- Saving the Castlemilk Moorit one woollen scarf at a time
- Swapping modern machinery for medieval technology
Rebecca McLellan is on a one-woman mission to use the beautiful woollen scarves, and many other items, she weaves to help save a rare breed of Scottish sheep from extinction.
Meanwhile Mike Dixon and his son in law Tim Pattimore are exchanging modern electrical machinery for ancient technologies.
What they have in common is that they are among the remarkable array of highly skilled craft makers taking part in the Spring Fling open studios weekend which takes place across Dumfries and Galloway from 24-26 May.
Rebecca, who has a small flock of 18 of the curvy horned, nimble brown sheep, wanted to raise awareness of the endangered breed and hit on the idea of learning to weave.
She said: “They are a lovely breed, everyone who meets a Castlemilk Moorit is charmed, but they are rare and we really need more people to keep them to save them for the future.
“I realised that learning to weave would mean that I could do demonstrations where I could meet members of the public and talk to them about the sheep.
“At the same time I could show that they are a useful breed, that their wool can be used to make beautiful textiles.”
Rebecca will be welcoming visitors to her farm overlooking Rockliffe Bay on the Dumfries and Galloway coast during the open studios weekend.
They will be able to see her working at the loom, visit the wool store, browse products including scarves, throws, knitting yarns and – of course – see the sheep, including Eddie the Orphan who she raised by hand.
The Moorits have a fascinating history, first bred in the 1920s by the Liberal politician, international trader and author of Hounds of the World Sir Jock Buchanan-Jardine.
The idea is that they would be an elegant addition to the parkland of his Castlemilk Estate and their high-quality wool could be used to clothe his workers.
Most were culled after his death in 1970, with just two rams and a few ewes being saved.
Spring Fling visitors to Langholm can experience a different form of craft making – one that, like Rebecca’s, is sustainable and values the best of the traditional.
Mike and Tim, along with their wives Gail Dixon and Gemma Pattimore, have a family business which produces everything from scented soaps and visual art to practical wooden objects such as bowls, bread boards and spoons.
The two men’s main focus is on the woodwork and where possible they use wind-blown timber, including a copper beech from the grounds of Carlisle Cathedral and a sycamore from Comlongon Castle.
Much of their work used to be done with modern electric tools, but found that these often failed to provide the quality of finish they demanded.
Tim then built a “bowl horse”, “shaving horse” and “spoon mule” – wooden carving benches that a craftsman sits on and uses hand tools such as drawknives, gouges and spokeshaves.
He said: “If you walked into a workshop hundreds of years ago, in the Middle Ages, or even back in Roman times, this is the sort of equipment the craftsmen would have been using.”
The main reason why Mike wanted to move away from machinery was health and wellbeing – particularly being able to escape the noise and dust. But it has brought changes to his work as well.
Mike added: “I am very pleased with the direction we have taken. The traditional hand tool approach is more hands-on and produces a different finish. It allows for a more organic approach and finish to the end piece. No two pieces of our work ever come out identical.”
Both also find that using traditional methods is far better in terms of health and wellbeing. The sheer noise of modern machinery can be headache inducing, whereas working with hand tools is relaxing, therapeutic and deeply satisfying.
Natasha Kinsella, Events and Exhibitions Development Manager for Upland CIC which runs Spring Fling, said: “People like Rebecca, Mike and Tim are doing incredible work in protecting our heritage and making beautiful textiles and woodwork.
“One of the great things about Spring Fling is that it’s a chance for visitors to meet lots of people like them, with a deep love of their work.
“Some are keeping tradition alive and making it relevant for today while others are pushing the boundaries of creativity with work that is new and experimental.”
Spring Fling will see more than 80 studios belonging to visual artists and craft makers of every kind open their doors to the public across the region.
- See the Upland website at www.weareupland.com.
Ends
Notes for editors
- For more about Mike and Tim’s work visit www.handmadecrafthouse.co.uk
The full Spring Fling list
Ceramics: Andrew Priestman, Clare Dawdry, Fitch & McAndrew, Heather Armstrong, Joshua Williams, Mary Gladstone, Rebecca Woods, Ruth Elizabeth Jones, Samuel Sparrow, Frances Ross, Julian Francis, Lorna Phillips
Costume design: Alexander Rigg
Glass: Amanda J Simmons, Katy Quinn
Hand-forged knives: Chris Renshaw, Timothy Westley
Hats: Kay Ribbens
Illustration: Ailsa Black, Louisa Birdsall, Sarah Stewart, Suzi Plunkett
Jewellery: Alison Macleod, Jesse Ball, Kaz Robertson, Natalie Vardey, Sheena McMaster, Sonny Cooper
Metalwork: Adam Booth, Nathan Robinson
Mixed Media: Alison Corfield, Linda Mallett, Martha Schofield, Murray Young, Rhiannon D Dewar, Stephanie Lightbown
Painting and Drawing: Angela Lawrence, Anne Butler, Elizabeth Dagg, Elizabeth Gilbey, Gloria Newlan, Hazel Campbell, Heather Davies, Heather M Nisbet, Kate Bentley SWA, Kevan McGinty, Martin Clarkson, Michael Johnson, Scott McFarlane, Amanda Hayler, Catherine Corfield, Maggie Ayres, Mark Welland, Catherine Coulson, Julie Hollis, Sally Jennings, Suzanne Stuart Davies
Photography: Alistair Hamilton, David Quinn, Claire Cameron-Smith, Joshua Miles, Laura Boswell, Sarah Ross-Thompson, Alan Cameron, Pamela Grace
Sculpture: Kerry Samantha Boyes
Textiles: Jo Gallant, Morag Macpherson, Rebecca McLellan, Gail Kelly, Laura Derby, Yvette Phillips, Linda Ann Irving, Gyllian Thomson, Louisa Ruthven
Wood: Jane Alison Fraser, Jay Rubinstein, Daniel Lacey, Ian Cameron-Smith, Rachel Ashcroft, Mike Dixon.
About Upland
Upland CIC (Community Interest Company) supports artists and makers based in, and with connections to, the region. It delivers, events, training, networking, support and opportunities as part of a year-round programme to benefit the region, its artists, communities and economy. Upland CIC runs the annual Spring Fling contemporary visual art and craft open studios weekend in Dumfries and Galloway. It works closely with other arts bodies in the region to further-strengthen the sector. Upland is based at Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries and exists to:
- provide leadership in the visual art and craft sector regionally, collaborating with the cultural sector across Dumfries and Galloway and beyond.
- raise the profile of the visual art and craft sector of our rural area in a national and international context and build meaningful partnerships to support this.
- listen to local visual artists and makers and respond by providing relevant support and act as a collective voice to advocate on their behalf.
- support the engagement of a wide diversity of audiences in visual art and craft and initiate opportunities that promote inclusive, meaningful participation.
- produce and facilitate ambitious creative projects that are innovative and experimental in approach.
Its funders are Creative Scotland, D&G Council, The Holywood Trust, ASWT, Barfill.
For media information contact Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299 or at [email protected] or call Upland on 01387 213 218.