Craft House: Garden of De-light

There are very few things loved more by the student population of St Andrews than a garden party, except for maybe the new pint prices at The Red Gown.  Be it a society event, birthday, or any Tuesday, no opportunity is missed to congregate on the perfectly manicured lawns dotted around the town and sip away the evening. The irony of this is not lost on me considering the typically waterlogged state of St Andrews.

Having found what must have been the last available garden north of Lamond Drive, Craft House held their semesterly Garden Party, The Garden of Light, at 4pm on September 25. But the typical Garden Party affair couldn’t be further from what Craft House offers. 

As I wandered through the side streets just off Largo Road, towards the drifting melodies played by Five Card Draw, it became clear that Craft House has perfected the kitschy yet personal style that typifies their events.  Looking up at the hand-painted celestial faces smiling down at me from the trees, the colourful bunting draped overhead, and the array of lanterns and fairy lights glowing and interwoven between branches, it felt as though you were stepping into the art itself. They succeed in creating not only a thriving ecosystem for the artists of the town, but a relaxed and welcoming environment for guests of all (and no) levels of expertise. 

Established in 2023, Craft House is a student-run charity that aims to create a home for creativity in St Andrews by providing patronage to local artists. Since their inception, they have offered financial support and guidance to a range of creatives from photographers and musicians, to poets and visual artists; asserting themselves as a major influence on the artistic identity of St Andrews. 

But the personal dedication of Craft House was clear when talking to their Head of Events, Jay Newman. As a poet, Jay expressed an understanding of the creative process for so many of the artists Craft House supports, and the gratifying feeling of knowing that they helped an artist to sell their work and pursue a future in that area. When asked further about the most rewarding aspect of running Craft House events, Jay answered, “I love the last-minute run around the day of, when everything comes together in the final moments, and you finally see the venue have the whole vision.” Looking towards the future, Jay mentioned an ambition to pursue a career in events and attributed this to her experiences at Craft House.

After wandering over to the art table and trying out the lantern-making activity, which was considerably harder than the artists present made it look, I was reminded why my art career never made it past the Year 8 classroom. But I also felt a renewed sense of awe for the artwork surrounding me. Not only was there an array of prints on sale capturing brightly coloured rabbits, but also photos of East Sands and giant, vibrant canvases of gorillas and clowns tracing the perimeter of the garden. Each piece of artwork had an identity and voice of its own, all tastefully collated in the weird and wonderful backyard of Craft House. 

So, as the moon rose and the evening drew to a close, I inhaled the oddly comforting smell of pizza and cigarette smoke, listened to the ever-present, yet always appreciated sound of The Macaronis, and felt my reticence surrounding the St Andrews Garden Party Obsession drift into the night. 

Photos taken by Lara Lack