Meet McBlair Design
Raised on a farm overlooking historic Stirling, Alan has always been mesmerised with the place he calls his home. This fascination ultimately resulted in the creation of reclaimed wood art that started his journey as a full-time artist. However, Alan wasn’t always an artist. By trade he became a well-rounded craftsman through his experiences working on the farm, and later as a Blacksmith welder.
Alan had never seen himself as a full-time maker, and it might have never happened if his family hadn’t given him the confidence he needed. It all started when, during Christmas of 2020, he had made a Christmas tree out of pallet wood and placed it in his front yard. Within a week he had 13 orders, and whilst fulfilling the orders he experimented with making stars and lanterns. That same Christmas also saw the ‘birth’ of his backlit Stirling Cityscape, which was a present for his wife.
In 2022 McBlair Design became one of the 30 artists to sell in Made in Stirling’s Christmas market, and after selling well during that period, they became a permanent seller in Made in Stirling. To add to this achievement, McBlair design is adding the launch of their first solo exhibition Flock of Faces: Reclaimed Wood Art. This exhibition is running in Made in Stirling’s Gallery 2 from the 2nd of April until the 2nd of May. Flock of Faces is a celebration of Alan’s 60th birthday, and will display 60 unique birdboxes, as well as host three workshop sessions in which people can make their very own birdbox.
“wood, even in a recycled form, is still a living thing.”
Selling in Made in Stirling really became the turning point for Alan. With the sales came the confidence that he needed to consider becoming a full-time artist. It is through the network of like-minded people that he has gotten ideas for his business, and has looked into potential collaborations. On top of that, he finds it inspirational to be surrounded by artists from all kinds of generations and backgrounds being resilient in a field that is filled with hardships.
As a former blacksmith welder, Alan had to get used to using reclaimed wood. The main difference between metal and wood is that wood, even in a recycled form, is still a living thing. Through trial and error, he has learned how to make sure all the produced products will remain functional and good. He is excited to see the places his business can go, but does want to keep the sustainability at the core of his future ventures. Keep an eye out on @mcblairdesign on Instagram, and see the places they will go!
