Meet the Committee

Meet Our Committee & Volunteers

Clare is passionate about championing artists, strengthening rural creative communities and ensuring North East Open Studios continues to evolve with clarity, ambition and integrity.

Alanda is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Fochabers, creating vibrant semi-abstract work inspired by animals. She works across painting, printmaking and mixed media, and supports North East Open Studios as a committee member.

Carla Cummins is Treasurer of North East Open Studios. A keen crafter, she balances numbers with creativity, and enjoys live music and travelling whenever she can.

Gael is a multi-skilled creative based in Portsoy, working across needle-felting, drawing, watercolour and embroidery. As Secretary, she supports North East Open Studios and its creative community.

Founder of a creative studio, she combines strategic thinking with hands-on design, supporting artists with organisation, communication, systems and calm, solutions-focused problem solving and clarity.

A practicing silversmith working primarily in metal, Drew creates expressive objects that explore ideas beyond words, often incorporating found and unconventional materials into his practice.

Tilly is a Fine Art and Textiles graduate from Moray School of Art based in Elgin. Her work repurposes worn fabrics and cyanotype processes to explore texture, memory, imperfection and hidden histories.

Katie Hammond is an Aberdeen-based mixed media artist inspired by gardens and wildlife. Using watercolour, encaustic and oils, she creates vibrant, textured works celebrating nature’s quieter moments.

Amy is a landscape painter inspired by the Cairngorms and the stories held within its terrain. She experiments with found materials and supports storytelling through digital platforms.

Diane is a lifelong maker whose early love of natural materials evolved into leathersmithing. She now creates and teaches leatherwork from her Moray studio.

Sandra is an Aberdeen-based artist with a background in art school, graphic design and online stationery. She now focuses on abstract work and values being part of a thriving creative community.

Alice Branston is a mixed media artist in rural Aberdeenshire with a background in education. She creates paintings, textiles and sculpture while balancing family life and business.

Meet Our Committee & Volunteers

Clare-Louise Battersby

Alanda Calmus

Carla Cummins

Gael Thomson

Louise Lemmon

Drew Markou

Tilly Howie

Katie Hammond

Amy Holden

Diane Graham

Sandra Muir

Alice Branston