MaclaurinCRAFT EDITION AUTUMN 2020
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Maclaurin
The CRAFT EDITION AUTUMN 2020
“Heron” by Vanessa Lawrence
EDITOR’S
NOTE
Welcome to the second completely online issue of the
Maclaurin Magazine. I know before all Friends and
visitors got a printed copy, but you could if you wished also
read these issues online. But now due to Covid19 that
choice has been removed, rather like a lot of other choices
that seem to have been removed from us over the last few
months. So online and onwards we go!
This edition is dedicated to the wealth of wonderful crafts
people we have in the south west of Scotland. Last time
This edition you will remember we asked painters to share their
Lockdown experiences, this time it is the turn of these
talented and dedicated craftsmen and women to share
is dedicated their lockdown experience with us.
I know you will enjoy seeing the wonderful range of work
to the they have allowed us to share.
It was with real pleasure and a little trepidation that we
wealth of re-opened two galleries to the public on the 27th July.
The Rozelle staff have done a terrific job getting
wonderful everything ready for visitors with hand sanitizers and
social distancing stickers on the floor to make sure all is
as safe as it can be. The courtyard looks very spruce too
crafts thanks to Trains who replanted all the urns and dotted
lovely pots of orange begonias around to make the space
people we even more welcoming. (see photograph) I hope you have
visited and if not that you will do soon, as galleries three
and four have a selection of our own Maclaurin Collection
have in the on view and later in the autumn Ian McKinnell whose work
we featured as an online exhibition on our website is going
south west to exhibit more of his work in gallery four. And do visit
Toni’s tearoom too which has also been altered to allow
for social distancing. Outside on the patio you will find
of Scotland. colourful new tables and umbrellas and of course dogs are
always welcome there too. Meantime however, the
Tearoom is only open from Wednesday to Sunday
Editor And more news of things moving online. The Wigtown
Book Festival nd the Boswell Book Festival along with
Spring Fling are going to happen online in October.
Read all about them in this issue.
I hope you will enjoy this edition of the magazine.
I am sure you will find the words of our craftspeople
expressing their feelings during these strange times both
moving and informative and I know you will love the
photographs of their work.
2
www.themaclaurin.org.uk
Swallow
Geoff Forrest
Before lockdown there was a lot of
travelling, and mounting concerns
about the health of my family.
Strangely, much was resolved by
March and the world coming to a
standstill was a great relief. No
workshops or community projects,
but time to take in the world
around me, watch, sketch and
work.
My work has changed dramatically
Peace Crane Maquette in recent years, from making in
willow to sculpting in steel. I love
working in steel, drawing in space,
fixing ideas in an instant, the focus
of welding and the repetition of
finishing. An exhibition of my
sculptures at Caerlaverock WWT
has been postponed until 2021, but
as the geese left and swallows
arrived new possibilities dawned.
A large squirrel commission, an
origami crane realized in steel, and
wall pieces for an artist pledge.
Any crisis brings opportunity for
change, I may no longer teach or
run workshops but I feel closer to
the world around me, open to new
possibilities.
www.geoffforrest.co.uk
Squirrel maquette 4
Together Fell Runner
Vanessa
Lawrence
These past few months have been
challenging in many ways and for a
good part of the time I struggled
with not achieving as much
artistically as I had initially set out
for myself. My making time has
always been limited as I have a
young family as well as running art
classes from my studio, so I have a
tendency to aim to achieve as
much as possible whenever
possible.
Being forced to stop the regular
routine has allowed for an element
of space to slow down and focus.
There are always uncertainties and
challenges being a small business
but I have found the support
network from friends, the people
who follow my work and fellow
artists/makers throughout this time
has been even stronger than ever
which makes me feel very excited
and positive moving forward.
Sun Birds
www.themaclaurin.org.uk 3
Along the Moors
Vanessa Lawrence
Heron
Stormy Skies Boxers Shadow Sitting Hare
Linda Todd
I am a Textile Artist, working in my
studio in Ayr. During the lockdown
this safe creative space was a
haven. Most days I worked from
10am – 4pm as I tried to make
sense of the various changes and
restrictions that came flooding out
initially. It was upsetting to have
such confusion and social
distancing was strange to begin
with. I looked around my studio and
took stock. There was plenty of
resources, I had wood, driftwood,
fabrics, threads and a stockpile of
materials I had collected so that
wasn’t a disadvantage. Lack of
interaction with people was going
to be difficult as I was so social.
Covid – 19 has made 2020 a year
of adapting and focussing on
positivity, hoping for the best and
above all rolling with the changes.
Nest
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LindaToddArt
www.facebook.com/LindaToddArt
Butterfly Cushion
6
www.themaclaurin.org.uk
Every cloud has a
silver lining Linda Todd
It did feel strange not being able to Lockdown made me look at what
scour the beach, or visit charity was really important to me and
shops for ‘finds’, a familiar constant what was not. My family and
was social media. I used Facebook friends were at the heart of what
and Instagram and the internet was really mattered. Opening my shop
buzzing daily with art created and was just the project I needed to
conversations about reactions to sustain everything I was creating.
lockdown. I decided to do the Meet Online the many friends and my
the Maker Challenge and that gave customers kept in regular contact
me a focus for the month of March. and this support had such a healing
My customer base increased and affect
suddenly I became very busy. It led
me to re-opening my Etsy Shop
online and thankfully the local post
office nearby allowed customers
around the world to keep
purchasing, the service was very
efficient. I took part in a few virtual
Art & Craft fairs at The Grain
Exchange, and Harbour Arts
Centre. Working this way really
suited me, I could create from my
studio post it online and physically
post it all over the world. I offered a
card writing and gift wrapping
service for people who were shield- Flower Garden
ing and this was very popular.
Commissions came out of people
wanting a special artwork or
cushion to help people cope and
find hope in all the uncertainty.
To begin with I was staring into the
unknown with the lockdown but my
craft of embroidery was so
adaptable towards making it
tolerable. Embroidering cushions
and panels became such a mindful
activity, many hours were spent
calmly stitching and planning
designs. Moonlight Hare
www.themaclaurin.org.uk 5
Margaret Working in clay during lockdown
has been interesting. I have had
plenty of time to be more creative.
MacDonald With less demand for work and
despite the usual amount of
displacement activity, such as
clearing cupboards and gardening,
I have managed to get into projects
I had been putting off for ages.
Printing photographic images onto
clay before firing using a litho-
graphic technique is something I’ve
been wanting to try. The results,
using old family photos as a
reference are still a work in
progress but I will persevere!.
Painting has also taken up a lot of
my time and it is very satisfying
being able to incorporate a wee jug
that I recently made into a still life
with daisies.
Happily, the creative journey
continues.
www.themaclaurin.org.uk
www.margaretmacdonaldceramics.co.uk
7
www.themaclaurin.org.uk
Leona Stewart In the days leading up to the lockdown,
I was finalising drawings for 3 commissions
and working out what materials I needed
Glass to buy. I was going to the glass supplier on
the Tuesday morning, but lockdown was
announced on the Monday night and
everything closed with immediate effect!
That was very frustrating, but I fairly
quickly realised that everyone was in the
same boat and that I had to just get on
with whatever I could and not worry about
it. And it was great. 3 weeks of finalising
my drawings, doing what I could with the
materials I had and then enjoying the
sunshine! However, I did get to my glass
supplier and I could then crack on. I had a
commission for a front door stained glass
panel on a jazz musician theme. The next
commission was for an internal stained
glass window for a new house on the Isle of
Islay with a view to the Paps of Jura.
And the largest commission was to
translate artwork from Queen Margaret
Academy pupils into stained glass windows
for their new school. When the new school
opened the pupils and teachers were
disappointed that their designs had been
made into vinyl stuck onto the windows (2
narrow tall windows and a large cross
window). The vinyl was lacking in colour
and their designs had not been translated
well into the narrow windows. The art
teacher Lesley Parham asked if I could
make stained glass windows to replace the
vinyl. When the schools returned in mid
August
I was delighted to hear that the pupils were
excited to see the new colourful windows.
www.themaclaurin.org.ukLeona Stewart Glass
Patricia Moon Working at home is the norm so
lockdown didn’t present any
immediate differences to my daily
routine. Listening to the news
however made me anxious and
gradually uninspired. Just thinking
about what Covid19 is doing to my
family, friends and our livelihoods
literally drove me to switch off the
TV and start scoring things off on
my never ending “To Do” list.
Flowers are my main source of
inspiration and having only moved
into my new home a year ago it
was always my intention to
eventually create a little green
space in our desolate back yard.
I wanted somewhere we could
relax and be inspired by the beauty
of nature and so I thought no time
like the present This fast became
an all-consuming project, I’d no
previous experience of plastering
or painting walls nor the planting of
anything really but already I’ve
achieved much more than hoped.
My stunning Cosmos, Dahlias, and
Foxgloves are destined to feature
in new designs , my worries have
eased somewhat, and inspiration is
back. I hope others might take
solace from my experience and
they too will find ways to keep
motivated and not let our current
situation stop our creative pursuits.
Website: patriciamoon.netPatricia Moon
Janet
Laurie
As a jeweller , I am at my happiest working away each week we met online through social media
in my workshop creating and designing . keeping us all connected as we had a different
When lockdown was announced all my planned project to try every time. I was experimenting with
exhibitions for the year like Open Studios Ayrshire new jewellery techniques and it kept me focused.
and local monthly events like Handmade in Ayr It was important to be creating again, doing what I
were cancelled, also commissions were put on love with the extra time I had to spend .
hold. I was feeling anxious and worried about Handmade in Ayr alongside the Grain Exchange
family and friends as Covid-19 infection rates decided to host online virtual events each month
were rising I worried about how it was affecting us for local Artists.
all worldwide
This worked well as it kept us connected again
I had to do something to help myself to focus and through social media and it advertised our work
be creative ...Music always helps and online and our online shops.
bands and djs were streaming live music online I am so grateful for all the Artists online content &
from their own homes which was brilliant ! support through social media during lockdown .
Staying connected online with social media is very Here are some photos of the jewellery I created
important to me and has really helped. over the last few months ...some pieces are
Vanilla Ink Jewellery set up an online group for available for sale on my etsy shop
jewellers 'Project Connect ' which was great as http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LaurieSilverDesignsMaree
Hughes
“Working from home away from my
studio during the lockdown posed
restrictions for me regarding my
usual daily painting practise. I didn’t
have space at home to use oil
paints, so I decided to focus on my
sewing for a while to try out new
ideas. I had been wanting to adapt
a few vintage fabric doll patterns for
a while but never had the time.
An invitation to take part in an
online local virtual market gave me
a deadline and a focus to finish
some of the characters I had been
working on. It was a lovely surprise
to find out how interactive the
online markets are. Even after the
lockdown they provide a necessary
connection to other artists/mak-
ers/browsers plus an incentive to
produce new work when so many
things have been either postponed
or cancelled."
www.themaclaurin.org.ukEmily
Stewart
I was in 6th year at Kyle Academy
studying Higher Photograph and
Advanced Higher Art when lockdown
happened.
I continued working at home on my
paintings for advanced higher, but I
then heard that the portfolio was not
going to be sent to the SQA, so the
motivation to finish everything wasn’t
there anymore.
Instead I drew designs for stained
glass sun catchers and joined my
Mum and Dad in the glass workshop.
I set up an Etsy on-line shop and I took
part in a Handmade in Ayr on-line
Market at the end of May and started
selling some of my glass which was
great. I have now decided that I want
to prepare a portfolio and apply to art
school next year, hopefully to do
Textiles and I have now started
drawing, painting and printmaking too.
I had always planned on taking a year
after school to work, travel and work
out my plans for my future, so I hope
that won’t change too much in the near
future anyway.
12
www.themaclaurin.org.ukEmily Stewart
www.themaclaurin.org.uk 13Lockdown, what an intimidating
Violeta term. The uncertainty around how
the world was going to come
through it made us nervous and
Skinner wary, but it wasn’t all negative. In
many ways, it was quite the
opposite. It allowed us to spend
lots of time together and in doing
so reflect and re-evaluate; sifting
through the important stuff and
hopefully teaching us all some
valuable lessons that we’d
forgotten.
From a work point of view I was
worried I’d have to hang up my
tools for a while (what a dreadful
thought!) as I couldn’t imagine
people buying jewellery with so
much else going on. As it turned
out though I needn’t have worried.
With people having a bit more time
on their hands and also not being
able to go out shopping, my online
business was very much alive and
buzzing. Traffic and interaction
with my social channels and
website were amongst the highest
they’d ever been and I had an
influx of enquiries for
commissioned pieces. People were
more creative and outspoken with
their designs which was beautiful.
Most clients trusted my ideas which
is always very exciting and my
creative energy went wild on it.
It did, however, mean a lot of late
nights catching up with work!
One thing that it did take away from
me however was people, in
particular family and friends. And
I’m very excited for the time (soon,
I hope) when I can embrace them,
spend time with them and love
them again.
14www.themaclaurin.org.ukExciting news - we are What to expect!
delighted that the Boswell
Book Festival has a new set # Speakers will be on a raised, spacious and
covered stage with an 8 metre LED screen al-
of wheels! lowing the audience a great view. Sound will
be broadcast over a loud speaker system, as
The 9 - 11 October 2020 festival will now be a well as straight to car radios using FM radio
socially distanced Drive-In Festival. transmission.
Come along to historic Turnberry Airfield to # Those unable to attend can listen to the
hear compelling stories from a rich mix of au- talks via YouTube or similar.
thors. The best-selling Yorkshire Shepherdess
Amanda Owen and award-winning journalist
Melanie Reid are among authors from our
# Tickets will be sold per car, not per person,
May programme who have signed up to ap- with a maximum of 120 cars per event. The
pear, along with exciting new faces. audience will stay in or in front of their cars, if
permitted by Government guidelines at the
The full programme and tickets will be time, parked in a socially distanced chequer-
available in the second week of September board.
with priority booking for Festival Friends.
# A ‘touch free’ entry system will be in opera-
tion as you arrive.
We strive to bring the very best life stories to our audi-
ence from near and far and believe that despite the dif-
ficulties of this extraordinary year our pioneering # Pre-ordered food and drink supplied by
autumn event will prove to be a worthy celebration of Trump Turnberry Hotel will be delivered to your
our 10th anniversary year. Ten years ago, we held the
car window in a safe and socially distanced
first Festival in conditions that would have daunted
many but not our adventurous audience, so we very fashion. Alternatively, a table can be booked in
much hope you will join us over the weekend. the Hotel Ballroom.
We look forward to seeing you soon! # When buying your ticket you will have the
Boswell Book Festival team option of also buying food and books.
info@boswellbookfestival.co.ukSpring Fling
Joanna Macaulay, Assistant Director for Upland Arts Development CIC
It runs from 24 August to 6 September.
Spring Fling is bouncing back – after being
forced to cancel May’s event the organisers
have rescheduled for October. Of course with
the ongoing Covid-19 crisis it will be a rather
different event than the usual one, which sees
around 90 studios across Dumfries and
Galloway throw open their doors to welcome
about 12,000 visitors.
Upland Arts Development CIC, which organises
the event, are working with artists and makers to
decide which ones will physically open and Artwork by Denise Zygadio
make arrangements to ensure that everyone
Despite the pandemic Upland has also been
can stay safe. At the same time we will have a
pushing ahead with a number of other initiatives.
lot more online activity, and much more studio
These have included A Postcard From D&G, an
information and
online exhibition of small-scale work by 38 of its
opportunities to browse and buy via the
members that celebrate the region and the idea
website. The combined digital/physical Spring
of “wish you were here”.
Fling will also be longer and runs from 5 to 12
October. Among them are Alison Corfield, Alistair
Hamilton, Andy Priestman, Angela Lawrence,
All this means that all the artists, jewellery
Catherine Coulson, Deborah Campbell, Denise
makers, ceramicists, photographers and others
Zygadlo, Doug Fitch & Hannah McAndrew,
who had been selected to participate in
Hazel Campbell, Heather Blanchard, Helen
Scotland’s premier open studios event can still
Ryman, Hugh Bryden, Jennie Ashmore,
be involved if they wish. Details of which
Jo Gallant, Julie Hollis, Laura Derby,
studios are open and when will be available
Lisa Hooper, Lizzie Farey, Pamela Grace,
from the
Rosie Dobson, Sarah Keast, Sarah Stewart,
website and the idea is that the physical side of
Tricia Barna and Val Macadam.
the event will mainly be for people from south
It runs from 24 August to 6 September and
west Scotland. The whole event will build on the
even if you don’t read this in time for the full
success of May’s SF | At Home – our digital
exhibition you’ll still be able to download the
event that attracted interest from people all
catalogue and admire some of the pieces.
round the world.
www.themaclaurin.org.ukSpring Fling Painting by Hugh Bryden Joanna Macaulay Another project we have underway is Artful It’s hoped that the project (a partnership with Migration, in which environmental artist John Ginnie Wollaston and Nicholas Parton Philip of Wallace is working with staff and volunteers at Moving Souls Dance which has received funding the National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Estate from Creative Scotland) will be completed in and Garden on a film work about the ospreys 2021, with John’s work being shown at Threave. which migrate there each year from Africa to breed. Based in Annandale, in the east of the In the meantime we are already looking ahead to region, he not only plans to explore the lives of next May, with hopes that Spring Fling can return the rare birds of prey but also wants to look at to its usual dates and that we can welcome the wider ecosystem that supports them, plus visitors from all over the world to enjoy the their impact on people. region and its abundance of visual arts and craft. Felt work by Ann Smith
Wigtown
Book
Festival Andrew Marr
Digital Wigtown? They are two words that don’t Yes we have a rota of big literary names, from
sit naturally together. The joy of Scotland’s Book Andrew Marr and Maggie O’Farrell to Sue
Town has always been the serendipity of Black, Richard Holloway and Ayrshire’s Andrew
browsing, not on the internet but among the O’Hagan. But perhaps the greatest star will be
shelves. The autumn book festival is Wigtown and Galloway themselves, hoping to
traditionally a place to meet and greet, catch up reach a new audience through the web.
with old friends and make new ones. But this
year there will be no marquees, and no Home talent abounds and the opening night will
complaints about parking. The hum of the cafe set the tone with the world premiere of a new
in the County Buildings cafe will be silenced as musical work about St Ninian, created by
the 2028 festival goes online in the face of novelist Alexander McCall Smith and composer
Covid. Who would have imagined that a year Tom Cunningham. While the Wigtown-based
ago? Bookshop Band host a daily literary chat show,
Diary of a Bookseller author and Book Town
One of the greatest challenges of this brave stalwart Shaun Bythell offers a sneak preview of
new digital world has been how to keep the his new book about his customers.
Wigtown-ness of Wigtown. With all the other
digital events taking place taking place this year,
maintaining the distinctiveness of our Book
Town festival has been a priority.
In a normal year, Wigtown Book Festival would
generate more than £3m for the local economy,
mainly through tourist visits. Sadly that won’t be
happening this autumn. But more than ever the
festival has a role in showcasing the joys of
south Scotland to the widest possible audience.
The Wigtown Book Festival runs online from
24 September to 4 October 2020.
Richard HollowayWigtown Book Festival
Through the wonders of technology we will be But delight in our home town doesn’t mean we
exploring Wigtown’s saltmarsh in the company won’t also be stretching our wings, with authors
of award-winning nature writer Stephen Rutt, taking part from as far away as New York,
taking the plunge with wild swimmer Vicky Allan, Argentine and Iceland. We’ll also be teaming up
and foraging the Solway shore with wild-food for the first time with our sister Book Town in
expert Mark Williams, all part of Scotland’s Year Featherston, New Zealand for the first time.
of Coasts and Waters celebrations.
“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the
Bladnoch Distillery will be offering a virtual word 'crisis',”, President John F Kennedy
whisky tasting, conducted online with the spirits famously observed. “One brush stroke stands
delivered by post in advance, while The Kist - for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis,
the festival’s regular craft and food space that be aware of the danger - but recognise the
celebrates southern Scottish producers - gets a opportunity.”
digital makeover.
This year has certainly been one of danger for
Visual arts have always been a key part of Wigtown Book Festival, as it has for most
Wigtown Book Festival’s DNA. One of several cultural organisations. That we’ve ridden it so
online exhibitions celebrating our links with the far is thanks largely to the many individuals and
arts and crafts open studios event Spring Fling organisations, big and small, public and private
will be a retrospective for artist Astrid Jaekel, who have given time, energy and (let’s not beat
who famously wallpapered many of the Book about the bush) money to help us survive.
Town’s buildings to mark the festival’s 20th
birthday. And there’s even a sound artist, the Now, this autumn, we pick up the brush again
enigmatic Stuart McLean, known locally as and try to make the most of an opportunity to
French Bloke, who will be curating a collection communicate in a new way and to find new
of the Sounds of Wigtown - evocative audio audiences. We hope you will join us, wherever
postcards to bring the Book Town to life at a in the world you are.
distance.
The Wigtown Book Festival
runs online from
24 September to 4 October
2020.
Adrian Turpin
Artistic director, Wigtown Book Festival
07971 811653
@wigtownbookfest
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