Our makers at Stroud, with Hazel and Pamela

Travelling Makers

From Shetland, Westray, Iona, Lochaber and Inverness, we arrived by trains, ferries, buses, taxis, planes and in some cases, all five!

Organising Highland invasions like this seems to be an integral part of my job and one I relish. By the very nature of our location, we usually work in isolation and although this can be wonderful a lot of the time, sometimes we need to get out of our comfort zone and look at the rest of the world. The chance to meet with like minded people, to discuss and plan, inspire and enthuse and then to return home exhausted with a head filled with new ideas, friendships and contacts is essential for those of us who live here.

Our group to attend the Stroud International Textile Festival was such a visit – all makers who were exhibiting as part of this year’s festival plus Hazel Hughson from Shetland Arts, Avril and myself from HI-Arts.

We were also going to see how we could be involved in the festival in coming years and to look at ways we could translate this to the Highlands.

Attending the festival was a great way to get our band of well travelled makers together and then to watch what happens as they realise that they are not alone in their struggles, that they  have all to leave and organise their workshops, families and life. That wherever we live, we have similar needs and demands.

Where the Highland and Islands are different from most of the rest of the country is that we have serious transport issues to address; getting supplies, organising exhibitions, meeting other makers and organisations take on a whole new dimension when you have to deal with ferries,planes, weather and single track roads.

Our Stroud trip confirmed that this is something that people in other parts of the country have really no idea about. I heard one comment at our networking supper that seemed to sum this up, ‘Shetland, is that where they make Harris Tweed?!

Hazel usually takes out her map at this point and then shows the bemused person where Shetland sits in relation to the rest of the country, and when they also realise that the Highlands are a huge area geographically and I tell them that my commute to Inverness is a 5 hour round trip, they get some idea of the scale of the area we cover!

Perhaps this is why our makers work really demonstrates such a sense of place. Looking at our groups work at Made in the Highlands at Made in Stroud you are struck by the way the colours reflect our area, the quality is outstanding and the designs are  contemporary but still retain the essence of our heritage, something that was commented on by so many people.

I hope by taking groups to other areas, our makers go home feeling less isolated and that the places and people they visit have a better understanding of where we come from and what we do. And best of all, I look forward to makers getting back in touch to tell me about their new plans and projects as a result of their trip!

Next week we are off to London and Collect with a new group, so watch this space for my update on that visit!

Pamela

www.stroudinternationaltextiles.org.uk