 Anthea's geese and chicken are full of character. This time of year
there are 1,000s of wild pink-footed geese on the fields - so I wonder
what they will think of the arrival of some willow impersonators! ( Kate Sankey) |
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 Bryce's has an intimate understanding of the Birch tree. I am very pleased that he has agreed to run a workshop at West Moss-side where the material can be harvested from the mature birch woodland on the edge of Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve. On the high moss we are actually trying to reduce the number of scrub birch trees so you are welcome to 'pull' the young birch trees to get the long slender roots. You will be helping to conserve the bog habitat! ( Kate Sankey)
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 I've known Catherine since she began basket making - that was more than 10 years ago! She used to live just up the road in Thornhill village before heading out to the Isle of Eigg with her partner Pascal Carr. Basket making came naturally to her and her dedication to understanding the weaves and the structures of the traditional baskets of Scotland and Ireland can be seen in her own beautiful creations. Catherine and Pascal are now working together with Pascal making larger structures including coffins. It is great to have them both here at West Moss-side. (Kate Sankey) |
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 Charlotte lost the battle with cancer on 3rd May 2012.
It was great to have Charlotte Haines tutoring here at West Moss-side. She worked together with Saskia Gavin in a series of three felt workshops introducing different felting techniques. She will be remembered for her wonderful skills of tutoring and her talent for producing exquisite pieces of felt. She will be greatly missed. I hope to re-introduce felt making classes with Saskia in the autumn 2012. (Kate Sankey) |
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 Imagine my delight when Charmian agreed to come to West Moss-side to run a workshop to share her expertise and excitement in paper making from native plants. She brought some of her most wondeful pieces for display in the Centre too. I particularly love the strong and beautiful connections which her work conveys between the natural and human worlds. ( Kate Sankey) |
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 I have admired Darren's wonderful paintings over the years. He is a regular visitor to West Moss-side and has done some beautiful drawings and paintings here - one of a merlin in the Flanders Moss landscape and one of a hare with curlew chicks in the carse hayfields I have hanging in my dining room. There are other local paintings in the centre too. So it is great to have him at West Moss-side. ( Kate Sankey) |
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 It is really special to have Elspeth coming to West Moss-side. It is a perfect complement to Charmian Pollok's Paper Making Workshop. Indeed Elspeth and Charmian have worked alot together. Using natural materials and water based paint the Japanese block printing so well speaks to the natural landscape and environment. Elspeth Lamb has written and edited a definitive book on Paper Making for Print Makers which includes a chapter written by Charmian Pollok. .
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 Tutor information forthcoming...
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Georgia uses wild materials found around her home to make her inventive
and unusual baskets. She has had work shown in galleries and
exhibitions all over the British Isles and in Europe, and has a piece
of work in the permanent collection of the National Museums of Scotland...
We're very lucky indeed to have her here. (Kate Sankey) |
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Jan has hosted a variety of fascinating workshops at West Moss-side including Making Mosaics, Experimental Mosaics , Making Papers from Scrap, Nature Journals and Paper, Picture, Poetry. She has moved to the north west and so sadly it is really too far for Jan to teach at West Moss-side. But she may come by special invitation in 2008.
Jan links her work with sustainable development education. With her background as a teacher she inspires learning which is fun and expresses the connections with the natural world in wild and suprising ways. Learning a new craft skill in a group is a great way of getting to know each other and share ideas.
Recently Jan ran an Away Day here at West Moss-side for staff of Eco-Schools Scotland. It was a wonderful way for them to get to know each better and discover new possibilities of working within a team. ( Kate Sankey)
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It was Jane Wilkinson who introduced me to the wonderful world of willow weaving. I attended a weekend workshop and produced two fantastic baskets (well I thought they were!) - and that was it. She shared her skills and experiences both of willow basketry but also growing and cultivating willow and I was hooked. ( Kate Sankey) |
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 I was introduced to Jeanette through an exhibition at the Collins Gallery in Glasgow .... I was fascinated by her textual felt which reflected the natural world and a few days later visited her in her studio - I returned with two pieces. One Reflections on Peat is 'at home' in the centre. The other graces my house and I enjoy every day. I was so pleased when she agreed to come to West Moss-side to teach. It is great to have her at West Moss-side to pass on her skills. (Kate Sankey) |
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 I have used Jon's book Living Willow Sculpture many times over the years so it was with excitement that I first met the man behind the book and especially to discover that he had such wide ranging green wood working and rural skills. It was also good to hear that he had moved to mainland Scotland and even more when he agreed to teach a spoon carving workshop. (Kate Sankey) |
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Kate has been growing her skills over the past 10 years. Inspired by West Moss-side - the farming landscape, wildlife and natural materials which grow on the farm and flanders Moss National Nature Reserve. She began with willow basket making but has been so fortunate to meet and work with tutors and makers in a variety of media - all of whom have inspired her and many she has attracted to West Moss-side over the past 3 years. |
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I have admired Libby's work for many years. She does a great range of cards of her batiks and paintings. The watery skies of the Carse of Stirling and the iconic landscape setting of Ben Lomond inspire Libby's beautiful art work. I can't wait to see how you create these images ( Kate Sankey) |
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 I had heard all about Lynn the 'Bag Lady'! I think she and I have something in common as I am often referred to as the 'Basket Case'. I finally got to meet Lyn in Aberfoyle where she is involved in running a Craft Gallery/Shop. Her bags are really fabulous - the colours - the shapes - and practical too, with her special way of making the handles. So now you can learn to make them too, in the cosy and light hayloft workshop at West Moss-side. I might join you too 'cos I can never resist another bag for putting things in - to join all my baskets.(Kate Sankey Nov 2009)
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 Pascal Carr is new to West Moss-side as a tutor in his own right. He is partner with Catherine Davies in the new basket making business All about Willow. he has been working on larger pieces. His work is in the traditional style of Scottish and Irish baskets.
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 Paul Millard builds yurts. They are very beautifully made of ancient design and combining wood with fibre. Paul started Red Kite Yurts about the same time as West Moss-side was finished. The idea of running yurt-building workshops here seemed a good one. The stories and images from his 2007 trip to Krykistan fascinated me and he is very knowledgeable about nomadic peoples and their yurts ( Kate Sankey) |
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Pip runs regular courses and workshops all over Scotland. She will be the very first basket weaver to tutor at West Moss-side, using willow and natural materials from the Farm and the Moss. I collected some beautiful bog cotton in June which can be woven together with other treasures which you will have.
We're very lucky indeed to have her here. (Kate Sankey) |
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 It is great to have Saskia Gavin tutoring here at West Moss-side. She will be working together with Charlotte Haines in a series of three felt workshops introducing different felting techniques. Saskia Gavin and Charlotte Haines are two felt and fibre artists from Edinburgh. ( Kate Sankey) |
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Susie's work is wonderful. The patterns are beautifully intricate yet with simple elegance and symmetry. Just imagine sitting on a chair that you have restored to its original glory! She is also teaching Rushwork in 2012. Don't miss this new course. (Kate Sankey) |
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 Wooden Tom (Tom Banks ) lives and works in the Cairngorms where he runs green wood workshops and crafts beautiful pieces. Here's Wooden Tom explaining his love for wood...
I
work with wood, both as craftsman and as a teacher. I have a passion for
wood, for its texture and also because it makes me feel close to
nature. For my own part I am happiest when emphasizing its natural
beauty, and it’s important to me that the materials I choose are sustainably
sourced, and thus my work plays its part in keeping our outdoors at its
best.
When I hold classes I have the chance to share my passion and my traditional
skills of wood carving with my students. My teaching sessions are
taught using only hand tools because I find without the
noise and speed of power tools we ourselves begin to relax and work with
the grain of the wood rather than against it.
I have carved wood for many years and for me it is a welcome escape from the
stresses the we all know in modern life. Perhaps especially I love
watching the process from start to finish of a piece of wood becoming ...
whatever I wish it to be! It keeps me happy and I would like to share
this gift with you.
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