NEWS : 10,000 Hours photography book kickstarter campaign

It is said that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master of your craft. 10,000 Hours celebrates the culture, history and creativity of craft and food production in modern Scotland.

10,000 Hours is a photographic project which celebrates and shares the stories of craftspeople in all 32 different regions in Scotland. The book captures artists, crafters and food producers who are inspired by the land, using a combination of film photography, typewritten and handwritten text. Our first edition begins in Edinburgh in Winter 2020.

The project was created by Jaime Molena and Eleanor Cunningham (a photographer and artist) who met in early 2020. The pandemic had hit Eleanor's business and she was looking to bring some creativity back into her work. The pair have very similar views of how the landscape inspires them and began to talk about a joint project focusing on this.

Craft and food production on a small scale is often labour intensive and requires a lot of dedication and patience with potentially only a small financial return. It is done with a desire to produce something beautiful which other people can savour and enjoy.

Eleanor studied textile design and is the owner of the Edinburgh Larder café in the heart of the Old Town. Many of the suppliers at the Larder are craftspeople in that they’ve dedicated so much time to creating incredible ingredients, products and dishes linked to a respect and understanding of the land.

Jaime is a Columbian photographer who has completed a number of previous photography projects focusing on the connection between food and the landscape.

He self-published his first book Gatherers which was a handmade photographic recipe book, celebrating and sharing the stories of the modern hunter-gatherer in Cornwall.

The book will highlight Scottish food producers and crafters like:

Pic 1 : Geoff Calder - Geoff produces beautiful ceramic vessels inspired by the landscape, many which feature earth and sky tones. His work is featured at the Adams Pottery - Find Geoff on Facebook @adampottery

Pic 2 : The Edinburgh Butter Company - Set up by Nick and Hilary Sinclair in 2017, the company focuses on an ethos of locally sourced produce and aims to make some of the finest, flavour rich butters you have ever tasted. Find The Edinburgh Butter Company @theedinburghbutterco

Pic 3 : Anna Canning - Anna is a forager and medical herbalist. She works with many organisations in Scotland to promote the health benefits of wild foods. She also runs Flora Medica. Find Anna on Facebook @AnnaFloramedica

10,000 Hours book have launched a kickstarter campaign to fund their project – if you’re able to buy a copy of the book or spread the word about the campaign, they’d really appreciate it – thanks!

Donate here : www.kickstarter.com/projects/10khours

Follow here : www.instagram.com/10.000hoursbook/