasm
It has been proposed (but not agreed at the AGM) that next year the show will have a theme. "Arboreal Inspiration" has been proposed because all our furniture is, well, wood. And wood grows on trees. Is giving the show a theme title which is effectively meaningless a) the product of conceptual art's empty posturing, b) a cynical attempt to prove to the Scottish Arts Council that we are artists, or c) a genuine attempt to entice other artists into our show? The answer is yes. But if you want to read more, click here to go to the 2012 show page.Previous exhibition venues
For years and years we have held a big annual show in Edinburgh alone. Last year we also exhibited in Glasgow, at the Collins Gallery. It was not well attended and the powers that be within the SFM have decided on an Edinburgh only show yet again. Last year we set up, for the third year, in wee Bobbie's kirk, Greyfriars. Rigging good lighting for an exhibition in a church is not easy, but the team has become expert at the job. For years they built up experience when the annual show was at St Johns Church at the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road. Held during the Edinburgh Festival and surrounded by the 2D/3D craft fair, we had thousands and thousands of visitors despite charging for entry. It was quieter at Greyfriars. We arrived there by way of the Conservative Club in the New Town, where the exhibition was held for two years running, I think. Sadly, this wandering has made it harder for us to build up a stalwart following. Let's face it, you have to be pretty canny to find an SFMA exhibition.
Photos of furniture exhibited before
There are photographs scattered about this website. If you wish to see more, you could download an exhibition catalogue from 2010 or go to Flickr, where quite a few pieces exhibited in 2009 were photographed by the Metropolitan University in Glasgow: photos on Flickr.