Craft Makers Come To The Highlands
The 3-year project aims to place a craft maker-in-residence for a term in a school in all eight areas of the Highlands, culminating in a major touring craft exhibition in 2007, the Year that Scotland celebrates Highland culture. Each residency will last for 40 - 60 days, and part of that time will be spent by the artist developing new work in response to the area in which they are working which will go into the final exhibition. There will also be a small showcase exhibition in each of the areas exhibiting work of the residency maker and other makers working in the same craft discipline.
The project is run by the Highland Council ECS Exhibitions Unit and is funded by the Scottish Arts Council and The Highland Council.
Jeweller, Gilly Langton, was selected for the Skye and Lochalsh residency and is based at Plockton High School. Gilly is a contemporary jewellery designer passionate about creating precious things for people to hold, wear and cherish. She exhibits widely including the prestigious Dazzle show and is a visiting lecturer at several colleges of art. She is enjoying exploring the Highlands for inspiration for her designsand is also busy researching and developing new ways of working with the pupils at the High School and satellite primary schools.
A Showcase exhibition is at present in Plockton High School and shows work by Gilly, Anna Lewis and Maike Barteldres. It will move to An Tuireann gallery on Skye later in the year.
A selection of Gilly’s work is also on display at the Plockton Gallery.
In Badenoch and Strathspey environmental artist Tim Johnson was selected. He is based at Kingussie High School and will also visit local Primary Schools and run Community workshops.
Tim works with natural materials using basket making, weaving and spinning techniques. He has extensive teaching experience, passing on his skills through a wide variety of methods.
He spent some time in the area during February gathering local plant material including Scots pine, juniper, heather and bog myrtle. During June he will work with the pupils to pass on his skills and to develop a new body of work.
Running alongside Tim’s residency will be the Showcase Exhibition showing work by Shetland based Ewan Balfour, Jonas Haseselrot from Sweden and Anne Mette Hjornhalm from Denmark. This exhibition will be at the Iona Gallery, Kingussie along with last years Residency Exhibition, ‘Over the Hills & Far Away’ from 4th – 26th June 2005.
The situation in Sutherland is rather different in that, as it is such a large area, a double residency has been set up that involves 2 artists working in collaboration.
Neil Fuller and Anthony O’Flaherty were selected for the Sutherland residency and will divide their time between Rosehall Primary, Kinlochbervie High School and Farr High School. They will work separately and collaboratively during the residency and it is anticipated that Tim Johnson (selected also for Kingussie) will also spend some time in the area during September.
Neil is a craftsman working in a broad spectrum of stonework. His work is widely known and he works predominately to commission. Having the opportunity to work with another craftsman opens up whole new avenues of creativity and working methods for him while he also passes on his skills to school children and teachers.
Anthony is predominately a sculptor who works with a variety of materials. His most recent work has been the production of bronze bells and other objects with a sound making potential. He is excited by the prospect of combining the process of casting with carving.
Both makers are based in Sutherland and are keen to explore the life and landscape and to translate that into a lasting legacy for the people of the area. In June all three schools will come together to visit the Black Isle Foundry and to hopefully see work being cast.
Anthony and Neil spent some time in April working with the pupils in Rosehall Primary School, in May they will be in Kinlochbervie High and in June they will be based in Farr High School. The Showcase Exhibition shows the work of both makers together with jeweller Maike Barteldres whose work explores using stone and metal. Glass artist, Sally Fawkes is also showing work as she uses casting techniques. The Exhibition will be in Farr in June.