Introducing...Karen Edward, founder, owner and resident artist at Funky Scottish. In this Q+A, Karen
shares her own story about becoming an artist, launching her business,
overcoming inevitable challenges and continuing to nurture an ongoing
love affair with her craft...
The East Neuk has become your home. Tell us a little
about your background?
I was born
in St Andrews and went to Madras College.
I graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone Art College in Dundee with
honours in Drawing and Painting. I also lived on The Isle of Mull and worked in
a painting school there for some time.
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| Duncan Of Jordanstone Art College, Dundee |
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| Isle of Mull |
What's your artistic speciality?
My
speciality is in observing and painting all the things around me that I
love. It’s all incorporated into my
work, so location is really important to me, as is my language in describing
the things I love the most. I love
to work with ceramics too but I am predominantly a painter.
How did you learn your craft?
I had very
little money but I slowly saved up to buy my first kiln. I then did a stint at a local pottery.
Ultimately, I taught myself how to use ceramic paints and I worked on
glazing and firing, learning and tweaking as I slowly but surely progressed.
How did you discover your passion for art and crafts?
My parents
are both artists. My mum’s a
painter and my father was a sculptor.
Both of my parents went to Duncan of Jordanstone, so I grew up in a very
artistic household.
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| Karen in Funky Scottish |
When did you open Funky Scottish?
I opened the
Funky Scottish gallery and boutique in 2005. I’d been working as an artist for a long time before
that. Throughout my life, I’d been selling paintings through other galleries
but it was a big breakthrough to open Funky Scottish and have a place of my
own. Now, a decade later, I've fulfilled another dream...creating a little cafe within Funky Scottish! We've recently opened the cafe,
which serves up satisfying savouries (home-made soups + tasty filled
rolls) and a range of scrumptious, homemade cakes. Take a peek at our 'Cake Gallery'.
How did you discover Pittenweem?
Well, I’d
taken part in the Pittenweem Arts Festival. Also, I moved from the Isle of Mull to Cellardyke – which is
just a couple of villages away from Pittenweem. I was given the chance to have a studio at the back of a
shop in Pittenweem...that has since become Funky Scottish!
Why did you think the village would be the perfect location for
your shop?
The arts festival
is a huge part of having a business in Pittenweem. It’s a beautiful village, a great
artistic community, which has been built up around the studio of the famed
painter John McGee. So many people
come through the village.
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| Pittenweem Harbour by artist, John McGhie |
How did you find the experience of launching the
business?
I opened
the business during a time which, as it happened, was very challenging in my
personal life. So, it was a huge learning curve, yet the launch of Funky Scottish was also the catalyst
for a wonderful rebirth of sorts. It’s been a life changing experience. Funky Scottish was going to be my main
source of income, so the early stages of launching the business was financially
challenging. It was a very slow,
steady and progressive build up.
On the other hand, this made each new success more rewarding; artists
getting in touch, people wanting to be part of Funky Scottish. It was all really exciting and this
provided me with the impetus to keep going.
For you, what makes Pittenweem and the East Neuk so special?
I’ve
always
lived beside the sea and spent my life on the beach. I’m always drawn
to living beside the sea. I love everything to do with the coast
and the East Neuk is one of the most beautiful places to live in
Scotland –
unique architecture, the incredible history….I just love it!!
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| Karen's Coast - Pittenweem & East Neuk |
You source art & crafts from around Scotland – how
do you know which ones to choose?
The gallery
of artists featured in the boutique evolves very naturally. All of the pieces
stocked by Funky Scottish are made by friends, family and artists from around
Scotland, hence the name! You’ll
find a really eclectic mix of art, ceramics, note cards, jewellery, a small
range of fair trade clothing and all kinds of really unique little trinkets and
crafts.
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| Arts & crafts on display in Funky Scottish |
Where did you get the inspiration for the quirky, funky
style of your shop?
The
weirdest thing for me is that I actually had the concept for Funky Scottish a
very long time ago. The name just
popped into my head and I had this idea that I would run a business making and
selling ceramics, artwork, cards and so on. It started with a daydream and it all just seemed to take off from there.
Do you have any events or interesting
projects coming up?
Yes, I’m on
the visual arts committee with Pittenweem Arts Festival, which is an ongoing
and very important project for me.
I’ve also been asked to become involved in illustrating books for gifted
children which is really exciting and I’m also working on new designs, collections and bespoke ceramics.
Can you buy online?
Yes, you
can! If you go to www.funkyscottish.com you can
purchase personalised ceramics and commemorative plates. I’m also working on extending the range
of products available online.
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| Commemorative Plate by Karen Edward |
Are you inspired by any particular artists?
I love
Scottish colourists. I’m really
inspired by The Glasgow Boys, a group of painters with strong ties to the city,
who became famous in the 1800s.
What are
the greatest rewards of your work?
It
just makes me so happy when people receive their
commissions and they really love them. It’s so rewarding to see that my
work puts
a smile on their face. Some
clients are so delighted that they send me pictures – for example I’m
often sent photos of newly decorated kitchens, featuring tile panels I
created for them. If my
customers and clients are happy, I’m delighted! More recently, it's
been a pleasure to see the cafe at Funky Scottish welcomed by so many locals and visitors. The outdoor seating on the village square brings a continental vibe to Pittenweem, especially on a beautiful sunny day!
There’s
lots of advice out there for start up businesses, but specifically, what advice
would you give to anyone wishing to become a professional artist, who may even
launch a cafe-gallery-boutique like Funky Scottish?
You
must have faith in yourself and really believe in
what you do. Also, you need to be
incredibly determined, be prepared to face times where nobody might buy
your work
or when you will face the unforseen challenges of being an artist AND
business manager-owner. Artists often feel compelled to turn their
passion into their
business - earning a living doing what you love is so appealing! Then
suddenly, you are
consumed by the demands of running the business and you risk losing
focus on your original love – creating art.
So it’s a balance. Eventually, you have to step back and return to
working on your business, rather than spending too much time working in your
business. This may mean asking for
help with the day-to-day stuff, rather than trying to juggle it all
yourself…but if you’re getting to do what you truly love, it’s really worth it!
Discover more inspiration from Karen Edward and Funky Scottish via our facebook page, www.facebook.com/funkyscottish.
