For the past two summers I have worked alongside writer Christian McEwen, helping to provide a creative retreat on Tanera Mor, one of the Summer Isles. This year we are celebrating the publication of Christian's new book World Enough & Time: On Creativity and Slowing Down by using its theme as the focus for the week. If you feel that the pace of life is just too fast, perhaps you would like to take off your watch and join us for a week away from it all.
As I hinted in my last newsletter, I have been experimenting with sculptural forms for mosaic. Many of you who have already attended the introductory workshop in outdoor mosaics, and who had seen my early efforts, asked if I could develop a course specifically for sculpture.
The first Garden Mosaic Sculpture course will run in March next year, over three days, in the comfort of the studio in Crieff.
There has been such a rush on places for this one (no places left), that I am putting on a second Mosaic Sculpture event in September of next year in my own studio. Click here to find out all the details.
Mosaic Commission for Rogie Falls
Recently, I completed a large mosaic depicting the life cycle of a salmon, set within a Highland landscape. This was for the Forestry Commission for Scotland, and is now sited at their forest walk and salmon leap at Rogie Falls near Contin, Ross-shire. To see the final work, follow the link below.
This five-day course is an opportunity to sample techniques suitable for bigger garden projects. You will also leave with two magnificent and substantial garden mosaic artefacts - a table top and a sculpture.
So - if you wanted to do the Mosaic Sculpture class at Crieff but didn't get a chance to book before it filled, then this week teaches you the sculpture technique and a whole lot more!
To co-incide with my recent interest in translating the landscape around my home into embroidered textiles, I have developed a new course, which will take you through all the stages - from choosing a composition, through dyeing, print-making and collage and on to embroidery - all of which give you a rich collection of skills with which to produce you own textile interpretation of this theme.
Click here for more details.
Open Studio Hours
On the run up to Christmas, I will be in the studio, working part-time, so if any of you would like to visit or come to buy a present for Christmas, you will be made very welcome. Just contact me first, to make sure that I am there, by telephoning 01854 666279 or email jan@wildtiles.co.uk.
The next spell of formal opening hours for the studio will be during the Easter holidays of 2012, starting on the 2nd April and finishing on the 15th April, 11.00 am - 5.00pm each day.
January 2012 sees the start of a new community textile project for the Ullapool area, based on the Celtic design work of George Bain. There will be the opportunity for young and old to interpret these classic designs through a wide range of textile media, such as embroidery, tapestry, knitting, rag-rugging and applique.
The work produced will go on exhibition, alongside some of the national collection of George Bain designs, in an talla solais, Ullapool's visual arts centre, in March 2012, as part of a national celebration of George's work.
For more information, including a list of dates and locations of the textile workshops, visit the George Bain Project page.
The Art of Looking
This two-day workshop will encourge you to slow down and take a closer look! The art, book-making and creative writing activities will give you a record of the experience.
Compose colour, build texture, draw, write and move from two dimensions into three - all with the power of stitch! This course was a great success this autumn, so I am looking forward to repeating it next year.
Click here for more details and to see some of the work of this year's group.
